School of Music.
Uniquely, her career has been divided between Opera and Musical Theatre,
making her West End debut at 19 in the role of Laurey in Oklahoma! She then
sang the role of Eliza in My Fair Lady on a national tour of the UK. After
debuting at Glyndebourne as Amor in L'Incoronazione Di Poppea , she was
asked to join the Royal Shakespeare Company where she created the role of
Cosette in Les Miserables.
She then joined the original cast of The Phantom Of The Opera, playing
Christine opposite Michael Crawford, a role she repeated in Toronto. This
precipitated her North American operatic debut for the Canadian Opera
Company, a critcally acclaimed performance as Lulu in the title role of Berg's
opera.
This success led to offers from international opera companies in repetoire
ranging from Monteverdi to Maxwell Davies, including Pamina, Despina,
Susanna, Aminta (Re Pastore), Vixen, Michaela, Musetta, Ophelie, Leila,
Marguerite, Violetta, Julietta (Martinu) and Adina for companies such as
COC, Scottish Opera, English National Opera, Glimmerglass, Spoleto, Opera
de Nice, De Vlaamse Oper, New Zealand Opera, National Theatre of Prague
and Opera North. Her most recent success was a highly praised performance
of Hanna Glawari in Lehar's The Merry Widow for Opera Holland Park in
London (Summer 2006).
Rebecca broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 include Candide , One Touch Of Venus,
Trouble In Tahiti, The Telephone and concerts of Bernstein, Porter and Kern.
Rebecca works and studies with Gerald Martin Moore and features on several
CD recordings including Les Miserables (Original London Cast), The
Phantom Of The Opera (Canadian Cast), Anything Goes, EMI, Babes In
Toyland and Mr Emmett Takes A Walk.
I'm truly honoured to make you this interview. Thank you so much.
Sandra - What has meant for your artistic career being part of the Phantom of
the Opera in Webber's musical?
Rebecca - Primarily, Phantom gave me financial freedom to pursue an opera
career. The ability to pick and choose carefully, the projects I really wanted to
do .
It has stigmatised me to some in the operatic world so in some respects it has
held me back, but I have no regrets as people seem to love the album!
Sandra - What scene/song of the Phantom musical is your favorite and why.
Rebecca - I can't say I have a favourite song or scene . I may have done but it is
now a long time since I played the part!A fan sent me a card in April to
remind me it was the 20 th anniversary of my first ( London) performance!
Sandra - What are some of the aspects you have brought into your
interpretation of Christine?
Rebecca - I tried to play her with more back bone and passion then some
might approve of. I felt the Phantom would be attracted to more than a pretty
face .
And I also think she should be a young opera singer . She has to give Carlotta
a run for her money. I don't like it sung by weedy little straight tones . If you
don't like a trained vibrato , don't go and see a show called Phantom of the
OPERA! I don't know why the fashion is to play her brain dead either . I was
once told to " glaze over a bit , Darling , you're looking a bit too intelligent ..."
Mind you , she is taking singing lessons from a guy in the basement who may
or may not be her dead dad , so perhaps ....
Sandra - How did you prepared for Christine role? Did you see any movie or
read the book?
Rebecca - didn't read the book . I watched some of the films and I only
watched the show a few times as I wanted to do my own thing.
Sandra - What do you think about Christine role and her relationship with the
Phantom and Raoul?
Rebecca - It was never my favourite role ...I felt one worked terribly hard for
very little sympathy. The fact that she gave the ring back in the end , I found
heartless.
I enjoyed playing the sexual chemistry , the design of the pros arch was a clue
to that. Maria's designs were the making of the show.
The Raoul relationship was a very standard musical love story although I
loved and still love Byron Nease.
Sandra - What is it, in your opinion, what makes the show so appealing?
Rebecca - It is the classic beauty and the beast myth. It was a very beautiful
and glamorous show and it had some great tunes.
Sandra - You have played Christine's role together with Michael Crawford,
how was your experience working with him?
Rebecca - I can't say that working with Crawford was fun but it was
interesting and I certainly learned a great deal about the theatre , both on and
off the stage.
Sandra - Can you tell us a good anecdote you remember from the play or the
rehearsals?
Rebecca - Lots . One that sticks in my mind is my cover jumping up and down
with glee when I trashed my knee in the rooftop scene and her shouting " It's
happened , she's fallen over !!" (I had to have an operation and was off for 3
months)
Sandra - You have been in great musicals and operas like Les Miserables,
Hamlet, Anything goes, The Merry Widow, My fair Lady...what's the role or
play ou would like to play someday?
Rebecca - I would have loved to have been Maria In West Side Story . I got
cast but went to Glyndebourne instead , where Trevor Nunn saw me and cast
me as Cosette . I 'd love to play the Governess in The Turn of the Screw. But I
have done pretty much all of the classic opera roles in my rep. Love to do
more Widows and Vixens and I am very much loving the way my career is
going now with my cabarets , concerts and recitals. We have 8 more coming
up wich I will post the dates for soon.
Sandra - What would you say to your fans?
Rebecca - I had no idea til I put up www.rebeccacaine.com and joined
Myspace that there were so many people out there who know me not just
from Christine but also from Cosette. After I finished Phantom in Toronto I
shut the door on musicals and forgot about the 2 shows for years. I think it
only truly hit home when we did the Les Mis reunion show, ( on youtube! ) it
was very , very moving . I feel blessed to have been a big part of not one , but
two of the greatest and most popular musicals of all time.
I am so grateful to all the people who write to me and all the incredibly
lovely and kind things they say. So many have asked me to make a solo album
and I finally have ! It's called LEADING LADIES . You can find it at
www.dresscircle .co.uk
Tons of love and thanks to everyone xxx Becky
Please, don't copy this text and photos without my permission.
Copyright by Ladyghost.
