MASQUERADE Review: Immersive PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Is a Quintessential NYC Experience Rotem Rusak | usagoldmines.com

The Phantom of the Opera is all about giving in to an alluring seduction that promises to whisk you away from your ordinary life into a fantastical adventure full of music and magic. And if you “let the dream descend” or “let your spirit start to soar,” then, the Phantom promises, “You’ll live like you’ve never lived before.” And for over 35 years, audiences surrendered to this sweet intoxication, making The Phantom of the Opera Broadway’s longest-running show. Sadly, though, reality seemed to come knocking when the musical took its final bow, closing in 2023. But one thing we know about the Phantom—just when you think he’s been defeated, like any good dream, he finds a way to creep into your mind once more. And we’re thrilled to say that The Phantom of the Opera is back and better than ever in the city of New York. A new immersive version of the musical, Masquerade, allows you to “let the dream begin” in a more powerful way than ever, taking you personally by the hand and leading you directly into the Phantom’s world. Get ready to step out of your normal existence and into a breathtaking fantasy filled with every bit as much incredible talent and gorgeous song as the original stage show. Here’s our review of the immersive The Phantom of the Opera performance, Masquerade.

What Is Masquerade, the Immersive Phantom of the Opera Performance?

Before we get too swept up in the symphony of Masquerade, let’s take a minute to establish what exactly the immersive performance of The Phantom of the Opera entails.

In short, Masquerade takes The Phantom of the Opera off the stage and into a building outfitted with dozens of incredible settings and perfectly dressed rooms. The performers then move through these rooms, bringing the different songs and scenes of The Phantom of the Opera to life throughout the building, with the audience moving with them, acting as both observers and active participants from extremely intimate proximity. In this immersive performance, the audience follows their set of performers from start to finish, and is always directed where to go next. Essentially, Masquerade functions a bit like the most elaborate haunted house you could imagine, but instead of getting scared in each space before moving onto the next one, you’re treated to a Broadway-caliber musical number.

Got it? Okay, let’s start our journey through this strange new world.

The Dream Begins: Immersion Before the Curtain Even Rises

Masquerade‘s immersion begins before you even set one foot in its space. The invitation extended to you by O.G., The Opera Ghost, insists that you begin to put yourself into the headspace of the narrative before you leave your own front door. The dress code for an evening with The Phantom is “extravagance,” and formal or cocktail attire is required, in black, white, or silver only, the Phantom is very strict, after all. (And he also smartly won’t abide by any inappropriate heels.) Additionally, a masquerade mask is necessary for the occasion. If one does not wish to bring their own, they will be given a free one at the door. (Which I must note is very cute, to boot.)

Whilst some might grumble at this dress code, for me it is a HIGH plus. Full immersion is difficult to achieve under even ideal scenarios. However much we may wish to enter a dream, we are all still individuals inhabiting reality, and that reality is always knocking at the door. By asking its audience to dress in opulent ways they normally wouldn’t, Masquerade has begun your Phantom of the Opera immersive experience while you’re still standing in your closet, an added bonus to your adventure.

And then, the sum total of every person’s transformations makes every ensuing scene in the performance feel that much more real. When you’re in the moment of a grand ball and you look around the room to find everyone else also masked and donning swooshing skirts, glittering gowns, and tailored coats, you can embrace the immersion. Reality has begun to mix with fantasy, far more so than if everyone were wearing jeans, and that is the magic of Masquerade.

Of course, the audience’s dress is just a first example of Masquerade‘s attention to detail and commitment to immersion that you’ll encounter, the earliest instance of how it manages to extend its story beyond the confines of a stage and into every swirling part of the world around you.

Masquerade‘s Stunning Setting

As mentioned, Masquerade does not take place in a traditional theater. Instead, this immersive performance of The Phantom of the Opera comes to life in what was once a famous art shop, now converted for this express purpose. Masquerade is a multi-floor experience, complete with escalators, basements, balconies, and rooftops. Throughout your journey in the space, you’ll find yourself as turned around as Christine in the Phantom’s lair. The massive scale of the building, combined with its winding paths and hidden rooms, will leave you totally removed from all coherent sense of time and place in the best way.

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On top of this, every last centimeter of this massive setting is designed to the last drop. Even as you step into the coat check line, eerie red light surrounds you, atmospheric music floats into the room, and artistic graffiti decorates the walls you can see. And this makes your next space, an opulent room full of sparkling champagne and gorgeous The Phantom of the Opera melodies played by a talented violinist, all the more stunning.

