#dmitri ermak

[wheel-of-fish]

Dmitri Ermak + Tamara Kotova (Moscow 2015)

[flagbridge]

Thirstiest non-Anglophone Phantoms: Part I

Inspired by @nerdywriter36's post on sluttiest Phantoms and @opera-ghost's post on "Jeremy Stolle heard 'slut' when the director called cut." here are some very slutty Phantoms from non-English language replicas.

In chronological order:

1. Henk Poort, Netherlands, 1993 (w/ Joke de Kruijf)

Solid boob grab AND face caress, sir.

2. Eiji Akutagawa, Japan, 1994

This is the famous "maneuver" and it lasts approximately 40 seconds.

3. Saulo Vasconcelos, Mexico, 2000 (w/Irrasema Terrazas)

Not his thirstiest moment but do it for the **magic hands**

4. Ethan Freeman, Germany, 2006 (w/Anne Görner)

Sir, you are on stage.

How the German Phantoms do not split their very tight pants every show is a mystery for the ages. You get two of Ethan because he is my comfort Phantom.

5. Dmitri Ermak, Russia, 2016 (w/Tamara Kotova)

No way this list was going to not have at least one Russian. The man looks like he's about to have Christine for dinner.

[meilas]

Phantom of the Opera Wine List

Your wine sommeliers: 

@meilas: Concept, Graphics, Layout, Project Manager, Hadley, Barbara the Mannequin

@gwalchmedi: Franc D’Ambrosio, Norm Lewis, Drew Sarich, Peter Joback, Bronson Norris Murphy, Hugh Panaro, Michael Crawford, Jonathan Roxmouth, Jeremy Stolle, Barbara the Mannequin, Ethan Freeman, Peter Karrie, Dmitry Ermak, Earl Carpenter

inspired by @mxbuster: Uwe Kroger

inspired by @petittneko: Saulo Vasconcelos, Thiago Arancam

@devilswalkingstick: Cooper and triptychs

@when-it-rains-it-snows: Ben Lewis

DocTy: Alexander Goebel

Tina: Gina Beck

@from-aldebaran: Derrick Davis and proof-reader

@therosenpants: proof-reader and taste-tester

@box5intern: Christopher Carl

This wine list could not have turned out so well without the loving dedication of everyone involved. Thank you everyone for putting up with this silly project for so long!

D’Ambrosio Vintage Vintage 1962, best run 1998 Other nicknames: Cabernet Franc; Franc D’Amn that’s good!

Slither yourself down somewhere comfortable and loosen a few buttons while you steal a taste, slowly swirling your tongue around a luscious mouthful of this full-bodied, ambrosial red. Every note stays with you while you are distracted by its elegant looks, get reeled in by a silvery touch, and feel it gliding along your throat. As you swallow, a slow leisurely piquancy reveals a muscular body and delivers a prominent, long, full finish. A total god of a wine. Keeps giving satisfaction long after you have embraced your last glassful.

Bottling notes: The reddest of red wines in the bluest of containers, and the perfect precursor to pants-less pastimes. Comes in our most prominent bottle.

Saulo Vasconcelos, vintage 1999

An epic year for Brazilian wines, this timeless choice has performed in many a fine vintage bottle. A few tastings will assure you that this wine leaves you anything but Miserable, being a bit of a beast in disguise. Delightfully playful, sensuously hands-on with its flavour, and encasing you in its warm, chocolate tones, you’ll find yourself helplessly succumbing to its embrace. A proper, stern Daddy of a wine, this is one for those who like their types mature and commanding. De Nada!

Crémant NormLew Château Tallahassee

A first for a Crémant from this region of Florida, you’ll be getting a plethora of orchard fruits here with delightful baritone notes! Up there with the finest of champagnes, just enjoy how this Crémant gives such a unique expression of its appellation.

Peter Jöback

This fiery Scandinavian grape is a notoriously difficult one to grow well, but prolific once it takes hold, which makes this lovely drop of sleek Swedish red even more impressive! The acidity has a true, tenor register, a light note that is just right for pairings with other Swedish delicacies, I'd say. Very quaffable indeed.

Drew Sarich

With a very young feel to this Veltliner grape, it actually delivers a surprise that is a decade ahead of itself. This wine has a long taste on the tongue, sitting there like a kitten purring in your lap. Delightfully complex, this is a New York socialite of a vintage with a phantasm of aromatic perfume on it which is absolutely phenomenal. It’s fascinating how the acidity is so high that it somewhat devilishly disguises the wine’s natural sweetness.

Dreamclimber from the House of Derrick Davis Two pressings, 2016-2017 and 2019-2020

An astonishingly underappreciated vintage, Dreamclimber will make you abandon your defenses from the very first sip. A potent mix of smooth deep notes of dark oak ranging upward to a soaring sunshiney sweetness, the positive energy in every bottle offers sweet intoxication and will fundamentally alter your outlook on life. The dynamic and passionate essence of Dreamclimber elevates everything around it, so if you need to restage a meal, add this bold and muscular yet soft and sensual wine to your table. Want to stay one step ahead of the crowd? Catch a Broadway-bound dream of a wine and you can say you were among the first to realize its genuine and soul-stirring star power. Dreamclimber has the uplifting soulfulness to take you and your guests to where you long to be!

