This was my first time at a performance in a theater. It was wonderful. True, as noted by others, there were some issues with filming and those LCD backdrops, but it was truly a great performance! Well worth seeing. I actually liked the different camera angles and closeups because that is something you never get to see in a theater. It reminds me - in a way - of how much better you can see a sports event on TV than in person. It will never replace live performances, which will always be more exciting, but it was worth seeing! I loved the performance by 4 past phantoms at the end along with Sarah Brightman. That was a great surprise.
What a wonderful movie on all levels - great plot, great acting, the most incredible CGI and 3D effects ever. It was wonderful because it was intelligent and there were so many parallels with what occured with native americans in this country. It's nice to see a movie that has action and is still intelligent and deep. In IMAX it was a clearly visible improvement over the regular cinema.