Likes: the huge orchestra and lush sound, the fact that it was mostly staged and not just a concert like with the Les Mis anniversaries (I was pleasantly surprised), the realistic coloration on the Phantom deformity, most of the acting (you could really feel the emotions. Love those closeups), Ramin not pretending he had some mental disorder or whatever his old deal was (I had been told ahead of time of his old character ideas. glad he didn't go with it this time), and the flub that ended up with Ramin without his coat in Final Lair.

Dislikes: the use of Ramin Karimloo as well as actors previously not connected with the show (srsly, Ramin was a solid actor and a decent singer, but they had 25 YEARS worth of Phantom alumni to call upon. Why couldn't it have been like the 10th anniversary concert of Les Mis, the "dream cast," where they brought in the best of the best still capable of performing? What would have been the harm of letting JOJ, Earl Carpenter, or any other excellent old school Phantom on?), the excessive use of digital backdrops, that fancy chandelier that could only spark, the Final Lair blocking that made Phantom more violent as well as hinted at LND, and the fact that Peter Karrie was basically given the snub.