will phantom of the opera ever tour again

‘Phantom of the Opera,’ Broadway’s Longest-Running Musical, Extends Final 2023 Run

By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

The Phantom of the Opera , the longest-running musical in Broadway ’s history, will stick around a little longer, with the producers announcing an extended final run through April 16.

Back in September, it was announced that the smash Andrew Lloyd Webber musical would close Feb. 18, 2023. But as The New York Times reported today, Nov. 29, the announcement of its impending end caused a spike in interest and ticket sales. Just last week, during the Thanksgiving holiday, Phantom enjoyed its highest-grossing week ever, bringing in $2.2 million.

“What a phenomenal response there has been to the show ending,” producer Cameron Mackintosh said. “We’ve sold out virtually everything that we have on sale.”

Phantom of the Opera opened on Broadway in Jan. 1988 and won the Tony Award for Best Musical that year. It’s set to celebrate its 35th anniversary next year and its run has comprised nearly 14,000 performances.

While Phantom initially rebounded out of its Covid-19 hiatus with weekly $1 million grosses, ticket sales had softened in recent months, and the musical brought in $867,997 during the week ending Sept. 11, the Associated Press reported . 

While that total seems impressive, it didn’t cover the cost of the production, which features a largely-than-usual cast and orchestra; the New York Post reported that Phantom was losing $1 million a month prior to Friday’s announcement, citing a downtrend in post-pandemic tourism.

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Remarkably, the musical has run even longer on London’s West End — where it first opened in 1986 — before it closed in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The musical has since reopened in London — albeit with smaller orchestra and more cost-cutting measures, the New York Times noted — where it has now been staged over 14,000 performances, second only to Les Miserables among musicals. 

This story was updated 11/29/22 at 2:08. p.m. ET with news of Phantom of the Opera ‘s extended final run.

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After 35 Years, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Will Stop Haunting Broadway

Due to declining ticket sales, Broadway’s longest-running show will close this winter

Ella Feldman

Daily Correspondent

This winter, the Phantom will haunt the Paris Opera House for the last time.

A Broadway fixture since 1988, The Phantom of the Opera will conclude its run on February 18, 2023. The gothic musical, which tells the story of a masked composer who haunts an opera house and becomes infatuated with a young, beautiful soprano, became Broadway’s longest-running show in 2006. It will close with a record 13,925 performances.

Throughout the course of its Broadway run, Phantom has sold 19.8 million tickets and grossed $1.3 billion. However, ticket sales began to fall during the pandemic. As an emblem of Broadway, the musical holds massive appeal for international travelers, producer Cameron Mackintosh tells the  New York Times ’ Michael Paulson. Many local fans, on the other hand, have already seen the show during its 35-year run. Meanwhile, production costs—which were already extravagant to begin with—have risen as a result of inflation.

Yet Phantom remains a sensation: Its upcoming Broadway closure has prompted ticket sales to skyrocket, bringing in $2 million within 24 hours of the announcement.

“You don’t want to run a great show into the ground,” Mackintosh, who has also produced Cats and Les Misérables , tells the Times . “It’s always been one of my mantras throughout my long career: There’s an art to closing a show, as well as opening one.”

The Phantom of the Opera is based on Gaston Leroux ’s 1910  French novel of the same name. Andrew Lloyd Webber , the acclaimed composer behind the music of  Jesus Christ Superstar ,  Evita ,  Cats and  School of Rock , wrote the music, which includes iconic numbers like “ All I Ask of You ” and “ The Music of the Night .” 

In 1986, the show debuted in London’s  West End , and it opened at Broadway’s  Majestic Theatre two years later. In 1988, the show won  seven Tony Awards , including Best Musical. Harold Prince won for his directing, and performers Michael Crawford (the Phantom) and Judy Kaye (Carlotta Guidicelli) won in the Best Actor and Best Featured Actress categories. In 2004, Joel Schumacher directed a  film adaptation of Phantom .

The pandemic hit Broadway hard, with all of its theaters closing their doors for more than 18 months. Some mainstays—including  Chicago ,  Hamilton ,  The Lion King and  Wicked —have pulled off a successful comeback. Others, like Phantom , have not fared as well. 

“I’m both sad and celebrating,” Mackintosh tells the Times. “It’s an extraordinary achievement, one of the greatest successes of all time. What is there not to celebrate about that?”

After Phantom closes in February, Chicago is in line to become the  longest-running active Broadway show , having debuted its performance in 1996. The Lion King , which opened in 1997, is a close second; Wicked (2003) and  The Book of Mormon (2011) follow.

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Ella Feldman | READ MORE

Ella Malena Feldman is a writer and editor based in Washington, D.C. She examines art, culture and gender in her work, which has appeared in Washington City Paper , DCist and the Austin American-Statesman .

