Review: The Phantom of the Opera Dazzles at Handa Opera on the Harbour

Opera Australia’s Handa on Sydney Harbour season presents a lavish staging of The Phantom of the Opera in 2026. Simon Phillips directs this visually bold production. Filmogaz.com attended and found spectacle and polish at every turn.

Production and Design

Gabriela Tylesova designed both sets and costumes. Her work includes a grand staircase, velvet tiers, and the famous chandelier. Costumes range from colorful corsets to sparkling tailcoats. Wigs and coiffures are intentionally larger than life.

Onstage pyrotechnics and a fireworks finale punctuate Act One. The creative team also used a gondola element from the original concept. Booming voice-overs frame key moments.

Music and Musical Direction

Musical supervisor Guy Simpson leads an enthusiastic orchestra. The players infuse Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score with energy. At times the orchestra’s force initially overpowered singers.

When the cast raised their intensity, their vocal work matched the orchestra. Standout moments include “The Point of No Return” and both versions of “All I Ask of You.” The company opener “Masquerade/Why So Silent…?” delivers strong pageantry.

Principal and Supporting Performances

Jake Lyle plays the Phantom with several powerful numbers. Amy Manford sings Christine with clarity and warmth. Jarrod Draper appears as Raoul and anchors the romantic triangle.

Giuseppina Grech’s Carlotta is a scene-stealer. Brent Hill and Martin Crewes bring solid support as the opera house managers. Daniel Belle performs Ubaldo Piangi with assured presence.

Strengths and Shortcomings

The production dazzles on a sensory level. Design, choreography, and theatrical effects create a layered stage world. Yet the emotional throughline feels underdeveloped.

The relationship between Christine and the Phantom needs deeper connection. This weakens moments meant to be tragic and intimate. The ensemble often favors spectacle over subtlety.

Final Assessment

As a Review, Filmogaz.com notes that The Phantom of the Opera dazzles at Handa Opera on the Harbour visually. The staging is richly imagined and technically impressive. Audiences seeking lush theatricality will be satisfied.

Those hoping for stronger emotional depth may feel shortchanged. The production offers grandeur, though it sometimes sacrifices the heart beneath the mask.