is phantom of the opera closing in london 2022

CAMERON MACKINTOSH AND THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP PRESENT

THE BEST WEST END SHOW OF ALL TIME * *January 2020 survey published on The Independent website

The Phantom Awaits at His Majesty’s Theatre

The Phantom of the Opera - His Majesty's Theatre, London 2023

Experience the thrill of the West End’s most haunting love story, starring  Jon Robyns  as The Phantom,  Lily Kerhoas  as Christine Daaé and  Joe Griffiths-Brown  as Raoul.

The Phantom of the Opera is widely considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular productions in history, playing to over 160 million people in 41 countries and 186 cities in 19 languages. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic, haunting and soaring score includes  Music of the Night ,  All I Ask of You ,  Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again ,  Masquerade  and the iconic title song. 

'SPECTACLE ABOUNDS. THE SHOW HAS ONLY GROWN IN ITS ARTISTIC POWER'

'THIS WEST END SPECTACULAR MORE THAN DESERVES ITS CLASSIC STATUS'

'THE MUSIC OF THE NIGHT IS BACK'

'SCARILY GOOD - THIS IS THE WEST END AT ITS CROWD-PLEASING BEST'

'THIS NEW PRODUCTION, WITH ADDED GREATNESS, IS WORTHY OF ITS PLACE IN THEATRE HISTORY'

'THE STAGING HAS NEVER LOOKED MORE SPECTACULAR'

Phantom of the Opera faces final curtain in 2023 - after record 35-year run

• New York City
• United States
• Entertainment
• Saturday 17 September 2022 at 1:38pm

The Phantom of the Opera, the longest running musical in Broadway history, is to have its final curtain call in February, after a 35-year run.

Andrew Lloyd-Webber's production has been staged ove r 13,000 times in New York, but post-pandemic pressures mean it will close after celebrating its 35th anniversary in February next year. It took the crown for longest running musical in the city in 2006, after overtaking Cats .

The pandemic saw theatres closed, and bosses have been unable to recover audience levels seen before the onset of Covid-19, so have made the decision to end the run.

The Phantom of the Opera is an expensive production, involving hundreds of staff, and elaborate set designs. Each production uses 250kg of dry ice, ten smoke machines, and 281 candles.

Since theatres reopened, revenues have dropped to around $850,000 a week, prompting the show to end its record-breaking run.

Based on a French novel written in 1910, Phantom follows the story of a Soprano singer at the Paris Opera House and her relationship with a musical 'Phantom' who lives somewhere in the building. Songs include Masquerade, The Music of the Night, Angel of Music, and All I Ask of You.

Officials claim the musical has been performed to "over 145 million people in 41 countries and 183 cities in 17 languages".

They also claim that box office returns for the musical are higher than any other film or play in history, including Titanic, ET, Star Wars and Avatar.

In the UK, the Phantom of the Opera is the second-longest running show in London's West End, a fter Les Miserables, having run since 1986.

With just three months to go until the London Phantom of the Opera closes its curtains for good, theatre-goers and opera fans wonder what will become of the iconic show. While there are no guarantees that the show will be resurrected in some other form, it’s still worth looking into some potential reasons why it might not close after all.

The Phantom of the Opera on Closing in 2022

The Phantom of the Opera is set to close in 2022. The show has played to sold-out audiences for years, but with technological advancements and new shows, there may not be a need for such an extravagant show.

The Phantom of the Opera has been played in London for more than 200 years, and it is estimated that the show will play its final performance in 2022. Although this may seem like bad news, it could be good.

With new shows coming out every day, there is no need for an extravagant show like The Phantom of the Opera. The show has held its own for many years, but with new technology and innovation, it may be time to end it.

The Future of the Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most beloved and iconic musicals. But is it headed for extinction?

In recent years, there has been talk about the show’s future. Performances have dwindled in London, with some claiming that it’s due to a decline in interest among audiences. But could something else be behind the decline?

Several high-profile incidents related to The Phantom of the Opera have occurred over the past few years. The first was a bomb threat made against London’s Royal Opera House. This led to extensive security measures being implemented, which likely played a part in discouraging audiences from coming to see the show.

Then there was the case of Christine Daae. This French opera singer was killed while performing The Phantom of the Opera in Germany. There were serious questions about whether her death could have been avoided if proper safety precautions had been taken. These two incidents seem to lead people away from seeing The Phantom of the Opera live.

