THE air was thick with anticipation last night as The Phantom of the Opera finally opened in Southampton’s Mayflower theatre.

And the packed house of fans and show virgins were not disappointed as young Katie Hall, one of the boot-camp contestants in the BBC’s I’d Do Anything search for a new Nancy, wowed them with her absolutely stunning voice. Shivers ran down spines and woops of delight were heard as she first demonstrated her range during Think of Me and then knocked everyone out with later numbers including Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again and the difficult conclusion to The Phantom of the Opera.

Show veteran Earl Carpenter, who first performed the role of the titular troubled masked man in 2003 and was selected to perform the role of the auctioneer in the special 25 th anniversary concert in the Royal Albert Hall, broke hearts by the conclusion.

Those who know the musical well will enjoy seeing Paul Brown’s set design, and what he’s done to bring the descent, the lake, the lair and the rest of the key locations to life on the stage of The Mayflower. What’s abundantly clear is that the power of this celebrated spectacle hasn’t diminished one iota.

Grab a ticket while you still can! Performances continue until February 16.

Tickets: 02380 711811, mayflower.org.uk