UPDATE: This production is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay tuned for more information.
Tickets are on sale now to see The Phantom of the Opera - the longest-running show in Broadway history - at the Majestic Theatre in New York City!
The Broadway premiere began previews on January 9, 1988, officially opening on January 26, and “The Music of the Night” continues to entice crowds to the musical spectacle eight shows a week in the heart of NYC.
The winner of seven Tonys, including the 1988 award for “Best Musical,” Phantom is widely considered as the most iconic piece of work from composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose hits also include Sunset Boulevard, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and many more. Accompanying Webber’s timeless score are lyrics by Charles Hart & Richard Stilgoe and a book by Stilgoe & Webber that tell the story of the treacherous love triangle as the Phantom and childhood sweetheart Raoul lock horns and battle for the affections of rising star of the Paris Opera - Christine Daaé.
Directed by Hal Prince and choreographed by Gillian Lynne, the production boasts a plethora of iconic images and instances, topped off by the infamous crashing chandelier from the roof of the auditorium. The splendorous dance sequence that is “Masquerade”, the descension into the Phantom’s underground lair during the title song, and the romantic, rooftop ballad of “All I Ask of You” have all become synonymous with the standard-bearers of musical theatre. And all the while, Webber’s melody motifs infectiously repeat themselves until your mind surrenders to the tunes of “Angel of Music”, “Think of Me”, and “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”.
A film adaptation, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by Joel Schumacher, was released in December 2004. It starred Gerard Butler in the title role and was nominated for three Academy Awards (“Best Art Direction”, “Best Cinematography”, and “Best Original Song” for the new track entitled “Learn to Be Lonely”).
The Phantom of the Opera is a must-see for anyone new to the theatre or for those interested in the history of musical theatre. It is also typically favored as a great “Date Night” destination and, despite its late 1980s production values, it has undeniably stood the test of time in the face of its much younger competitors.
(Photos by Matthew Murphy)
22 images A hideously deformed Phantom lurks beneath the stage of the Paris Opera, exercising a reign of terror over its occupants. The Phantom falls in love with the young Soprano devoting himself to creating a new star for the Opera by nurturing her extraordinary talents and employing all the skills at his disposal.
The Music of the Night is going digital! Following the previous free presentations of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar on The Show Must Go On! YouTube Channel, courtesy of Andrew Lloyd Webber, this coming weekend's presentation has now been revealed.
Firstly, a Happy Halloween to all our readers and all you Broadway fanatics out there from everyone here at the New York Theatre Guide! And whilst Beetlejuice continues to rule the Netherworld, Elphaba continues to defy gravity in Wicked, and Lord Voldemort continues to chill spines in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, there is one theatrical role so connected to the dark side that it has outlasted them all. Of course, we're referring to The Phantom - the crown jewel of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical canon.
Join me for a little jaunt down memory lane to a magical place that is alive and well. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, directed by theatre legend Harold Prince and produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, is the longest-running show in Broadway history. A recent revisit to this lavish production got me to thinking about what it takes to make a show age so... Read more
