Tim Tobin & Renee Knapp: The First Lair

The early German casts and original production were really something else. Tim's voice is so beautiful and rich, as is Renee's. Fun fact, Renee actually was flown to Australia when they were short on Christine's and had to learn the role in English on the plane ride over. Superstar!

[@AmintaDax]

I love the 90s recordings. The voices were clear, with a classical touch and the singers only sang the notes, without their 'extras'. I hope West End will return there at some point. Thank you very much for uploading. :)

[@RebeccaTurner-kf8gx]

This was amazing

[@okilodolicy]

Wow Renee is an amazing Christine. Do you have Renee as Christine in Australian production? I would love to here her in english if possible. From what I have been told she is even better in english

[@phanoftheopera]

There’s no recording of her in the Australian production that I’ve ever seen. The original australian production as a whole was very under documented, so that’s not a surprise.

[@davidrodrick2109]

If I remember correctly, Tim was Peter Hoffman’s understudy. You can hear Peter’s influence in the way Tim sings the phantoms score

[@FelixDeeg]

Hardwick Rudolz was the Understudy😄 and fun Fact: Peter was only for two Month the First Cast. Rudolz take his Position because Peter was fired.

[@davidrodrick2109]

@@FelixDeeg wait….Peter Hofmann was fired?!?!??? WHY 😭😭😭😭

[@FelixDeeg]

@@davidrodrick2109 Because Peter Hofmann wasn't particularly interested in playing the Phantom, he usually didn't show up at the theater at all. He even didn't show up on the day of the press presentation before the premiere, which is why Hardy Rudolz had to fill in for him without having had any previous rehearsals as Phantom. But luckily Harold Prince found him, just incredible

[@davidrodrick2109]

@@FelixDeeg that’s really interesting because Peter has always been regarded as one of the great phantoms. His portrayal was how I envisioned Erik in the book

[@FelixDeeg]

@@davidrodrick2109 That's actually true, but Harold Prince always preferred Hardy Rudolz as the first cast. And it was also the case that in the beginning the names on the daily cast list were never changed. It always said "Peter Hofmann as Phantom" even though Hardy was playing. It may be that many people have confused the two.

[@bookboybrs90]

Hope More of Him?

[@KimberlyNoel-yc7dl]

Renee Knapp is an excellent Christine with good clear diction and believability. Tim, though, sounds as if he’s depressing his larynx, or is doing what those in the operatic/classical circles refer to as “having a hot potato in the throat” - a similiar problem is observed with Attila Csengeri and many others which attempt the role. His vocal technique definitely needed more work. His delivery is not the worst, though.