Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera is finally making its highly anticipated premiere at the Sydney Opera House. The history-making Sydney season sees one of the most successful and much-loved musicals of all time make its debut at one of the world’s most iconic venues.
The Phantom of the Opera will play a 9-week season at the globally renowned Sydney Opera house until October 16 before making its way to Arts Centre Melbourne from October 30.
This spectacular new staging by Cameron Mackintosh premiered with a record-breaking sell-out tour of the UK followed by a 7-year tour of the United States which grossed over US$400 million and thrilled critics and audiences alike. Australia is now only the third country to see this new PHANTOM with its beloved and thrilling score including the hit songs The Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, and Masquerade. With stunning new staging and scenic design, Maria Bjornson’s iconic original costumes and many special effects including a spectacular new realisation of the show’s chandelier.
The talented Australian cast is led by Josh Piterman in the coveted lead role of the Phantom while Amy Manford takes on the role of the ingenue Christine Daae and Blake Bowden plays Raoul Vicomte de Chagny.
Josh Piterman scored a huge personal triumph with an impressive West End debut as he took on the most coveted role of Phantom in the London production in 2019. He is an established musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has been working consistently on Australian and UK stages over the past 15 years. His past credits include being a part of the international pop opera group The Ten Tenors, Tony in the 2010 Australian production of Westside Story, Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2015/16 Australian season of Cats (a role that won him the Green Room Award for best supporting actor in a Musical), Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray and Gerry Goffin in the 2017/18 Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. In June of this year, Josh released his new EP Loving You, a 4-track EP recorded between London and Melbourne, a musical collaboration with UK friend, producer, and songwriter, Steve Anderson.
Born and raised in Perth, Amy Manford has had an exciting start to her career after graduating from WAAPA and making her way to London. She did a Masters degree at The Royal College of Music whilst landing her first role on the West End cast as the Christine alternate in the original London production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in 2017. During her time in London, she also had the privilege of performing for Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace and for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Blake Bowden has starred on many Australian stages with his most acclaimed performance to date, leading the cast in the Australian production of The Book of Mormon in the lead of Elder Price which also garnered him a Helpmann Award nomination for Best Male Actor in a Musical in 2019. Blake has also starred in productions including Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, and the Boy From Oz Arena Spectacular with Hugh Jackman.
Australian musical theatre stalwart David Whitney will play Monsieur Firmin, Andy Morton returns to the stage as Monsieur Andre and soprano Giuseppina Grech will play Carlotta Guidicelli. Madame Giry will be played to much acclaim on Sydney Harbour earlier this year as Ubaldo Piangi, and newcomer Mietta White will play young ballerina Meg Giry.
Joining them will be the talented ensemble cast including Elliot Baker, Anton Berezin, Laura Bianchi-Bishop, Eleanor Blythman, Gavin Brown, Ben Clark, Bridget Costello, Andrew Dunne, Lewis Frances, Christina Gibbs, Claudia Hastings, Olivia Jenkins, Daniel Koek, Naomi Livingston, Josephine Lonergan, Aaron Lynch, Imogen-Faith Malfitano, Kayleigh Marven, Emma McFarlane, Lachlan O’Brien, Brittany Page, Edward Smith, Anna Stephens, Tod Strike, Troy Sussman, Raphael Wong, Jack Wunsch, and Elisha Zion Lee.
The Sydney season of The Phantom of the Opera is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
Directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award-winning original costume design by Marla Bjornson, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Paule Constable and sound design by Mick Potter, The Phantom of the Opera has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. This new production is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh.
Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of The Opera is directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn and is presented by Opera Australia in association withThe Really Useful Group.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantome de L’Opera by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
PHANTOM IS AN ENORMOUS HIT ALL OVER AGAIN!
“Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ravishing score, intense and spectacular, a stunning new design with fresh drama and added momentum.”
Sunday Express
“Delight at the opera, this new Phantom soars to incredible heights.”
Manchester Evening News
“The Phantom is back. If you liked the show before, you’ll probably like this one even better.”
