Character Study: LOVE NEVER DIES' Gardar Thor Cortes

[@SamSkii14]

I could listen to him talk for hours! so soothing and calm !

[@sameaston9587]

His voice is so sweet and gentle. I can hear him talk all day and night.

[@user-tw1hh7oq7l]

his voice is so soothing omg

[@lele10814]

It's weird that there is less makeup/prosthetics for the phantom. I love seeing the evolution of his scars throughout the years.

[@SamSkii14]

His unmasked face is shown so briefly in this production, I think they found it unnecessary to have all the same prosthetics and makeup as in the original.

[@christyw.2026]

another possibility is maybe somehow in these 10 years, the phantom's scarring has somehow healed over?? a bit of a stretch XD

[@lele10814]

That really makes sense, but it is still very strange. I think for the Australian version they went all out on the prosthetic for Ramin Karimloo. I can't remember what they did for Ben Lewis.

[@ZoraTheberge]

lele10814 Ramin wasn't in the Australian cast. But yeah, they went all out on him. I feel like I remember that Ben Lewis didn't have much, if any, disfigured makeup. I'd have to sit through that mess again to see

[@Mossishere]

I believe that the scars have used less makeup is to show that he is not an anti-hero or villain in this story but rather a hero in some ways as in he’s softened

[@valerios6121]

You should do a character study for Dimitri (Derek Klena) on Anastasia!

[@pomehanate]

Yes I would love to see one from Ramin before he leaves the show!

[@jessicabohin]

They should do one for all of the main cast

[@Wander85942]

I've been waiting 8 years for this tour and I seriously never thought it was going to happen

[@rileywodka511]

Hot Chocolate With Luna honestly me too

[@lilsisasu]

Me too! Saw the show yesterday and still can’t believe that I finally got to see it! It’s kind of special knowing that I got to see the show before it goes to Broadway (it better have a Broadway run)!

[@pajarowalking]

It was worth the wait!

[@rosefranco2319]

I saw it yesterday it was AMAZING!!

[@laurisareyes9673]

I saw at panteges

[@callmetlove]

This man needs to find time to do ASMR. my god.

[@lennythecat9242]

Y E S

[@scarletcarrazco872]

Y E S x2

[@navidnamini1169]

He should play the phantom on broadway. He’s the type of voice I want to play phantom: operatic tenor

[@amberpage7936]

Navid Namini I think he has done. Idk.

[@scotthamp384]

@Amber Page I don't believe he's starred on Broadway yet. And he has not played the Phantom in POTO, either. He did, however, play Raoul in London

[@nalabees]

@@amberpage7936 he has never played the Phantom in POTO. He was due to play him in the french language premiere in Paris (with Sierra) after leaving LND in Germany for the part (and she left broadway school of rock for it), but the theater burnt down a week before opening and the production never played. Ironic... but sad. He's only played Raoul in the West End and Passarino for the 25th London special.

[@amberpage7936]

nala beans that’s really interesting, I didn’t know that! Spooky hat the theatre burnt down!😂

[@christinewells-leddon9287]

This was a wonderful character study: Mr. Gardar Thor Cortes loves the character and is willing (as a performer) to open himself up to the darker emotions the Phantom must embody. I truly enjoy "Love Never Dies"...I only regret that I never got to see this actor's interpretation of the role.

[@rosiemcmorrow8834]

this dude has SUCH a soothing voice!!! record some audiobooks please

[@darkbloom9218]

Wow... The transformation.. The moment that tux coat was worn and he begins to walk, I'm seeing Erik right away. I'm in love with the Phantom. The Phantom is the best male broadway character of all time for me.💜

[@KatieT97]

Love Never Dies has such terrible writing but yet I love it

[@iseetheWAYVision]

Katie Tucker I know 🙈 I'm the same.

[@pajarowalking]

Everyone sitting around me loved.it. I believe the score has been tightened up quite a bit. Staging was improved, especially Beneath a Moonless Sky - so ridiculous singing a love duet separated across the room. Much more emphasis on their love, and it made the ending even harder.

[@ethannavarro943]

Screw you

[@josephrouleau9259]

I've had a sort of love/ hate relationship with the show from the first time I became aware of it, but I think the new cast recording helped land me more firmly in the pro- LND camp.