So is The Phantom of the Opera headed for extinction? It’s unclear what will happen next, but things may not look good for this classic show.

What Londoners Can Do to Prepare for the Closing

The Phantom of the Opera is coming to London, and it’s sure to be a spectacular show. However, as the show gets closer, Londoners are starting to prepare for its closing.

Some recommendations for Londoners who are preparing for the closing of The Phantom of the Opera include booking hotel rooms in advance, purchasing tickets early, and making sure that they have all of their belongings packed and ready.

Londoners can also try to get a glimpse of the show before it closes by visiting some of the city’s best locations early in the morning or at night. This way, they can get a feel for what the crowds will look like and plan their route accordingly.

Londoners looking for something to do during The Phantom of the Opera’s closing should consider attending one of the city’s many concerts or events. These events usually have shorter lines and more comfortable seating than The Phantom of the Opera.

Why The Phantom of the Opera Closing is a Sign of Change

The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most iconic and popular musicals. The show has been closing in London for years, but this latest closure signals a change in the musical’s future.

The closing of The Phantom of the Opera in London is a sign of change. For years, the show has been struggling to maintain its audience. However, this latest closure may be the precursor to a new era for the musical.

Ironically, The Phantom of the Opera’s closure may signify its continued success. In recent years, Broadway shows have been struggling to stay afloat. However, The Phantom of the Opera proves that there is still an audience for traditional musicals. It will be interesting to see what comes next for this iconic show.

The Phantom of the Opera is closing in London in 2022, marking a significant moment for the popular show. The production has been running at London’s Royal Albert Hall since 1986 and will be the last performance. After the show, the theater will be turned into an opera museum. This news surprises many, as it was initially planned that The Phantom of the Opera would run until 2026. However, due to the financial difficulties that producers and investors face, this plan was canceled earlier this year.

Although The Phantom of the Opera is ending after 26 years on stage, its legacy will live on through its various productions worldwide. Future productions of this show will inevitably be different from those we have seen before – but at least one thing will remain unchanged: The Phantom of the Opera always leaves his mark on history.

About Author

Team Adrosi

See author's posts

Related posts:

No related posts.

More Stories

• Breaking News

WBSEDCL: The Powerhouse behind West Bengal’s Electrification

• Information Technology

Discover the Power of Tafcop Portal: Simplify Your Aadhar Card Experience

Unlocking the World of Nairaland News: Everything You Should be Reading

NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

The Phantom of the Opera to close on Broadway in 2023 after 35 years

Share this with

Broadway’s longest running show, The Phantom of the Opera , is coming to a close next year, after 35 years on stage.

The final performance is set to take place in February 2023, having been performed in New York since 1988.

The closure, on February 18 next year, comes less than a month after the show celebrates its 35th anniversary, concluding after a staggering 13,925 performances.

For the uninitiated, Phantom of the Opera, based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, tells the tale of a composer who haunts the Paris opera house and falls for a young soprano.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s songs in the production include Masquerade, Angel of Music, All I Ask of You and The Music of the Night.

Announcing the news on its website, a statement from the company read: ‘We are sad to confirm that after 35 years on Broadway, Phantom will play its final performance at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday February 18th, 2023.

‘Tickets are currently on sale for performances through January 22nd, 2023, and we expect the final block of tickets to be placed on sale shortly.’

Phantom of the Opera will pass its longest-running crown to Chicago, which began in 1996, with The Lion King following the year after.

Last year, Phantom of the Opera permanently closed in London’s West End , due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At the time, producer Cameron Mackintosh told The Evening Standard: ‘Andrew [Lloyd-Webber] and I have had to sadly permanently shut own our London and UK touring productions of The Phantom Of The Opera.’

He added: ‘But [we] are determined to bring it back to London in the future.’

Lloyd-Webber, who wrote the musical, remained hopeful that it will make a comeback, adding on Twitter: ‘As far as I’m concerned, Phantom will reopen as soon as is possible.’

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : Craig Revel Horwood actually took his life-like chimp that Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber gifted him to The Repair Shop

MORE : Andrew Lloyd Webber ‘devastated’ by reports of him saying Cinderella was ‘costly mistake’

Get us in your feed

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

The Phantom of the Opera to close on Broadway after 35 years

Broadway’s longest-running musical never fully recovered from the pandemic shutdown and will close next February

The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway’s longest-running show, is scheduled to close in February 2023.

