Photo Exhibition Celebrates The 1000th Performance of The Phantom of the Opera at The Madách Theatre

A photo exhibition opens on the occasion of the 1000th performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the Madách Theatre on Tuesday; the exhibition on view in the Tolnay Salon presents memorable moments from the past two decades of the production.

Speaking about the 1000th performance at the opening of the exhibition on Tuesday, director Tamás Szirtes, the director of the performance, emphasised that it is rare, either in the life of a theatre or an actor, that something arouses such interest. He added that, whenever the programme is announced, tickets for this production sell out first.

He recalled that when The Phantom of the Opera was presented more than 22 years ago, they knew that it was special, but they did not suspect that it would be such a magical play, have such theatrical creative power and would determine the next 20-25 years of the theater. "This play is capable of miracles," said the director.

The musical was presented by the Madách Theatre in 2003. Director Tamás Szirtes was the first in the world to receive permission to stage the musical in a non-replica version, i.e. with his own visuals and stage solutions, which tells the story of the mysterious resident of the Paris Opera House who falls in love with the young singer Christine.

Tamás Szirtes recalled that the rights to the play were won out of three applicants. He learned at the final performance of Cats in London that the rights to The Phantom of the Opera had been awarded. He said that this was a turning point, and the next 20 years of the Madách Theatre began with this production. "This play is now part of the identity of the Madách Theatre," he said.

There is no more complex way to talk about human passion in theatre than this, the director emphasized, praising Andrew Lloyd Webber's music and thanking all the artists who have participated in the performance over the past 22 years.

The 1000th performance of The Phantom of the Opera is on November 30th

The audience can see the 1000th performance of The Phantom of the Opera on Sunday, and on the occasion of the anniversary, all three current cast members will take to the stage.

The 1000th performance is preceded by a series of festive programs lasting an entire week. The theatrical walk titled Journey Behind the Curtain has been renewed, and its participants can discover the background of the performances of composer Andrew Lloyd Webber at the Madách Theatre. On Tuesday, an exhibition presenting the most memorable moments of the production's preparations and the iconic elements of the performance opened, the photos of which were taken by Eszter Gordon, Angéla Mohos and Szabina Jardek.

The Phantom of the Opera premiered in London on October 9, 1986, and opened on Broadway in New York on January 26, 1988. Based on the 1910 novel by French author Gaston Leroux, the play tells the story of a deformed genius who lives in the Paris Opera House and falls in love with a young soprano singer.

Source: MTI.hu

Photo: Madách Theatre Facebook page