Seattle Times
“Extraordinarily opulent. This Phantom’s storytelling and relationships have an electrifying tension.”
Chicago Sun-Times
“Powerful, gorgeous… and better than ever.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Take a deep breath and prepare to be dazzled; this kind of gorgeous escapism is exactly what audiences need.”
The Scotsman (U.K.)
“This PHANTOM is for a new generation.”
Roy Leonard, Chicago Now
The Phantom of the Opera is at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House until 16th of October, 2022. Tickets here
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePhantomOfTheOpera/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phantomopera/
BIOGRAPHIES
JOSH PITERMAN – Phantom
Josh Piterman was the most recent Phantom in the brilliant original West End Production of The Phantom of the Opera in London, prior to the COVID shutdown. He is an established Australian musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has worked prolifically since he graduated from Federation University with a Bachelor of Arts (Music Theatre) in 2006. Josh kicked off his career performing with the International pop opera group The Ten Tenors and then made his mark as Tony in the 2010 Australian production of West Side Story. His other musical theatre credits include Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2016 season of Cats, a role that won him the Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in A Musical; Edward in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers; Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray; The Caliph in Kismet; Guiseppe in The Light in the Piazza; Jamie in The Last Five Years and Garry Goffin in the Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. In 2018 his debut self-titled album went to number 1 on both the Aria and iTunes Charts (Classical Crossover) in Australia. In June 2022, Josh released the EP Loving You, a 4-track EP recorded between London and Melbourne, a musical collaboration with UK friend, producer, and songwriter, Steve Anderson.
AMY MANFORD – Christine Daae
Australian/American soprano, Amy Manford most recently performed the role of ‘Christine Daae’ in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s original production of The Phantom of the Opera on the West End before a short stint in Greece in the same role earlier this year. Prior to her West End debut, Amy had performed internationally as a soloist with the London Handel, London Cello, and the Perth Symphony Orchestra’s. She had also sung at iconic venues such as the Seoul Arts Center in South Korea and at Buckingham Palace for the Prince of Wales. She was especially honoured to sing the Australian Anthem for HRH Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle for the 2018 Anzac Day Memorial Service in London. In 2017, Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Music at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in her hometown, Perth. A diverse performer, Amy also has a unique history in rhythmic gymnastics and pole vaulting, winning gold medals at the Australian National Championships in both fields.
BLAKE BOWDEN – Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny
Most recently Blake was seen in the acclaimed role of Elder Price in the Australian production of The Book of Mormon (GFO), for which in 2019 he was nominated for a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical. Blake’s previous roles include Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof (TML), Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd (Victorian Opera), Edward Lyons in Blood Brothers (Enda Markey Presents), Anthony Pemberton in Beyond Desire (Neil Rutherford Productions), and Lt. Joseph Cable in South Pacific (Opera Australia/GFO). Other theatre credits: Tony in Masterclass (LeftBauer Prods), Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Belvoir), Pat Matthews in Moonshadow (Cat Stevens/Sue Farrelly Productions), Snowboy in West Side Story (ATG), Jekyll and Hyde (TML), The Boy From Oz Arena Spectacular with Hugh Jackman (Gannon/Fox) and Dirty Dancing (Jacobsen Entertainment). In 2018, Blake produced and performed his solo show and released his Debut EP Blake Bowden: Straight From The Hart featuring the reimagined songs of Rodgers and Hart (Noosa Alive!). Blake has also appeared in concert with The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (R.U.G), The Sound of Rodgers (Stuart Maunder), and Musical Melodies in the Park (City of Stonnington). In 2014 and 2016, Blake starred as Mario Lanza, alongside Phil Scott in the cabaret MARIO (Adelaide Cabaret Festival/Hayes Theatre/Canberra Theatre/Noosa Alive!). Screen roles include Young Jack in the film, The Dam, Brusco in Home and Away, Mr & Mrs Murder, The Chaser and as the Young Boy Pirate in The Wiggles Movie. In 2011, Blake was the winner of The Rob Guest Endowment Award and in 2013 Blake received the Gertrude Johnson Fellowship at The Opera Studio Melbourne.