Customer Reviews

Love Never Dies

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

** May Contain Spoilers **

Many have approached this latest offering from Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with a lot of disdain. There are those who adore the original Phantom spectacle and curse Webber and the day he dreamed this show up. For his many critics (and there are many), they will view and/or listen to this and highlight its flaws and diminish the successes (not that there is no room for criticism of course, I am simply referring to those that take great pride in bashing Webber). After all, during the last couple of years, I had read and reread countless posts, blogs from many passionate detractors (including many "Phans") waiting for the chance for "Love Never Dies" to be released so they can pounce all over it and send it to theatre oblivion where it belongs while many others loudly thanked and elevated Webber's feline companion to near sainthood for accidently deleting this score from his masters computer a few years back. Hoping this would convince Webber to axe the idea once and for all (never underestimate the creative energy of a composer on a mission and in love with his work).

Well, to me, that is a shame as I have finally listened to the score and wasn't at all surprised on how much I loved it. Since I am a big fan of previous Webber scores; "Evita", Jesus Christ Superstar", "Phantom of the Opera", "Sunset Boulevard" and even his "Aspect of Love" which despite not being his best show had a lovely score, I knew that in typical Webber fashion, his latest musical would have at least one or two songs that will command my attention. I was not proven wrong. Overall, the music in "Love Never Dies", is sumptuous with the Phantom and Christine obviously having the best tunes of the bunch. I will state, that in comparing it to the original, the score is different. There are lesser moments of operatic grandeur. This should be expected from such a drastic change in setting, taking the action out of the Paris Opera House and placing it amidst the grittier spectacle of turn of the century Coney Island and unlike the original, the songs themselves are not as instantly catchy. It may take a few extra listens for you to appreciate the full beauty of some of these melodies. Some of the highlights include:

"The Coney Island Waltz" - Lovely instrumental track which opens the show. Not as instantly recognizable or as epic as the original's "Overture" but the melody and orchestrations are splendid.

"The Aerie" - A lovely instrumental track with lush orchestrations. The tune is brief but poignant and is reused in various other parts of the musical to great effect.

"Till I Hear You Sing" - An emotional ballad sung by the Phantom. Beautiful and melodic, the song is enriched by the gorgeous rich tones of Karimloo's powerful vocals.

"Look With Your Heart" - A charming ditty sung by Christine and her son Gustave.

"Beneath A Moonless Sky" and "Once Upon Another Time" - This entire scene between the Phantom and Christine during their first reunion is a powerful one (probably even more so on stage) and the songs are exquisitely sung by the 2 leads. The melodies, especially "Beneath a Moonless Sky" are haunting. Definitely one of Webber's loveliest tunes and a score highlight.

"The Beauty Underneath" - This song has had mixed reviews but I happen to love it. Yes, it sticks out like a sore thumb since the screeching guitars and drums differs from the romantic strings of previous songs, however, it works. The melody is quite infectious and the mix of the 2 voices, the Phantom and the young Gustave, is a great combination. The song also incorporates parts of "Beautiful", the previous track.

"Why Does She Love Me" - Great song. Showcases Raoul in all of his tormented glory.

"Devil Take the Hindmost" - A duet/confrontation between the 2 male leads leading up to a bet involving Christine.

"Love Never Dies"- Christine's aria written specifically for her by the Phantom is beautifully sung by Boggess.

Some of the score is reminiscent of "Sunset Boulevard" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" and despite some lack-luster numbers, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Many people are having issues with the lyrics but I do not see them as a problem. Let's remember that Charles Hart's lyrics of "Phantom" were hardly acclaimed and considered awful by many. If that musical works its mostly due to the success of Webber's music (and Harold Prince must be given credit here too) as it's the foundation that holds the entire piece together. When the fans listen to that cast recording time after time, whether it's the original London cast recording, the Canadian cast recording or the film soundtrack, it is not the spectacular visuals or the slick direction or production values that have them intrigued, it is the music and I think "Love Never Dies" will have the same effect on those undiscriminating listeners just wanting to listen to a haunting melody.

