halfwhiteboy

I'm obviously still not over The Phantom of the Opera . Through its 25 years many stars have come and gone playing the characters of this excellent musical ( you can check out show schedules over at Main Event Specials ) . But did you know that Nicole Sherzinger -- yes, the Pussycat Doll Nicole -- can sing the part of Christine? Watch this: Unbelievable, right? Who knew she could sing like that, that she could hit those seriously high notes? It's really funny how "packaging" can affect our view of artists and other celebrities. Sometimes we really don't know what "hidden talents" these celebrities have, and when we do get to see or hear them, we're instantly surprised. Take for instance Gerard Butler -- yes, the buff, six-pack-baring guy yelling "Sparta!" in 300 .  He sings, too! And in case this flew under your radar, he was the Phantom in the movie adaptation of the acclaimed musical.

My Bibe and I finally caught Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated The Phantom of the Opera at the CCP last Sunday, and I haven't really gotten rid of the tunes in my head ever since. It's no secret that the musical is one helluva masterpiece but to get to watch it and experience it firsthand is just a totally different thing on many levels. It was purely awesome! Entering the theater, it was already palpable from the the stage alone -- even with the curtains closed -- that this was going to be a spectacular production. We're definitely fortunate that the Phantom  is being staged here in Manila not as a local production but as part of an international tour, where nothing is compromised in terms of production value. (I know some local artists are decrying the onslaught of all these foreign acts and productions but hey, if you can come up with something like this, we just might pay to watch you. Give us something worth watching.) A view of the stage during the break.  ...

Finally, the musical My Bibe and I have been longing to see, The Phantom of the Opera , will be staged here in Manila! The thing is, it won't be opening until August 25, so it's going to be months of waiting still. Andrew Lloyd Webber's opus will run from August 25 through September 16 at the CCP Main Theater. But you think if demand is high, they'll extend, like what happened with Mamma Mia? Let's see. Pre-selling exclusive to Infinity (Powered by Smart)  subscribers and Citibank cardholders is ongoing (since March 19) until April 30 at TicketWorld Manila . Regular selling starts May 1. Ticket prices are (in PHP) 7,280 | 6,032 | 4,680 | 3,640 | 2,340 | 1,820. ********** You can read my review here . Well, it's more like gushing actually. :)