Bronson Norris Murphy Variety: Babygrapes

The very youngest of our vintages, this wine has brought out excitingly different comments from our patrons. Respected Voices talk knowledgeably either about its Wheel of Flavours, or enjoy a genuine Laugh about how this rush of taste almost knocks them over; still others amongst the cognoscenti talk about its delightfully Icie youthfulness and endearing features, or how a glassful taken at bedtime would counter a Snowy cold evening. One Purist anonymously chuckled that a grape as vigorous as this could be put in more than one setting and still retain its delightful, child-like boyish charms. Two stunningly dressed patrons, in Rose and Cora(l), admitted they’d been given a taste of this wine secretly, a sort of cameo appearance before its launch, and had felt the vibes of the overt rosehip and petal flavours long before it had become popular. The pair’s general consensus was that this vintage was young enough to Make It on the scene, although the coquettish undertones about vinicultural size and handspan were elusively enticing. The Vast Glassy Orangery was agog with gossip about some Baguette-wielding youth (and their noteworthy tailoring) having hugely overdosed on the tasting previously, almost knocking their socks off with its pale beauty and fragrant scents. Their partner in crime, a clear Persephone of a beauty, was wearing delicious couture from the House of ChristineGrrl, and the effect of this duo almost matched the effect of the wine’s heady aroma on the delightfully younger crowd. Suffice to say the vintage was a resounding success and its aura of vinicultural adolescence bursting into manhood held everyone in its attractive grasp. One worth keeping.

Panaro Prosecco

The elevation that every note in this charismatic, versatile Prosecco provides ensures that the bubbles in this Panaro Prosecco are so much lighter than in the flatter and usually insipid Chagny Champagnes to which they are unfairly compared. For me, there is no contest; crystal clear delivery, in a bottle with movie star good looks, this vintage delivers a deliciously singing bouquet, with beautifully crisp notes of apple to finish.

Michael Crawford, vintage 1986

Oh yes, this most venerable of English sparkling wines has a well-rounded palate with a hint of the most delicate, sweetest of orchard fruits giving way to deeper notes of Parisian brioche, with a hint of French kisses. French, I hear you ask - but did you know that English winemakers use the same traditional method that the French use to produce Champagne?

Jonathan Roxmouth, vintage b.1987, run 2011-2012, 2019

Not an easy Chenin Blanc grape variety to like on first encounter, this South African powerhouse has a drawn-out tingle which stays on your tongue, and wanders high into your head. The yearning feel to break out in full fruit mode is hidden beneath the complex mix of earthy, graveyard depths. You may feel the emotional and smoky hint of stalk, but a flash of strength beneath its velvet glove packs a punch like no other. Rox your Sox.

The St(r)olle

The smoothest of our wines, this will simultaneously quench your thirst and leave you begging for more. In parts of America, this vintage used to be obscure, yet when you taste it, you’ll wonder why.  This wine takes a confident, sassy stroll across your palate, its taste coiling a lasso around you as rock solid as Henry Cavill’s abs. Achingly rich and smooth, sporting lush, sweet toned, deep throated berry notes tinged with vanilla, it has suave yet elemental flavors pushing out from a deep, muscular centre. One not to be trifled with.

Barbara the Mannequin, vintage 1988

Wooden and oaky, this wine is perfect for poorly-thought-out proposals. We’ve all known at least one weird, dorky guy who somehow engineered a vision of a hot chick.  This wine is that chick.  Barbara is also known for its thin, acid nature, bolstered with a dressing that feels domineering, but sadly is only a foreshadowing of a disappointingly textured mouthfeel, with little middle, and an abrupt finish.

Hadley Fraser, vintage: 2 weeks old

A light dessert wine that sometimes forgets how it is supposed to taste. It’s not its fault. Really. We just didn’t give it enough time before bottling it.

Alexander Goebel Der Goebel Veltliner - Vintage 1988

Often overlooked and replaced by the Freeman, its direct descendant, the Goebel is the true original flavour of Vienna's best vineyards, planted and cultivated by the same London vintners that originated the Crawford. Since 1988 the deep rich tones of Dunkelheit in this wine have melted the heart and palate of real connoisseurs around the globe, who also appreciate the high Skan-da-lös and Maskenball notes that follow the first taste. Best served in the Original Cast environment (especially accompanied with a side dish of Nistler and Pfeifer) to highlight its most recognizable qualities, it is also recommended in its "boot" version where its taste is sublimated by visual experience to heighten each sensation.

Peter Karrie

Vintage with a distinctive voice. A commanding flavour, this is a wine both dangerous and elegant, one a chivalrous soul would offer to another, with a heart-rending tone, and an unparalleled physicality and wealth of detail. This grape makes the wine totally in a class of its own, with a wandering taste yet, by some rare and strange alchemy, with a touch of the rock band too. A bit of The Wolf in this bottle.