I was somewhat surprised at the drastic change in characters and unlike some reviewers, I find these changes refreshing. As much as I love "Phantom of the Opera", with the exception of the Phantom and that Grande Diva "La Carlotta", the characters were a bit bland. Everyone is practically in agreement that Raoul and Meg were boring and rather useless and although Christine herself was interesting in the sense that she sang the best tunes in the show (she was in practically every scene...well almost), she spends most of her time in a trance so there is not much range of emotion and she was far too naïve to excite any real sympathy. That was then, this is now as Raoul, Meg and Madame Giry have become rather selfish, loud and mysterious creatures. The complete opposites to how they were originally portrayed. Raoul's drastic transformation is believable in my opinion because, well, we didn't really get to know him in the original piece and a lot can happen in 10 years. The Giry womens' obsessive, rather unpleasant personalities is explained: the Phantom's everlasting love for Christine leads to what they see as the ultimate betrayal. These changes in character gives this musical a darker, grittier edge when compared to the softer brush strokes of the original. With that said, the 2 main characters remain the same overall. The Phantom remains as obsessive, as dangerous, as loving as ever while Christine, although more mature, still retains the charming characteristics of Ms. Daaé of a decade earlier.

The leads deliver on all fronts, at least on this recording. Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom) and Sierra Boggess (Christine) are fantastic in their roles with solid, gorgeous vocals, delivering just the right amount of emotion. Joseph Millson is also noteworthy for portraying the still unlikable but far more interesting-this-time around Raoul, Vicomte de Chagney. While Raoul was a cookie cutter pretty boy with no real personality the first time around, he is an embittered, angry-at-the-world failure here. Millson does a great job in capturing his complex personality while still managing to inject some likability into this damaged persona.

"Love Never Dies" works as both a sequel and as a standalone piece despite the drastic changes. Those enamored with the syrupy romance of the original may find plenty to dislike here as this tale deviates considerably from its predecessor and as previously mentioned, the stark changes in character personalities may be hard for some to swallow. The climax may also disappoint those expecting a more conventional ending. I have not seen the stage show (hopefully it will come to Canada) but listening to the music, I find this to be Webber's best since "Sunset Boulevard". Taking into account the setting, the music successfully captures the era and the love songs are ravishingly beautiful. The score may sound repetitious at times as some of the songs are repeated throughout. There are also brief moments in the score where melodies from Webber's original piece, "Little Lotte", "Twisted Every Way", are mixed in with the new, but there is no denying the beauty that permeates the score. When the Phantom burst into his songs and Christine beautifully sings her aria showcasing her delicate soprano, it all comes together to create a certain magic. The Phantoms return may not please all as is evidenced by some of the reviews but if you are accepting of it, you may find yourself surrendering to the music all over again. Recommended.

The music from LND didn't take very long to grow on me, the more I listen to the CD, the more I'm obsessed with the music! This cast in fantastic (though I prefer the woman's voice who played Meg Giry in the Australian cast ). Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo are SO good.
If you're a phan - don't hesitate to buy this!!

** May Contain Spoilers **

Many have approached this latest offering from Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with a lot of disdain. There are those who adore the original Phantom spectacle and curse Webber and the day he dreamed this show up. For his many critics (and there are many), they will view and/or listen to this and highlight its flaws and diminish the successes (not that there is no room for criticism of course, I am simply referring to those that take great pride in bashing Webber). After all, during the last couple of years, I had read and reread countless posts, blogs from many passionate detractors (including many "Phans") waiting for the chance for "Love Never Dies" to be released so they can pounce all over it and send it to theatre oblivion where it belongs while many others loudly thanked and elevated Webber's feline companion to near sainthood for accidently deleting this score from his masters computer a few years back. Hoping this would convince Webber to axe the idea once and for all (never underestimate the creative energy of a composer on a mission and in love with his work).

Well, to me, that is a shame as I have finally listened to the score and wasn't at all surprised on how much I loved it. Since I am a big fan of previous Webber scores; "Evita", Jesus Christ Superstar", "Phantom of the Opera", "Sunset Boulevard" and even his "Aspect of Love" which despite not being his best show had a lovely score, I knew that in typical Webber fashion, his latest musical would have at least one or two songs that will command my attention. I was not proven wrong. Overall, the music in "Love Never Dies", is sumptuous with the Phantom and Christine obviously having the best tunes of the bunch. I will state, that in comparing it to the original, the score is different. There are lesser moments of operatic grandeur. This should be expected from such a drastic change in setting, taking the action out of the Paris Opera House and placing it amidst the grittier spectacle of turn of the century Coney Island and unlike the original, the songs themselves are not as instantly catchy. It may take a few extra listens for you to appreciate the full beauty of some of these melodies. Some of the highlights include:

"The Coney Island Waltz" - Lovely instrumental track which opens the show. Not as instantly recognizable or as epic as the original's "Overture" but the melody and orchestrations are splendid.

