hear the music of the night

the phantom of the opera opened in the west end in 1986 and on broadway in 1988. it won the 1986 olivier award and the 1988 tony award for best musical. michael crawford (in the title role) won the 1986 olivier and 1988 tony for best performance by an actor in a musical. it is the longest-running broadway show by a wide margin (celebrating its 10,000th performance on broadway on 11 February. 2012), the second longest-running west end musical and the third longest-running west end show overall. 

with total worldwide box office receipts of over $5.1 billion (£3.5 billion), including a record-setting broadway gross of $845 million, phantom is the highest-grossing entertainment event of all time and the most financially successful theatrical show in history. it had been seen by over 130 million people in 145 cities in 27 countries by 2011, the most successful entertainment project in history.

at the helm of the costumes is maria björnson. björnson worked for many theatres around the world, designing sets and costumes both for straight drama and for opera. some of her more notable commissions were for the royal shakespeare company, andrew lloyd webber's the phantom of the opera, which won her the tony award for best scenic design, the drama desk award for outstanding set design, and the drama desk award for outstanding costume design, and the trevor nunn production of aspects of love.

the show has, of course, been remade into film with slightly more elaborate costumes. like what i mentioned, i like the idea that stage costumes are often hand-sewn and each piece is unique in its own way. for the phantom of the opera, i will just compare a few of christine's looks. if you want the full comparison, do click here.

1) hannibal slave girl

the first time we see christine she is wearing a slave girl costume. both versions of this costume are revealing but in different ways. in the stage show it has a plunging neckline and rope skirt. velvet panels make up the bodice and gold cording cover the seams. there is a lot of beaded elements around the neckline and around the shoulders. she also wears a crown. in the movie the costume has an expose midriff. It has a floral print on the bodice. the neckline and waistband appear to be made out of leather with some metal details. the skirt is a lightweight fabric.

2) white dressing gown

after christine's triumphant debut she wears a white dressing gown with ruffles. this dressing is wore during the show's most memorable moments; going through the mirror, the phantom of the opera, music of the night and the first unmasking. in the stage show christine wears a long white robe with long sleeves. it has lots of ruffles at the neckline, cuffs, hem and along the opening. the hannibal corset underneath the gown adds a pop of color. in the movie christine 'dressing gown' is more like lingerie. it consists of a sheer dress with high slit, a white corset, and white robe with ruffles and pink sequins.

3) wedding

the wedding dress is a gown that phantom forces christine to wear. both dress features diagonal elements. in the stage show it's the ruffles on the skirt and an overlay draped at an angel in the movie. however beyond that the dresses are different.

the stage show has a lots of lace and ruffle details, a wide waistband, a sweetheart neckline neckline, 3/4 sleeves, buttons and a bustle. it's a very opulent dress and a great dress to end the show. the movie dress has the same spirit. the dress features an off shoulder neckline with short sleeves. the bodice is identical to an earlier dress in the movie ('think of me'). it has a asymmetrical overlay on the front and drapes around the side and covers the skirt which has ruffles much like the stage show. it's not as opulent as the stage version.

if you read the review, the stage costumes are chosen over the movie dresses. in theatre, with the constraint of time, costume changes have to be swift. the stage fashion is practically part of the cast, contributing to the narrative of the production. love the musical and adore the fashion.

fash'on... BAM!