The Phantom of the Opera

PEI’s ECMA Award-winning professional choir, Luminos Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Margot Rejskind, kicks off its eighth season with a reprise of The Phantom of The Opera on October 26 at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown.

This unique film-and-music event pairs the classic 1925 silent film with a fresh score by Toronto jazz bassist and composer Andrew Downing. The Ensemble is bringing it back for the third time since 2021, following rave reviews. 

“I’ve never had so many people ask me if we would ever bring a project back,” says Artistic Director Margot Rejskind. “Not just people who saw it, but also people who heard about it from friends, and even the singers in the choir—they literally cheered when I told them we were doing it again.”

Released by Universal Studios in 1925, The Phantom of The Opera is based on Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel. Directed by Rupert Julian, it stars Lon Chaney as the Phantom haunting the Paris Opera House, and Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé, the object of his obsession. Famous for Chaney’s ghastly, self-created makeup, the film reportedly caused screams and fainting at its premiere.

Rejskind credits Andrew Downing’s jazz-inspired score for the event’s success: “It’s a horror film, but it also has a lot of melodrama, and some truly hilarious moments. Andrew’s music does a great job of pulling the audience in, so everyone is on the journey together. When you put that together with the excitement of a live performance, it’s just so much fun.”

Luminos Ensemble will also present Grant Us Peace on November 9 and Mysterium on December 14 at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown. All concerts begin at 7:30 pm.

Visit luminosensemble.com for tickets and more information.