"The Aerie" - A lovely instrumental track with lush orchestrations. The tune is brief but poignant and is reused in various other parts of the musical to great effect.

"Till I Hear You Sing" - An emotional ballad sung by the Phantom. Beautiful and melodic, the song is enriched by the gorgeous rich tones of Karimloo's powerful vocals.

"Look With Your Heart" - A charming ditty sung by Christine and her son Gustave.

"Beneath A Moonless Sky" and "Once Upon Another Time" - This entire scene between the Phantom and Christine during their first reunion is a powerful one (probably even more so on stage) and the songs are exquisitely sung by the 2 leads. The melodies, especially "Beneath a Moonless Sky" are haunting. Definitely one of Webber's loveliest tunes and a score highlight.

"The Beauty Underneath" - This song has had mixed reviews but I happen to love it. Yes, it sticks out like a sore thumb since the screeching guitars and drums differs from the romantic strings of previous songs, however, it works. The melody is quite infectious and the mix of the 2 voices, the Phantom and the young Gustave, is a great combination. The song also incorporates parts of "Beautiful", the previous track.

"Why Does She Love Me" - Great song. Showcases Raoul in all of his tormented glory.

"Devil Take the Hindmost" - A duet/confrontation between the 2 male leads leading up to a bet involving Christine.

"Love Never Dies"- Christine's aria written specifically for her by the Phantom is beautifully sung by Boggess.

Some of the score is reminiscent of "Sunset Boulevard" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" and despite some lack-luster numbers, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Many people are having issues with the lyrics but I do not see them as a problem. Let's remember that Charles Hart's lyrics of "Phantom" were hardly acclaimed and considered awful by many. If that musical works its mostly due to the success of Webber's music (and Harold Prince must be given credit here too) as it's the foundation that holds the entire piece together. When the fans listen to that cast recording time after time, whether it's the original London cast recording, the Canadian cast recording or the film soundtrack, it is not the spectacular visuals or the slick direction or production values that have them intrigued, it is the music and I think "Love Never Dies" will have the same effect on those undiscriminating listeners just wanting to listen to a haunting melody.

I was somewhat surprised at the drastic change in characters and unlike some reviewers, I find these changes refreshing. As much as I love "Phantom of the Opera", with the exception of the Phantom and that Grande Diva "La Carlotta", the characters were a bit bland. Everyone is practically in agreement that Raoul and Meg were boring and rather useless and although Christine herself was interesting in the sense that she sang the best tunes in the show (she was in practically every scene...well almost), she spends most of her time in a trance so there is not much range of emotion and she was far too naïve to excite any real sympathy. That was then, this is now as Raoul, Meg and Madame Giry have become rather selfish, loud and mysterious creatures. The complete opposites to how they were originally portrayed. Raoul's drastic transformation is believable in my opinion because, well, we didn't really get to know him in the original piece and a lot can happen in 10 years. The Giry womens' obsessive, rather unpleasant personalities is explained: the Phantom's everlasting love for Christine leads to what they see as the ultimate betrayal. These changes in character gives this musical a darker, grittier edge when compared to the softer brush strokes of the original. With that said, the 2 main characters remain the same overall. The Phantom remains as obsessive, as dangerous, as loving as ever while Christine, although more mature, still retains the charming characteristics of Ms. Daaé of a decade earlier.

The leads deliver on all fronts, at least on this recording. Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom) and Sierra Boggess (Christine) are fantastic in their roles with solid, gorgeous vocals, delivering just the right amount of emotion. Joseph Millson is also noteworthy for portraying the still unlikable but far more interesting-this-time around Raoul, Vicomte de Chagney. While Raoul was a cookie cutter pretty boy with no real personality the first time around, he is an embittered, angry-at-the-world failure here. Millson does a great job in capturing his complex personality while still managing to inject some likability into this damaged persona.

