Sophia Michaels
Celebrated Croatian cellist Hauser has shared a new rendition of the main theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera in honor of the smash musical’s 35th anniversary.
Hauser offers up a fittingly dramatic, cello-forward interpretation of the theme, his deft playing backed by a booming orchestra. Accompanying the recording is an elaborate music video that was filmed on stage at the Her Majesty’s Theatre in London. The clip recreates ThePhantom of the Opera plot in miniature, with Hauser simultaneously performing and playing the part of the Phantom alongside his “obsession,” Christine Daaé.
The Phantom of the Opera, which opened on Broadway in Jan. 1988, celebrated its 35th anniversary this month — though that milestone was reached just as the longest-running musical in Broadway history started preparing to close. The show was initially slated to wrap in February, but after a spike in interest following the announcement of its impending end, the run was extended to April 16.
As for Hauser, the cellist (who’s also one-half of the duo 2Cellos) released his most recent solo album, The Player, last summer. The record features cello and orchestral interpolations of an array of global and pop hits, from classics like “Quando, Quando, Quando” and “Sway” (a.k.a. “¿Quién será?”) to more contemporary offerings like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca,” Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita,’ and Shakira’s “Waka Waka.”
