1988 Tony Awards Performance of “Phantom of the Opera” and  “Music of the Night” (Youtube, 2009)

The 1988 Tony Awards performance from Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford singing “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Music of the Night” exemplifies not only the visual appeal of Phantom, but also, more importantly, the effects of the sound production technology at work. The body microphones worn by the performers and the speakers in the theaters allow them to achieve their desired dynamic at a clean, clear quality. This aspect is noticeable during “The Phantom of the Opera,” when Sarah Brightman sings several high-register notes with a clear and consistent sound quality (0:44-1:27). Additionally, the amplification allows for Michael Crawford to both project loudly and whisper during his performance of “The Music of the Night,” without him being overwhelmed by the accompanying music (3:00-3:53). 

In addition to the technology at work, this performance also highlights other musical elements of Phantom. These songs include the classical orchestration that Lloyd Webber used as inspiration from the traditional opera sound, with the organ and the strings heard throughout both songs. The combinations of the woodwind and brass instruments are also apparent in this performance. The “Phantom of the Opera…is there” melody (0:39-0:46) with the enhanced trumpet/horn line can be heard, which emphasizes the importance of the Phantom’s presence in the scene, in which Christine and Phantom meet for the first time. The flute and piccolo lines (ex.:  1:01-1:03) add an element of mysticism due to the fast high-pitched riffs that are able to be heard above the texture of the loud horns, strings, and organ. Each song on its own reveals different characteristics about the musical’s composition. “The Phantom of the Opera” features a snare drum maintaining the beat, adding a hint of modern musical elements to the traditional nature of the song. “The Music of the Night” is more characteristic of the classic, emotional opera sound. The Phantom sings at a slow tempo with ample vibrato and strings most heavily featured with him. The dynamics and instrumentation change as the Phantom’s own emotions build, with the timpani coming in (3:08-3:15) as the Phantom tells Christine to “let your soul take you where you long to be.” The song crescendos up until that climax, and a slight echo from that last note can be heard following a brief period of silence. The song continues at a much quieter level, the same instrumentation and dynamic as was played in the beginning. The microphone technology allows for such a dynamic contrast to occur.