Ermak Syrah

Our only Slavic wine to date. Once phans sneak a taste of Ermak, they become avid for this imposing Russian grape. Its notes are powerful and bright, dominated by scents of ripe rich raspberry, and a touch of smoke that either comes from barrels toasted over a hickory flame or all that sexy heat. The Eastern European earthy touch, common in ‘Old World’ Syrah, is always present on the back of the palate, but bright succulent flavours mingle with those of hazelnut and chocolate. The tannins swirl like Rusalki across your taste buds, as smooth and alluring as Ermak himself.

G. Beck, vintage 2010

A silken, dry, red English wine with a strong note of blackcurrant. There’s a hint of youthfulness in its complexities. A wine so lovely it will bring tears to your eyes, as the taste conjures up the image of wistfully walking through a graveyard while crying about your father. Perfect after a day of tired feet from wearing heels and heavy gala dresses for too long, and with dark chocolate… or perhaps even Marmite on toast, if you’re feeling adventurous? It has also been blessed by a certain soprano’s tuxedo cat, because why not.

Tested and reviewed by: Tina, who was definitely in a country where the legal age of drinking is 17 at the time. She immediately bought nearly the entire stock and gave it a 6 out of 5 stars rating.

Thiago Arancam, vintage 1982

A total Batata Bonita, this wine from a little-known grape has been successfully transplanted from 13,000 feet up at Insosso Opera’s vineyard to the less stratospheric Sem Sal Palco Musical’s estate. You might call it a vinho on a budget mais fácil. With an early unmasking of a distinct brasiliaro flavour, this is one wine which ought to know how to show its range of notes, but sometimes just pales into insignificance.

Earl Carpenter

A strong bold grape should produce an overbearing wine. Instead, what we have here is viniculture’s version of a smooth Movie Star. Nuanced, sensual and gentle on the palate, it has a buttery feel, although on occasion this vintage’s notes are somewhat uncertain. Building up towards a taste explosion, too much enthusiastic sampling will find you too far gone to stop at the final reveal.

BEN BEN BEN Shiraz 2011

BEN BEN BEN is most curious; the 2011 is one of just two Phantom varietals that are easily acquired, yet rarely is it recommended. Best suited to the mad friends of Dionysus, this Australian Shiraz is a magic show as run by the white tigers:  absolutely beautiful, but whose idea was this? It cannot possibly end well… No amount of familiarity with the Brilliant Original will prepare the palate for this Absolute Beast. Expect to be dragged from delicately smoky baritone lows to peppery near-tenor highs; you may feel a little wide-eyed as you study the legs and ponder what that cheekbone is doing to the mouthfeel. Swooning is fine, this glass will pick you up from the floor, it is broad shouldered and surprisingly sweet.

A word to the wise: don't finish the bottle. Pour out that last twenty minutes in memory of the rare 2018 vintage, BEN! KELLY! BEN! KELLY!, of which no complete bottles exist.

Uwe Kroger, vintage 1964, 2006

Ye little gods, here was a tone with an unsettling quirky tongue to it, cutting right through the sweet fruit; an acidity, quite at odds with its vinicultural opulence. This lick of minerality which is just a fingertip’s distance away, is a bit old hat. Been done to death. Somewhat late to the party and overdressed too. It is easier to define what it is not – that is, it is not richness, nor fleshiness, nor texture, it is just there, this odd mineral flavour bringing neither a sense of purpose nor a sense of depth, fashionably unpopular, kookier and saltier than a bag of KP nuts, changeable without letting you know where it is going. And in any case, minerals, rocks and stones have no flavour at all. In Kresowy Slavic folklore, the “flavour” of stones is caused by an invisible substance called petrichor, which, according to my Russian-Greek-English thesaurus (what? It’s the only one I’ve got! Give me a break!) is “constructed from petra (πέτρα), meaning ‘stone’, and īchōr (ἰχώρ), the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods of Russian mythology.”

Gary Mauer

Are you married to your job? Just the wine for you! With a hint of sexy Dionysian wildness in its overtones, this sexy, vastly diverting and deliciously deep flavoured wine hits up hard on the brain. A sparkling good character with a touch of flair on its first taste, under all that joie de vivre, subsequent contact may make you come unhinged in the final analysis. Touted by wine snobs as 100% clean and wholesome in taste, those of us in the know greedily drink up the wicked taste and flavour, both of which provide a powerhouse duo, giving an amazing almost Elizabethan scent to the final mouthful. Having dashing good looks, this wine has a lovely tenor to its middle notes. While fairly standard from a non-specialist standpoint, it is sprinkled with touches of genius throughout; the distant whispered scent of a bridal bouquet of roses: so romantic. All in all, a great wine with a hugely masculine edge.

