Variations
As isn't surprising with something that's been absorbed into the cultural subconscious, there are a lot of musical versions of The Phantom of the Opera as well as all the print and stage versions. While they usually aren't quite as cohesive in terms of story, it's extremely interesting to see what musical ideas such a fundamentally music-driven story inspires, and which previous incarnations of the story are most prevalent as influences. Just for fun, here are a few musical variations from different sources; check them out, and draw your own conclusions.
An instrumental techno remix of the title song from Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical. It's very short, and bears the smallest resemblance to its source material of any piece on this list, so I haven't got much to say about it; techno lovers may be better able to read into it.
La Streisand's version of the love duet from Webber's stage musical is considerably lighter and sweeter than it's usually performed, but very enjoyable. It's a solo piece here, obviously, but transitions well from Broadway score to pop love song.
I have no idea what's going on in most of this song, because I don't speak Slovenian. It's an original piece by industrial metal band Coptic Rain, and incorporates musical lines from Webber's title song. I wish to god I could understand it so I could comment more intelligently... alas.
This is more of a contemporary rock/pop interpretation of Webber's song, with an interesting twist; instead of turning the song into a solo piece like most artists, the all-male Crumbling Arches chose to have the part of Christine sung by a male in falsetto. Initially, it sounds perfectly ridiculous, but by the end of the song one can't help but be impressed by a guy who can hit a perfect high C in falsetto and then hold it for fifteen seconds straight. The male Phantom parts are an emotional tenor that compliments the weird falsetto. Interestingly, unlike all the other Webber covers, Crumbling Arches have added some lines and themes of their own rather than sticking exactly to the original piece; the result is an interesting and acidic comment on Christine.
Dreams of Sanity, a now defunct German metal band, released this short concept album based entirely on the Phantom story. The first two tracks, "Opera" and "The Phantom of the Opera" are borrowed from Webber's musical, but the remainder are all-original pieces with some gorgeous poetry and evocative musical imagery. The four acts of "Masquerade" and the "Interlude" tell the story through, while the remaining pieces--"Within", "The Maiden and the River", and "Lost Paradise"--are intended to represent the Phantom after the events of the story. The album notes state that it's adapted directly from Leroux, though the opening two tracks and the implication that the Phantom survives the end of the story indicate a more than considerable Webber influence. Nevertheless, an extremely interesting take on the story, and the poetry's worth the look-through even if metal isn't your cup of tea.
Phantom of the Opera by Harajuku
Another techno remix of Webber's title song, this one seems to be based heavily on the Trance version below, possibly even only a remix of it. However, it's catchy enough, has a few more interesting hooks than your average techno, and a decent singer, so I can't complain too much.
The Phantom of the Opera by HolyHell
Despite being a heavily synthesized cover of Webber's title song, metal band HolyHell's version does a great job of playing up the drama and really gives the piece a feeling of organ playing, something most other versions don't manage. The female vocalist seems to be trying very hard to make sure she doesn't sound too opera-esque, which is a shame as her throaty voice has some serious chops behind it; the male vocalist is the lead singer of Manowar (listen to the audience reaction when they see him!), and he does a very credible job, with some gorgeous high notes that sound much more natural than one might expect. The frenetic guitar riffs are a nice touch, though a little more variety wouldn't have hurt, and the drums are spot-on for the mood. A nice closer makes this one of the better covers on the list, despite the singers' not being as up to par as some of the other versions'.
The Phantom Opera Ghost by Iced Earth
Iced Earth, yet another Scandinavian metal band, was more original in their choice; this piece, while it narrates the same scene as all the Webber covers, is an original retelling of the story, from Christine's first abduction and induction into the Phantom's underground realm through her removal of his mask and his reaction. The end, with the Phantom's screams of "If I can't have you, no one will!" is left intentionally ambiguous, leaving us to wonder if, as suggested, the Phantom has killed her. The metal is nothing to write home about, but it isn't bad, and the singers do a decent job of conveying their parts convincingly.
Rather than being a cover of one of the Webber pieces, as most of these are, classic metal band Iron Maiden wrote their own song based, presumably, on the Leroux novel or the Lon Chaney film (the song was released several years before Webber's musical version debuted). Even if you aren't a metal fan, the lyrics are very poetic and poignant, and it's always a treat to hear an interpretation of the story that's borrowed from the original source rather than from Webber (or ANY source other than the pervasive Webber, really).
Lacrimosa is a contemporary German metal band, well-known for a morose and Gothic feel to their music, so it isn't surprising that they'd choose the Phantom story. This isn't an original song, but another copy of Webber's title song in duet between the female lead singer and one of the other band members. It doesn't add much to it--the guitar riffs are nice but generic, and neither is a stunning vocal interpreter--but the lead does do an excellent job with the sustained high notes at the end, even if the high C ultimately defeats her.
Phantom of the Opera by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Frequently touted as THE punk cover of Webber's title song. There's nothing wrong with it, and it's got a good energy to it, but there just doesn't seem to be much to recommend it positively. Unremarkable, though it's a good effort. There's no female vocalist, so the song is very short, with only the male parts.
Like the Lacrimosa version above, this is a cover of Webber's title song by Finnish metal band Nightwish; but unlike Lacrimosa's take, Nightwish does a great job of being a little more spontanous and creative with the music while not deviating from the source piece's feel at all. Nightwish's lead singer is well-known for her operatic soprano, but the band's guitarist, who performs the Phantom, outshines her with an amazing amount of emotion and menace. As covers go, this is excellent.
A post-punk emo-screamer band with metal overtones, Scatter The Ashes is difficult to pin down, and their surprisingly nuanced original song here reflects that complexity. The lyrics (which may require a few listens to completely digest) reflect a very thoughtful analysis of the sexuality inherent in Erik's character and the psychological influence that it has over Christine.
Another techno version of Webber's theme, but this one with vocals. Surprisingly, the singer does an excellent job of things. The techno seems a little bit lacking--not many chances were taken and the few interesting twists are repeated over and over--but then again, techno is usually all about repetition and it's not a bad take on the piece, all things considered.
This song was written for the film Phantom of the Mall, one of the most hilariously misbegotten film attempts at the Phantom story ever to hit screen. It has a strange, magnetic power; you don't want to listen to it all the way through to the end, but you almost have to. The Vandals are an old-school punk group with a bent for the ridiculous, so they're a perfect fit.
Another cover of Webber, and another instrumental; this time, classical/rock violinist Vanessa Mae interprets the piece. The pace seems to drag and much of the energy of the song seems lost in favor of showcasing Mae's lovely violin work, but it's not an uninteresting version.
For comparison purposes, I've included below the original Broadway cast recording of the Webber stage musical; the vast influence it's had should be obvious to anyone who gives it a run through. However, if you like it, do go ahead and buy the CD; not only is the list below incomplete (it's missing a few instrumentals and incidentals, and isn't the best quality ever), but you'll be supporting the composer.
This musical, despite being a somewhat romanticized view of Leroux's work, is undeniably lovely and sweepingly orchestrated, so unless you have a serious dislike of pseudo-classical music or theatrical drama, it's almost impossible not to enjoy it.
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