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John Cudia brings his Phantom role to Naples for Gulfshore Opera

John Cudia has been Jesus Christ, the Phantom of the Opera and Jean Valjean. It's hard to work your way up from there.

John Cudia

Cudia, who's known as the longest-running of the Broadway Phantoms in Andrew Lloyd Webber's famous musical, brings that role to Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church on Sunday as part of a fundraiser for Gulfshore Opera.

There he'll get a suitably thrilling costar: the new Lively-Fulcher pipe organ of the church. With Director of Music James Cochran at the console and the booming power of 3,485 pipes and 59 stops behind him, Cudia may be part of a performance even Broadway couldn't match. 

More:See John Cudia sing "The Music of the Night."

He can't bring the half mask that has become the signature of the Phantom — "That's the property of the production," he explained. "I'll be interested to see what they come up with here."

Cudia's performance will support the three-county company, and, fittingly, he sings opera, too: Cassio in "Othello" for Vancouver Opera; Alfredo in "La Traviata" and the Duke of Mantua in "Rigoletto" for Lyric Opera of the North. An upcoming role he is excited about is as Count Danilo, the reluctant suitor of "The Merry Widow," for Vancouver. 

Cudia said he gravitates toward classical roles, but his early opportunities were in musicals such as "Phantom of the Opera," for which he's played Christina's sweetheart, Raoul, as well as the Phantom. The audience Sunday will likely be the beneficiary of that dual capability.

John Cudia as "The Phantom"

"I knew I'd be a singer. I always wanted to be a singer. But I was steered in sort of a Broadway-classical style. And at the time when I was coming of age in New York (there) were the beginnings of 'Phantom of the Opera' and 'Les Miserables.' Those roles at that time called for what would be called the most legit Broadway singing," he said. "They fit me very well at the time."

But the theatrical landscape is different now: "The style of singing at shows in New York have changed so drastically over the years," he said, that the more melodic, classic Broadway musical style is in low demand.

"I've always maintained the same kind of passion for classical music and classical music singing. But as a singer, I go where the jobs are," he said. "It's just been in the last seven or eight years I've really just concentrated my focus on pursuing the classical concerts, the operas."

In Cudia's case, the work must also match the free time. He and his wife are both in the theater, and they have two daughters, which means scheduling must be laser-perfect. Whoever has the job first lays claim to the dates, and the other is house parent.

"We call it the great race to the calendar," he joked of their scheduling.

Cudia's Phantom role ended in 2010, but he may be working on another record-setter: He's a five-year member of The Broadway Tenors, an organization with several touring subgroups of three singers.

"It gives us a chance to come out together and do some work specifically arranged for the audiences we're performing for," he said. "We have a catalog of song specifically  arranged for the group, and we talk to the venue first to find out what their audiences prefer.

"We have a ton of fun doing it." 

Cudia said he'll always be grateful for the experience of the Phantom and Jean Valjean roles, and that they came to him when he was so young.

"Today I might be intimidated by taking on one of those roles. You don't think of the enormity of the focus, or people's impression of your interpretation of roles when you're young. It's always been my experience that it's best to concentrate on music and score and not concentrate on how well-known or important the score is."

Phantom Gala

What: Concert and late dinner to benefit Gulfshore Opera

When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25

Where: Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd, North Naples

Tickets: Gala package sold out; limited-view narthex seating is available for $30; call 239-529-3925 for options