Ethan Freeman

A Viennese delight, this unexpected Rosé has distinct European notes, yet a brash American aroma. Moreover, it has a singing finish on the palate. A demanding Jekyll and Hyde of a wine, the duality of the fresh flavour of Oberhaüsen strawberries combined with the descending chill of the faint ghost of basement scents have resulted in a complex type of legerdemain that can be almost felt, not just tasted. Best experienced on hot summer nights.

Cooper, vintage 2014

Far too many notes for our taste, and most of them about this wine.  Just read this review left by a customer!  (We would like to remind everyone that we card any customers who appear to be younger than 21.) “A delightful wine, positively wonderful, just the perfect stubbly lad. Anytime is Coopertime. Also sweet.”

Christopher Carl

Looks like a meme but also 100% legit like a stock image of STOIC MAN (TM) sold by Hasbro. (Wine bottle and fine horses sold separately.)

[marybeatriceofmodena]

Trading Site Reopening and Gifting Spree!

So. After weeks of work (*insert alpaca scream here*), my trading site is open for trading! To celebrate, I decided to gift a few audios and videos from Phantom of the Opera, a few audios from Les Misérables, two cast recordings from Elisabeth das Musical, and a cast recording for Sweeney Todd. Enjoy!

(If you're the master of a listed audio/video, please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you want me to remove your stuff from the list.)

POTO audios

Michael Crawford, Rebecca Caine (alt.), Steve Barton October 10, 1987; London Michael Crawford and Steve Barton's last in London. Soundboard, very good quality, and this one is complete. And Rebecca Caine sounds amazing in it (as she always does). https://www.mediafire.com/file/pttrjfqzb84gatm/POTO_West_End_10-10-1987_-_Crawford%252C_Caine%252C_Barton.rar/file Steve Barton, Rebecca Luker, Gary Lindemenn (u/s),  Marilyn Caskey, Jeff Keller, George Lee Andrews, Leila Martin September 26, 1990; Broadway Soundboard audio. Because Steve Barton was almost as good of a Phantom as he was as Raoul, and Rebecca Luker is a legend (RIP). https://www.mediafire.com/file/xc9ywojtdesptje/POTO_Broadway_26-09-1990_-_Barton%252C_Luker%252C_Lindemenn.rar/file Davis Gaines, Tracy Shayne, Matthew R. Jones, George Lee Andrews, Jeff Keller, Lelia Martin October 5, 1996; Broadway Davis Gaines's last performance. Because Davis Gaines has one of the best voices I've heard in the role. https://www.mediafire.com/file/w1ybvl8v6e4ex6r/POTO_Broadway_05-01-1996_-_Gaines%252C_Shayne%252C_Little.rar/file Brad Little, Lisa Vroman, Tim Martin Gleason, Kim Stengel, DC Anderson, David Cryer, Patti  Davidson-Gorbea, Kate Wray, Jimmy Smagula December 5, 2003; Los Angeles Lisa Vroman’s second-to-last performance as Christine. Both she and Brad Little are glorious vocal-wise. https://www.mediafire.com/file/muavx4ocvs62eav/POTO_US_Tour_05-12-2003_-_Little%252C_Vroman%252C_Gleason.rar/file Anthony Warlow, Julie Goodwin, John Bowles, Andrea Creighton, John O'May, Derek Taylor, Jackie Rees, Nadia Komazec, David Rogers-Smith August 15, 2007; Melbourne Not the biggest fan of Anthony Warlow acting-wise, but he does not disappoint on the vocals - and neither does Julie Goodwin. https://www.mediafire.com/file/3pm0ksips30n3it/POTO_Melbourne_15-08-2007_-_Warlow%252C_Goodwin%252C_Bowles.rar/file John Owen-Jones, Katie Hall, Simon Bailey, Angela M. Caesar, Andy Hockley, Simon Green, Elizabeth Mars, Hannah Cadec, Vincent Pirillo September 29, 2012; Edinburgh Not the biggest fan of the restaged tour, but... Katie Hall's "Tears of HAAAAAATE" is pretty great. And John Owen-Jones! https://www.mediafire.com/file/00vtvziy172lpkv/POTO_UK_Tour_29-09-2012_-_Owen-Jones%252C_Hall%252C_Bailey.rar/file Hugh Panaro, Elizabeth Welch (u/s), Jeremy Hays March 3, 2014; Broadway Great trio overall, but Elizabeth Welch is a standout (to me at least). https://www.mediafire.com/file/1hc1ozi96vok5pd/POTO_Broadway_03-03-2014_-_Panaro%252C_Welch%252C_Hays.rar/file Dmitry Ermak, Tamara Kotova, Eugeny Zaytsev, Irina Samoylova, Alexei Bobrov, Yuri Mazihin, Elena Charkviani, Valeria Migalina, Rustim Bahtiyarov (u/s) July 16, 2015; Moscow A lovely production that I miss - Tamara Kotova in particular is great. https://www.mediafire.com/file/w56tx5d7fkh4kse/POTO_Moscow_16-07-2015_-_Ermak%252C_Kotova%252C_Zaytsev.rar/file John Owen-Jones, Celinde Schoenmaker, Nadim Naaman, Megan Llewellyn, Michael Matus, Christopher Dickens, Jacinta Mulcahy, Alicia Beck, John Ellis September 7, 2015; London First performance of the 2015-2016 cast. https://www.mediafire.com/file/5hswf44ldku6ngm/POTO_West_End_07-09-2015_-_Owen-Jones%252C_Schoenmaker%252C_Naaman.rar/file Peter Jöback, Emmi Christensson, Anton Zetterholm, Karolina Andresson, Glenn Kjellberg, Rolf Lydhal, Sanna Martin, Tehilla Blad, Sindre Postholm March 19, 2017; Stockholm Given Christine is from Sweden, it's only fair to include the recent Stockholm production. https://www.mediafire.com/file/zkl38t9388gcvh7/POTO_Sweden_2017-03-19_PJ_EC_AZ.wav/file Tim Howar, Amy Manford, Jeremy Taylor, Kimberly Blake, Ross Dawes, Alan Vicary, Jacinta Mulcahy, Georgia Ware, Paul Ettore Tabone September 7, 2019; London This one is different from the one listed as NFT (so don't get mad at me, haha). Last performance for Amy Manford in the West End production. https://www.mediafire.com/file/vf60ie1er18rkon/POTO_West_End_07-09-2019_-_Howar%252C_Manford%252C_Taylor.rar/file Ben Crawford, Meghan Picerno, John Riddle October 26, 2019 Because we all love a Christine with opera chops. https://www.mediafire.com/file/9gji0khgfoazjqd/POTO_Broadway_26-10-2019_-_Crawford%252C_Picerno%252C_Riddle.rar/file 

