Okay, I’m a little drunk writing this, but hear me out…
I’ve always been really into classical music, drama, theatre, and the performing arts more broadly. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate modern art forms or mediums. My taste is pretty varied, and I enjoy seeing older forms of art reinterpreted, revitalized, and expressed in new ways.
I was born in 2004, and I grew up watching The Phantom of the Opera (2004). I think Emmy Rossum is an actress who holds a particularly special place in the hearts of a lot of people in my generation, especially those of us who grew up watching her in Shameless.
I understand that her vocal technique and overall performance might not necessarily stand alongside the greatest interpretations of Christine by more traditionally trained performers. But I also think there’s something to be said for the fact that so many of us grew up loving that movie. It has its flaws, obviously, but there’s a certain campiness and atmosphere to it that makes it memorable in its own right.
Anyway, this Halloween, I’m planning to dress up as the Phantom, with a close female friend of mine as Christine. When I mentioned our costume plans to coworkers and friends, so many of them immediately lit up at the idea. They started talking about how much they loved the 2004 movie growing up and how excited they were to see the costumes. A lot of these people also love live theatre or have a general appreciation for live performance.
Obviously, I’m not suggesting that The Phantom of the Opera (2004) is the origin point of our generation’s appreciation for live theatre. But I do think it’s interesting to consider how much of an impact a single film can have on the way people engage with an entire art form. For a lot of us, that movie may have been an early introduction to operatic singing, theatrical conventions, grand stage aesthetics, and the heightened emotional language of musical theatre.
i wonder how many people who now appreciate live theatre, musical performance, or opera first developed that interest through a film like this, rather than through an actual stage production.
I still show the 2004 movie to friends every now and then, and they almost always end up loving it too.