Tuesday, June 18, 2019

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT ISTANA BUDAYA IS EXACT CLONE OF PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IN WEST END IN LONDON OR BROADWAY NEW YORK! TICKETS FROM RM 200 UP. SHOW STARTS 8.30 PM TUESDAY TO FRIDAY. ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY SHOWS ARE 2 PM AND 8.30 PM. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IS BROUGHT TO US BY BASE ENTERTAINMENT ASIA, LUNCHBOX THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS AND DATUK JARED LIM CHIH LI, CHAIRMAN OF TREMENDOUS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

PHOTOS BY CANON POWERSHOT SX 720 HS
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PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST AND MOST POPULAR MUSICAL OF ALL TIME! 

MALAYSIANS MAKE IT A POINT TO WATCH THIS SHOW WHEN IN LONDON OR NEW YORK AND NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS KALPA, IT IS PERFORMING IN KUALA LUMPUR'S ISTANA BUDAYA! 

TICKETS ARE JUMPING OFF THE SHELVES IN THIS MAYBE ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. STARTING FROM RM 200 TO WELL, A THOUSAND RINGGIT, IT IS PRICIER THAN WATCHING 'AVENGER; ENDGAME' BUT WORTH EVERY SEN. CATCH THIS SHOW AND THEN DIET ON MAGGI MEE FOR A MONTH! 

Based on the novel 'Le Fantome de L'Opera' by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera (this is for the benefit of the terminally ignorant!) tells a tale of a disfigured musical genius who haunts the depths of Paris Opera. Mesmerised by both beauty and voice of young soprano Christine, the Phantom lures her to become his protege as he falls madly in love. Together with Raoul who also loves Christine, the stage is set for a dramatic turn of events where love both unrequited and accepted, unbridled passions, jealousy and tragedy  collide.

It opened at Her Majesty Theatre in London's West End on 9 October 1986 starring the incredible Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford and produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group under Andrew Lloyd Webber.

On 9 January 2006 history was made when it became the longest running  Broadway show with 7,486th performance, surpassing the other mega hit Cats. In USA the national touring company celebrated 20,000 performances in the same year.

On 1 January 2018 it celebrated its 13,000th show and on 24 January the same year it celebrated an amazing 30 years on Broadway! 

Th Phantom of the Opera is the first and only stage production to gross a staggering RM 16 billion and thrashes all hit movies. Worldwide over 140 million have enjoyed it and I have seen it around a dozen times in London over the decades! 

BOOKING ONLINE EXTRA RM 4 BOOKING FEE
TICKETCHARGE.COM.MY


 DATO SRI EDMUND GOH WITH MEGHAN PICERNO WHO PLAYS THE LEAD ROLE OF 'CHRISTINE DAAE IN 'PHANTOM OF THE OPERA' AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
THE 3 MUSKEETEERS HAHA
MEGHAN PICERNO AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE ARE SUCH SWEET DARLINGS BEYOND COMPARE
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MEGHAN PICERNO plays Christine Daaé the heroine in Phantom of the Opera. Here she looks like Kate Middleton the Duchess of Cambridge!

Training: The Manhattan School of Music Conservatory, New York City. Theatre and Opera: Christine in Love Never Dies (US Premiere and First National Tour), Cunegonde in Candide (New York City Opera/Gran Teatre del Liceu), Olympia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Marie in La Fille du Régiment, La Fée in Cendrillon, Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor, The Dreyfus Affair (Ensemble of the Romantic Century), Musicals in Mufti: From Berlin to Broadway (York Theatre Company), Maria in West Side Story, Amalia in She Loves Me, Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Johanna in Sweeney Todd (Off-Broadway). Concerts: Royal Albert Hall, San Francisco Symphony, Theatro Municipal de São Paolo, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, David Geffen Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Birdland, Appel Room. Competitions: Plácido Domingo’s Operalia International Vocal Competition (London’s Royal Opera House). Meghan extends so much love and gratitude to her family, creatives, fairy godmothers, wonderful team, Uzan International Artists, Tara Rubin Casting, and Hal Prince for introducing her to the wonderful world of musical theatre! Special thanks and love to Andrew and all at RUG – so proud to be a part of the phamily!
@meghanpicerno
www.meghanpicerno.com