[@Niqhtmusic]

Katie Tucker it wasn’t originally

[@milesl.2467]

I am a child who fell in love with the Phantom of the Opera at the age of 2. Several years later, there was a sequel called Love Never Dies, and I had to see it. The music was beautiful, the Phantom was back, Christine had a son that was my age, and it was in New York. It just went on a 2017 US tour starring Gardar Thor Cortez and I could not say in words how excited I was to see it. It just came to where I lived and the run at the local theater ended recently. I didn't get to see the show. I was heartbroken because although it is still not as good as the original, it holds a sentimental place in my heart. I am so upset that I didn't get to see the show, and since it is not on Broadway and the chance of a tour in 1 one-in-a-million, I genuinely cried because I might not get to see the show live unless by any chance MAYBE it goes on tour again. I love the Phantom of the Opera so much, and I will say it, I even love this show too. But now the tour has moved to another state, so I guess that was that. I hope it was a great show and everybody in it did amazing!!! I'm sure they did!!!!

[@marisolsan]

Although I do prefer Ben Lewis as the Phantom, I cannot deny that Gardar Thor Cortes embodies the Phantom perfectly, especially in Love Never Dies because he is so mature and powerful. Perfect casting.

[@TheMsiaddict]

Mari Sanchez He was Raoul in 1999.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

Gardar summed up the Phantom perfectly

[@SarahJareth]

I am so glad to have met him he's such a talented and genuinely great person!

[@maripan1336]

He has such a beautiful voice :’)

[@LadyVader33]

He has a rich heritage behind him

[@RadioactiveGoob]

This man has an amazing name!!

[@HayleyPulizzi]

I had the privilege to see his understudy Bronson in Detroit, what a terrific voice and show!

[@jacquelynw1294]

Hayley Pulizzi Same! Such a great show!

[@harshmnr]

Me too! ~:~

[@fantinedaae6453]

Ahh hey fellow Michigan theatre fan

[@annmerchak2765]

Yes, had the privilege of seeing Bronson twice in Detroit and he was phenomenal.....blew me away.

[@russellsmith2245]

I want to see him preform but he’s not on for the day I’m going

[@paulamusik2509]

Saw Gardar in Germany playing "Love never dies" he was STUNNING! And I was so happy to see this video

[@jerryclemmons8723]

This man has a fabulous singing voice. Just fabulous

[@darthkurland]

If Andrew Lloyd Webber had thought of the idea sooner, then we might have gotten Michael Crawford to return to the role of the Phantom. I would still like to hear Michael perform “Till I Hear You Sing.”

[@katelynh6216]

And this is why...love never dies needs to be on broadway

[@carolineg.5944]

His little voice is so sweet!

[@reesekvaal6116]

I CAN'T. FREAKING. WAIT. TO SEE THIS LIVE!!!!

[@samuelbrown112]

Just saw him in Los Angeles he was ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL. I don’t cry in theatre but in “Til I Hear You Sing” I got teary eyes. Him and Megan as Christine and Sean as Raoul were absolutely magnificent. I didn’t except to be so moved by a show.

[@cassondranorman]

He's so calm and soothing I wonder how he also does the opposite with the phantom

[@kmart3453]

HIS VOICE IS SO BEAUTIFUL

[@leonardowilson7709]

Amazing how he hasn’t done the original POTO production on Broadway or west end. He would be amazing

[@toastandbread9267]

His voice is so soothing!

[@Ah1My-Spinach-Puffs1]

When people say they don’t like the new love never dies I point them directly to this video.

[@nikkihernandez4912]

I’ve been a fan of Gardar for years. So happy to see him featured here.

[@imjustlucy_29]

He understands this character so much😍😍

[@jerryclemmons8723]

Gardar's voice is just fantastic it just is

[@jarrarwinks8470]

I saw this live, it was amazing. Set was gorgeous, cast was great, and I got a mug! A freaking mug! Hell yeah!

[@lilsisasu]

Just saw him yesterday. He was awesome!

[@TheBrazenGirl]

I saw him in Hamburg as the main Phantom in LND and he was beautiful, what a voice!

[@wikagomez5277]

Incredible performance! Thank you! Saw it last night. Now I want to watch it again and again.

[@desiraejenks2608]

I saw him live as the phantom he is amazing! The entire cast I saw in Utica did fantastic.

[@FreedomKat]

Love it! Cannot wait to see him live!

[@margisama]

Saw the show Friday night in Greenville, SC. Unfortunately Gardar's understudy was playing the Phantom that night so I didn't get to hear *him* sing :( The understudy, Michael Willis I believe his name was, was awesome though, so if he was that amazing as the understudy I can only imagine how good Mr. Cortes is. I love his respect for the complexity of the character.

[@iseetheWAYVision]

I love listening to him.

[@whizzerdeservesbetter2327]

I saw this on New Year’s Eve with him playing Phantom! It was AMAZING

[@nourcoptan1101]

You should do a character study for Earl in Waitress

[@scotthamp384]

Carpenter?

