The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast) [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] ~ Andrew Lloyd Webber (Composer), et al - The Angel of Music has blessed us with this score!

The Phantom of the Opera...what can I say? It is arguably the greatest musical of all time. The story of a deformed man who yearns for love and the terror he brings to the opera house he haunts is told here in actulal operaetic form, and with some of the most brilliant music ever written.

The original London cast defined the roles, and many devoted phans still consider them the best. This is the recording where you can hear why Andrew Lloyd Webber's version is so beloved, with the awe-inspiring performances of Michael Crawford as Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine, with Steve Barton as Raoul. Their performances are beyond words.

This edition is newly remastered, and there is quite a noticible difference in sound quality between it and previous releases. For a few years before buying this version, I only had the highlights album, featuring only the most essential tracks. The excerpts that appear there were taken directly from the previous, non-remastered two-disc edition. Listening to it just before getting this, it was very fine and certianly listenable. But when I then put on this remaster, I found it to be much clearer, crisper and even more pleasing to the ear than before. The other (now out-of-print) version (replaced by this one) is certianly servicable, but this one is much better.

The two discs feature silk-screen artwork of the Phantom's mask. The standard CD jewel case is then further enclosed in a cardboard slipsleeve case. The included booklet features beautiful photographs from the musical and lists the various scenes. Another completely seperate booklet is included, slipping into the cardboard case snugly right next to the CD jewel case. This includes the complete liberetto.

Would I reccomend replacing your old version with this new one? That depends on just how much you love the show. If you're a phanatic and want to have the best-sounding version possible, then yes. If you want the pictures, booklet or liberetto but do not own them in another format, then yes. But since the liberetto was also included in the original release, if you are only a casaul phan, there's not much need to buy it again unless you are upgrading from the highlights version to the full recording. If you do not have The Phantom of the Opera represented in your collection at all, despite being expensive, this is most definately the recording and the version to get. It is a must!