DATO SRI EDMUND GOH AND MEGHAN PICERNO AND PRINCE HARRY SHOULD HAVE MARRIED THIS MEGHAN AND NOT THE OTHER WRONG ONE! 
JONATHAN ROXMOUTH PLAYS THE ROLE OF PHANTOM, THE HERO OR SHOULD THAT BE ANTI-HERO IN THE MEGA HIT MUSICAL PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
JONATHAN ROXMOUTH plays The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera

Musical Theatre: The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera (Broadway World Award Best Actor in a Musical), Billy Flynn in Chicago (International Tour), Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire, Che in Evita (International Tour), Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Broadway World Award Best Supporting Actor in a Musical), Liberace in Call Me Lee, Danny in Grease (International Tour), Tony in West Side Story (Artscape, Cape Town/Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg), Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard (Montecasino Theatre, Johannesburg/Theatre on the Bay, Cape Town), Marvin Hamlisch in I’m Playing Your Song, Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Munkustrap in Cats, Gaston in Beauty and the Beast (Teatro, Johannesburg/Artscape, Cape Town), Lun Tha in The King and I (Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg), Buddy Holly in The Buddy Holly Story and Teen Angel in Grease (Barnyard Theatre). Cabaret, Revues and Concerts: Lenny...Andrew...Steve and Me, Stage By Stage, Stage By Stage 2, Hats Off!, Topsy Turvy and Rock Me Amadeus. Albums and Recordings: The Musicals in Concert, My Lloyd Webber, Stage By Stage Unplugged, I’m Playing Your Song, Great Balls of Fire Cast Album, Fantasia with The Capital Singers and From The Footlights. Jonathan’s albums are available for sale in the foyer of this theatre. Jonathan’s Grandfather Christopher Alexander Berryman taught him how to conduct to the cassette of the original London Cast Album of The Phantom of the Opera and this performance is dedicated to his memory.
@jroxmouth
@JonathanRox (Twitter)
jonathanroxmouth.com


MATT LEISY plays Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny and the lover of Christine
 MATT LEISY plays Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny

Training: Northwestern University. Theatre: Sweeney Todd (Barrow Street Theatre, New York), A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Broadway First National Tour), Ragtime, The 39 Steps, Witness for the Prosecution (Bristol Riverside Theatre), The Fantasticks (Off-Broadway), Red (Clarence Brown Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest (Arizona Theatre Company), Pride and Prejudice (Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park), The History Boys (Repertory Theatre of St Louis/ Arden Theatre – Barrymore Award Nominee), Carousel (Lincoln Center) and Ghostlight (Signature Theatre). Television and Film: The Blacklist (NBC/Universal Pictures) and Live from Lincoln Center (PBS). Matt is a British-American actor and singer. He is thrilled to follow in the footsteps of so many friends, and artists he has looked up to, who have appeared in this iconic Broadway hit.
@MattLeisy


THE 2 CHINKY PHANTOMS OF ISTANA BUDAYA
RAINER FRIED ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CHOREOGRAPHER JEE HYUN NOH AND DAVID ANDREWS ROGERS MUSICAL DIRECTOR 

RAINER FRIED
Assistant Director
Rainer has been Assistant Director for numerous productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera around the world in cities such as Antwerp, Mexico City, Madrid, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Seoul, Stockholm, Paris and the 2007 Australian production followed by two Asian touring productions which he toured throughout China, South Korea as well as Manila, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok and Istanbul. Rainer was Associate Director for the Australian productions of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and for the Australian production of the Phantom sequel Love Never Dies in Melbourne and Sydney. He was an Associate Director for the first Australian production of Billy Elliot (Music/Lyrics by Elton John/Lee Hall) as well as for its first foreign language production in Seoul. As Resident Director Rainer has worked on Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Miss Saigon in Stuttgart. In his early years he was an Assistant Director and Director in Germany at the Ulm Theatre, the renowned Hamburg Drama Theatre and the Regional Theatre in Kiel. His further credits include: The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum; Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley; Stella by Johann Wolfgang Goethe; Die Wende by Jörg Graser; Der Räuber Hotzenplotz by Ottfried Preussler and Little Women the Musical.

