Phantom of Scottish ...

After I grew up as a child with the cassette of the original London cast (Brightman, Crawford, Barton), I could hardly imagine that 1. a film version of the musical would be and 2. anyone other than Crawford and Barton each a compelling will present vocal performance can. Well, one is disabused. :)
That the film visually is a stunner, is one thing, but the casting is beyond any descriptions (where "wow!" Could be quite aptly): Rossum sings finally a youthful, innocent Christine without Brightman's operetta voice, Wilson convinced as something naive, inexperienced Viscomte de Chagny, and Gerry Butler is one of honesty and eroticism that he is so open as Phantom, behind bars !! ;) Of course, he is no second Michael Crawford (who would also want to), but just as a non-professional singer, he shows what many professional musical singer nowadays do not want to / can / be Traun: show feelings?. From the first second you take it off all emotions and sometimes even forget that it's not Erik, but actually Butler, who sings here. He proves charm, dark seduction, a healthy dose of humor and despair, by simply sings honest and not hiding behind some vocal exercises. Especially if you Gerry has seen in "Dracula 2000 'as just such for the first time, it is an incredible achievement, now someone as vulnerable as Erik represent so masterfully. Not to mention his and Emmy Rossum's fabulous interplay that is absolutely credible, despite the age difference.
Crawford is for me always remained my first Phantom, but Gerry Butler has given Erik a new page, which returns to from the professional Bühnengehopse and -gesinge and to humanity. What Gerry vocally not make 100%, it resembles refined with emotionality and twinkle in his eye, without even trying to Ersingen any impossible passages. Respect for the relevant voice teachers and Butlers own self-assessment!
And honestly: Who can resist a phantom that between so adorable falls back into his Scottish Urakzent to the next second again been "nice" to sing in English? So to hear during "Music of the Night", "Notes" and "Down Once More", if one pays attention to it. ;)