[@melaninmonroe3493]

He was so amazing tonight!

[@Andrew_in_the_garden]

this persons voice is so soft it's amazing

[@wenseulrenejoyrisupremacy8758]

The makeup artists and stylists of his musical are areally brillant! God those prosthetics are amazing!

[@chriskeene1788]

Nobody Interesting I can't tell if you're being serious or you're joking his prosthetics are terrible it looks as though the makeup artist close her eyes kind of felt around and just guessed where it went and yes I understand that it's only seen for 5 minutes out of the entire show but this show is grandiose and big so every aspect should be grandiose and big including the Phantom's makeup and it's just terrible...and i know what your thinking well what qualifies you to know what's better and what's not well I am a trained makeup artist professional have done the Phantom makeup before and it looked 10 times better than this garbage

[@wenseulrenejoyrisupremacy8758]

Forgive me for my ignorance. Well, I am not a professional makeup artist unlike you so my standards may be a bit different than yours. But believe me, for a girl who has 0% knowledge about makeup, this is kinda amazing.

[@rhysspeight7142]

If you thought this make-up is good, you look at the make-up they use in the original Phantom show, it's incredible. This one looks cool, but you don't actually see it properly in the show, whereas in Phantom it's in full view. He has a massive crater in his head with some brain sticking out. It's great stuff if you love prosthetics.

[@wenseulrenejoyrisupremacy8758]

I have seen the Phantom's makeup in the original show and I compared it with this and, honestly, I thought both were amazing. I know you must be thinking that I am blind or whatever but.... that's just my opinion about the Phantom's makeup.

[@toriprice9380]

I cannot wait till I get to see this!!!!!

[@kalie.k8398]

Out of all of the underrated/ retired phantoms, I'd love to see either Hugh Panaro or Peter Joback, come back to play the phantom in LND!!!!

[@cherrycola3604]

to everyone making comments on the makeup, his face is seen for a brief 2 seconds so why would they take the time to do as much work into it as the original show where you see his face in multiple scenes/songs?

[@Ale_Luna-fw7yp]

This play it's good but it's nothing like the actual phantom of the opera.

[@lizziehauze]

Ale_Luna 0906 it’s been 10 years

[@MaddestHatter13]

Ale_Luna 0906 it’s not supposed to be

[@krystalharwood1807]

ten..long....years! sorry Phangirling here! lol

[@josephrouleau9259]

If you want to watch Phantom of the Opera, just watch Phantom of the Opera though. A sequel ought to bring something new to the table.

[@BooBop1987]

That guy is pretty cool as the Phantom!

[@adelaidemary6788]

His voice!!

[@GenesisUnkn0wn]

Saw him perform today. It was tricky to understand what he was saying due to his vibrato, and I knew the lyrics to all the songs. The performance was certainly enjoyable, though.

[@גלעדסוירזנסקי]

Does the thing they put on his head before they put the wig on to give it more height and volume?

[@chloeturk5811]

Please do a hamilton character study!

[@fabianbalkhausen1371]

He is Amazing! 👌🏻

[@emilytolman46]

I love his accent!

[@laurisareyes9673]

I saw him at the panteges 2018

[@kaitlingower8696]

I want to meet This Guy as the Phantom for my Birthday on the 14th in December.

[@kattnewsom3891]

I LOVE THIS

[@kirad7767]

AAAAAAAAH i clicked that like button before i even watched a second

[@LadyVader33]

Ok. What other roles can you see him playing?

[@TheMsiaddict]

He was Raoul in West end.

[@leemclaury6251]

Saw the show in Vegas

[@navidnamini1169]

Quick question, what the hell is up with the makeup

[@jschaeffer3440]

The phantom (erik) has a damaged face which is why he gets upset when people take off his mask because he doesn't like showing it

[@scotthamp384]

@musical theater nerd I think the question is, why is it face paint makeup and not the latex stuff?

[@OccyDaBoss]

@@scotthamp384 with the money that erik got from phantasma and the girys apparently he had his face redone to look better, so here we are.

[@malory6312]

I'm a couple years late, but they didn't go full out with phantom's deformity in this show because the makeup is briefly shown once in the entire show.

[@iseetheWAYVision]

I'm a simple girl who clicked for the thumbnail.... plus I Lowkey love the broadway.

[@laurenvalencia_6]

I don’t really enjoy the music of this, but the storyline is perfection.

[@wallacephillips9880]

Could you do a character study for someone in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?

[@emilia7669]

This phantom makeup looks nothing like the original face.... its suppose to be a disfunction, not a scar?

[@cayleebeaver]

Emiliaaa It may look like this since he's only briefly shown without the mask in the show and therefore there's no need for a large amount of prosthetics/makeup.