DAVID ANDREWS ROGERS
Musical Director
David Andrews Rogers is thrilled to join the world tour of The Phantom of the Opera as Music Director and Conductor. His other international touring experience includes An American in Paris, The Wizard of Oz, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, Cats, Show Boat and Les Misérables. In Paris and Brussels, he was Music Director and Associate Music Supervisor for Le Magicien d’Oz. David’s additional conducting credits include Carnegie Hall (the New York Pops), New York’s Lincoln Center, and Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theatre. He has conducted and/or written orchestrations for Broadway stars and pop artists including Harvey Fierstein, Patti LuPone, Joel Grey, Sutton Foster, Kristin Chenoweth, Topol, Nell Carter, Debbie Gibson, Sheena Easton and Theodore Bikel. His other New York credits include The Vocal Lords (Chekhov Theatre Ensemble) and Happy Hunting (York Theatre), as well as over 150 productions in US regional theatre, symphony pops concerts, recordings and numerous readings of new musicals. MaestroDAR.com

JEE HYUN NOH
Ballet Swing/Resident Choreographer
Training: Jee-Hyun trained at Sunhwa Art School, West Street School and London Studio Centre. Theatre: Carousel (National Theatre, UK) working with Nicholas Hytner and Kenneth MacMillan, The Phantom of the Opera (West End), Meg in The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty and the Beast (Seoul, Korea – also Dance Captain), Cats (Big Top, Korea – also Dance Captain), Meg in The Phantom of the Opera (Asia Tour – also Dance Captain), Cats (Asia Tour – also Associate Choreographer), Chicago, The Producers, Cats, Billy Elliot (Seoul – also Resident Choreographer), Sally Brown in Charlie Brown (Seoul), Werther, Rent, Hairspray (Seoul – also Choreographer) and Wife in Contact: Act 2 (Did You Move?). She has danced with Wiener Ballet Theater, London City Ballet, the English National Ballet, Ballet Ireland and Seoul Ballet Theatre. Television and Film: As Choreographer – Yuna Kim concert Fest On Ice, Insooni concert, and Son Yeonjae Rhythmic Gymnast Gala Show. Jee Hyun started in Phantom in London in 1992 working with Harold Prince and Gillian Lynne. She’s thrilled that she’s back on the World Tour of The Phantom of the Opera.


HANDSOME, SEXY BLONDE MATT LEISY WHO PLAYS THE ROLE OF RAOUL THE VICOMTE DE CHAGNY THE HUMAN 'NORMAL' MAN WHO FALLS IN LOVE WITH CHRISTINE AND EVENTUALLY WINS HER AS THE PHANTOM RELEASES THEM 






MATT LEISY AS RAOUL THE VICOMTE DE CHAGNY
THE HERO! JONATHAN ROXMOUTH PLAYS THE PHANTOM IN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AND IS THE ALTER EGO OF RAOUL THE VICOMTE DE CHAGNY
JONATHAN ROXMOUTH STOOD UP AND STRODE TOWARDS ME AS I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE HIS PHOTOS SO I ASSUME HE WAS GOING TO HUG ME FOR ATTENDING HIS SHOW OR AT THE VERY LEAST, OFFER ME A ROLE IN THE MUSICAL AS I AM SUPER TALENTED IN DANCING, SINGING AND ACTING 
BUT NO! HE ASKED ME NOT TO COME TOO CLOSE TO TAKE HIS PHOTOS! I ALMOST FAINTED FROM SHOCK! AN ESTABLISHED ACTOR WHO HAPPENS TO BE VERY HANDSOME AND PHOTOGENIC ASKING ME NOT TO TAKE HIS CLOSE-UPS. HE SHOULD BE USED TO BEING PHOTOGRAPHED FROM ALL ANGLES AT PRESS CONFERENCES! HOW BIZARRE BUT THEN STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED TO ME 
SO I ZOOMED IN LAH


SO SWEET OF HIM TO MAKE A HEART SIGN WITH HIS FINGERS
SO HANDSOME 
DISHY DASHING AND DEBONAIR
I asked Jonathan Roxmouth, "You are so handsome. Do you think it's a waste of talent the audience cannot see your face as you wear a mask all the time?"
He answered, "Not at all. The fact audiences cannot see my face challenges me further as I need to use body language and gesticulations and certain nuances to express my emotions and convey them to the audience. Facial expressions are most important as actors can show their fear, anger, frustrations or joy but these are denied to me. So I have to use other tactics like shrugging my shoulders (not easy with sweeping cloak!) hands and postures. For instance, a simple touch on Christine's shoulders or a wave can convey my feelings. The audience too reciprocate by watching my every move instead of looking at my face and when they actually start to relate, that is very exciting and enriching. At the end of the show, the ultimate satisfaction is when the audience understand and appreciate what I am conveying without the need to see my face! And it does not matter if I wore a mask or not! that is the beauty of acting."
JONATHAN ROXMOUTH PLAYS THE PHANTOM IN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
MEGHAN PICERNO PLAYS CHRISTINE DAAE THE HEROINE IN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 
























SO EXPRESSIVE 




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DATO SRI EDMUND GOH AND MEGHAN PICERNO




MEGHAN PICERNO LOOKS LIKE SHE IS WEARING A BERET!
MEGHAN PICERNO IS SO VIVACIOUS, SPARKLY AND IRRESISTIBLY BEAUTIFUL AND PRINCE HARRY SHOULD HAVE MARRIED THIS MEGHAN!