The musical – a fixture on Broadway since 1988, weathering recessions, war and cultural shifts – will play its final performance on Broadway on 18 February, a spokesperson said on Friday. The closure will come less than a month after its 35th anniversary. It will conclude with an eye-popping 13,925 performances.

Box office grosses have fluctuated since the show reopened after the pandemic – going as high as over $1m (£870,000) a week but also dropping to about $850,000. Last week, it hit $867,997.

Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured 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.

“As a producer you dream that a show will run for ever. Indeed, my production of Andrew’s Cats proudly declared for decades ‘Now and Forever.’ Yet ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that show’s extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close,” producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement.

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, the musical has played more than 13,500 performances to 19 million people at the Majestic theatre.

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

The pandemic took its toll on Broadway with theatres closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows – Hamilton, The Lion King and Wicked – have rebounded well, but other shows have struggled. Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, but visitors to the city have not returned to pre-pandemic levels .

• Andrew Lloyd Webber

Most viewed

site categories

L.a. councilmember advisor resigns after antisemitic comments involving amy schumer, breaking news.

Broadway’s ‘The Phantom Of The Opera’ Will Close in 2023 After 35 Years; Final Tickets On Sale “Shortly”

By Greg Evans

NY & Broadway Editor

More Stories By Greg

• Matt Damon, Mark Ruffalo & Missy Yager To Perform NYC Benefit Reading Of ‘This Is Our Youth’
• Richard Dreyfuss Bites Broadway’s ‘The Shark Is Broken’, Says Play Makes Him Look Like “A Big Jerk”
• Kenny Leon To Direct ‘Our Town’ Broadway Revival Next Fall

The Phantom of the Opera , Broadway ‘s longest running show, will close in February following its 35th anniversary in January, producers have announced.

“We are sad to confirm that after 35 years on Broadway, Phantom will play its final performance at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday February 18th, 2023,” the show has announced on its website . “Tickets are currently on sale for performances through January 22nd, 2023, and we expect the final block of tickets to be placed on sale shortly.”

The news comes as the musical, known for its falling chandelier, its half-masked title character and its most famous song “The Music of the Night,” has become an icon of Broadway over the decades but has been as susceptible as other productions to the soft Covid market and weak tourist climate.

Related Stories

Richard Dreyfuss Bites Broadway's 'The Shark Is Broken', Says Play Makes Him Look Like "A Big Jerk"

Kenny Leon To Direct 'Our Town' Broadway Revival Next Fall

The musical has long played at the Shubert Organization’s Majestic Theatre.

With music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, and a libretto by Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group, Phantom opened in London’s West End in 1986 and, two years later, on Broadway, with direction by Harold Prince. The musical made stars of, or at least cemented the theater legacy, of stars Michael Crawford, as the Phantom, and Webber’s then-wife Sarah Brightman as Christine. Among the records set by the musical over the years is first Broadway production to hit 10,000 performances (in 2012). Reported estimates of the Broadway productions grosses over the years exceed $1 billion.

Among its trove of Tony Awards in 1988 were Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (Crawford), Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Judy Kaye), Best Direction of a Musical (Harold Prince), Best Scenic and Costume designs (Maria Björnson) and Best Lighting Design (Andrew Bridge).

While the musical still grosses hundreds of thousands of dollars per week – $867,997 for the week ending Sept. 11, the most recent figure available – receipts for the long-running show could be as low as half (or less) of what could be earned at the Majestic, and certainly lag behind more recent musicals such as Hamilton, Into The Woods, MJ, Moulin Rouge! and Six , and even behind other Broadway stalwarts as The Lion King and Wicked . Average ticket price for Phantom last week was about $83, a bargain compared to the average prices commanded by such musicals as Funny Girl ($175), Hamilton ($197), Into the Woods ($112) and MJ ($152), among others.

The West End production of Phantom , which closed during the Covid shutdown in 2020 and returned with a slimmed-down orchestra, remains open.

Rumbles about Phantom ‘s closing was first reported today by the New York Post, setting off considerable speculation on the internet. According to The New York Times, the cast, crew and orchestra were informed of the closing today.

Must Read Stories

Sag-aftra & studio ceos plan weekend talks in hopes of reaching deal.

‘Five Nights At Freddy’s’ Breaking Records For Halloween Debut With $78M

Jason statham to star in david ayer-directed sylvester stallone script ‘levon’s trade’, networks, agencies struggle to deliver news coverage out of gaza.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

'The Phantom of the Opera' closing on Broadway after 35 years

The show confirmed the "sad" news with a message on its website.

