Before hitting the stage, Gardar Thor Cortes likes to spend some time with Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra.
The Icelandic-born tenor finds the smooth sounds help him relax and prepare for his role as the Phantom in "Love Never Dies,"thesequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber's smash hit "The Phantom of the Opera" which plays Durham Performing Arts Center this week.
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"The character of the Phantom is so iconic and strong and multilayered," Cortes said. "It's an actor's dream to get your teeth into that character."
It is a role he knows well. Cortes has played Phantom in the original on London's West End. He also played the role in the sequel when it premiered in Hamburg, Germany in 2015.
"Love Never Dies" takes place about a decade after the original. The Phantom has fled Paris and found a home in New York's Coney Island. He still, however, pines for his love and musical protegee, Christine Daae.
"The Phantom of the Opera" premiered in 1986, but its sequel didn't hit the stage until 2010. Despite the time gap, Cortes said "Love Never Dies" has the same feel as the original.
"Even though it is new music, it refers to the original with tidbits here and there," Cortes said. "It connects so brilliantly together."
The time between writing the two productions also gave Lloyd Webber a chance to grow even further as a composer and writer.
"He is now matured as a composer so the music is fuller, the orchestration is broader, the drama and ups and downs are so much more with this one," Cortes said.
Although fans of the original will arlready connect with the characters, "Love Never Dies" is still a stand-alone story.
"If you know the original you will absolutely love it. You don't have to have seen the original," Cortes said.
Love Never Dies runs Oct. 31 through Nov. 5 at Durham Performing Arts Center. Tickets are still available.