"Love Never Dies" works as both a sequel and as a standalone piece despite the drastic changes. Those enamored with the syrupy romance of the original may find plenty to dislike here as this tale deviates considerably from its predecessor and as previously mentioned, the stark changes in character personalities may be hard for some to swallow. The climax may also disappoint those expecting a more conventional ending. I have not seen the stage show (hopefully it will come to Canada) but listening to the music, I find this to be Webber's best since "Sunset Boulevard". Taking into account the setting, the music successfully captures the era and the love songs are ravishingly beautiful. The score may sound repetitious at times as some of the songs are repeated throughout. There are also brief moments in the score where melodies from Webber's original piece, "Little Lotte", "Twisted Every Way", are mixed in with the new, but there is no denying the beauty that permeates the score. When the Phantom burst into his songs and Christine beautifully sings her aria showcasing her delicate soprano, it all comes together to create a certain magic. The Phantoms return may not please all as is evidenced by some of the reviews but if you are accepting of it, you may find yourself surrendering to the music all over again. Recommended.

Great addition to my Phantom collection. Found the DVD to be very informative explaining the behind the scenes story of the making of Love Never Dies. Since the main characters will not be on the Video release coming out in May 2012, it was nice to see them discussing their roles as well as some clips of the rehearsals. This production is a logical next step to the original Phantom. My hope is this musical will be staged in Toronto Canada some day. My daughter had the opportunity to see the London production live and she loved it. In the meantime, guess I will enjoy the CD audio version while I wait for the live show. Mirvish, Dancap, are you listening?

No, this is not Phantom Of The Opera, nor is it a musical rehash of its themes. It stands alone as an original in spite of the "sequel" moniker. Comparing it to its predecessor is comparing apples to oranges which is very stupid. Some of the music is absolutely gorgeously sung and memorable in itself. One needs to hear it several times to savour and appreciate it.

I love musicals. I direct them. I purchased this CD after mixed reviews. I finally read a review that was favorable of the CD. WRONG! It is NOTHING like Phantom. It is even worse than the worse review I read. Save your money and just listen to the original rather than this.

I listened to this album with an open mind. I wasn't too impressed with Lloyd Webber's last few shows - but I think this is a distinct improvement. I know some people have 'issues' with this sequel, but for me the story was interesting and exciting. The music was rather good in my opinion. Memorable songs included Beneath a Moonless Sky, One Upon Another Time, The Beauty Underneath, Devil Take the Hindmost - in fact I found most of the score heartfelt, romantic and memorable. The singing and the orchestrations are simply wonderful. With the deluxe version you get the libretto and a DVD.

(copied over from original review on .com site) I was lucky enough to be born to a woman who loves Andrew Lloyd Webber's music, so I have been listening to Phantom tunes since I was toddling. I am one of the "phans" who WAS eagerly awaiting a sequel, and although I run the risk of people derisively muttering "phan fic," I like the Love Never Dies storyline, plot holes and all, because it is almost exactly they way I would have written it.

The Coney Island Waltz is a grand musical spectacle and is just right for a story set in this location - it has the right mix of romantic melody and underlying sense of potential danger; the excitement of Coney Island mixed with the morbid fascination with the "freaks."

I find "Giry Confronts the Phantom" quite powerful and passionate, but I do find Giry's changing accent a bit jarring. Sometimes she rolls her 'rs,' sometimes she doesn't. It just sounds a bit odd to me.

"The Aerie" is, to me, a beautiful lead-in to the Phantom's first big number in Love Never Dies. I believe it's the musical equivalent of the creative process - you can hear the thoughts, then the burst of an idea, then the realisation that it doesn't work.

"Til I Hear You Sing" is the standout, in my opinion. It's the perfect example of Lloyd Webber's talent for creating beautiful melodies. Lyrics wise, I preferred this recorded version over the amended lyrics, eg. I found "empty air" made sense to me, while "cold, night air" seems a tad obvious. Likewise, "I ache, down to the core" sounded fine to me but "deep in my core" sounds to me as though the audience might not have realised that the Phantom was talking about his own core! So far I have enjoyed every recording I've heard, although Ramin Karimloo has been my favourite Phantom since I saw him in the original in 2009. He is young, but to me he becomes the Phantom; he makes me stop believing that he's a performer playing a role.

"Beneath A Moonless Sky" tells the story of the night that the Phantom and Christine spent together. Again, I prefer the original lyrics to the Australian version, although I have seen our production and loved it. The CD version I think has a mystery about it; the Australian version - the introduction to the song - I find a bit odd, as though it's a rushed attempt to explain to people new to the Phantom story how they've ended up here. I do love the melody though.

"The Beauty Underneath" is more of a Rock number which I think brings a bit of adrenalin to the show. Gustave's sweet singing shows how enchanted he is by the Phantom's dark, mysterious world.

