Share It Announcements Connecting Obituaries Forums Sound Off Canadian SnapShots Canadian Voices ... THE SHOW Bored or floored.

After years of build-up and anticipation and almost two months of preview performances, The Lord of the Rings stage musical had its gala premiere in Toronto last night. VIPs in black tie from Canada, England, India and Finland headed into the Princess of Wales theatre to see if "the biggest and most ambitious theatrical production ever staged, anywhere" was going to live up to the enormous hype.

"First time you put on a show, there are no guarantees," said David Mirvish, who put up $3-million of the show's record-breaking $27-million dollar budget, noting that a lot of people in the city were invested in the show's success. "What we do know is that it is spectacular... Tonight should be a great night."

Rather than enter via a carpet the colour of the eye of the Dark Lord Sauron, guests marched down a blue carpet, the colour of The Lord of the Rings posters, past a gauntlet of about a hundred journalists, cameramen and photographers. Director Matthew Warchus, accompanied by his wife, Laura, seemed a bit overwhelmed at the end of this three-year creative journey that took him across the ocean from London's West End to Toronto's theatre district. "It feels kind of surreal, to be honest," he said. "I can't quite believe it."

The eight members of the Finnish world music group Varttina arrived shortly thereafter, having just flown into Toronto for the premiere the day before. Along with India's A.R. Rahmen and England's Christopher Nightingale, they are responsible for the music in the show. Varttina's three female vocalists brought some colour to the crowd, wearing linen dresses that they had designed themselves: Susan Aho in red, Mari Kaasinen in blue, and Johanna Virtanen in orange. "Of course, we are nervous," said Ms. Virtanen.

At 85 years of age, Saul Zaentz, the long-time owner of the copyright to The Lord of the Rings, was probably one of the oldest to arrive at the theatre. Nolan, the six-month old son of associate choreographer Robert Tannion, was definitely the youngest. "He's been to a couple of shows already," said Nolan's proud father, as he carried him down the blue carpet, accompanied by his wife and their two other young children.

In addition to the play's creative team, various politicians and Canadian celebrities showed up for the gala premiere, which was to be followed by a reception at the Royal York hotel. MTV Canada stopped former governor-general Adrienne Clarkson to ask her to do her best Gollum impression. Actresses from Cynthia Dale to Louise Pitre to Lisa Ray were asked if they were fans of hobbits as they passed. Nikki, psychic to the stars, was there as well, accompanying veteran publicist Gino Empry.

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