Love Never Dies (2012) is a recording of the Melbourne stage performance of the Love Never Dies musical, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber). The musical was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Cast[]
- Ben Lewis as Erik (The Phantom)
- Anna O'Byrne as Christine Daaé
- Simon Gleeson as Raoul de Chagny
- Jack Lyall as Gustave
- Maria Mercedes as Madame Giry
- Sharon Millerchip as Meg Giry
- Emma J. Hawkins as Fleck
- Paul Tabone as Squelch
- Dean Vince as Gangle
Act 1[]
Ten years after the events at the Paris Opera, the Phantom is now the mastermind of Phantasma, a Coney Island amusement park in New York. Despite the success of his endeavors, he is tortured by the absence of Christine Daae in his life and he longs to hear her sing again ("Til I Hear You Sing"). At Phantasma, The Phantom's performers Dr. Gangle, Miss Fleck and Mr. Squelch introduce the wonders of Coney Island ("The Coney Island Waltz"). Meg Giry, Christine Daaé's friend from the Paris Opera, has become "The Ooh La La" Girl in The Phantom's vaudeville show, which Madame Giry produces. Meg and the Phantasma cast win the crowd over with their performance of ("Only for You"). Madame Giry has read in the newspaper that Christine is coming to New York to sing for Oscar Hammerstein at the opening of his new Manhattan opera house. Madame Giry is concerned that her daughter has lost the attention of the Phantom and she reminisces about how she and Meg smuggled him from Paris, France to New York City ten years ago.("Ten Long Years") Christine, Raoul and their ten-year-old son Gustave arrive in New York and are met by crowds of paparazzi ("Christine Disembarks"). They are greeted by Gangle, Fleck and Squelch, who arrive by a horseless carriage, to take them to Coney Island (“Arrival Of The Trio”).
Raoul is angry at the reception ("What a Dreadful Town!") and upsets Gustave by angrily refusing to play with him. As Raoul leaves to go drinking, Gustave believes that Raoul doesn't love him. Christine tells Gustave to Look With Your Heart to try to help him understand. Then she sends Gustave off to bed.("Look With Your Heart"). The Phantom reveals himself by stepping through the balcony door to Christine. She faints, having believed he was dead, and he carries her to her chair. When she awakes, they remember about the last time they were alone together on the night before Christine married Raoul. And why The Phantom ran away afterwards (“Beneath a Moonless Sky”). On the balcony they recall that they thought their love had a chance of succeeding ("Once Upon Another Time"). He offers to pay her double what Oscar Hammerstein is paying her to sing for him once more, just one song he wrote, but Christine refuses. Gustave wakes up screaming from a nightmare ("Mother Please, I'm Scared!") Christine introduces him to the Phantom for the first time. The Phantom promises to show Gustave all the wonders of Phantasma. After Gustave returns to bed, The Phantom tells Christine that she must sing for him again or she will return home without the boy. Just before leaving he hands her the written song he wrote.
In the rehearsal studio for Phantasma, Meg and Christine happily greet each other. And Meg is surprised and jealous to learn that Christine will be singing after her the following night. Raoul encounters Madame Giry and discovers that the Phantom, not Oscar Hammerstein, is the one for whom Christine is singing. Raoul goes off to drink and Christine discovers that Gustave has vanished and Meg helps her go to look for him. ("Dear Old Friend"). Gangle, Fleck and Squelch bring Gustave to the Aerie, where he is greeted by the Phantom. Child prodigy Gustave sings and plays a melody on the piano that leads the Phantom to suspect he is Gustave's father "He plays like me! He's just 10 years old...ten years old".("Beautiful"). The Phantom questions Gustave while showing him the dark wonders, illusions and freaks of Phantasma and finds they are kindred spirits. He unmasks himself, believing Gustave will accept him but Gustave is horrified and screams ("The Beauty Underneath").
Christine and Meg arrive and comfort Gustave while the Phantom demands to hear the truth from Christine. She asks Meg to take Gustave back to the hotel so that she and the Phantom can have a private conversation. Christine confesses that Gustave is his son. The Phantom breaks down and she comforts him. He then makes Christine promise to never tell Gustave the truth. Christine swears she will and also promises that she will sing for him once more, and leaves. The Phantom declares that everything he owns will go to Gustave. Having overheard everything, a furious Madame Giry fears all her work over the years has been for nothing.("The Phantom Confronts Christine").
Act 2[]
In a gloomy bar, Raoul contemplates his relationship with Christine ("Why Does She Love Me?"). He is joined by Meg, who tells him she swims each day to wash away the stress of working. She tells Raoul that he must leave with Christine and Gustave and runs out of the bar. Raoul says he is not afraid of the Phantom. The Phantom reveals himself to Raoul and they make a bet that if Christine sings the Phantom wins and if she doesn't sing Raoul wins. If Raoul wins the bet, the Phantom will pay his debts and Raoul can leave with Christine and Gustave. However, if The Phantom wins, Christine and Gustave will remain in America with him and Raoul must return to Paris alone. The Phantom also leads Raoul to question Gustave's paternity ("Devil Take the Hindmost"). Fleck, Squelch and Gangle appear to advertise Christine's appearance at Phantasma ("Invitation to the Concert"). That night, Meg performs a strip-tease about her choice of swimming costumes ("Bathing Beauty"). The audience goes crazy for Meg, but Madame Giry tells Meg that the Phantom did not even watch the performance and it was for nothing leaving Meg heartbroken ("Mother, Did You Watch?").