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‘The Phantom of the Opera’ closes on Broadway after 35 years

Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber dedicated the final Broadway performance of “The Phantom of the Opera” to his late son Nick, as the curtain fell on the long-running musical. (April 17)

“The Phantom of the Opera” cast appear at the curtain call following the final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

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Andrew Lloyd Webber and the cast of “The Phantom of the Opera” appear at the curtain call following the final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Glenn Close attends “The Phantom of the Opera” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Lin-Manuel Miranda attends “The Phantom of the Opera,” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Former cast member Meghan Picerno attends “The Phantom of the Opera,” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Theatergoers attend “The Phantom of the Opera,” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

A fan dressed as the Phantom watches arrivals for “The Phantom of the Opera,” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

A costumed ticket holder attends “The Phantom of the Opera,” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Sarah Brightman attends “The Phantom of the Opera,” final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Sarah Brightman and Andrew Lloyd Webber appear at the curtain call for “The Phantom of the Opera” following the final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

The chandelier is lowered during “The Phantom of the Opera” curtain call following the final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theatre on Sunday, April 16, 2023, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — The final curtain came down Sunday on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” ending Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier.

It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of the Night” performed by the current cast, previous actors in the show — including original star Sarah Brightman — and crew members in street clothes.

Andrew Lloyd Webber took to the stage last in a black suit and black tie and dedicated the final show to his son, Nick, who died last month after a protracted battle with gastric cancer and pneumonia. He was 43.

“When he was a little boy, he heard some of this music,” Lloyd Webber said. Brightman, holding his hand, agreed: “When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”

Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave some in the crowd hope they would see the Phantom again, and perhaps sooner than they think.

“The one question I keep getting asked again and again — will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest,” he said. “So it’s only a matter of time.”

The musical — a fixture on Broadway since opening on Jan. 26, 1988 — has weathered recessions, war, terrorism and cultural shifts. But the prolonged pandemic may have been the last straw: It’s a costly musical to sustain, with elaborate sets and costumes as well as a large cast and orchestra. The curtain call Sunday showed how out of step “Phantom” is with the rest of Broadway but also how glorious a big, splashy musical can be.

“If there ever was a bang, we’re going out with a bang. It’s going to be a great night,” said John Riddle just before dashing inside to play Raoul for the final time.

Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, “Phantom” tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine. Webber’s lavish songs include “Masquerade,” ″Angel of Music” and ″All I Ask of You.”

In addition to Riddle, the New York production said goodbye with Emilie Kouatchou as Christine and Laird Mackintosh stepping in for Ben Crawford as the Phantom. Crawford was unable to sing because of a bacterial infection but was cheered at the curtain call, stepping to the side of the stage. The Phantom waved him over to stand beside him, Riddle and Kouatchou.

There was a video presentation of many of the actors who had played key roles in the show over the years, and the orchestra seats were crowded with Christines, Raouls and Phantoms. The late director Hal Prince, choreographer Gillian Lynne and set and costume designer Maria Björnson were also honored.

Lin-Manuel Miranda attended, as did Glenn Close, who performed in two separate Broadway productions of Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard.” Free champagne was offered at intermission and flutes of it were handed out onstage at the curtain call.

Riddle first saw “The Phantom of the Opera” in Toronto as a 4-year-old child. “It was the first musical I ever saw. I didn’t know what a musical was,” he said. “Now, 30-some odd years later, I’m closing the show on Broadway. So it’s incredible.”

Kouatchou, who became the first Black woman in the role in New York, didn’t think the show would ever stop. “I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to do my run, ‘Phantom’ is going to continue on and they’ll be more Christines of color,’ ” she said. “But this is it.”

The first production opened in London in 1986 and since then the show has been seen by more than 145 million people in 183 cities and performed in 17 languages over 70,000 performances. On Broadway alone, it has grossed more than $1.3 billion.

When “Phantom” opened in New York, “Die Hard” was in movie theaters, Adele was born, and floppy discs were at the cutting edge of technology. A postage stamp cost 25 cents, and the year’s most popular songs were “Roll With It” by Steve Winwood, “Faith” by George Michael and Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

Critics were positive, with the New York Post calling it “a piece of impeccably crafted musical theater,” the Daily News describing it as “spectacular entertainment,” and The New York Times saying it “wants nothing more than to shower the audience with fantasy and fun.”

Lloyd Webber’s other musicals include “Cats,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita,” “Sunset Boulevard” and “School of Rock.” The closing of “Phantom” means the composer is left with one show on Broadway, the critically mauled “Bad Cinderella.”

The closing of “Phantom,” originally scheduled for February, was pushed to mid-April after a flood of revived interest and ticket sales that pushed weekly grosses past $3 million. The closing means the longest-running show crown now goes to “Chicago,” which started in 1996. “The Lion King” is next, having begun performances in 1997.

Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic , with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows — “Hamilton,” “The Lion King” and “Wicked” — rebounded well, but other shows have struggled.

Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for “Phantom,” and visitors to the city haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic also pushed up expenses for all shows, including routine COVID-19 testing and safety officers on staff. The Phantom became a poster boy for Broadway’s return — after all, he is partially masked.

Fans can always catch the Phantom elsewhere. The flagship London production celebrated its 36th anniversary in October, and there are productions in Japan, Greece, Australia, Sweden, Italy, South Korea and the Czech Republic. One is about to open in Bucharest, and another will open in Vienna in 2024.

Kouatchou, who walked the red carpet before the final show in a hot pink clinging gown with a sweetheart neckline and a cut out, said the bitterness was undercut by the big send-off. Most Broadway shows that close slink into the darkness uncelebrated.

“It kind of sweetens it, right?” she said. “We get to celebrate at the end of this. We get to all come together and drink and laugh and talk about the show and all the highs and lows. It’s ending on a big note.”

