BEFORE taking up a dream role in the Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, Gawler’s own Daniel Koek is home for some long-awaited family time.

The talented musician has returned to his home state after several years in Europe and is expected to leave his Adelaide-based hotel quarantine on Friday.

Koek will spend 10 days in Gawler with his parents and extended family, including a new nephew he’ll meet for the first time, before heading to Sydney to perform as a porter and the Jeweler, as well as hold a cover role for the Phantom, in Cameron Mackintosh’s new version of the blockbuster musical.

Koek said performing in the show, which will open and have several shows at the Sydney Opera House, and then in Melbourne, had been a dream of his since he was a child.

“I first went to see it when I was nine or 10 years old at the Adelaide Festival Theatre and I watched the late Rob Guest play the Phantom,” he said.

“I think it’s what stemmed my love of the theatre to be honest, and I’ve kind of wanted to be in it ever since, but it’s taken the best part of 20 years to get there, and I’ve finally got there.

“I can’t wait. It’s going to be a great new production that’s been revamped and revitalised.”

After graduating from Faith Lutheran College in 1999, Koek studied classical voice at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, before moving in 2005 to London to complete his Masters in musical theatre.

He’s gone on to have theatre roles as Jean Val Jean in the West End production of Les Miserables, Lt Cable in the Lincoln Centre Production of South Pacific (in the UK and Australian tours), Anatoly in Chess, Tony in the 50th-anniversary production of West Side Story, Father Frank in the world tour of Saturday Night Fever and principle cast in Pacific Overtures.

Koek has also recorded two studio albums.

The Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera opens at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, from September 3.

It resumes at the Arts Centre Melbourne from November 14.

The cast will also include fellow Faith Lutheran College alumnus Eleanor Blythman (as Swing).

Koek and Blythman previously shared the stage together for a local production of The Phantom of the Opera in their Faith days.