My first encounter with The Phantom of the Opera was the 2004 movie, which I saw in theaters and loathed, but I enjoyed the story and the songs. Now, almost 10 years later, I have rediscovered it through the 25th anniversary, and I find the musical absolutely stunning.
Thanks to Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, and Hadley Fraser for embodying the characters in such a compelling way, I cried more than I should have, watching it.