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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Performances of the longest-running show in Broadway history will resume at the city’s Majestic Theatre on October 22.

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With over 40 million copies sold worldwide, The Phantom of the Opera Original Cast Recording is the best-selling cast recording of all time . Originally released in 1987, the original The Phantom Of the Opera cast recording was the first in British musical history to enter the charts at number one.

In September, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh announced complete casting for the New York return of The Phantom Of The Opera , the longest-running show in Broadway history. Directed by the late theater legend Harold Prince, Phantom is set to resume performances on Friday, October 22 at 8PM at The Majestic Theatre (245 West 44th Street) – the musical’s New York home for all 33 record-breaking years.

As much a part of the city landscape as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, The Phantom Of The Opera remains an iconic New York City landmark. Tickets are on sale via Telecharge.com and in person at the theater’s box office .

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Cameron Mackintosh said, “Never in a million years could we have imagined that all of Broadway would be shuttered for nearly a year and a half, but I am thrilled that at last Phantom will be back where it belongs at the Majestic Theater from October 22nd in all its gorgeous splendor. It has been an extraordinarily difficult time for all the 125 people who bring Phantom to life every performance, so we are all overjoyed to be back rehearsing Broadway’s longest-running musical and eagerly looking forward to the chandelier rising again. In front of a full house in 5 weeks’ time. So let the audiences in and let the opera begin.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber added, “I am a proud Brit, but Broadway has always been my spiritual home. To have Phantom lead the effort to bring our beloved community back to the stage is a moment of immense pride for me. The only heartache is that Hal will not be with us, but when we all return for our first performance on October 22, I know his spirit will be there, cheering our cast, crew and orchestra on and welcoming audiences back to The Majestic Theatre.”

As previously announced, the complete Phantom Orchestra – Broadway’s largest – also returns, under the continued musical supervision of David Caddick with the musical’s original, lush orchestrations.

Broadway’s blockbuster phenomenon, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera , directed by the late Harold Prince, is one of the world’s all-time most successful entertainment properties.  Produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, The Phantom Of The Opera has been the longest-running show in Broadway history for well over a decade, and its astounding longevity in New York and around the world is unprecedented.  On Broadway alone, the musical has played an unheard of more than 13,000 performances to 19 million people at The Majestic Theatre (245 West 44th Street).

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The Phantom of the Opera Returning to Broadway in October

You didn’t think a little old pandemic was going to stop Phantom , did you? The Phantom of the Opera will resume performances on October 22 this year, according to a statement from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 7 at 9 a.m. EST, according to Playbill . Phantom is the longest-running Broadway show, with 32 years on the Great White Way before Broadway was forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Majestic Theatre has been dark for 19 months but will soon dust off that giant chandelier. Phantom is the first show that was running pre-pandemic to announce a reopening date. The show had been running for 13,300+ regular performances, so presumably that has helped cut down on prep time. Performing Phantom is like riding a bike. Off a balcony, and into an underground cavern full of candles and pipe organs.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced earlier today that Broadway would be ready to reopen in September at 100 percent capacity. Other shows like Hamilton, The Lion King , and Wicked are expected to make announcements next week, per the New York Times .

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The Phantom of the Opera Tickets

This lush romantic smash is Broadway’s longest-running show.

This show is closed.

Performances ended on Apr. 16, 2023.

News & Features

About the phantom of the opera on broadway, video & photos.

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera debuted in 1988, winning seven Tony Awards® including Best Musical. Based on Gaston Leroux’s horror novel, it tells the enticing story of the Phantom, who haunts the stage of the Paris Opera and subsequently falls in love with a beautiful young soprano. Audiences are in for a thrilling night of spectacle and romance, accompanied by Broadway’s most unforgettable score.

Know Before You Go

Both romantic and scary, The Phantom of the Opera is a thrilling night of theater with grand emotions. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score, with its beloved signature song “Music of the Night,” sets the mood, but you may also find yourself humming the gorgeous period costumes and simple yet grand sets (even the famous chandelier, which probably falls slower than you’d expect, is a thrill).

"Phantom rules! It remains as fresh and spectacular as ever. Andrew Lloyd Webber's score has a visceral tug more than almost any score written in the past 20 years. Beautiful and romantic, I have to tip my hat: The Phantom of the Opera has aged divinely." NY1 Roma Torre

"Phantom still delivers the goods! Judging by sheer invention, emotional punch and onstage talent, the venerable blockbuster still beats out almost all of the shippersnappers currently on Broadway. Maria Bjornson's flamboyant gothic design and Harold Prince's fantastical staging still have the gleam of finely polished professionalism." The New York Times Jason Zinoman

"Phantom is still wonderful and isn't showing its age one bit! The chandelier still falls on cue and the show still rises to the top of all the musicals ever to appear on Broadway. I hope I listen to the music of the night forever!" WOR Radio David Richardson

"It may be possible to have a terrible time at The Phantom of the Opera, but you'll have to work at it. Only a terminal prig would let the avalanche of pre-opening publicity poison his enjoyment of this show, which usually wants nothing more than to shower the audience with fantasy and fun, and which often succeeds, at any price. The physical production, Andrew Bridge's velvety lighting included, is a tour de force throughout–as extravagant of imagination as of budget." The New York Times Frank Rich

Frequently Asked Questions

Grand opera and lush romance might not be their cup of tea. And the Phantom is a frightening guy. There are old-fashioned scare moments throughout—a dead corpse plunging from a noose, shrieking-for-their-lives ballerinas, that disfigured face... Such sights will either send your kid burying their face in your arm or thinking it’s the coolest show in town.