The chandelier will fall for the last time on Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" next year.

The longest-running musical in Broadway's history, a feat it achieved in 2006, will play its final performance at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, a message on the show's website reads.

Editor’s Picks

'Pose' alum Angelica Ross making Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in 'Chicago'

Jennifer Hudson achieves EGOT status with 2022 Tony Award win

Pamela Anderson to make Broadway debut playing Roxie Hart in 'Chicago'

"The Phantom of the Opera" will celebrate its 35th anniversary in January, just weeks before the show closes.

MORE: 'Into the Woods' star dishes on the hit Broadway revival

The iconic musical lives on in London, where it still plays at Her Majesty's Theatre. The West End version opened in 1986.

"The Phantom of the Opera" tells the story of a facially deformed and masked figure living in the bowels of the The Paris Opera House who becomes obsessed with and composes music for a young soprano named Christine Daaé, with whom he has fallen in love. Originating the characters of Phantom and Christine, in both the West End and Broadway shows, were Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, respectively.

MORE: Neil Diamond musical to debut on Broadway this fall

The musical, best known for songs like "Think of Me," "The Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You," was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 1988. It won seven: best musical, best performance by a leading actor in a musical (for Crawford), best performance by a featured actress in a musical (for Judy Kaye), best direction of a musical (for Harold Prince), best scenic design, best costume design and best lighting design.

A film adaptation of "The Phantom of the Opera" was released in 2004, directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Gerard Butler as the Phantom and Emmy Rossum as Christine.

Top Stories

'Friends' star Matthew Perry dies at home at 54: Sources

• Oct 28, 10:25 PM

Israel-Gaza live updates: War has entered 'second stage,' Netanyahu says

• 2 hours ago

'Barn of horrors': Investigators recall clues that led to body of missing woman

• Oct 27, 6:13 AM

Maine shooting: New details emerge in Robert Card's death

• Oct 28, 11:40 AM

Audible gasps as Mike Pence suspends his campaign

• Oct 28, 3:54 PM

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

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.

Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.

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 .

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

'The Phantom of the Opera,' Broadway's longest-running show, will close next year

The Associated Press

A poster advertising "The Phantom of the Opera" is displayed on the shuttered Majestic Theatre in New York on March 12, 2020. Broadway's longest-running show is scheduled to close in February 2023. Kathy Willens/AP hide caption

A poster advertising "The Phantom of the Opera" is displayed on the shuttered Majestic Theatre in New York on March 12, 2020. Broadway's longest-running show is scheduled to close in February 2023.

NEW YORK — "The Phantom of the Opera" — Broadway's longest-running show — is scheduled to close in February 2023, the biggest victim yet of the post-pandemic softening in theater attendance in New York.

The musical — a fixture on Broadway since 1988, weathering recessions, war and cultural shifts — will play its final performance on Broadway on Feb. 18, a spokesperson told The Associated Press on Friday. The closing will come less than a month after its 35th anniversary.

25 Years Strong, 'Phantom Of The Opera' Kills And Kills Again

It is 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.

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. Andrew Lloyd Webber 's lavish songs include "Masquerade," ″Angel of Music," ″All I Ask of You" and "The Music of the Night."

Photos: The Golden Age of Broadway is celebrated in a new online exhibit

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, the musical has played more than 13,500 performances to 19 million people at The Majestic Theatre.

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

Published 8 years after her death, Mary Rodgers' memoir is a true tell-all book

Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic, with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially to "Phantom."

The closure was first reported Friday by the New York Post.

• Andrew Lloyd Webber

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Phantom of the Opera’ to Delay Broadway Closing After Sales Spike

Last week was the highest-grossing in the show’s 35-year history.

• Share full article

By Michael Paulson

Michael Paulson has seen “The Phantom of the Opera” three times: in 2014 (to see Norm Lewis as the Phantom), 2018 (the 30th anniversary celebration) and 2021 (the first post-shutdown performance).

“The Phantom of the Opera” is going to continue haunting Broadway a while longer.

The musical — the longest-running show in Broadway history — announced in September that it would close in February, ending a storied run shortly after celebrating its 35th anniversary.

But immediately after the closing was announced, ticket sales spiked. And last week, when Broadway was bolstered by Thanksgiving travelers, “Phantom” enjoyed its highest-grossing week ever: $2.2 million.

