"I have a ritual every night, and it's always the same. I sit on the edge od the table and I stand up as the music starts and look in the mirror, and I see the man. That's his music and I'm ready then. Ready to go down and start."
"It gave me a lot more courage and diversity of emotions. When I played the Phantom, I was able to sing the emotions that I had wanted to convey for so long but hadn't found the outlet. I went so deep to find that man; it was a character that allowed me to do that. It literally opened the door for me to sing the real emotions of the heart, and to feel safe doing that. It was a beautiful gift as an artist. And the public accepted it so well, that I think people now expect to continue to hear that kind of emotion in my work."
"The main focus of my music and my recording is in telling the story. So whether the music is played in the car, at a party, or in the dark, the listener should hear the story, and understand what happened to that person - because every one of these stories has happened to every one of us . . . I want people to have the song's story whisper something lush and beautiful to them - that's my ambition."
"Certain songs you can't sing until you reach a point in your life when something will come through in your voice that will make that song truly meaningful, will make come through in your voice that will make it become real. I guess it's being grown up enough to convey an emotion the way you want fir a particular song, and in feeling safe enough to do that. Then you're a good enough story teller to sing the song."
"Everybody's got to have a paint box, all creators and performers and artists. You got to have a paint box which everyday you can open and you can say "let's try this now, we've got a new canvas. And you come up with another story that will hold people's interests. And the more people's interests you can hold and the more unusually you can do it, I think is the most thrilling. That's what I've always tried to do, yes."
"I remember the Queen mother came to see it. I spotted her once from way up the top when I was looking down watching. I saw her. She was on the seat in front, watching, leaning the show like this, like a little girl. It was the most wonderful picture, of the Queen mother. And that, that says what an audience to do . That says what an audience should do. That's the strength that you need."
Announcer- "And the winner is Michael Crawford
from Phantom of the Opera" MC- "They've
been so many wonderful things that have happened to me. I know by the law
of averages, I must be due to be knocked down by a truck any moment now
(audience laughs). Andrew, I once again, I thank you for choosing me"
Michael Crawford's Tony Award Speech.
"What happened between Sarah Brightman and myself on that stage, I think, truly surprised Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Hal Prince . . . but before we opened in London everyone was saying, "Michael Crawford as um...Phantom? Yes, I'm not quite sure love what it's going to be like, but apparently he's going to be doing a lot of swinging. And um, be on the chandeliers and things I suppose." (laughs) So I heard of that going on, but I'm used to people sort of thinking he can't do some things."
"I spent hours and days and weeks in that room. You needed to. I mean, for instance, Music of the Night took months to sing properly. It took months to make the joins seamless between the notes and the way you were going to do it so that it was a cry of love. . . you've danced, you've moved that song. It's come from deep, deep inside you."
"She was a pure delight to work with. She
let me go in and lay down the first vocal, so she had to phrase me which
is a lot more difficult. It was really very generous of her. We had a wonderful
day recording in LA, and were both very pleased with the result."
MC talking about Barbara Streisand and their
MOTN duet