Cast & Creative

Ben Crawford was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona and received a BFA in Music Theatre from The University of Arizona. His Broadway credits include  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  (Mr. Salt), the titular character in Shrek The Musical , Big Fish (Edward Bloom u/s, Don Price), Les Misérables (Javert/Valjean u/s) and On the Twentieth Century (Bruce Granit u/s). Phantom marks Ben’s sixth Broadway show and he is beyond grateful to be able to jump into this iconic role. Ben has also starred in over twenty regional theatre productions ranging from Che in Evita (Studio Tenn), Starbuck in 110 in the Shade (Ford’s Theatre), Luther Billis in South Pacific (Ogunquit Playhouse), Frederick Barrett in Titanic (MUNY) and Jud Fry in Oklahoma! (Fox Theatre).

Emilie is making her Broadway debut in  Phantom . Recent credits include  Unknown Soldier  (Playwrights Horizons);  Oklahoma!  (Broadway at Music Circus, Sacramento, CA);  Merrily We Roll Along ,  Passing Strange ,  Me and My Girl ,  Violet ,  A Man of No Importance  (University of Michigan);  Sweeney Todd  (Connecticut Repertory Theater). Graduate, University of Michigan’s Musical Theatre program. She is extremely grateful for the love and support from her family, friends, team at CGF Talent and everyone who has supported her throughout the years. 

John Riddle has been seen on Broadway in Frozen (Hans),  The Visit (Young Anton) and on the national tour of  Evita . Other favorites credits include Tony in West Side Story (Casa Mañana), Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees (PCLO), Eric in The Little Mermaid (Muny), Little Dancer (Kennedy Center) and My Paris (Long Wharf). He has appeared in the concert performances of  The Secret Garden (Lincoln Center) and with the Cincinnati Pops, as well as performed his solo show Keep It Simple at Feinstein’s/54 Below.

Sara is honored to be joining the  Phantom  legacy! Former soloist with Miami City Ballet, Princess Grace Fellowship Award recipient for dance. Broadway/First National:  An American in Paris  (Lise Dassin). Other:  Brigadoon  (Jean, NYCC Encores!),  A Chorus Line  (Maggie, Encores!; Cassie, Cape Playhouse),  Marie Dancing Still  (5th Avenue, Seattle),  Alien/Nation  (Williamstown Theater Festival, Forest of Arden Co. Member). Film/TV:  West Side Story  (dir. Steven Spielberg), Fosse/Verdon, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel . Love to BRS/Gage and my family! F+A,NMW. For Nana.

Raquel Suarez Groen is thrilled to be making her Broadway debut with  Phantom ! Off-Broadway: Roxanne Conti,  iFigaro (90210)! (Duke Theater); Grand Dame in Vox Lumiere’s  Phantom of the Opera . Opera: Marzelline, Fidelio  (Opera Carolina); Frasquita,  Carmen  (Opera San Antonio, Venture Opera); Susanna,  Le nozze di Figaro  (Opera on the James); Lauretta,  Gianni Schicchi (Opera on the James, DiCapo Opera); Opera Lyra Ottawa; Syracuse Opera. Awards: Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition, Prize Winner; Florida Grand Opera YPO Competition, Prize Winner. Special thanks to my loving mom and dad, Tara Rubin Casting, Renée Fleming, Joan Lader, Diana and Bernard Uzan and my team at UIA!

Maree Johnson is thrilled to be returning to  The Phantom of the Opera  and making her Broadway debut! Born in Sydney and now living in Manhattan, Maree played Christine Daaé in Cameron Mackintosh’s Australian production. Other Australian credits include  Cats  (Grizabella),  Les Misérables ,  West Side Story  (Maria),  My Fair Lady  (Eliza),  Scrooge  (Isabel/Helen), two concert productions of  Follies  (Young Heidi, Young Sally) and the lead in Sondheim’s  You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow  at Sydney Opera House. Maree’s U.S. credits include  Z orba (The Widow),  Passion  (Fosca, Barrymore Award nomination) and  Myths & Hymns  (Emily). As always, love and thanks to Jason, Audra and Helena.

Craig Bennett's Broadway credits include  The Last Ship (Billy Thompson), A Tale of Two Cities (Jerry Cruncher), South Pacific (Thomas Hassinger) and  Miss Saigon (Sgt. Schultz). Off-Broadway: Music in the Air (City Center Encores!), Citizen Ruth (NY Fringe Festival). National tour: The Phantom of the Opera (Monsieur Firmin), The Light in the Piazza (Signor Naccarelli), Billy Elliot (Big Davey), Mamma Mia! (Bill Austin), Ragtime (Willie Conklin), Les Misérables (Combeferre). Regional: A Little Night Music (Fredrik), Randy Newman’s Faust (Michael), House of Martin Guerre (Jehannot), all at The Goodman Theater, Chicago. Thanks to Steve and Dale. Love to Sala and Mako.