So on Tuesday the show’s producer, Cameron Mackintosh , plans to announce an eight-week extension of the run, to April 16.

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

And why not run forever? The answer is simple: Until the closing announcement, the show was not selling enough tickets to defray its rising running costs. The slow return of audiences to Broadway following the pandemic and inflation were both contributing factors.

“For most of last year, we were losing every week,” Mackintosh said. “There comes a point when you become theatrical wallpaper. People took it for granted that it’s going to run forever.”

The turnabout at the box office has been significant. The week before the closing plan was announced, the show grossed $867,997. After the announcement, the numbers began to climb.

Broadway is gradually rebuilding following the lengthy pandemic shutdown and last winter’s Omicron slump, which forced a number of shows to close.

Thanksgiving week — traditionally one of the biggest of the year for Broadway — saw a modest uptick in grosses from last year. The 33 shows running this year grossed $37.5 million last week, up from the $32.5 million that the 33 shows running last year earned during the same period. But Broadway has yet to return to prepandemic levels: in 2019 there were 35 shows running, and they grossed $41.7 million.

Those driving the surge in “Phantom” sales include people who have seen the show before but want to catch it again before the closing, as well as those who have never seen it and realize it’s now(ish) or never.

“The reason it is sold out is because it’s coming off, absolutely,” Mackintosh said. “We know that one of the reasons that it’s doing it is because this is your last chance to see the great show.”

Among the recent patrons: Lucas Perez, a 37-year-old smoke shop worker from Manalapan, N.J., who bought a pair of tickets as soon as the closing was announced. He had seen the show twice before — once as an elementary school student, and once as an adult — but wanted to bring his mother, who had never been. They went in mid-October.

“It felt like I was saying goodbye to an old friend, to someone I’ll never see again,” Perez said. “I was very nostalgic the whole time. There’s something about the experience of ‘Phantom’ that other shows don’t have.”

Featuring soaring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber , “Phantom” is a Gothic melodrama about a masked music lover who haunts the Paris Opera House and becomes fixated on a young soprano. The Broadway production, directed by Hal Prince , is a large-scale spectacle, with a 27-person orchestra and a famously crashing chandelier, emblematic of an earlier era of hyper-romantic musical theater. In 1988, the year the show opened, it won seven Tony Awards, including the one for best musical.

Christina DiCillo, a 31-year-old Queens resident who works in the advertising department at the website TheaterMania, is a “Phan” — what the show’s superfans call themselves — who has seen the show 46 times so far, and hopes to hit 50 before it closes. She and her twin sister saw a touring production of the show when they were growing up in Buffalo; now they have each seen it repeatedly in multiple locations. (Christina has seen it in London, Las Vegas and South Korea, among other places.)

“I feel bad for people that are just discovering it now,” she said. “The music always gets me, and when I’m there I’m transported. I keep thinking, ‘Maybe this time is the time it won’t feel as magical,’ but every time the chandelier rises you get the chills down your spine. I see a lot of Broadway shows for fun, and some of them are better and some of them are worse, but that’s one I know I’m going to love every time.”

The Broadway run has been seen by 19.9 million people and has grossed $1.3 billion; at the time of its closing it will have had 13,981 performances. According to the production, it has employed about 6,500 people, including 400 actors.

Mackintosh said there would be no further extensions. Following the show’s closing, he said, the Shubert Organization is planning a renovation of the Majestic Theater, where “Phantom” has run since its opening. The show will mark the end of its Broadway run with an April 14 benefit performance to raise money for charities, and a final performance with an audience including alumni and friends of the show.

“Phantom” had a lengthy North American touring life, playing 14,500 performances in 77 cities, and productions are currently onstage in London (where running costs were lowered by reducing the orchestra size) and in Melbourne, Australia. A version in Mandarin is scheduled to open in China next year, and the actor Antonio Banderas is working on a new Spanish-language production.

“It’s not like the show is going anywhere — the show will be done and is being done all over the world, and I’m sure it will come back to America and we’ll do a tour in the future,” Mackintosh said.

And will it return to Broadway? “I’m sure at some point it will,” he said. “It’s a great show, and the great classics do come back.”

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

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Promoted: What to Watch on Prime Video

Recommended

Johnny Oleksinski

‘phantom of the opera’ to close after 35 years on broadway: sources, social links for johnny oleksinski.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

It’s over now, the music of the night.