SAYS MEGHAN PICERNO, "PLAYING CHRISTINE IS NOT A JOB! IT IS A HONOUR! TO PLAY THE ROLE OF POSSIBLY THE WORLD'S MOST COVETED FEMALE ROLE IS BEYOND BELIEF! EVERYDAY I THANK GOD AND CONSIDER MYSELF SUPER LUCKY TO PLAY CHRISTINE"

Well, that is to be expected as she could not possibly say how awful it is to play Christine! So I asked how she psyched herself each day. Her reply; "Yes, I do psyche myself into the mood as it is not easy to just turn up 15 minutes before the show and start playing Christine. I arrive at the theatre 2 hours before curtains and get into the mood by applying make-up, putting on the wig (as you can see I have short hair) and wearing the costumes. Of course I hum to the songs I would be singing and the background music is also from the musical. And yes, this is eerie but true---eventually I start becoming Christine and am no longer Meghan! That is when I know I am ready and totally committed to play Christine as I do understand her and remember Christine is actually a teanager.

"Playing Christine is my life and a very happy and a happy and fruitful one at that! I am not burdened with relationships or business ventures or family as when I work, I give my all. More so when I am outside my home country so I live and breath Christine!"

I asked, "Alright then, a personal question---you get to kiss on the lips BOTH Raoul the Vicomte de Chagny and the Phantom! Do you enjoy the sensation or is it just a job?"

Without missing a beat she replied, "I am very lucky to have two truly great actors playing opposite me so it is a pleasure and blessing to be able to kiss them. And yes, it is also part of the job since the script calls for the kissing scene. I get along well with them so it is obviously not a chore or anything embarrassing when I kiss them. Do I look forward to kissing them? What do you think?"

Friends with benefits. Hmm. I asked if they open their mouths and flick each other's tongues ala French kissing and OK so I did not ask this question but I will when I see her again!

Any hilarious or disastrous anecdotes?

"No, I can't think of any. Perhaps once when my hair got caught and I had to slowly untangle it but nothing disastrous ever happened."

How does she keep her voice in peak condition?

"I drink lots of water so I am well hydrated."says the heroine.

Final question---"Do you stop drinking an hour before going on stage to avoid going to the loo?"

Smiles the vivacious pretty darling, "No, I drink regularly and yes, I do go to the loo all the time! I know my body and time myself to give me ample time to run in and out of the loo so this is not a problem!"
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 DATO SRI EDMUND GOH TEH MASKLESS PHANTOM OF ISTANA BUDAYA
 HIS OUTFIT MATCHES THE B/W BACKDROP
 TALL AND SLIM
 DATO SRI EDMUND GOH AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
2 MOST GORGEOUS GUYS IMAGINABLE
DATO SRI EDMUND GOH AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE ARE THE PHANTOMS OF ISTANA BUDAYA 
EACH HOLDS A RED ROSE GIVEN TO ALL TICKET HOLDERS
MASKED AND READY TO WATCH PHANTOM OF THE OPERA



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SEXY PHANTOM
BETTE DAVIS EYES!














MOST HANDSOME PHANTOM OF ANY OPERA! 






DATO KEE HUA CHEE BEING INTERVIEWED FOR HIS TAKE AS HE DECLARED "TEH PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IS HERE!" 
 DATO SRI EDMUND GOH BEING INTERVIEWED 
"I SAW PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 6 MONTHS AGO IN BROADWAY NEW YORK AND PAID RM 6,200 FOR THE BEST FRONT SEAT IN THE THEATRE! SO PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IN KUALA LUMPUR IS A STEAL!"




A VERY TALL AND LEGGY PHANTOM 














NOT TO BE OUTDONE, DATO KEE HUA CHEE REPRISES HIS ROLE AS PHANTOM OF ALL OPERA HOUSES












DATO KEE HUA CHEE'S BEADED JACKET AND RED ROSE ON SEAT!







































































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