Broadway:  All My Sons ,  Phantom of the Opera  (closing cast),  Flying Over Sunset ,  School of Rock ,  Gettin ’ The Band Back Together ,  Les Miserables  (Original Revival Cast),  Threepenny  Opera .  Off-Broadway includes:  Cyrano ,  Working  (2008 revision),  Grand Hotel  (Encores!),  Three Sisters .  Regional credits includes Arena Stage, Dallas Theatre Center, Goodman Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center.  Video Game: World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.  Film/TV: Law & Order SVU (NBC), The Wire (HBO), Search Party (HBO),  Blackout .

Heralded by  The New York Times  as an “ardent tenor,” Carlton Moe debuted at Carnegie Hall with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2013. A native of Portland, Oregon, he has performed with such organizations as the Oregon Symphony, Walla Walla Symphony, Aspen Music Festival, Napa Music Festival, Savannah Voice Festival, Opera in Williamsburg, Charlottesville Symphony Society, and the Martina Arroyo Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Portland State University and a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music, where he attended on a full scholarship.

 To come.

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• The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway

BWW Reviews: Reimagined PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Tour Makes US Debut in Providence

Please note : this review contains spoilers.

The Opera Ghost is haunting again. Three years after the US touring company of The Phantom of the Opera bowed for a final time in Los Angeles, a new anniversary production of Phantom brings its curtain up in Providence, Rhode Island.

The tour's much-touted, reimagined staging is a non-replica mounting of The Phantom of the Opera . While Andrew Lloyd Webber 's glorious score and most (though not all) of the script and lyrics remain unchanged, the tour features a total redesign of Phantom's props, sets, and many of its costumes, as well as a complete revision of blocking and choreography.

Any non-replica production opens in the shadow of Hal Prince , Gillian Lynne , and the late Maria Björnson 's original Phantom , a theatrical masterpiece that has captivated audiences worldwide for nearly three decades. Still, many of the tour's new visuals do work well, including the Opera's ghostly present-to-past transition during the overture, the vibrant dress rehearsal scene in Hannibal , the Phantom and Christine's descent to the underground lair, a suitably bacchanalian Don Juan Triumphant , and a very effective and swiftly-falling chandelier.

While these are examples of the tour's more engaging and thoughtful revisions, regrettably, the tour does not entirely live up to its "spectacular" billing. Other changes directly and negatively impact characterization throughout the performance. In several crucial scenes, the new tour abandons not only the look of the London and Broadway productions, but their heart and soul as well.

As Phantom, Mark Campbell 's musical numbers showcase his rich vocal talent, and though he occasionally lacks the passion and full emotion essential in a truly compelling Opera Ghost, he also demonstrates a strong range in his delivery. However, the tour's staging and blocking disservice the Phantom from the start; in a bid for realism over melodrama, this "darker" interpretation of The Phantom of the Opera robs the title character of much of his mystery and sophistication.

The connection between the Phantom and Christine suffers most for this, and "Music of the Night" - the most widely-recognized and iconic musical number in the show - especially destabilizes the romance of their relationship. The Phantom keeps Christine blindfolded for much of the song, undermining the enchanting, dreamlike quality of the scene, while the new blocking repeatedly suggests (both in "MOTN" and again in Final Lair) that the Phantom holds a greater passion and esteem for his own music than he does for Christine.

The bittersweet, tender moment that generally closes "Stranger than You Dreamt It" is here played very dispassionately, and earlier in the scene (a shadow of things to come in act two), the Phantom furiously drags Christine to the floor by her hair after she sees his face. "Wandering Child" is another tough sell, the dramatic tension sapped from the characters' interactions as the whole of the graveyard scene takes place at stage-level. Where the Phantom once stalked the ledge of the mausoleum above Christine and Raoul, mesmerizing her from a distance and menacingly shooting fire from his staff, all three characters are now so physically close together that the Phantom and Raoul - literally - end up in fisticuffs.

The Phantom and Christine's complex and complicated relationship continues to erode, scene by scene, until the Final Lair. While the Phantom can and should be viewed as dangerous, even somewhat unhinged, by this point in the plot, he should also emerge as a pitiable character worthy of Christine's - and the audience's - compassion. Actors approach this most intense and deeply-emotional finale with varying levels of physicality, but the tour's Phantom acts with unequivocal violence toward Christine. He forcibly laces her into a wedding gown (the absence of a mirror bride in "Music of the Night" minimizes the import of that costume change), chokes her until she is nearly unconscious, and uses her as a human shield when Raoul arrives to rescue her. The Phantom also bodily pins Christine to his bed twice, an uncomfortable and troubling inclusion that weakens what should be one of the most heartrending moments in the story.

Unfortunately, Raoul's character is also notably diminished by the new staging. Ben Jacoby brings great energy to the role, but Christine's childhood friend - the upstanding, sweet and gentlemanly Raoul - becomes someone much harsher on tour. Raoul is portrayed as very much the entitled Vicomte, demanding and haughty in his interactions with the managers and markedly impatient with Christine. The rooftop scene presents less as a declaration of love than a one-sided conversation where Raoul lacks in understanding and comprehension. During "All I Ask of You," Christine throws her hands up and walks away from him; indeed, by "Notes II," Christine actually slaps Raoul in an attempt to finally get him to listen to her.