POTO videos

Earl Carpenter, Rachel Barrell, David Shannon, Wendy Ferguson, David Lawrence (u/s), Sam Hiller, Emily Harvey (u/s), Heidi Ann O'Brien, Rohan Tickell January 2006 VOB format.  If you want to see Earl in London right now but can't... this video is the best quality overall that features him, and Rachel Barrell is a fantastic Christine - one of my favorites in the role. https://mega.nz/folder/u09GQKyR#gjNHj4Letd9YInTsuLowjA Gary Mauer, Elizabeth Southard, Jim Weitzer, Kim Stengel, John Jellison, DC Anderson, Patti Davidson-Gorbea, Kate Wray, John Whitney April 6, 2006; Dallas VOB format.  For my Eristine moots (I see you!): Gary Mauer and Elizabeth Southard were (and as far as I know, still are) married while performing as the Phantom and Christine, and you thought Ramin and Sierra's chemistry was off the charts, think again. https://mega.nz/folder/PtExxS5A#D4yyf2g_lXoN-cIDPkMU2Q Anthony Crivello, Kristi Holden, Andrew Ragone, Geena Jeffries Mattox, John Leslie Wolfe, Lawson Skala, Tina Walsh, Brianne Kelly Morgan, Larry Wayne Morbitt August 8, 2008; Las Vegas VOB format. This is the Las Vegas Spectacular production, which is abriged compared to the original but totally worth seeing. If you want to understand why I love Meg Giry so much, Brianne Kelly Morgan is one of the best I've ever seen in the role. Also, if you’re meh about Raoul... with Andrew Ragone, think again. He’s one of the most Superman/Clark Kent Raouls I’ve seen. And I really like Kristi Holden’s Leroux-esque Christine too.  https://mega.nz/folder/Sh1zxSAB#twtXau8Y8pd_L9tMQLa4Mg Jeremy Stolle (u/s), Samantha Hill, Greg Mills (u/s), Michele McConnell, Tim Jerome, Richard Poole (u/s), Ellen Harvey, Kara Klein, Christian Sebek March 9, 2013 VOB format. Missing part of Act 1 (‘Stranger Than You Dreamt It’ to Il Muto), but otherwise complete. This is one of the best trios I've seen on Broadway, and Samantha Hill is just a fantastic Christine overall. https://mega.nz/folder/y1slyJRD#OP1Tp5Cj_fMk9LbAWJMqAA Tomas Ambt Kofod, Sibylle Glosted, Christian Lund, Louise Fribo, Carl Christian Rasmussen, Sebastian Harris, Elisabeth Halling, Imogen-Lilly Ash, Rasmus Jupin March 2019; Copenhagen VOB format. This one is more recent, but given it's been uploaded on YouTube, I guess it's fine to gift it (again, if you’re the master and you want me to remove this, please let me know).This one has one of the best casts ever caught on tape. Seriously. Everyone in this is a star. https://mega.nz/folder/q40hTagI#Zui14MWo-F2YSQ0gNdaL6Q



