Celebrating its 9th anniversary with a sleek and sexy remodel, V Bar brings the latest technology and sophistication to corporate clients and late night cocktail aficionados alike.

Originally created by the owners of New York City’s trend-setting supper club Lotus, and Los Angeles’ swank Sunset Room, V Bar has undergone a sleek remodel from the updated tones of the rich ebony hardwood floors to the edges of the translucent glass walls.

“We are, more than ever, able to accommodate not only the tourists and locals looking for a more intimate place to have a night out, the new technology we have in place now makes V Bar a very desirable location for private events and meetings.” says Nitty Lee, General Manager, “Companies involved with the conventions project their logo across the glass walls for an impression that will not be missed by every person walking to and from the conventions. And the intimacy of the space is a nice alternative to a typical meeting room. It’s the perfect size for networking with clients and break-out meetings.”

Serving cocktails from 5pm nightly, V Bar is located along Restaurant Row at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, across from the Blue Man Group Theatre.

There’s no denying that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” holds a significant spot in theater history. It’s been playing for more than 20 years in New York City, making it the longest-running show ever on Broadway. It’s been touring from the get-go, having been translated into many languages and performed on six continents.

And “Phantom” has played a big role in Portland’s theater scene, playing a whopping 15 weeks here during the course of three previous tour stops in 1993, 1997 and 2002.

Now it’s back again for another four-week engagement as part of the Portland Opera’s Broadway Across America series at Keller Auditorium. And while it’s as sweeping and romantic as ever, it’s beginning to show a few tatters from two decades of heavy use.

The story, of course, is based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, which was wildly popular in its own right in the early 20th century, spawning numerous adaptations, the most-famous being the 1925 silent film starring Lon Chaney. The Phantom is a disfigured yet musically brilliant fellow who takes an opera ingenue under his wing to turn her into a star, then turns murderous when she falls for another man.

The Phantom is played by Richard Todd Adams this time around, and he’s got a commanding baritone with enough heft for the show’s biggest number, “The Music of the Night.” What’s always surprising about this show is how little time the title character actually spends on stage. Much of his menacing dialogue is whispered off stage and piped into the auditorium’s sound system, and he’s frequently lurking in the ornate proscenium that frames the stage. When he is on stage, he’s obscured by the show’s iconic half-mask, a full skull mask, or a black cloak pulled completely over his head. So it’s a challenge for any actor to humanize the character, particularly in a 3,000-seat hall. Adams’ performance capitalizes on dramatic hand gestures and a sulking physicality to convey the Phantom’s anguish.

Other performers seem lost. Greg Mills has matinee idol looks, but his Raoul never achieves the sort of real sex appeal to make him a realistic romantic rival to the Phantom. And Kim Stengel, as tempestuous opera diva Carlotta, enunciates poorly, making her comic bits impossible to understand, robbing the show of some much-needed levity.

There’s been a bit of drama surrounding this production’s leading lady, Christine. Soprano Marni Raab is scheduled to sing some opening weekend performances but is being transferred to the Broadway production to replace an actress who is going on maternity leave. Trista Moldovan, who was playing a small role as a page, takes over the lead this week, with Portlander Kelly Jeanne Grant offering relief on Saturday matinees and Sunday evenings. On Thursday night, Grant sang the role convincingly, squeezing out the emotion in the lyrical “All I Ask of You” and finding understatement in the beautiful “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.”

One of the show’s shortcomings is its glacial pace, particularly during the first act, when a half hour goes by before we even see the title character. Interestingly, a few years ago director Harold Prince oversaw the creation of a condensed version of “Phantom” for Las Vegas’ Venetian Resort that eliminated several unnecessary scenes and sharpened dialogue. The result was a dramatically improved show, with more emotional immediacy and a heightened climax. It’s a shame that elements of this Jenny Craig “Phantom” haven’t been adopted for the road show, which feels a tad bloated at 2-1/2 hours. Another problem is the show’s overdone amplification, which causes a lot of dialogue to get swallowed up by the orchestra’s synthesizers and percussion.

The real problem with “Phantom” these days is how quaint it feels. Broadway has moved away from spectacle-driven shows in recent years, making the crashing chandelier, the numerous flash-pot explosions and the lavish “Masquerade” production number feel like throwbacks. And in a summer when pop culture has been dominated by the more complex characters of “The Dark Knight,”with the grim duality of its Batman and the disturbing villains The Joker and Two-Face, the Phantom’s psychological troubles don’t carry as much weight, making it difficult to muster sympathetic feelings for a character who commits multiple homicides.

That said, there are the songs, which remain the chief reason to catch “Phantom” anytime it comes around. Lloyd Webber may have crafted a more-compelling and complete drama with “Evita,” but “Phantom” remains his high-water mark musically. From the title song to the gripping “Point of No Return,” the music drives the action and grips the audience. Even if the show looks a little worn, it still sounds great.