4/5 Expressive grandness
  by Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela)
The phantom of the opera carves in relief once more the multifaceted gifts of this legendary composer.
Lloyd Weber understands and handles the clue codes of the personage. The dramatic motive is remarked with an incisive theme that works out as an incessant leit motive. The moments of nostalgia and evocation are hovered of powerful lyricism and insinuating eroticism.

Since I knew about Lloyd Weber from 1978 with his album Variations (paying tribute to Paganini) , I have always respected as one of the most distinguished musical harbingers of the new musical tendencies.

A must-have.


4/5 Good
  by Jackie M. Crowther (Hawaii)
The music is exactly as performed on the stage. Since the performance was recorded on stage, it is authentic as if you were in the theater. Unfortunately for me, it reminds me of being in the theater's back seats where the sound is simply not quite excellent. Although enjoyable, the tonals of the sounds are not as sharp or clear as I like them. The recording sounds as if stage mikes were used instead of actor/actress mikes. Overal, enjoyable, but lacking some "umph" in the tonals. A nice gift for a theater lover, but not for a audio freak.

5/5 Wonderful!
  by M.Secaur (ARIZONA)
Andrew Lloyd Webber truly outdid himself with "The Phantom of the Opera". It is a true opera, with all of the dialogue sung, and a great story to boot.

While not the entire show, this CD contains all the classic songs from the show,
from "Think of Me" to "The Point Of No Return", performed by the original London
cast, and is a great choice for those who want to listen to the show, sans much of the less tuneful dialogue, and don't feel like spending 2 1/2 hours doing it, though I admit I probably spend about that much time on this one alone, because I often go back and replay some of my all-time favorites over and over again.

I've grown up with this CD and now, being fifteen and a great fan of musicals,
I appreciate how magical and unique "Phantom" really is. I absolutely love everything about the show and play the Highlights all the time.

The moment the first track, "Overture", starts, I get chills up my spine. The sound quality is great, clear and crisp, with perfect reverberation, and when played on a good set of speakers (this even sounds great on a mediocre set of speakers) you feel like you're actually up there on the stage, which rivals sitting in an auditorium, with all that undesirable spectator noise around you. Headphones just don't do it justice.

Michael Crawford, in my opinion, is the best Phantom. He brings such mystery, tenderness, and compassion to the role, which in other hands could become a repulsive, coarse, and lifeless character. With his hypnotic, compelling voice,
Crawford fits the bill perfectly, quoting from the original book, singing, "as loud as thunder or as soft as angel's voices". Truly, there is not one sour note together that escapes from his throat, and he switches easily from the soft, sensual "Music of the Night" -a real show-stopper- to the stirringly strong and powerful moments in "The Point of No Return", or the heartbreaking "Final Lair" scene. His voice is fresh and natural and is ever pleasant to listen to, even in his loudest and most furious moments.
Granted, his Phantom is much more romantic than in the original novel, but being a great fan of the book, I honestly prefer the ALW spin on the title character. After all, shouldn't the star of the show be at least somewhat appealing?

Sarah Brightman is also the perfect choice to play Christine. Her voice is sweet and youthful, but not presumptuous; she is a true soprano in every sense of the word. She is able to reach the high notes perfectly and is in perfect pitch, though in some of the more crowded tracks, such as "Down Once More/Final Lair" she is slightly lost behind some of the more overbearing male voices. She too is a joy to listen to, and pours plenty of emotion into her performance, and shines in every track which she lends her voice.

All of the songs are very good and definitely memorable; the duets between the Phantom and Christine are the best, showcasing both Mr. Crawford and Ms. Brightman's amazing talents.

This is a great investment if you enjoy musicals, or just great music in general.
If you want the entire show and the full libretto, get the 2-disc set, but I enjoy
both, the latter if I'm in the mood to sit and live through the show in each of its moments, or the Highlights if I want to hear the show from the most dramatic points, from begining to end, without changing discs. The latter is worth the money alone for the fact that the version of "Music of the Night" is an early version of the lyrics, not used in the current show, and my personal favorite recording of the song.

5/5 #1 Phantom of the Opera soundtrack (theatre version)
  by Brian Hedrick (Winchester, VA)
This is the #1 Soundtrack to have for the theatre version of Phantom of the Opera. It skips the minor scenes and gets to the meat.

3/5 FAST-FOOD VERSION
  by FaireMaiden (Yon forest, *lol*)
Well, if you want the fast-food version of 'Phantom of the Opera', then this is the CD for you. Most of the songs are there in this 'Highlights' release but, in my opinion, NONE of the depth. Alas, I cannot fault this particular release for those who just want to be-bop along with the favoured tunes.

HOWEVER...

For those for whom 'dining' is an experience not only not to be missed in life, but actually cultivated as often as possible, then you will want to take a pass on this 'Highlights' CD and purchase the Full-Length version of the Original Cast recording. Therein will you find yourself back in the theatre reliving the opera as it was written and performed. To enter into such depth repeatedly is a joy as it quite effectively whisks you away to the labyrinthine drama that once stunningly unfolded before your eyes and ears. The plus in this is the unequivocal ability to inject yourself into the heart-wrenching story and sing along its various parts.

To reiterate, if you're interested in RELIVING the story, including ALL the evocative musicality that goes along with it, then get the Full-Length version.

If you're only interested in the 'hit' songs, then buy this 'Highlights' CD. (But be aware of this: 'Music of the Night' is changed in this CD. It is not the same rendition of the original song. For me, this alone makes the 'Highlights' CD less-than-worthless).