Preparing for Phantom of the Opera

My setup with monitor

If you’ve ever wondered how the musicians prepare for an upcoming show, how many rehearsals they have, and that sort of thing, read on.

Recently Phantom of the Opera came to town, a fabulous show that I have played once before at the Detroit Opera House and one in which I was looking forward to playing again. The show travels from one city to another, bringing with it four musicians and two conductors. Much of what the audience hears coming out of the pit is in the three keyboards, each with sampled sounds of instruments we don’t have live such as oboe, percussion, string section and, in the case of Phantom, the infamous organ. There is a pre-recorded actual pipe organ which is very impressive at the beginning of the show when it fills the theater with its massive sound. As for the live instruments, there are six local string players and five winds – flute, clarinet, bassoon, horn and a doubler on clarinet and flute.

The opera musicians are first call, starting with the principals. I only get to play if the principal player isn’t available and if the book only includes instruments which I play (flute, piccolo, alto flute, recorder). So, for example, if the flute book includes doubles on clarinet or saxophone, I wouldn’t be able to play.

Wind section for Phantom

We are hired usually a few months ahead and are given an advance book for practicing a few weeks before the first rehearsal. They include metronome markings so we can practice at the right tempo and ‘heads up’ indications for tricky places. In the last few years the advance book has included a DVD of the conductor in the pit conducting the show so we can follow along and get a feel for how the show runs. These tips are very helpful.

At the first rehearsal we trade in our practice books for the real thing, which remains with the show’s librarian or on our stands in the pit. They never allow the actual book to go home with the musicians.  This is the book that travels with the show and contains helpful markings by the people who have played it in previous cities. On the last page it is traditional to sign your name, date and place.  It’s fun to see who has played that particular book before, and I usually know at least one person who has signed it.

signature page

To illustrate a useful application of this practice, many years ago I was playing Peter Pan in Toledo and got sick. I noticed from the signatures at the back of the book that a friend of mine nearby had played the show a few months before so they were able to call her to sub for me. Although it worked out for me at the time, I haven’t been called for Toledo since. Unfortunately, musicians can’t afford to get sick. We don’t get paid to take sick days either. But, I digress.

Back to the pit. Or, I should say, the rehearsal room because that is where the first rehearsal is held. The stage and pit are usually still being set up for opening night so are inaccessible to us. In the case of Phantom, our first rehearsal was Tuesday evening.  We met the six travelling musicians and they learned all of our names in a flash – impressive because there were eleven of us. As the locals got to know the travelling musicians who tour with the show, new friendships developed. One of the keyboard players recognized me from the last time we did Phantom and everyone was playing the “do you know so-and-so?” game.

 The conductor was very efficient and pleasant and the time flew by. We almost made it through the whole show but luckily we had another orchestra rehearsal the next day. For some shows we only have one rehearsal on the morning of the day it opens. Then there’s the sound check which begins two hours before curtain and lasts about an hour. At the sound check the sound crew tests each musician’s microphone level on each instrument they play. This is time for us to either run through scales and doodle around or show off with fancy excerpts or a tune from the show. Then the lead singers come onstage, usually look into the pit and say ‘hello’, and we play a bit of one of their songs. That’s the first time we hear the singers. 

After the sound check we have an hour to kill before opening night. We are all on the edges of our seats, concentrating 1000% on doing everything right for the first few performances, until it becomes more comfortable. Although the conductor warned us at the rehearsal about some of the special effects, it was a shock at the opening night performance when jets of fire shot up from the stage, blinding us and searing us with the heat. It was so distracting that I missed my cue at the first couple performances. Just when we begin to feel more confident, the assistant conductor comes in to conduct a show and we get nervous all over again. With eight shows a week, the conductor needs some time off.  Luckily both conductors for Phantom were very good and gave us our cues.

There is always a camera on the conductor for back stage monitors as well as little individual monitors for anyone in the pit who doesn’t have a great view of the conductor. I used a monitor during Phantom because the podium was so high and I was so close to the conductor, I would have had a stiff neck from looking up so much every night. It’s important to look at the conductor because, even with a show that is very predictable there can be surprises. There are also a few places where the conductor has to put ear buds in his/her ears to listen for a click track to coordinate the pit and stage (and sometimes the backstage chorus) with a recording.

By the end of the first week we are confident that we know the show and are ready for a night off.  Monday is traditionally dark in a theater. It’s also a good time to catch up on things at home we’ve let slide because of the busy schedule.  I used my day off to go to a yoga class and get a massage. Did I play my flute or piccolo that day? Well, what would you have done?

Unflattering selfie with the famous chandelier