Phantom of the Opera was great. I enjoyed myself watching it and it's definitely worth every cent of your money. This is one of the best musicals I've seen, though I really can't decide between Phantom and Miss Saigon. Both of them have their good points.

Music: The music for both musicals are fantastic. I always enjoy live music. The music just captures you and live music always give you those 'goose bumps'. Phantom was more lyrical, while the music of Miss Saigon is more up-beat and 'pop'. Both styles are also different. Phantom has that Gothic, European feel while Miss Saigon is more has a more American, Vietnam war, 1970s kind of feel. Remember that famous Phantom of the Opera number? I was actually looking out for the organ, but didn't see any around. After taking a peek in the musicians pit, I found out that the orchestra is quite small, and there were lots of keyboards / synthesizers. So I guess that is where you get the sound of the organ.

Dance: There were a lot of ballet dances in Phantom. However, the dancing in Miss Saigon is more of your cabaret-style, sleazy dance. Both are attractive in their own way. I liked Masquerade in Phantom. The choreography was very well done. I liked the way the dancers moved and did their actions in the synchronised manner.

Acting & Storyline: Miss Saigon and Phantom both contain love stories. They all do actually, all the musicals I've watched. The story moves faster in Miss Saigon and is based on more contemporary themes like war and love. Phantom however, is more fictional in nature, and is not really something that is possible to happen in real-life, I think.

Costumes and Set: Phantom beats them all in this area. The set was really attractive and complex. I admire the way the set was seamlessly switched from one to another. Every scene is different. Imagine the amount of work put into their preparation and maintenance! Yep, there was the part of the falling chandelier. The pyrotechnics were something that I didn't expect out of a musical, but definitely contributed to the overall atmosphere of the whole story. I would actually love to check out the stage. I think it must be quite "deep in" to hold such complex set.

Overall, a very very worth-it experience. I'm so excited I even went to buy the CD and the original novel as well. All that's left now is the score, but no hurry, I can easily find them in the stores!