SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 18, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — As you walk into Eccles Theater for a performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Charles Hart musical, “The Phantom of the Opera,” now in its 40th year and with a current Broadway tour in Salt Lake City, you can’t help but notice something at once elegant and threatening.
Suspended above the audience and wrapped in fabric is the elegant gold and crystal chandelier, central to the story of artistry, love, isolation and obsession.
But if you know the story, you’ll also be aware the obscured chandelier is set in place for a dramatic descent that will feel dangerous.
Audiences will leave the show dazzled by the musical’s beauty, the singing voices of the cast, the live orchestration, and the richness of the costumes and sets.
“The Phantom of the Opera,” brought in by Broadway at the Eccles, stays one more week, with shows running through Sunday, April 26. For tickets, call ArtTix at 801-355-ARTS (2787) or visit www.artsaltlake.org.
Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera” North American Tour. Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Isaiah Bailey plays the title role of a man whose name is unknown, whose face is half obscured by a mask, and who lives a secret life far beneath a Parisian opera house. The Phantom loves great music, and takes it on himself to help train a newcomer, Christine, who believes he is the Angel of Music, whose arrival was promised by her late father.
Bailey’s voice is exceptional, and even masked, he reveals more emotional levels to his character than any Phantom I have seen in previous productions.
The Phantom, of course, also feels very free to threaten anyone who stands in the way of his plans, and to make good on those threats.
Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Jordan Lee Gilbert, as Christine, has a beautiful voice, and captures the innocence and fear of a young woman, alone in the world, and trying to follow the directions of the scary, demanding, musically knowledgeable “angel” her father sent.
Daniel Lopez brings talent and a strong, stable presence to the role of Raoul, a childhood friend and sweetheart who discovers Christine onstage, and happily returns to his former loving, protective role. Which, of course, upsets the wildly unstable Phantom, who wants Christine all to himself.
(L to R) Daniel Lopez as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The whole cast is strong, with Midori Marsh as the egotistical Carlotta, the opera company’s current star and diva, who stands in the way of the Phantom’s plans for Christine. Marsh brings talent and dimension to the role, which is often depicted as a character little more than comic relief.
“Prima Donna” from The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. (L to R) Melo Ludwig, Christopher Bozeka, William Thomas Evans, Midori Marsh, Daniel Lopez, Carrington Vilmont, Lisa Vroman. Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The sets are dark, lush and artistic, and several have the look of paintings you could spend hours studying as they hung on museum walls.
“The Phantom of the Opera” is a classic story known by many, but this production manages to make the tale seem fresh and genuinely moving.
“Masquerade” from The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