I wouldn't like "Bathing Beauty", if it was a stand-alone song, simply because I don't like the vaudeville sound. However, in this context, it works. The Phantom, without his muse, has been reduced to writing catchy, but ultimately silly songs for Meg to sing. If you look at it this way, it becomes a bit of light hearted fun.

The title number, "Love Never Dies" was taken from another show. Having never seen whatever it is, I'm not bothered that it is a "recycled" tune. Sierra Boggess has a beautiful voice and anunciates properly, so I can actually hear what she's singing rather than just pretty, garbled notes. I would have preferred the climax, so to speak, to be right at the end of the song instead of it trailing off to a quiet "love lives on." It's because of this, I think, that it's more effective on the emotions to see the song performed in the show, where you can see Christine looking between the Phantom and Raoul, whereas in the recording it just sounds like an opera diva singing a nice love song.

The lead-in to "Why Does She Love Me" is the melody from "Beneath A Moonless Sky" which I interpret as the relationship between Christine and the Phantom still hanging over Raoul's head. WDSLM itself is a beautiful, heart-breaking song, and despite Raoul's angry demands for another drink, I find myself empathising with him far more than I do in the original musical. He is no longer the dashing young knight who I was scathing of, he is an ordinary man with human emotions and problems.

There are many more songs on this soundtrack which are catchy and/or sweet ("Look With Your Heart", "Once Upon Another Time", "Devil take The Hindmost" - which is a welcome return to the Phantom's dark, competitive nature) but the few I have described are the ones which really stand out, for me.

Overall, despite the few quirks in the plot, the music is beautiful, and I rate it among Lloyd Webber's best, basing my decision on his other musicals which only have one or two songs I actually enjoy. If you don't like the plot or the lyrics, maybe seek out instrumental versions and try to appreciate the music alone, because most of it is truly beautiful.

I received this product in the mail yesterday and I'm already hooked. If you liked Phantom of the Opera, you will appreciate this soundtrack. This sequel picks up about 10 years after the end of Phantom, and like Phantom, you can understand most, if not the entire plot from listening to the soundtrack. The music is not quite as good as Phantom but is still worth your time and money. I do not want to ruin the ending so I will just say that this musical is suspenseful, romantic and definitely worth it. Enjoy!

Yes, I have been a "phan" of the original show since the early 90's. Like many others my age, this show is what made me decide to pursue a career in musical theatre. To see what Lord ALW has done with this "sequel" is incredibly upsetting.

The plot for LND is so poorly thought out and ignores pretty much everything that was accomplished in the original production. The characters in LND bear little to no resemblance to the characters we are all familiar with in the first show. The biggest problem is, none of these character are LIKABLE. If this were a stand alone show (as ALW keeps insisting it is) with NO reference to the original show and different character names, I still wouldn't like it because of how unlikable the characters are. With the exception of Christine and Gustave - who simply walk through the show and let things happen to them - the characters in this show are selfish, self serving, and destructive.

I give it two stars because I DO enjoy some of the music. I have been in love with the title song's melody since I first heard it as The Heart is Slow to Learn at ALW's 50th birthday concert. The new lyrics in the show are very dull and not nearly as effective. Luckily, the music is the same, and I can FINALLY get sheet music for The Heart is Slow to Learn. Til I Hear You Sing is also enjoyable - more because of Ramin's voice than anything else. Again, the lyrics are pretty banal. Beneath a Moonless Sky also has pretty music, but, AWFUL, AWFUL lyric which completely destroys the original story for me. Frankly, I feel the wrong lyricist was hired for this project. Over all, the music doesn't fit and flow stylistically. Several pieces are jarringly out of place - The Beauty Underneath, which sounds like it was left over from Jesus Christ Superstar. Bathing Beauty, which belongs in Guys and Dolls as a Hot Box number rather than a story about the Phantom of the Opera - and someone did point out the similarity in melody to the Bunny Hop. As with most ALW shows, you can hear music from his other productions - as well as productions which are not his (Guys and Dolls, Chicago). Most predominantly, I hear Sunset Blvd. Others have mentioned hearing a LOT of Woman in White - Woman in White never interested me, so I don't have reference for that.

I feel for the performers on this disc. They are all incredibly talented, and doing the best they can with the material given them.

I don't want to give "spoilers" here, but, I did write a song by song blog at [...] if anyone is interested.

Bottom line - while some of the music is good, overall, this is bad phan phic at best - which took FOUR people to write.