Of the three leads, Christine's character remains the most familiar and recognizable, and Julia Udine shines brightly in the role. Her Christine has a backbone; Udine ably portrays both Christine's innocence and later distresses, but she demonstrates an inner fire as well, and it comes through even in the character's most fragile moments. Udine is well suited to the demanding vocals of the role, delivering a playful and impressive cadenza during "Think of Me" and a very lovely rendition of the second act's "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."

Jacquelynne Fontaine and Frank Viveros steal every scene as the Opera's leading stage couple, La Carlotta and Signor Piangi. Fontaine turns in an absolutely fabulous performance as prima donna Carlotta, working herself up in a properly theatrical huff without ever losing the character in hyperbole. Viveros has a fine tenor voice and, by remaining in-character at every moment and adding any number of small-yet-meaningful gestures, he effectively makes Piangi a loveably dim and entirely memorable personage.

The production is hit-or-miss - sometimes hit- and- miss - in the staging of other central scenes. The first-act journey to the Phantom's lair features a circular stairway, where the subterranean passageways of the Palais Garnier seem to appear and disappear at the Phantom's command. That stage piece works very well and adds a spark of magic to the scene, but the boat ride across the underground lake is notably truncated and rendered with zero depth perception, in no way suggesting the duo's watery journey covers any distance at all.

During "All I Ask of You," Christine and Raoul now share the stage with a looming statute of Apollo's Lyre. Although this is a faithful nod to the rooftop architecture of the Paris Opera and to this scene in Gaston Leroux 's original novel, it completely erodes the mystery and any element of surprise from the Phantom's appearance at the close of the duet. From a purely practical standpoint, audience members seated to the front and far left side of the house will miss a good portion of the song and its reprise, as their view of the scene is blocked by the far wall of the rotating stage's drum.

The rotating stage causes problems in other parts of the production as well. The drum tends to box settings in, leaving the far sides of the stage dark and bare while overcrowding the center. The managers' office, for example, is now a red-hued, claustrophobic environment. Given the sheer number of people involved in "Notes," "Prima Donna" and "Notes II," the tour has too much going on visually to properly focus attention on the characters and the import of their lyrics. In fact, the tour moves "Prima Donna" right out of the managers' room and to a hybrid version of the office's hallway and Carlotta's dressing room. Also, Christine's cluttered dressing area takes up so much performance space that the ethereal "recreating Degas" ballet rehearsal during "Angel of Music" is entirely eliminated.

In "Masquerade," the set opens into a glittering hall of mirrors. Though the mirrored ballroom has merit as a set piece, the loss of the grand staircase of the Palais Garnier diminishes the breathtaking visual quality of the scene, especially during the Phantom's entrance. Rather than the Phantom "magically" appearing through a trapdoor in the midst of the crowd, he strolls in from the rear part of the stage (albeit, through a mirror) while the rest of the company is dancing. The Phantom also loses the advantage of his towering height on the stairs, making his threats and demands significantly less intimidating; indeed, he nonchalantly hands his Don Juan score to the managers instead of challengingly tossing it downstage.

Björnson's sumptuous "Masquerade" costumes are a mere shadow of their former selves. The men dress uniformly in plain black tuxedos with small matador-style capelets, nullifying Andre's once-humorous "bright new year" line. The women's ball gowns display hints of their original characters in coloring, but these costumes are simple frocks, not ornate fancy dress pieces for a masquerade. The musical quartet - including the cymbal-playing monkey that symbolically mimics the Phantom's own music box - has been removed as well. Even the delicate frills and spangles on Christine's Star Princess gown have been trimmed back, and the headpiece is barely noticeable at a distance. But worse still is the revision of the Phantom's majestic and imposing Red Death costume. Gone are the articulated skull mask, the highly-plumed hat, the rich red velvet and gold piping; instead, the Phantom makes his entrance in basic black pants, a military-style red jacket, and a gold-colored version of his iconic half mask.

Seasoned Phantom fans will likely be surprised by the anniversary tour's changed look and particularly by its darker tone. While this production is intriguing as a bold reinterpretation of a cultural phenomenon, it does not touch the heart so readily as its predecessor.

The Phantom of the Opera plays the Providence Performing Arts Center through Saturday, December 7, 2013. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ppacri.org , by phone (401) 421-ARTS (2787), or by visiting the box office at 220 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI. Ticket prices range from $58-$105 and discounted rates are available for groups of 20 or more.

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Inside Broadway’s Emotional Closing Night of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’

After 35 years — and a string of $3 million weeks at the box office fueled by the last-minute frenzy of “phans” — the 13,981th and final Broadway performance of “ The Phantom of the Opera ” was for phamily.

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Predictably, the Sunday evening show ran long — blame a late start and an intermission extended to accommodate all the socializing and free-flowing champagne — and the crowd cheered for every beloved music cue and set-piece from chandelier to staircase. Inside the theater, where the dress code was “black tie or glamorous,” attendees got comfortable as the evening, which normally runs two hours and 30 minutes, stretched to nearly three hours for its final performance.

