But in a work this long ñ the selection clocks in somewhere between thirty minutes and eternity ñ repetition is inevitable, and, by the end, only devotees will fail to grow antsy for the final cadence.
Passages of lyricism contrast with virtuosic passages, as is customary in such concert pieces, and the bravura sections are well written for the instruments.
Indeed, Changís violin is a far more expressive Christine than Sarah Brightman ever was. The violin solo represents Christine, the soprano heroine, and the cello represents the Phantom, and both Sarah Chang and Lloyd Webber play beautifully. Geoffrey Alexander, building on an idea of Sir Lloyd Webber and his brother, renowned cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, and drawing from the original score as well as from new material written for the only moderately successful film version, has arranged the work for orchestra and two soloists.
