Phantom Of The Paradise Cast

Jon Oliva as The Devil
Hansi Kürsch as old Swan

Blackie Lawless as old Winslow

Ellie Goulding, P!nk & Noora Louhimo as The Army Of Dolls
Joakim Brodén as Beef

Tommy Karevik as Winslow
Anette Olzon as Phoenix
Tobias Sammet as Swan

Michael Kiske as Hell
Floor Jansen as Heaven

Heaven and Hell

Well, at last, the cast is complete.
Is it, really ?
Isn't someone missing ?
Yes, you got it ! 
Where the hell is Michael Kiske ? Is an Avantasia album imaginable without him ?

Certainly not, as long as Tobias Sammet is concerned : "When I write for Avantasia, there is always a time when I hear Michi's voice in my head, singing as no other one can. Without him in the cast, the record would be sort of incomplete."
But there is no part left in the cast, right ? Well, this shouldn't be a problem for Tobi, cocky as ever : "If there is no part for Michi, I'll create one. And it will be the greatest part of the play. After mine, of course."
This is how Michael Kiske found himself playing the not-so-mysterious role of "Hell".
"And as Hell cannot be the same without facing Heaven", adds Tobias Sammet, "it opens a part for yet another performer."

Wow, another one more ? And, wait a minute. Heaven ? Who on Earth could be playing such a part ? The singer would have to be so amazingly talented and so overwhelmingly charismatic, with a voice  so powerful and gentle and incredible and... What ?
Oh, you're right : she exists, her name is Floor Jansen.

The Cast Is Complete !

It has been quite a challenge to cast the ultimate part of the Whedon/Sammet's Phantom Of The Paradise. But, wait a minute, which part is it, exactly ?
Tobias Sammet's character's nemesis, right ?
But which one is it ? Swan or Winslow ?
It always seemed obvious Tobi would be playing Winslow, for he is... well, he is Tobi, so he has to be the lead role of everything, hasn't he ?
But he also has what it takes to be a perfect Swan : the charisma, the looks, the genious and... the devilish over-confidence !
Well, there you go : for the first time in his career, Tobias Sammet will be playing... the seductive fascinating bad guy ! It was about time, wouldn't you agree ?
Which leaves the Winslow part for the Swedish singer Tommy Karevik, whose sweetness, modesty, strength and... amazing voice and talent will suit Winslow perfectly.

Joakim Brodén as the infamous Beef

If your cantata needs something heavy, if you look for something different as a vocalist, a lyricist and a frontman, if you've seen enough of good-looking, hair-in-the-wind, high-pitched choruses singers, meet Joakim Brodén ! With his voice dark and deep as the barrel of a World War I canon, his smile as joyful as a dragon grin, his hybrid metal shirt and his mirror glasses, Joakim Brodén must be the one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen new metal sensation of the Paradise !

New Girls in Town !

It is now a fact that Swan's infamous stage band will be all-girl ! It took quite a while to cast the three colorful and bigger-than-stage performers, for Joss Whedon & Tobias Sammet wanted them to come from distant musical planets : Pop Fairy Ellie "Explosions" Goulding, Metal Dancing Queen Noora "Straight To The Heart" Louhimo and "F**king Perfect" Alley Cat Pink are the new Juicy Fruits ! Please welcome the Army Of Dolls !

Anette as Phoenix

It is not our place to say who's right or wrong in the matter of Anette Olzon's departure from Nightwish, for our hearts beats as loudly for Tuomas Holopainen's epic and overwhelming songwriting and for Anette's tragic and powerful voice.
But one thing's for sure, that voice is the one the character of Phoenix requests, and it is now available for the Phantom Of The Paradise project.
One question remains though : will Anette's contribution be more of the symphonic metal Nightwish dragged her into or more of the pop rock she used to, and now is back to embrace ?

Hansi Kürsch as old and tortured Swan

Although the perfect match for the part of the forever young Swan still remains to be found, it is now a fact that one-of-a-kind metal menestrel Hansi Kürsch will play the inner voice of a torn apart, tortured and aging Swan, the one he could have become if he had not sold his soul to the devil, but still acted like some kind of a "Chainsaw Charlie in the new Morgue". Can you imagine the clash of the devils between the veterans Blackie/Winslow and Hansi/Swan ?