The English-language musical The Phantom of the Opera has returned to the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center after nine years, and all 32 performances have sold out. On December 18, the five lead actors attended a media meet-and-greet at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. They expressed their joy about the immense attention the production has received in Beijing, with the enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience being the best form of recognition and encouragement for their performances.

At the meet-and-greet, Jonathan Roxmouth, who plays the Phantom, Grace Roberts, who plays Christine Day, and Matt Leisy, who plays Raoul, shared their experiences of touring China and interacted with the audience. Jonathan Roxmouth, the youngest actor ever to play the Phantom, was only 23 years old when he first landed the role more than a decade ago. "At the time, there were many voices saying I was too young and lacked experience," Roxmouth said. The external criticism made him feel that landing the lead role in this classic musical was even harder. Over the years, The Phantom of the Opera has taken him all over the world and helped build his career. Now, he is in Beijing, excited to meet the audience.

In this Beijing run, the young Grace Roberts has received rave reviews for her stable performance, impressing the audience with her portrayal of Christine, the kind-hearted and sweet-voiced lead character. Roberts admitted that this is her first time playing the lead in such an important musical, and she found it quite challenging. "Christine requires me to sing continuously for more than two hours on stage, and the demands are not just vocal, but also physical." During rehearsals, she worked out six times a week, with some joking that she would come out of the Phantom of the Opera tour with a strong physique.

Although The Phantom of the Opera demands a lot from its actors, they all say that being part of the Phantom family is like having "the best job in the world." When discussing their impressions of the Beijing audience, the actors first noted the warmth and enthusiasm of the crowd. They were impressed by how well the Beijing audience interacted with the performers, applauding at the right moments.

The English-language musical The Phantom of the Opera is one of the key productions of this year's Tianqiao International Musical Theatre Festival, which is hosting 20 excellent musical productions from both China and abroad.

Translator: FENG Haoxuan

Reviewer: BAI Jing