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From Musicial Stages Website On we went to the Neue Flora Theater to say goodbye to Phantom, but while I was still struggling to get into a sufficiently tearful mood, Stella's CEO Klaus van der Heyde announced in a pre-show speech on stage that "there'll be a new lease of life for the Phantom". So yet another cow will be milked until the very last drop instead of calling it a day after eleven fine years. He didn't say where exactly Phantom would be heading, but the rumour is talking about the Teatro Centro which is now vacant after Tabaluga's departure. However, the idea is as ridiculous as it is expensive, for Tabaluga was very much staged like a rock concert and the theatre could impossibly accommodate a show like Phantom. And would it be sensible to spend millions of marks on refurbishing the theatre for a show that's played for 11 years already? Sometimes I'm glad I'm not Stella's accountant. The cast, led by Ian Jon Bourg as the Phantom and Colby Thomas as Christine, was virtually the same I saw at the 10th anniversary performance last year and while I thought that Mr. Bourg has vocally improved and was a scarier, more impressive Phantom now, my only hope for the new production is that at last, a new leading lady will get the chance to play Christine. Ms. Thomas is a great singer, but frankly, she is no young, innocent maiden anymore and after seven years in the same role, both she and Christine should move on. by German Correspondent, Nicole Freialdenhoven germany@musicalstages.co.uk
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