Les Mis Audios

Colm Wilkinson, Roger Allam, Patti LuPone, Alun Armstrong, Sue Jane Tanner, Michael Ball, Frances Ruffele, Rebecca Caine, David Burt 1985; London Preview at the Barbican Centre. This is interesting since it includes Cosette's song "I Saw Him Once", which has been cut later.  https://www.mediafire.com/file/jbedqiemuk9qnd1/Les_Mis_West_End_1985_-_Wilkinson%252C_Allam.rar/file Symphonic recording (1989)  Gary Morris, Philip Quast, Debra Byrne, Michael Ball, Tracy Shayne, Kaho Shimada, Anthony Warlow, Barry James, Gay Soper https://www.mediafire.com/file/n7gp30jcpnjfkf7/Les_Miserables_Symphonic_Recording.rar/file Kyle Jean-Baptiste (u/s), Earl Carpenter, Erika Henningsen, Chris McCarrell, Samantha Hill, Brennyn Lark, Max Quinlan (u/s), Gavin Lee, Rachel Izen August 13, 2015; Broadway For Kyle Jean-Baptiste, who was an amazing performer gone way too soon. RIP. https://www.mediafire.com/file/fzj2qubunkrrfhc/Les_Mis_Broadway_13-08-2015_-_Jean-Baptiste%252C_Carpenter.rar/file John Owen-Jones, Michael Ball, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Craig Mather (u/s), Lily Kerhoas, Shan Ako, Bradley Jaden, Matt Lucas, Katy Secombe, Earl Carpenter October 16, 2019; London All-star concert! https://www.mediafire.com/file/nh28zdry93vhry2/Les_Mis_London_Concert_16-10-2019_-_Owen-Jones%252C_Ball.rar/file

Elisabeth das Musical

Original Cast Recording (1992) Pia Douwes, Uwe Kroeger, Ethan Freeman, Andreas Bieber, Viktor Gernot, Else Ludwig https://www.mediafire.com/file/fagi9ctooeq2y11/Elisabeth-Original_German_Cast.rar/file Vienna revival cast recording (2006)  Maya Hakvoort, Mate Kamaras, Serkan Kaya, André Bauer, Fritz Schmid, Else Ludwig https://www.mediafire.com/file/7wpqbotp8oszzz3/Elisabeth_-_2006_Vienna_Cast.rar/file



Sweeney Todd

2000 Concert Cast Recording George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Davis Gaines, Heidi Grant Murphy, Paul Plishka, Audra McDonald, Standford Olsen, Neil Patrick Harris, John Aler Pretty sure this isn't on Spotify, which is a real shame given its cast. So enjoy! EDIT: Someone pointed out to me that the recording is incomplete - probably a result of the Great Hardware Crash of 2016, so until I get the full version, this will probably stay incomplete. Sorry about that! https://www.mediafire.com/file/ywoiqe5bnlzr7bs/Sweeney_Todd_2000_New_York_Concert_Cast.rar/file

[glassprism]

Who are some Phantoms that weren’t principal Phantoms but were just as good if not better?

Oh, let's see... so there's going to be some overlap with Phantoms who were principals at some point, because that's just how the show works, but I would say:

Ian Jon Bourg - He was definitely principal in the German productions, but he was only ever an understudy in the various English-language productions he was in (national tour, Las Vegas, World Tours), which is a crying shame as he was so solid and so consistently good in every run. I don't know if he'd necessarily beat out some of the principals he was opposite (vocally he'd win against Brad Little, at least), but he was at least on par with them.

Scott Davies - Another who was principal at one point, but I think most people know him as London's long-running standby for some ten years, and those ten years saw him giving an even better performance than when he was principal - he was more nuanced, more emotional, just a stunning performer no matter what cast he was opposite. He saw so many actors come and go that I can't say he was necessary as good or better than all of them, but I sure did enjoy him just as much as many of them.

Jeremy Stolle - Stolle! Now this is one who has definitely never had an official principal run. I know some find him too stoic, but I always loved how subtle and detailed his acting was and how he used his voice so effectively. Again, can't say he was better than everyone (Panaro, at least, beats him out), but I definitely enjoyed him more than, say, Ben Crawford, Peter Joback, Norm Lewis, and the name we shall not speak.

David Arnsperger - Arnsperger did have a short, temporary run as principal in Oberhausen (where I liked him better than Brent Barrett), but mainly I know him as the alternate Phantom in Hamburg. In all fairness to Mathias Edenborn, the principal Phantom, I did think Edenborn grew into the role over time, but I always preferred Arnsperger's voice, and for a time, his old-school approach to the role.

Andrey Shkoldychenko - Another who has actually never had a principal run, and one where I unequivocally like him better than the two principals. I don't care for Ivan Ozhogin - I find him rather one-note - and I like Dmitri Ermak but find him a bit too smooth at times. Shkoldychenko, though was the best of both worlds - as commanding and arresting as Ermak but with a bit of the grit of Ozhogin. Definitely my favorite Russian Phantom.

Fred Silveira - Okay, so Silveira is decent, but I wouldn't say he's incredible. He's just better than Thiago Arancam, which, let's be real, is not hard to be. Oh, and I guess this can apply to the other Brazilian Phantoms (Leonardo Neiva and Cleyton Pulzi), I just don't know as much about them.