In a show-must-go-on surprise, the actor who usually played the Phantom, Ben Crawford, was unable to perform, so Laird Mackintosh ably stepped in to join Emilie Kouatchou as Christine and John Riddle as Raoul in the final performance. It’s hard to imagine a more receptive room, and sure enough, Kouatchou received a lengthy standing O in the middle of Act II for her rendition of “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again.”

In a curtain speech, emotions ran high as Mackintosh paid tribute to the members of the original creative team who had died over the years, particularly director Harold Prince, choreographer Gillian Lynne and set designer Maria Björnson. He also brought out original cast members and the Majestic Theatre’s backstage crew for a bow before handing the mic over to Lloyd Webber, who offered a heartfelt tribute to his late son, Nicholas Lloyd Webber, who died March 25.

“I hope you won’t mind if I dedicate this performance to my son,” he said. “As Sarah knows, when he was a little boy, he heard some of this music.”

“Yes, he did,” agreed Brightman, standing beside him onstage. “When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his soul is with us. Nick, we love you very much.”

After the gold confetti (some of which may still be hanging from that iconic chandelier) and final bows, and with many members of the cast and crew still hugging, passing around flutes of champagne and taking selfies on stage, the masses moved on to the closing party at the Metropolitan Club, the ornate East Side venue that matched the gilded opulence of the “Phantom” set. Guests, including Sara Bareilles and Danny Burstein, were able to use coat check for their Playbill, decorated with a sticker to commemorate closing night.

Among the attendees was Jason Robert Brown, the Tony-winning composer whose musical “Parade” is now playing not far from “Phantom” in a critically hailed revival. “Parade” was originally directed by Prince, and Brown reminisced about seeing “Phantom” for the first time in 1996 when he’d begun to work with the director on his own musical.

“It’s very powerful being here,” Brown said during intermission. “I don’t feel very sad, because it feels like 35 years is something you shouldn’t be super sad about. But it’s definitely the end of an era in so many ways, and it feels like such a potent marker of that.”

And just because the Majestic’s marquee has dimmed on this production of “Phantom of the Opera” doesn’t mean the Angel of Music has forever left the Great White Way.

“The one question I keep getting asked again and again — will the Phantom return?” Mackintosh said from the stage of the Majestic. “Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest. So it’s only a matter of time.”

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"Phantom of the Opera" to close on Broadway in early 2023, ending 35-year run

Updated on: September 16, 2022 / 7:06 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Following an unparalleled 35-year run, the New York production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," Broadway's longest-running show, will end in early 2023, producers confirmed Friday.

The show's final performance will be held on Feb. 18, 2023, producers Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group said in a news release.

"As a British producer who has been lucky enough to have been producing in New York for over 40 consecutive years, it has been an unparalleled honour to have presented the longest-running musical in Broadway's history, Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'The Phantom of the Opera,'" Mackintosh said in a statement. "That this legendary show has thrilled New York for nearly 35 phenomenal years is quite astounding to me." 

Since it opened at the Majestic Theatre on Jan. 26, 1988, Broadway's "Phantom" has been performed over 13,500 times for 19.5 million people and grossed $1.3 billion, according to producers. It has won seven Tony Awards, including best musical. Producers said the show has been Broadway's largest generator of jobs in Broadway and U.S. theatrical history, employing approximately 6,500 people during its run. 

Worldwide, it has also been performed in front of an estimated 145 million people in 41 countries, and in 17 languages, producers said. 

Though the Broadway iteration will be closing its doors, the show will still continue in other locations. 

The novel "The Phantom of the Opera," written by French writer Gaston Laroux, was published in 1909. The character was first brought to the big screen in a 1925 silent film.  

On its 25th anniversary on Broadway, Webber, the show's composer, recalled to CBS News reading Laroux's novel.

"I remember finding the book in New York and reading it one afternoon and thinking, 'It's not the same as I remember it,'" Webber told CBS News in 2013. "It's not a sort of funny thing, with somebody coming out and saying, 'Boo' from behind a chandelier. It's actually about a romance."

When the show first opened in New York in 1988, it had already been a hit for two years in London. Still, not all the critics took to it kindly. One reviewer in the New York Times called it, "psychologically lightweight."

It has been a costly musical to sustain, with elaborate sets and costumes as well as a large cast and orchestra. Box office grosses have fluctuated since the show reopened after the pandemic — going as high as over $1 million a week but also dropping to around $850,000. Last week, it hit $867,997 — and producers may have seen the writing on the wall.

"Phantom" tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine. Andrew Lloyd Webber's lavish songs include "Masquerade," ″Angel of Music," ″All I Ask of You" and "The Music of the Night."

The closing of "Phantom" would mean the longest still-running show crown would go to "Chicago," which started in 1996. "The Lion King" is next, having begun performances in 1997.

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With Cheers and Tears, ‘Phantom of the Opera’ Ends Record Broadway Run

The show’s record-breaking 35-year Broadway run came to an end on Sunday night. Its famous chandelier got a bow, and its composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, spoke after its emotional final performance.

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By Michael Paulson

“The Phantom of the Opera” concluded the longest run in Broadway history Sunday night with a glittery final performance at which even the production’s signature chandelier, which had just crashed onto the stage of the Majestic Theater for the 13,981st time, got its own curtain call.

