George Wilkinson from Phantom of the Opera: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music is timeless

Georgia Wilkinson is the Australian soprano who burst onto the stage at the NPC as the gentle Christine who is obsessed with the effects of the Phantom in the world Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera, which we have been able to enjoy for the last almost two weeks in 14 performances on the NPC stage in Sofia.

Behind her back, George has many prestigious awards and has conquered big stages around the world.

He graduated from the Melbourne Conservatoire, but studied opera in Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Her international debut was as Pamina in The Magic Flute in Weimar, Germany.

She currently shines as the inspirational Christine in the breathtaking production composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Phantom of the Opera is the best-selling musical in history and one of the most successful show productions of all time.

“The Phantom of the Opera” was in Bulgaria thanks to BG Soundstage.

In a special interview with Impressio, she shares about the impact of the “mode of work” on her as a creator, about the stage and her childhood dreams, as well as what are the similarities and differences with the character she plays – Christine.

– George, how do you look at your profession, in which you are almost constantly on tour and have so many spectacular performances with “Phantom of the Opera” all over the world?
– I like life as it is, of course, I miss my family and friends.

Also, in this case, I’m lucky that I don’t have children to grieve for me. Some teammates have, it’s probably harder for them.

Georgia Wilkinson and Nadeem Naaman in The Phantom of the Opera (Source: BG SOUND STAGE)

It’s definitely tiring being on tour almost constantly and being in different places for short periods of time. The good thing is that you get to see places that you would hardly ever get to visit otherwise, for example I would hardly ever get to Saudi Arabia. But here we were thanks to my work.

In the same way, this also applies to Bulgaria, here I am before you.

It’s also great to see different audiences around the world and how they perceive our shows. It keeps our show fresh, keeps it always energetic.

George Wilkinson dressed as Christine in Sofia (Photo: Viktoria Vucheva)

– As a child, did you dream of being on such a big stage?
– My musical work on stage started when I was still a child, nine or ten years old. But I don’t think I dreamed of a career on the stage. The only thing I knew I loved was doing what I was doing – singing and acting. At some point they just started paying me for it. So my dream was never to be a star, just to perform. And the role of Christine definitely gave me a lot of strength!

– Do you sometimes identify with Christine’s character?
– She is a very interesting character, she has great energy, besides being the lead in the musical.

She is very young and naive, her father has died and she suffers for his loss. The moment when she meets the Phantom, who somewhat fills her father’s missing place, at least in her eyes, is very powerful.

George Wilkinson (Source: BG SOUND STAGE)

He teaches her, composes music for her, gives her singing lessons. The relationship is reminiscent of that father-daughter, but not only. He challenges her in such a way that she is more independent and stronger.

It is a great pleasure for me to rediscover the depths of her character. Every single actress who plays Christine finds a way to her. So it’s great to see how there are so many different interpretations. Although the plot is the same, and so is the music, each actress has the opportunity to build Christine the way they see her.

Nadim Naaman, Dougie Carter and George Wilkinson in Sofia (Photo: Viktoria Vucheva)

– Do you think Christine’s choices are right or wrong in terms of time? Let’s not forget that “Phantom of the Opera” is a story that takes place in the 18th century. US
– Your question is very difficult, because I myself do not know whether the choices in my own life are correct or not when I think about them. Therefore, it is difficult to criticize Christine’s decisions.

But something I really love about the director’s decision is that even though the play is set in the 18th century, he tries to bring some modern elements to it and the characters accordingly. Christine may be naive, but still strong.

There are some elements that I wouldn’t call feminist, but certainly make this woman strong. Every person today can relate to this story and why not identify with the heroine – this is the idea of ​​making the plot sound modern and not outdated.

George Wilkinson dressed as Christine in Sofia (Photo: Viktoria Vucheva)

– What is the reason for “Phantom of the Opera” to be such a successful spectacle, an undying sensation, a huge excitement on the part of audiences around the world and translated into so many languages…
– I think the reason is that everyone is attracted to the show – whether it’s children or old people.

There is intrigue in it, there is a mystery, an enigma. This appeals to everyone, regardless of age or gender. Everyone can be drawn into the world and draw their own conclusions. And last but not least, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music is truly timeless.

The music is also one of the secrets, it’s music you can listen to all the time.

George Wilkinson and Dougie Carter as Christine and Raoul (Source: BG SOUND STAGE)

I myself have been rehearsing this same music every day, for a long time. I never got tired of her. I never start rehearsals saying, “Oh, I have to sing that again.” I just love this music and I think it’s a universal feeling and not just me. It stays inside you, and the melody is encoded in your head. This is the key to the continuous life of this performance for so many years.

Interview of Yulia VLADIMIROVA