[antoniodatsch]

Moscovo não está interessada na morte do presidente ucraniano em exercício, Zelensky, porque se trata de uma figura de marioneta fraca e de um político fraco, que está a perder rapidamente o apoio do público. Por outro lado, em 6 de maio, o Serviço de Informações Externas da Rússia informou que "os americanos intensificaram os esforços para encontrar uma alternativa" a Zelensky. Foi por isso que iniciaram contactos apropriados com o chefe do partido Solidariedade Europeia, o ex-presidente e oligarca Petro Poroshenko, o presidente da câmara de Kiev Vitali Klitschko, o chefe do gabinete do presidente Andrei Ermak, o ex-comandante-em-chefe das For��as Armadas da Ucrânia Valery Zaluzhny e o antigo presidente da Verkhovna Rada Dmitry Razumkov.

"Presume-se que estas figuras possam ser procuradas em caso de deterioração acentuada da situação na frente e da necessidade de uma mudança urgente de líder. Nessa altura, será possível escolher um deles, eliminando todos os fracassos de Zelensky. O principal é evitar um aumento crítico da desilusão dos ucranianos com os fracassos da política pró-ocidental", observam os funcionários dos serviços secretos russos.

https://southfront.press/high-ranked-ukrainian-security-officers-detained-for-preparing-attempt-on-zelensky/

[marleneoftheopera]

Beautiful photos of Elena Bahtiyarova and Dmitry Ermak.

[phantsmenace]

MOTN Special (Yes, Again) - Dmitry Ermak Edition

Part 1

.

💞 Welcome to another episode of "Persie being enterily self-indulgent and overanalyzing things!" 💞

This is also part of "Persie's Birthmonth Special".

Also, @meilas has 0 taste so I was extra-forced to do this.

No I wasn't. LoL This is all my own damn fault.

.

This is for you, meilas, you uncultured wench. See the tailoring yet? Huh? Where do you think my banner came from?

Anyway, back to the topic: Mr. Ermak. Though not my favorite Russian Phantom (hi, Mr. Schkoldychenko 💕)... Dmitry is still so damn good. 👌

There! Right there!

Look at that condescending smirk

See, he is a clever masterwork

Also a slave of fashion jerk!

You shouldn't downplay him, no, no way

(I'm looking at you, meilas)

Some gifs are going to look hella faded because I Am Trying To Prove a Point Here. Phants enthusiasts might already have caught up on what.

On a sidenote, this is a nice cape flip, don't you think?

For those who are not Uncultured™ and have already begun to see my point from the previous gifs, let's keep going. <3

Honestly, this part made me laugh a little bit. Tamara is jumpy - if not terrified - around this Phantom and his lair. Why? I'm not sure. Perhaps Tamara's Christine is less under the Phantom's spell here, which can be nice if you look at it by the lenses of "hey so maybe she followed him there a bit more consciously!". But then again, she is kinda... "Why does an Angel live on a basement? Did we just go through a sewer?"

But. You, dear reader, are soon to find out, that Dmitry Ermak's Phantom Cares Not About Such Superfluous Details. No......... This Is A Man With A Mission.

Pay attention to his eyes; they will be important.

I bet you almost didn't notice how fast his approach was; neither does Christine, apparently, because she immediately becomed startled at his sudden proximity.

But then... Smooth. Oh, so smooth. Christine seems to remember, "Oh, this is my Angel", everytime he's close enough. She forgets her fears, doubts, or the fact that they're right under the Opera House.

He's so focused. He's so goddamn focused.

This guy KNOWS what he's doing. There's a beauty to the "Flinching Phantoms", but man... Am I a great wench enthusiast of "You're So Into Me It's Ridiculous".

But he is just as much into her, so is there really a problem?

You'll also notice that his eyes are on fire. Enjoy the Smoldering Gaze™ much? That's the guy for you. Or at least to me. Lmao

His eyes. Never. Leave. Christine. Granted, most phantoms are focused on Christine, but sometimes they glance around, or at her hand; and sometimes the Phantoms remember they should blink, you know, like a human would. Ermak does not.

Or

I'm possibly delusional and imagining things.

Sir. Why are you living on a sewer.

Sir.

I love how Christine is extremely anxious again as soon as he lives her side and then... A little gasp, she swallows thickly, but her expression relaxes. All her Angel needs is to reach that one note, and she subdues again. Love the slight, discreet throat baring she does there.... She probably does not even noticed that she did that.

.

This is part one.

Part 2 coming soon. o( ❛ᴗ❛ )o

- Persie

[natashikb]

Dmitry Ermak and Elena Bahtiyarova (POTO, Russia)

[tearosesarts]

Thanks for the tag, @palas-is-drawing !

In no particular order (except the first 2):

Michael Crawford

Ethan Freeman

Hugh Panaro

Josh Piterman

John Owen-Jones

Dmitry Ermak

Earl Carpenter

Norm Lewis

Anthony Warlow

Honorable mentions: Dave Willetts, Davis Gaines, Mark Jacoby, Peter Karrie, Scott Davies, Ian Jon-Bourg, Ben Forster, Ben Crawford, Jonathan Roxmouth (and probably plenty others)

I tag anyone who wants to do this and hasn’t already!

