My family and I watched the Phantom of the Opera at the Cultural Center of the Philippines last night and they blamed me for choosing seats on Row E. I couldn’t forgive myself because we craned our necks to get a better view of the performers.
Row E is very close to the stage unfortunately it’s too low. The gradual ascent starts with Row F. I should have chosen Row J instead so the stage would be at eye level. I don’t remember how many times I apologized to Edmund.
Edmund also kept on teasing me about the number of times we’ve seen the Phantom of the Opera. He said he’s seen it four times, Julienne 5 times, My son, 3 x.
Edmund——- “Pang apat ko na yata ito”. Ikaw siguro pang isang dosena na, masuka-suka ka na dapat”.
I have seen this opera several times in London, once in San Francisco when I brought Edmund along, in Broadway (New York) to accompany a friend who hasn’t seen it, last night’s opera plus the movie, the play, and the excerpt at our 25th wedding anniversary starring Jonathan Badon, Ana Feleo and Jack Salud if that would count.
My favorites are the songs All I Ask of You and the Phantom of the Opera.
I always imagine myself as Cristine Daae, singing the perfect aria.
On my 34th birthday held at the EDSA-Shangrila Hotel thousands of years ago, I bravely and kapal-muks sang All I Ask of You and it was a disaster. Sobrang nakakahiya. I can’t sing alright, but give me credit for my tapang ng dibdib, lakas ng loob at kapal ng mukha.
Despite seeing the Phantom for the nth time, I still enjoyed last night’s performance. I must admit though that I have fairly memorized the sequence and the songs so I didn’t have to open my eyes. A few times my eyes were closed and I just listened except when they were singing Music of the Night, Think of Me, and of course All I Ask of You and the Phantom.
Edmund also closed his eyes especially because our seats were nakalubog. But closing his eyes made him fall asleep. He started snoring. I shook him when his snore was getting audible to others.
When the Phantom was going down the grand staircase, when all songs were off except the sound of his steps, someone said “achoooo” so loudly that the audience started laughing. Then after ten minutes, he sneezed again. Perfect timing.
Cameras were not allowed but I brought one anyway. But I didn’t shoot until after the opera. Posing posing after the show was done.
Julienne and her friend Bernie
With James Younghusband
This is Nicole Scherzinger as Cristine Daae singing the Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Opera Variety Show on December 14, 2011. I did not know that Nicole could sing this great. I had goosebumps while watching her belt it out.
I want you to imagine that this is yours truly, singing beautifully. Please, for friendship’s sake. Thank you.
