Venetian’s ‘Phantom’ staying open during Christmas week

You can read elsewhere in this issue that young vocal dynamo Jackie Evancho found her voice by singing "Phantom of the Opera" songs around the house.

If you want to learn whether there's a budding Christine under your roof, "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular" makes an annual Christmas present of staying open during Christmas week (except for Saturday).

Few would dispute The Venetian's "Phantom" is superior to the original version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster still running on Broadway. Unless you just can't get enough of those singing theater managers -- whose parts have been judiciously pruned by original director Hal Prince -- the 95-minute version has all the story and even better special effects in a custom-designed theater.

"I just love this version so," Prince said in 2009. "It was very expensive, and it shows it. Every penny that was put into it, you can see."

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.