“The Phantom of the Opera,” Broadway’s longest-running show, will close this winter, multiple sources told The Post. 

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical plans to play through the holidays, and then cap off its storied run on Feb. 18. Sources told The Post there will be a large bash to celebrate its 35th anniversary.

“Phantom,” sources said, has struggled to recover since it reopened in October 2021 following the pandemic closure, and is losing some $1 million a month. 

Since its opening night on Jan. 26, 1988, the show, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group, has played 13,733 performances over nearly 35 years. 

Broadway’s second-longest-running show, the revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “Chicago,” is well behind in the race, having been running 25 years and playing 10,090 performances.

Lloyd Webber’s lush songs (with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe), Harold Prince’s innovative staging, Gillian Lynne’s balletic choreography and the lavish set and costume designs by Maria Björnson are seared into the minds of generations of theatergoers.

“Phantom” first opened on Broadway with its original London stars, Michael Crawford as the masked romantic and Sarah Brightman as his beloved soprano Christine. The production won seven Tony Awards, including Best Actor for Crawford and Best Musical.

Ben Crawford currently plays the Phantom and Emilie Kouatchou is Christine Daaé.

A flop movie version , starring Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum, was released in 2004.

Lloyd Webber also put on an unsuccessful sequel , called “Love Never Dies,” in London in 2010 that toured but never made it to Broadway.

“Phantom” continues to play in London at Her Majesty’s Theatre — soon to be renamed His Majesty’s Theatre following the death of Queen Elizabeth II — and recently had some of its original staging revised.

That could be a clue to the musical’s future. While this “Phantom” will close for good in February, it would not be shocking to see it return in a much cheaper iteration in a few years. Mackintosh pulled the same maneuver with London’s “Les Mis é rables” at what’s now the Sondheim Theatre. New director, slimmer set, more projections.

For now, the Shubert Organization will be pleased. The Majestic Theatre, the best musical house on Broadway, has finally been freed up after nearly four decades. The right show could be grossing $3 million a week there, rather than $1 million from “Phantom.”

In fact, Shubert chair Bob Wankel wanted the Majestic for the upcoming musical “Some Like It Hot,” but was reluctant to give “Phantom” the boot. The theater that new show is currently going into, the Shubert, has about 350 fewer seats.

Lloyd Webber may be back to Broadway soon enough. The terrifically fun London Palladium revival of his “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” has New York in its sights after it plays Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre this winter. 

And a revamped Broadway version of the composer’s musical “ Cinderella ” at the Imperial Theatre will be announced as soon as next week.

For now, though, it’s time to pack up the chandelier.

Share this article:

Advertisement

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

• FORTUNE 500
• Personal Finance
• Real Estate
• Credit Cards
• MOST POWERFUL WOMEN
• GREAT PLACE TO WORK LISTS
• BEST MBA PROGRAMS
• MORE RANKINGS
• Newsletters
• October/November 2023
• August/September 2023
• June/July 2023
• April/May 2023
• February/March 2023
• December 2022/January 2023
• CEO Initiative

‘Phantom of the Opera’ will close on Broadway after record-setting run

The Phantom of the Opera , the longest-running show in Broadway history, will draw its famous curtains one final time in February, after a celebration to mark its 35th anniversary.  

The sumptuous Andrew Lloyd Webber musical won seven Tony awards, including Best Musical, when it debuted in 1988. It arrived under the watch of two other Broadway legends as well, director Hal Prince, and producer Cameron Mackintosh. Since that year, it has occupied the same theater, the Majestic, drawing tourists and New Yorkers alike to hear its soaring melodies and catch its dark theatrical magic—which never seemed to dim over the decades.  Phantom  closed only for the pandemic, re-opening with a star-studded gala event in October 2021 which shut down 44th Street just off Times Square for a party where Lloyd Webber DJ’ed to re-mixed songs from the show.

Ticket sales have slumped for shows across the board after an initial flurry of enthusiasm when theaters re-opened last year, and  Phantom  was no different. 

Other productions of the show will continue around the world; a stripped-down version debuted in London’s West End after the pandemic, and a new production debuted at the Sydney Opera House this summer.  A Spanish-language  Phantom   has been announced in a partnership between Lloyd Webber and actor Antonio Banderas.

Many expressed shock on social media, the show seemed like it would go on forever.