[wheel-of-fish]

favorite E/C almost kiss GIFs in MOTN?!!?!?! 👀👀👀 asking for a friend… 😳

Answering this two months late, but better than never? In roughly chronological order...

Jill Washington and Ethan Freeman—except what you can't glean from the gif and should definitely watch is his very audible gasp as he pulls away.

Julie Hanson and Hugh Panaro

Celia Graham and John Owen-Jones

Rebecca Pitcher and Brad Little

Jennifer Hope Wills and John Cudia

Marni Raab and Greg Mills

Tamara Kotova and Dmitri Ermak

Julia Udine and Laird Mackintosh

Emilie Kouatchou and Jeremy Stolle

And this isn't so much one of my favorites as one I just happen to find particularly funny:

Kristi Holden and Anthony Crivello

[ange-de-la-musique]

Reviewing more phantoms and Raouls. As usual, I’m doing both in one post.

Dmitry Ermak had a very good first lair, with a sensual motn and a very strong unmasking. He had a very nice, classic phantom voice that he made rather raspy in his more emotional scenes, which I enjoyed. He was a very...wriggly boy in stydi, I loved it. Very much enjoyed his second unmasking and final lair, he played a very tired, sad phantom who did a very good job reacting to Christine and Raoul.

I’ve said before why I like Hugh Panaro (along with a million other people) but I’ll say it again here I guess. His reputation as a “sexy phantom” is uh not unfounded. His acting really emphasizes the sensuality and underlying darkness of the character. Every aspect of his movement is clearly very well thought out. I know he’s a fan of Susan Kay’s phantom and it definitely comes across in his performance. He can also be very sassy at times, which I’m not always a huge fan of but it definitely works well with his performance.

Cooper Grodin....oh Cooper. His voice is...as others have pointed out, he sounds like he was doing some heavy drinking before performing. His acting is extremely aggressive even for the restaged tour. He barely cared about Christine and it felt like he barely cared about the show.

As with Hugh, it’s been discussed why Michael Crawford is so wonderful, aside from bringing to life the character and creating an iconic portrayal. His acting is truly something else, I suppose it helps that as the first he isn’t influenced by any other actors in the role and truly took the time to make it his own. He has a very smooth, elegant motn, with the whole thing feeling like one very long, deliberate movement with a lot of emphasis on his hands. His more distressed scenes have some very Lon Chaney vibes, with more great hands and great distressed noises. His very light voice works well with his portrayal, making him feel even more ethereal and simultaneously phantom-like and angel-like.

Marcus Lovett has a pretty rough voice. Not necessarily bad, just rough. His acting though...we love to see it. A hypnotic motn, he’s very mature, very in control, knows what he’s doing and is perfectly comfortable leading Christine around his lair. This maturity extends all throughout the show up to the final lair, when he seems old and tired. He’s certainly no man-child yet there’s a real sense of desperation.

As for Raouls...

I wasn’t too impressed with Evgeny Zaytsev at first but he significantly improved when with a decent Christine. Overall he can be relatively boring but he does have quite a few nice touches, and his final lair stands out as very good.

Jeremy Hays was there. He existed. He had a very nice voice, I just found his acting kind of boring, he didn’t do much.

Ben Jacoby came across relatively charming in Little Lotte and got progressively worse from there, culminating in him grabbing Grace Morgan’s ears and dragging her head around the rooftop like that.

Reece Holland has a hell of a voice and he knows how to use it. He has some very interesting infliction and was clearly having fun playing with the notes. He was a very earnest, very sweet Raoul who put a lot of energy into his performance.

Simon Thomas doesn’t really stand out to me in any way other than his good chemistry with Anna O’Byrne. He doesn’t really do much but he does go out of his way to be very gentle and soft with Anna’s more nervous, hysterical approach and they work well together.

[crazymusicgeek]

Favorite Phantoms

So a while back, I made a list of my Top 5 Favorite Phantoms. I said I was going to update it, but here's the thing: That list has grown from 5 to 10 and I cannot put them in a chronological order. They're all just so good. What I'm going to do is just list my 10 favorite Phantoms and instead of commenting on each one, I'll just put a link to a video or audio of them that I found on YouTube. So let's get started!

Luke McCall

Laird Mackintosh

Hugh Panaro

Howard McGillin

Alexander Lewis

Dmitry Ermak

Josh Piterman (I know he just started, but I love his voice so much)

John Martin Bengtsson

Thomas Borchert

Ben Lewis

[aquitainequeen]

Nothing quite like listening to The Phantom of the Opera in Russian.

Also, Dmitry Ermak is so tall, and Mercedesz Csampai is so small. HEIGHT DIFFERENCE.

[glassprism]

Christine…          I love you…

Dmitri Ermak and Tamara Kotova

[cinema-phantom]

Dmitry Ermak and Tamara Kotova perform "The Point of No Return".