STL Horror: ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Invades Powell Hall

In honor of Halloween and the many fantastic events that are happening around St. Louis this week, we here at Destroy the Brain will be spotlighting a different Halloween themed event every day this week.  St. Louis is a city that loves the haunting holiday, and what is better than joining in in the fun by partaking in one of these horror themed happenings. Today, we are taking a look at an event that is happening this Friday and Saturday at Powell Hall.  Following last year’s hugely successful evening where the St. Louis Symphony played live accompanying music to Alfred Hitchcocks’s ‘Psycho‘, the symphony will be returning to perform along with the Lon Chaney classic ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’

Lon Chaney is known as the “man of a thousand faces.” This reputation and talent started early on in his life as he was forced to utilize his hands and face for communication with his deaf parents. The  ‘Phantom’ in 1925 and ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ in 1923 are known as the two most iconic roles in over 150 films the actor appeared in.  His ghastly skull-like make-up in ‘Phantom’ is seen as one of the most terrifying images in horror history.  To this day, this original silent version of the novel by Gaston Leroux is the best adaptation of the hopelessly in love, disfigured, and troubled man, that lurks deep below the Paris Opera House.

The 1925 silent horror classic will be shown Oct. 28 and 29 at 7:30.  Tickets are $30-55 and can be purchased at stlsymphony.org or by calling 314-534-1700.  Ward Stare, the Resident Composer at the Symphony, will oversee the orchestration of the evening.  I was lucky enough to attend last year’s amazing ‘Psycho’ accompaniment, and am thoroughly excited that I will be continuing the tradition this year with ‘The Phantom of the Opera.’  The beauty of Powell Hall in conjunction with the operatic music and Gothic film imagery will create a unique evening that should appeal to horror fans both young and old.