The invitation-only crowd was filled with Broadway lovers, including actors who had performed in the show over its 35-year run, as well as numerous other artists (including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Glenn Close) and fans who won a special ticket lottery. Some dressed in Phantom regalia; one man came dressed in the character’s sumptuous Red Death costume.

The final performance, which ran from 5:22 to 7:56 p.m., was interrupted repeatedly by applause, not only for the main actors, but also for beloved props, including a monkey music box, and scenic elements such as a gondola being rowed through a candelabra-adorned underground lake. After the final curtain, the stagehands who made the show’s elaborate spectacle happen night after night, were invited onstage for a resounding round of applause.

“It’s just amazing, really, what has happened,” the composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the show’s soaring score, said after the final curtain, as he dedicated the performance to his son Nicholas, who died three weeks ago .

Lloyd Webber spoke alongside his longtime collaborator and the show’s lead producer, Cameron Mackintosh. They invited alumni of the original Broadway production to join them onstage, and projected onto the theater’s back wall pictures of deceased members of the original creative team, including its director, Hal Prince, as well as every actor who played the two lead roles (the Phantom as well as Christine, the young soprano who is his obsession).

Toward the end of the evening, Mackintosh acknowledged the one-ton chandelier, which was lowered from the ceiling to a round of applause, and the crowd was showered with gold and silver metallic confetti, some of which dangled in ribbons from the chandelier.

Hours before the curtain, fans gathered across the street, waving and taking pictures and hoping somehow to score a spare ticket. Among them was Lexie Luhrs, 25, of Washington, in a Phantom get-up: black cape, homemade mask, plus fedora, vest and bow tie, as well as mask earrings and a mask necklace. “I’m here to celebrate the show that means so much to us,” Luhrs said.

On Broadway “Phantom” was, obviously, enormously successful, playing to 20 million people and grossing $1.36 billion since its opening in January 1988. And the show has become an international phenomenon, playing in 17 languages in 45 countries and grossing more than $6 billion globally. But the Broadway run ultimately succumbed to the twin effects of inflation and dwindled tourism following the coronavirus pandemic shutdown.

It closed on an unexpectedly high note — and not just the high E that Christine sings in the title song. As soon as the closing was announced last September , sales spiked, as those who already loved the musical flocked to see it, and procrastinators realized it could be their last chance; the original February closing date was delayed by two months to accommodate demand, and the show has once again become the highest-grossing on Broadway, playing to exuberant audiences, enjoying a burnished reputation, and bringing in more than $3 million a week.

“For a show to go out this triumphantly is almost unheard-of,” said Mackintosh.

After the final performance, the show’s company and its alumni gathered for an invitation-only celebration at the Metropolitan Club, with the show’s iconic mask projected onto a wall next to a marble staircase.

The show, with music by Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart, is still running in London, where the orchestra size was cut and the set was altered during the pandemic shutdown to reduce running costs, and it is also currently running in the Czech Republic, Japan, South Korea and Sweden. New productions are scheduled to open in China next month, in Italy in July and in Spain in October.

And will it ever return to New York? “Of course, at some point,” Mackintosh said in an interview. “But it is time for the show to have a rest.”

Michael Paulson is the theater reporter. He previously covered religion, and was part of the Boston Globe team whose coverage of clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. More about Michael Paulson

‘Phantom of the Opera’ to close on Broadway as pandemic fallout continues

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Theater staged a pandemic comeback, but audiences didn’t get the memo.

Nearly a year after Broadway raised its curtains — marking an end to more than 18 months of COVID closures — one of its most storied shows announced it will go dark for good. “Phantom of the Opera,” the longest-running show in Broadway history, plans to stage its final performance in February. The not entirely unexpected move marks an end to 35 years at the Majestic Theatre, and an era in which many adult theatergoers could not imagine Broadway without the iconic marquee’s white mask and red rose.

Like many shows across the country, “Phantom” could not summon back the audiences that sustained it before brutal pandemic closures drained the lifeblood out of the industry. Contradictory messaging around masking in theaters, continuing COVID-related cancellations and a stubborn pattern of audiences sticking close to home combined to create a perilous landscape for the performing arts.

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Many arts leaders reported that, try as they might, very few shows — short of pop-cultural phenomenons like “Hamilton” — were drawing the kinds of crowds that could fill coffers in the long term. “Phantom” couldn’t keep up in this harsh new environment, with the New York Post reporting that the show was losing about $1 million per month since its reopening last October.

The show’s website features a pop-up page announcing the news and confirming that the last performance will be on Saturday, Feb. 18. “Phantom” will celebrate its 35th anniversary in January.

“The Phantom of the Opera” opened in 1988 and has played more than 13,700 performances. The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, with lyrics by Charles Hart and a book by Webber and Richard Stilgoe, is based on the 1910 eponymous French novel by Gaston Leroux. The Gothic melodrama follows a soprano who is pursued by a masked musician who lives in the candle-lighted underworld of chambers beneath the Paris Opera House.

The show, while not always lauded by critics, became a beloved staple of Broadway, winning seven Tony Awards the year it opened, including best musical. Since then, according to numbers compiled by the Broadway League and reported by the New York Times, the show has been seen on Broadway by 19.8 million people, and grossed $1.3 billion .

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Jessica Gelt is an arts and culture writer for the Los Angeles Times.

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