RELATED ARTICLELong Live LIFE AND TRUST—A Beautiful Immersive Theater Performance We Loved and LostIn the performance, it feels like you have entered a world spun from dreams. The iconic Phantom chandelier has more than 30,000 crystals. Everything is dressed in shining golds, lush velvets, and soft silks. Whispering fog and pyrotechnics guide you into eerie graveyards, mysterious alcoves, and cackling freak shows. And, of course, in-universe details, such as posters detailing The Opera Populaire’s past operas and failed musical compositions strewn across the Phantom’s desk, create a deep foundation of worldbuilding that holds reality at bay.Luis SuarezI remember distinctly being the first person to turn the corner and walk through the gleaming spotlights and wafts of fog into the Phantom’s lair. As my gown billowed around me, imperious statues watched my progress, and distant candles gleamed in the night. It’s an experience I won’t ever forget. In short, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the intricate performance space of Masquerade is an art piece of the highest degree. If nothing else happened inside its walls, the setting of this immersive The Phantom of the Opera performance would be worth a visit all on its own. But it goes without saying, there is so much more to it than a museum-worthy set of installations.Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMadeMasquerade Delivers Broadway-Level Performances in Its Immersive Phantom of the Opera ShowInside the immersive Phantom of the Opera show, there are no corners cut. Attending a performance of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and attending Masquerade are identical experiences. The show performs Phantom in its entirety, featuring an incredibly impressive cast of Broadway talent who know their roles inside and out. Depending on your entry time, you’ll see a specific set of performers playing Christine, Raoul, and the Phantom, whereas other roles are filled by actors who perform across the night. Currently, there are six different performers in each role, each of them stunning.Unlike a traditional Broadway performance, though, every audience member is in the front row at Masquerade. You’ll always be mere feet, sometimes inches, away from the performers as they sing. And this creates a truly singular experience which heightens the emotion of each beat, making the romance more sweeping, the heartbreak more tragic, the terror more true, and the beauty more indelible. The vibrations of each note will thrum through your veins, pulsing the musical to life inside you. In so many ways, in Masquerade, you are on the stage as The Phantom of the Opera comes to life around you. It is like nothing else. Oscar OukHow Immersive Is This Take on The Phantom of the Opera?And this leads us to a valid question about Masquerade. How immersive is this take on The Phantom of the Opera? Personally, I would call Masquerade an approachable immersive performance. By that, I mean the audience is never without a guide. While the space welcomes and envelops you, it does so on a track. You don’t have to wonder whether you are missing anything or try very hard to find the story. Masquerade always provides a very sensical path forward in a way that other immersives do not.Andy HendersonHowever, the trade-off for this stability is that there are strict boundaries on the scope of the world, less time to explore the gorgeous settings than there could be, and less of a personal bond formed with different characters. In what are called “free roam” immersives, one can choose their own adventure inside the space of the performance. But Masquerade‘s track means the dream only dwells in a certain place for a limited time. Whether this is a plus or a minus depends on your personal immersive theater tastes. Personally, I might have preferred a bit more of a push toward an immersive reimagining with greater freedom. But I think that, in this case, the track-immersive format makes Masquerade more approachable to broader audiences.Andy HendersonOf course, there are still fun moments of personal interaction embedded into the scenes. In the rehearsal scene of Masquerade, where the Phantom causes Carlotta to storm away, giving Christine her big break, there are many different actors you can mingle with. And each one will offer a different perspective on the scene. You might gossip with the ballerinas about how cute Raoul is, encourage Christine to stand up for herself, share a toast with the Opera Managers, or even be called upon to “play” a piano before everyone. RELATED ARTICLETHE DEATH OF RASPUTIN Brings Beautifully Democratic Immersion to NYC Immersive Theater (Review)As the story progresses, the Phantom could at any time take your hand and lead you to another scene, Carlotta could ask you to hold her gown, or a young Erik (that’s the Phantom) might gift you a friendship bracelet of sorts. Masquerade also delightfully reimagines the Phantom of the Opera’s habit of leaving notes as a way to offer immersive trinkets to different audience members. If you’re in the right place at the right time, you might be handed a bit of parchment with gorgeous black script and a skull-shaped seal. NerdistNerdistAdditionally, over time, Masquerade has added what other shows have dubbed “one-on-ones”: small scenes that take place away from the rest of the audience and are experienced only by one person. When I went, my sister was pulled into one of these special scenes, and the Phantom revealed to her the wedding ring he hope to bestow upon Christine, offering her greater insight into his heartache. Perhaps in time, more of these will get sprinkled into the strange affair to make it even more stranger and more delightful.NerdistDo You Have to Be a Phantom of the Opera Fan to Enjoy Masquerade?When I visited Masquerade, I brought my younger sister and my mother with me. We are all from different generations with different experiences of The Phantom of the Opera, and we all had an AMAZING time. I would say that I have a very in-depth knowledge of The Phantom of the Opera and consider myself a Phan. My sister has a more casual fan’s worth of understanding, and my mother watched the movie with me, but never got very into the performance, its history, literature, or anything else. But none of that mattered. We were perhaps touched by Masquerade in different ways. (I: immersed in the story of my childhood obsession come to life. My sister: invested in the performances and the spectacle of the musical. And my mother: awed by the elaborate immersions and clever tricks of the craft.) But we were all definitively touched.Luis SuarezAnd even though my mother and sister were not in particularly invested in the story before they entered the world of Masquerade, they both came out of this immersive The Phantom of the Opera performance announcing that it was indeed a great tragedy. They shared that they couldn’t understand how Christine could be so emotionally tied to the Phantom, sing with him so passionately, and then leave him to his heartbreak. Although they had both previously seen The Phantom of the Opera in some form, the immersion of Masquerade allowed them to connect to the story in a new, deeper way.Andy HendersonAnd so I declare Masquerade the perfect adventure for absolutely anyone, earnest lovers of The Phantom of the Opera to the most casual of fans to people who have never even heard of the musical, alike. And I would also note that Masquerade will appeal to all, bar none, regardless of age or anything else. Masquerade Is a Stunning Jewel and The Quintessential NYC ExperienceAll in all, I would call Masquerade a quintessential NYC experience. It’s the kind of experience you’ll want to offer to an out-of-town visitor, so they can understand, “Ah, this is what living in New York is all about.” Oscar OukAt my first time in Masquerade, while it was still in previews, I got to see Christine, Raoul, and the Phantom perform “All I Ask of You” on the roof of Masquerade‘s building. In the center of NYC, six floors above the sidewalk, there I was, draped in a ballgown, the most gorgeous music swelling all around me, angelic song filling the air, a beautiful fairy tale writing itself out against the sky and city. Distantly, cars were honking, the subway was rumbling, and sirens were howling into the night, but in front of me was a stunning jewel of a fantasy.And, for me, that’s Masquerade. In its own words—a dream descended, a fantasy unwound, the power of the music of the night.Masquerade ⭐ (4.5 of 5)

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This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak

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