The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on the novel by French Gaston Leroux. It was first performed in London in 1986 and has been played continuously ever since.
Many stage legends have played The Phantom of the Opera’s main character, Christine Daaé, over the years, but few have left as deep an impression on audiences as American actress Sierra Boggess.
Among other things, the Broadway star proved that she was born for this role at the 2012 Classic BRIT Awards, where she performed the songs “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” and “The Phantom of the Opera” from the popular musical. The soprano singer was joined by Canadian actor and singer Ramin Karimloo in the role of the phantom for the second song.
The role of Christine is notoriously difficult, but Boggess sings even the most challenging parts with natural ease. The performance showcased her impressive vocal range and signature vibrato. She has the stage presence and acting ability to portray such an iconic character with style. The two songs she sang at the Classic BRIT Awards also required very different dramatic vocal ranges, which she handled with ease.
The video has over 6.3 million views on YouTube, making it the most popular version of “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” on the site. Between the two songs, the audience can see the author of the musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber, for a few seconds in the audience.
Many fans have commented that Boggess is arguably the best ever actress and singer in Christine Daaé’s role, setting the bar extremely high. “She captivates the audience and makes them feel like they are really in the story. A phenomenal actress,” one commenter wrote.
Another one commented: “The problem with Boggess’s Christine is that she has set the bar so high that every Christine past, present and future will be compared to her.”
Another popular video featuring Boggess and Karimloo singing together is their 2011 performance at the Royal Albert Hall on the 25th anniversary of the musical, where they performed “The Point of No Return”. The event also featured Webber giving a speech on stage and the cast of The Phantom of the Opera’s original London and Broadway performances.
Incidentally, Boggess and Karimloo also worked together on the original London performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, which premiered on March 9, 2010. Love Never Dies is a sequel to Phantom of the Opera, with Boggess and Karimloo playing Christine and the Phantom respectively.