New York and London Stores to Salute "Phantom of the Opera" Film

By Andrew Gans
02 Nov 2004

Stores on both sides of the Atlantic will offer tributes to the upcoming release of "The Phantom of the Opera."

"Phantom"-themed windows are currently on view at Dickens & Jones on Regent Street in the U.K. The windows contain scenes from the film and also include "whispering window" technology, which plays portions of the Andrew Lloyd Webber score out into the street.

Bloomingdale's in Manhattan will also launch its "Phantom"-themed windows Nov. 15.

Directed by Joel Schumacher, "The Phantom of the Opera" is set to hit cinemas throughout the U.S. during the Christmas holiday. The motion picture stars Gerard Butler in the title role, Emmy Rossum as Christine and Patrick Wilson as Raoul, and includes one new song by Lloyd Webber and lyricist Charles Hart.

Based on the classic Gaston Leroux novel, The Phantom of the Opera features music by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart and additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Harold Prince directed both the London and New York premieres. The New York production — originally starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman — won seven 1988 Tony Awards including one for Best Musical. The score includes such tunes as "Think of Me," "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You," "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," "The Point of No Return" and the title tune.