From High School Stages to the Grand Detroit Opera House: A Bloomfield Hills Native's 'Phantom' Journey Comes Full Circle!
It's an incredible feeling when life brings you back to where it all began, especially when that 'beginning' involves the iconic melodies and dramatic flair of "The Phantom of the Opera." For Alyssa Giannetti, a talented actress hailing from Bloomfield Hills, the current metro area production of this legendary musical is more than just another role; it's a deeply resonant full-circle moment.
Imagine this: just a few years ago, Giannetti was a junior at Andover High School, stepping into the very same role of Christine Daaé that she now understudies on a national tour. Even more remarkably, during her senior year, she graced the stage of the Detroit Opera House – the very venue now hosting "Phantom" – not as a lead, but as part of the Andover High School choir. This wasn't her only connection to the "Phantom" universe, either. After graduating from Northwestern University, her very first professional contract was in the cast of "Love Never Dies," the sequel to "The Phantom of the Opera," which coincidentally played at the Fisher Theatre in 2017.
"I'm so excited to be back, and it's just such a different time in my life," Giannetti shared, her voice buzzing with enthusiasm from a "Phantom" tour stop in Chicago. "When I first came with 'Love Never Dies,' it was my first professional contract. Now I’ve had a career, and I’ve learned so much – how to work on stage, how to be a better scene partner, just experience and training and continuing to hone my craft. And now to be back with the original 'Phantom' is really magical."
But here's where it gets truly fascinating: Giannetti, who, much like in "Love Never Dies," is the understudy for the coveted role of Christine Daaé, expressed her joy in now being able to contribute to the storytelling of the first "Phantom" narrative. She humorously remarked, "I’m aging backwards 10 years," before diving into the profound impact of Christine's journey. "Just watching (Daae’s) journey, I think, is important, that connection of how she finds her voice and what she wants from her life and the people in her life and what she can learn from each of them. That connection runs through each of these shows, so that experience really informs how I approach being in ('Phantom')."
Giannetti's love affair with theater is a lifelong one, ignited by her parents. "I had ('Les Misérables') memorized before I even saw it on stage," she recalled. While she took piano lessons and sang in the school choir, she considers herself a "late starter" in musical theater, only diving in when she auditioned for "Phantom" at Andover High. And this is the part most people miss: she surprised even herself by landing the role of Christine Daaé. "The lead role in those shows usually goes to a senior, so I never expected to get Christine," she admitted. Her voice teacher at the time was quite taken aback, exclaiming, "Do you know what you have to do to pursue this?!" It was a whirlwind, a "crash course in opera," as she put it.
Yet, the passion was undeniable. "But I thought, 'I really enjoy this, and I think I can do it.' So by that summer, I had decided I was going to pursue performing. I did a summer program at the University of Michigan, and by that fall, I was making steps for pre-screenings for college programs. It was definitely late in the game, but when you find that thing you want to do, you have to follow it."
After her opera studies at Northwestern and her touring experience with "Love Never Dies," Giannetti, who has been based in New York for nearly a decade, has built an impressive resume. Her credits include performances in productions like the Webber revue "Unmasked" at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, "Into the Woods" with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, and "Mary Poppins" in St. Louis. She also discovered a creative outlet in a "side hustle" doing makeup for various events, noting, "It’s great to have something artistic and creative that’s flexible with my performing schedule."
Being a part of the "Phantom" legacy – a show boasting seven Tony Awards and having captivated over 160 million people across 213 cities worldwide – is undoubtedly a pinnacle in Giannetti's burgeoning career. "I would say this (current tour) is as close to the Broadway production as you can get," she stated. "Everything is magnificent and beautiful and large. There’s a lot of beautiful odes to the original and some new, fresh energy – some (cast members) who have history with ‘Phantom,’ some who have never been part of the show. I think it’s another great representation of this great work, and I’m happy to still be in that world of ‘Phantom.’"
"The Phantom of the Opera" is set to enchant audiences at the Detroit Opera House from Wednesday, February 4th, through February 15th. For those seeking an accessible experience, a special Open Caption performance is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on February 8th. You can reach out at 313-872-1000.
Now, let's talk about the magic of sequels and prequels in theater. Is it always a good idea to revisit beloved stories, or does it sometimes dilute the original's impact? What are your thoughts on how "Love Never Dies" complements or contrasts with "The Phantom of the Opera"? Share your opinions in the comments below!
