March 21, 2022
New Performance of Craig Safan’s rescore of Lon Chaney’s PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Now on CD from Intrada
Intrada has announced a soundtrack CD featuring Craig Safan’s all-new score for Universal’s silent film masterpiece THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The 1925 silent film classic, directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, and Norman Kerry, was composed by Safan under commission. The orchestral score premiered at “Opera at the Shore” in Chace Park on July 11, 2019, where The Marina del Rey Symphony performed a live-to-picture medley of the music accompanying scenes from the movie.
Safan brings considerable experience to scoring silent film classics, having previously been commissioned to create new music for Charlie Chaplin’s 1917 film THE KID. For the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA update, Safan composed and conducted a large tapestry featuring Gothic shadings, beautiful romance, tortured suspense, requisite organ and a plethora of quieter passages for solo instruments including a medieval dance.
This new recording on Intrada features the Miles End Symphony with vocal soloist Sonia Kazarova, under the baton of the composer. Exciting and evocative music for more than 76 minutes!
Watch a clip from Lon Chaney’s PHANTOM OF THE OPERA unmasking scene set to a portion of Safan’s new score, in my earlier report, here.
To hear Intrada’s sample tracks or to order, see Intrada.
