London Phantom to Close Briefly as New Sound System Is Installed
By Mark Shenton
02 May 2008
The original London production of The Phantom of the Opera, now in its 22nd year at Her Majesty's Theatre, will temporarily close.
The production will be closed for three days (May 5-7), affecting four performances only, with performances resuming May 8.
This is being done in order to install a new digital sound system. Due to the ongoing success of the show, it has not been possible to make any substantial changes to the production without causing major disruption to advance bookings. The affected performances were kept off sale in the current booking period.
In a press statement, composer and co-producer Andrew Lloyd Webber said, "The most recent productions of The Phantom of the Opera around the world from Vegas to China have the most fantastic sound systems, and it is wonderful that the flagship London production will now have the newest and best of them all to get the best out of our huge cast and the largest orchestra in the West End."
His co-producer, Cameron Mackintosh, added, "Phantom had ground-breaking sound when it opened in 1986 and Andrew and I have wanted for some time to give our sound system a complete up-date so that our audiences could enjoy the most exciting theatrical sound in London."
Designed by Mick Potter, the digital system will double the amount of microphones used in the show, and the Phantom himself will now use three microphones. The new surround sound system will consist of over 10 kilometres of cable, 120 speakers placed throughout the auditorium and a digital sound desk that will make the largest orchestra in the West End and 40 strong cast sound more powerful than ever before. Technicians will begin to work around the clock as soon as the curtain falls on May 3 so the installation is complete in time.
Potter won the 2005 Olivier Award for Best Sound Design for the London production of Lloyd Webber's The Woman in White. Other West End and Broadway credits include Saturday Night Fever, Starlight Express, Tell Me On a Sunday, Jesus Christ Superstar, Bombay Dreams, Hair, Whistle Down The Wind, Evita, Cabaret, The Sound of Music and Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular.
For tickets contact the box office at 0844 412 2707.
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