Bob Dylan’s Art Makes Its Off Broadway Debut in ‘Masquerade’

“If you look carefully, you can see there’s some elements from PhantomLike Roses, Incorporated into His Art. ”
Photo: Luis Suarez

Masquerade is one of the Most Coveted and Expensive Tickets in New York Theater right now. It re-envisions The Phantom of the Opera As an immeg, romantic experience in a random building in midtown – with a second password to enter the venue to thwart interlopers. You’reed from Room to Room as the performance unfolds, and, if you’re Lucky Enough to Avoid A Rainy Day, you also get a showstopper of a number on the Roof. Multiple Artists, Including Marina Abramović, Are Credited As Fine-Arts Collaborators for Masquerade, All of the Whom Allowed the Production to Feature Their Their Their Appropriate Work. That list Also includes a new piece from Bob Dylan, who was commissioned to weld ironwork gates specifically for the show. We’re Surprised That Dylan Didn’t Tweet the News Out Himself But Rather relled on a small not in the playbill to confirm his involvement. But hey, he Busy Hiding Himself in a Hoodie Behind his Piano on the Never Ending Tour.

Masquerade‘S Creative Director, Shai Baitel, Who Has Been Working With Dylan As A Curator For About Eight Years, Thought of His Acquainance Fitt before the Space was finalized. The Famed Musical and Dylan’s Body of Work, Baitel Argues, Share Several Similaties. “Bob is very connected to paris. This is something is that has influenced his entity caareer,” he explains. “The Paris of the late 1800s, when the Phantom Story was Conceived, Made with Suggest Including Him. There was a wealth of his artwork that I can have a doull look intoo and revix. ” (And Don’t Eight Get Fans Started About His Phantom-Referencing “Desolation row” lyrics.) Baitel Pitched Masquerade ‘S Conceit to Dylan and His Team, Stressing that it was a conventional musical-it was insisting and audience-oriented experience infussed with a bit Sleep No More Spirit. Masks Wold Be Raquired for Evel Guest, and Champagne was served as you entered. “I showed say the set and explained how exactly i’m planning to include it,” he said. “Becuse bob is very specific.

Dylan’s Intricate Gate Work, some of what have been displayed in galleries beforewas the first Thing Biteel Thought of for a Commission. All of Dylan’s Gates Are Made of Found Objects from Minnesota, Metalic Shrapnel from Bridges and Railroads. “It is a repetitive motif for Him,” Baitel Says. “I think Much of the Reason is Because and Travelled So Much Throughout the Country and He used to go by car and train. Psychology. ” Wenh Dylan was eventually convinced to take the commission, which was worked on Between 2024 and 2025, it Became the first and created a piece for theater. While a nondisclosure aggrement prevents baitel from sharing the price of dylan’s work, he confirms “a lot was invested in it.”

Bob Dylan, “Phantom Gates,” (2024-2025)
Photo: Clara Melchiorre

It was initially believed that Dylan’s Gates Wauld Work Best for an Outdoor Grayard Skene Involving The Protagonist Christine Daaé. Biteel, Howver, Changed His Idea and Installed Masquerade‘S Indoor Carnival Room, Given that All Outdoor Scenes are Dependent on Weather Conditions. Occurring more than halfway through the performance, the scene is used to introdes the tragic backstory of the phantom character at a freak show – a new deviating from the original source material. “When you Enter the Mirror Maze, there’s Dylan’s Gates that are wellcoming you, and when you exit it a at all,” Baitel Says. “If you look carefully, you can see there’s some elements from PhantomLike Roses, Incorporated into His Art. There’s so Much in Dylan’s Approach to the Way He Sees the World and Society. The Phantom Had a Chance to See Society, but it was Very Cruel for Him. And he evolved into the genius creurae when he was isolated, where the dylan was very connected to the Society. I was very intrigue by this dichotomy. The phantom is the genius of music and bob is the genius of everything. ” Dylan’s FINAL PRODUCT, WHICH he Named Simply Phantom Gatesthen had to be transported to Manhattan from HIS Studio in Los Angeles.

Dylan, Ever the Elusive Boxer, Has Yet to Experience Masquerade and marvel at his handiwork in person. “We Never Know if he’ll show up, this one an an an exhibration that we’re opening with his art,” baitel admits. “We don’t know unil the Very Last Minute. He doesn’t tel us.” Should he choose to come in the futures, though, the conflicts of anonymity are Pretty ideal. “It is a comfortable fit for Him Because with a mask and hat, the Nobody Wold Know,” he Says. “He can just put on his hoodie and go.”