Letters from London: Oh Christine... you should have picked the Phantom...!!!

Thursday February 24th

Today for my birthday I put together a group to go and see The Phantom of the Opera in the Westend. We left soon after dinner to see if they had any tickets available. After traveling through the tube and making switches along the way, we got to the stop we needed. When we found the theater we were able to get tickets for about 25 pounds a piece. The review was "restricted" because there was a pole that was about an inch wide on the right hand side that blocked a tiny portion of the right hand side of the stage. Also, we were sitting a bit farther back, so the balcony stopped you from seeing the chandelier when they raised it up in the beginning scene/when the phantom makes the chandelier crash.

Kinda blurry... but here was the stage from our seats.

However, once the music started, all of that disappeared. I was so enraptured by the actors, the music and everything that I completely forgot about everything except for the musical. The phantom had the most incredible voice I had ever heard. He was amazing and he literally took my breath away with every note that left his mouth. The whole cast was amazing. I found myself tearing up quite a bit and even crying at some parts.

As soon as the chandelier lit up, in the very beginning scene, and the organ started pounding I got goosebumps and I could not stop smiling. I couldn't believe how lucky I was. I was seeing The Phantom of the Opera. In London. What a once in a lifetime opportunity. Everything that I ever dreamed that performance to be like... well it exceeded everything I could possibly imagine. I wish I would have gone and seen it again before I came back to the states, but alas, money does run out... as well as time.

Anyway, if any of you find yourself in London any time soon and want to see an incredible show... a recommend with all my heart... to go and see that amazing production. Prepare for your life to never be the same again. But, really.