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Dundead

A special Dundead event for Halloween

Join us for The Phantom of the Opera with a newly-commissioned live score

We're excited to announce a Scotland-wide tour of 1925’s The Phantom of the Opera with a newly-commissioned score by acclaimed Scottish musicians Andrew Wasylyk and Tommy Perman, as part of Dundead Halloween 2025.

To celebrate one of our favourite times of year and the 100th anniversary of one of the earliest horror masterpieces, the Dundead team have commissioned a brand-new live score for 1925's The Phantom of the Opera. This special event will take place at DCA on Fri 31 October and go on tour to cinemas across Scotland from late October to early November. 

Published

Wed 27 Aug
From visceral jolts that jangle your senses, to a subtle camera angle and score that just might shift your heart’s intention, for me, going to the cinema’s a pretty big deal. A portal of possibilities. As my local picture house, many of my fondest film experiences have been at DCA. It’s been great (I mean, terrifying) watching Dundead festival grow into an intrinsic part of their programme. I’m grateful Tommy and I have a chance to collaborate and contribute. Particularly, with such an important film in the horror genre. And in Technicolour too. Dust down your cloaks.
Andrew Wasylyk Musician and composer
Black and white photo of Tommy Perman,and Andrew Wasylyk

Scottish composers Andrew Wasylyk and Tommy Perman are combining forces to create a haunting and dramatic score befitting of this silent era classic. Having released their first collaborative album, Ash Grey and the Gull Glides On, in 2024 to critical acclaim and after writing and performing a live score for silent film The Dark Mirror by Moira Salt, the pair are bringing their skills together once more to celebrate this iconic piece of cinema history through sound.

You can expect a score with a present-day approach, mixing acoustic and electronic instruments with elements of sound design. Tommy Perman shares more:

While preparing for writing our score, it’s been fascinating to look closely at how The Phantom of the Opera was constructed. It’s a masterpiece of visual storytelling, and we’re thrilled to compose a new soundtrack that revisits the themes with a contemporary perspective, including drawing attention to some of the more problematic elements of the story such as its portrayal of disability and ableism. 

Lon Chaney as The Phantom of the Opera standing over a woman on the stairs

Directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney, 1925’s The Phantom of the Opera was the first film adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel and ranks among the greatest horror films of the silent era. 

Filled with opulent costumes, extravagant sets and hundreds of extras, the film made dazzling early use of Technicolour, and the version screening will be as close to the vibrantly coloured 1925 original as possible.

Michael Coull, Dundead programmer, says:

The Phantom of the Opera is one of my favourite silent films and is surely one of the greatest spectacles in horror history. It is a real privilege to be able to commission a new score for the milestone 100th anniversary of such an iconic film and to tour that across Scotland. Each show is sure to be a really special event.  

Tickets

Tickets for our Halloween event will go on sale at 10:00 on Fri 5 September, with priority booking for Members, Friends and Patrons from 10:00 on Mon 1 September. You can find out more about Membership here

Tickets for tour venues will go on sale soon - keep an eye on the tour page here.

Watch our for more details about our full Dundead Halloween programme coming very soon. And, as composer Andrew Wasylyk says "Dust down your cloaks.” We can't wait to celebrate the spookiest time of year with you!
 

Supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery.

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