[@emilia7669]

Caylee Beaver Ahh okey!

[@rhysspeight7142]

One of the changes made in the restaged Australian production was no actual reveal of his face. This was kept in the Stockholm version and now this US tour. In the original London version the full deformity was shown, it looked the same as in the first Phantom show.

[@rhysspeight7142]

Julius Thome yeah my fault, it was Hamburg, I got mixed up with another show.

[@siljemolstad7627]

You should do someone from the Book of Mormon!

[@musicaltrash2024]

he’s so hot no cap

[@rainybopz]

No

[@Niqhtmusic]

anyone gonna say that his mask is on the wrong side? If you don’t believe me watch or look at some photos.?

[@octoberdiamond]

The hottest phantom ever!!! Except for Michael Crawford, lol!

[@mackenzimacko4778]

YAYAYAYAYAYYAYA

[@kaciereynoso4065]

He kinda looks like Christian bale

[@gotnotimetotalk3468]

YESSSSSSS

[@scotthamp384]

Is that the same mask he wore in Germany?

[@wlocher264]

It was built based on the one he wore in Germany, yes.

[@brennencabrera1549]

Ummm the deformity is supposed to be on the other side! Does nobody realize this? 😨

[@TheMsiaddict]

Brennen Cabrera You're looking at the mirror.

[@alepta6224]

The show works when you see it live ! Not in DVD ! I hated the DVD I loved it when I saw it in San Diego last year ! I even went a second time !! It was very powerfull and moving , although I don’t think it as a sequel for phantom ...( characters like the Girys don’t make sens with the original) I think it more of an alternate reality of what may have happened.

[@TheMsiaddict]

Give me the DVD, will you.

[@shelleyrightmyer6421]

Ilove you somuch miss

[@averierohde4612]

😍😍

[@michellebetman7276]

I had his understudy :(

[@missmpv]

Michelle Betman How was he?

[@michellebetman7276]

missmpv his understudy was awesome

[@iseetheWAYVision]

I mean you aren't that close to the actors In the musical so I guess the makeup doesn't matter as much?

[@TheMsiaddict]

So he had some plastic surgeries, I see.

[@crispypoohs]

Yeesh... That makeup is awful.

[@disgruntledcashier503]

I've seen high schoolers in Halloween costumes with better makeup than this major National Tour with Andrew Lloyd Webber footing the bill

[@JoshGIsHere]

You hardly see the makeup in the show, so it'd be pointless to do more. This look actually sells the effect really well when you're seeing it live.

[@EmilyGloeggler7984]

I agree

[@disgruntledcashier503]

You hardly see the makeup in Phantom of the Opera, and the makeup for that looks a million times better.

[@livana2144]

U also have to remember that it has to be big and bold enough for audience members in the gods to see clearly. And as others have said, u don't see it much anyway.

[@Lenaray818]

He makeup is not as good as the original

[@TheMsiaddict]

Juz4Fun Vid He supposed to be looking better. He's filthy rich and he could have some plastic surgeries to his face.

[@Lenaray818]

Well maybe it’s not paint because it’s a tour so it’s hard to keep latex good for years

[@siegfriedenea]

I have never seen a worse make-up even by my worst student 🤮

[@xtinalee1466]

An actor so wasted on love never dies

[@eneabucchi5642]

Very messy make-up

[@Ubermensch9240]

Shit. It's shit.

[@dmc8092]

I wish this was a better show.

[@superdjorkurhero5608]

D Mc it had potential. But the part where they show that Christine and Phantom had a son doesn’t exactly follow the timeline of Christine’s life that Andrew Lloyd Webber created in 2005. Even her death didn’t match up with it either. It was as if after the premier for The Phantom of The Opera 2005 film, Webber had a little too much to drink during the After Party and said to the producers “I got an excellent idea... What if, Christine and Erik were able to have a kid before Raoul rescued her (since it was after the rescue that the opera house was on fire), and ten years later Raoul is a total jerk face, Erik is manipulative again.”

[@christinad6865]

Ana Sofía and even considering the timeline of the original stage show, there's no way 10 years later is 1906 (not sure if they kept that date in this production, that's what the original london one used). The original takes place around 1881, as it's late Victorian, and then jumps to 1906 in the sequel?? So many plot holes... how would Christine have been able to find him? The girys didn't know him, how/why would they help him? Raoul can't be the father cause the kid is musical??? His mom is an opera singer!!! Ugh. It has some nice music but the plot is just awful and really disregards the original. I saw the original london production and, while it seems the sets and costumes have mostly improved (or at least become more flashy), the story has not at all