In Christine's dressing room Gustave helps his mother get ready for the show. Raoul arrives and Christine asks Gustave to wait for Raoul backstage. Raoul tells Christine not to sing the song and begs her to leave New York with him if she really loves him. Christine asks for some time and Raoul leaves. The Phantom enters the room and tells Christine that Raoul's love is not enough and that she must sing for him and embrace her destiny ("Before The Performance"). Christine recalls the events at the Opera house where she had to decide between Raoul and the Phantom. ("Twisted Every Way") Madame Giry, Raoul and the Phantom wonder whether Christine will sing or not ("Devil Take The Hindmost" (reprise)). The curtain opens on Christine. Raoul and the Phantom watch her from separate wings awaiting her decision. As the long musical intro comes to its end Christine contemplates her choice and decides to sing. She performs the song, singing with so much passion as the two men who love her watch. Raoul leaves just before Christine finishes to thunderous applause. ("Love Never Dies"). Back in her dressing room, Christine is greeted lovingly by the Phantom and the two share a loving kiss. She then finds a letter from Raoul informing her of his departure ("Ah Christine").
Christine suddenly realizes Gustave is missing, remembering She had previously told him to wait for Raoul backstage and does not want to believe that he had taken the boy. Furious, the Phantom vows to kill the "drunken fool,". But Squelch informs him that he saw the Viscount leave alone. The Phantom then suspects Madame Giry because of her attitude towards him before Christine's number. She is brought to him by Squelch and Gangle. Madame Giry confesses that she knew about Gustave's true parentage, but denies ever going near him. Fleck reports that she was passing Meg's dressing room when she noticed the mirror had been smashed and that Meg is nowhere to be found. Christine fears for her child's life, but Madame Giry assures her that Meg would never hurt Gustave. The Phantom believes he knows where Meg has gone.("Gustave, Gustave").
At the pier, Meg prepares to drown Gustave, who cannot swim, when the others arrive to confront her. She reveals that the resources Madame Giry has afforded him came from Meg's working as a prostitute to influential men. And that the Phantom never took any notice of her or appreciate her singing or dancing. She is about to drown the boy but decides to let him live and releases him. She pulls out a gun and holds to her head to commit suicide and end her misery. The Phantom tries to calm her and apologize, but on mentioning Christine, Meg becomes crazed. The Phantom tries to get the gun, but Meg accidentally shoots Christine. ("Please Miss Giry, I Want To Go Back").
Madame Giry and Meg are sent to find help, Christine reveals to Gustave that the Phantom is his real father and a shocked Gustave runs off screaming. ("Look with Your Heart" (Reprise)). In her last few breaths Christine tells the Phantom that her love for him will never die. They have one final kiss and she dies in his arms. The Phantom heartbrokenly cries and holds her close. ("Once Upon Another Time"(Reprise)). Gustave returns with Raoul, who looks on silently and sadly as Gustave lays his head on the lap of his deceased mother. The Phantom hands Christine's body over to Raoul, then steps to the edge of the pier and collapses to his knees in sadness. Gustave goes and joins the weeping Phantom who sings to him, then Gustave embraces his real father for the first time.("Love Never Dies" (reprise)). Gustave takes the Phantom's mask off but does not react as he did before, by gently touching the Phantom's face and accepting him. The father and son look deep into each other's eyes as the curtain falls.
Musical Numbers[]
Act 1
- Opening (The Aerie) - The Orchestra
- Til I Hear You Sing - The Phantom
- The Coney Island Waltz - Gangle, Squelch, Fleck & Ensemble
- Only for You - Meg Giry & Ensemble
- Ten Long Years - Meg and Madame Giry
- Christine Disembarks - Raoul, Gustave and Ensemble
- Are You Ready to Begin? - Fleck, Gangle, Squelch, Raoul, Gustave and Ensemble
- What a Dreadful Town - Raoul, Christine and Gustave
- Look With Your Heart - Christine and Gustave
- Beneath a Moonless Sky - The Phantom and Christine
- Once Upon Another Time - The Phantom and Christine
- Ten Long Years of Yearning - The Phantom and Christine
- Mother Please, I'm Scared! - The Phantom, Gustave and Christine
- Ten Long Years of Yearning (Reprise) - The Phantom and Christine
- Dear Old Friend - Meg, Madame Giry, Christine, Raoul, Gustave and Ensemble
- Beautiful - Gustave, Fleck, Gangle, Squelch and The Phantom
- The Beauty Underneath - The Phantom and Gustave
- The Phantom Confronts Christine - The Phantom, Christine, Gustave and Madame Giry
Act 2
- Why Does She Love Me? - Raoul, Meg and Ensemble
- Devil Take the Hindmost - The Phantom and Raoul
- Invitation to the Concert - Fleck, Gangle, Squelch and Ensemble
- Bathing Beauty - Meg and Ensemble
- Mother, Did You Watch? - Meg and Madame Giry
- Before The Performance - Christine, Gustave, Raoul and The Phantom
- Twisted Every Way - Christine, Raoul and The Phantom
- Devil Take The Hindmost (reprise) - Gustave, Raoul, The Phantom, Madame Giry and Meg
- Love Never Dies - Christine
- Ah Christine - The Phantom, Christine and Raoul
- Gustave, Gustave - Christine, The Phantom, Madame Giry, Fleck, Gangle and Squelch
- Please Miss Giry, I Want To Go Back - Gustave, Meg, Christine, The Phantom and Madame Giry
- Look with Your Heart (Reprise) - The Phantom, Christine and Gustave
- Once Upon Another Time (Reprise) - The Phantom and Christine
- Love Never Dies (reprise) - The Phantom