End of an era. https://t.co/e3KkrRm5TE — Andy Lefkowitz (@AndyLefkowitz) September 16, 2022

First the Queen dies, now "Phantom" is closing on Broadway? https://t.co/qTulK2s7Gr — Jeff🏳️‍🌈 (@tinmanic) September 16, 2022

“Phantom” will celebrate its 35th anniversary in January, with its final Broadway performance on February 18. 

Sign up for the  Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

• Maine Mass Shootings
• Israel-Hamas War
• JAY-Z Interview
• George Santos Case
• CBS News Live
• Managing Your Money
• Newsletters

Watch CBS News

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

Updated on: September 16, 2022 / 7:06 PM / 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.

• Phantom of the Opera
• Andrew Lloyd Webber
• New York City

CAMERON MACKINTOSH AND THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP PRESENT

MAJESTIC THEATRE, NEW YORK

January 26, 1988 – april 16, 2023.

The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway | Celebrating 34 Years on Broadway

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 an unforgettable musical score.

• Manage Account

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ to Close on Broadway in 2023

The Andrew Lloyd Webber-composed musical is Broadway's longest-running show.

By The Associated Press

The Associated Press

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Pinit
• + additional share options added
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Email
• Print this article
• Share this article on Comment
• Share this article on Tumblr

The Phantom of the Opera — Broadway ’s longest-running show — is scheduled to close in February 2023, the biggest victim yet of the post-pandemic softening in theater attendance in New York.

Common to Make Broadway Debut in Pulitzer Prize-Winning Play ‘Between Riverside and Crazy’

It is 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.

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. Andrew Lloyd Webber ’s lavish songs include “Masquerade,” ″Angel of Music,” ″All I Ask of You” and “The Music of the Night.”

“As a producer you dream that a show will run forever. Indeed, my production of Andrew’s ‘ Cats ’ proudly declared for decades ‘Now and Forever.’ Yet ‘Phantom’ has surpassed that show’s extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close,” producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement.

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, the musical has played more than 13,500 performances to 19 million people at The Majestic Theatre.

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

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox

Want to know what everyone in the music business is talking about?

Get in the know on.

Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

optional screen reader

Charts expand charts menu.

• Billboard 200
• Hits Of The World
• TikTok Billboard Top 50
• Song Breaker
• Year-End Charts
• Decade-End Charts

Music Expand music menu

• R&B/Hip-Hop

Culture Expand culture menu

Media expand media menu, business expand business menu.

• Business News
• Record Labels
• View All Pro

Pro Tools Expand pro-tools menu

• Songwriters & Producers
• Artist Index

Billboard Español Expand billboard-espanol menu

• Cultura y Entretenimiento

Honda Music Expand honda-music menu

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Sweepstakes

The Phantom of the Opera , Broadway's longest-running show, is closing

The beloved musical will play its final performance at the Majestic Theatre on Feb. 18, 2023.

After 35 years, the curtain is closing on the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera .

The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, which holds the title of the longest-running show on the Great White Way, will take its final bow at the Majestic Theatre on Feb. 18, 2023. According to The New York Times , The Phantom of the Opera is the latest COVID casualty following a decline in audience attendance.

"The Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group's Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera , directed by Harold Prince — the longest-running show in Broadway history — is confirmed to play its final 5 months," representatives for the show said in a statement.

The show returned last September when the lights went up on Broadway after the pandemic forced all productions to shut down on March 12, 2020. Several shows like Ain't Too Proud , Jagged Little Pill , Waitress, and Thoughts of a Colored Man have since closed .

Per The Phantom of the Opera 's official website , "Tickets are currently on sale for performances through January 22nd, 2023, and we expect the final block of tickets to be placed on sale shortly."

After February, fans looking to see the musical live will have to travel to London, where the show will continue to run as it celebrates its 36th anniversary next month. The first Mandarin-language version of the show is also slated to open in China in 2023.

There's also the option of watching the 2004 film production directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Emmy Rossum, Gerard Butler, Patrick Wilson, and Minnie Driver. But if it's 33% score on Rotten Tomatoes is off-putting, you can opt for a filmed version of the stage show like the 25th Anniversary Celebration recorded at Royal Albert Hall.

Based on the 1910 French novel by Gaston Leroux, the beloved musical debuted in 1986 on London's West End. It premiered in New York in 1988, where it won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

The current Broadway version is directed by Harold Prince and stars Emilie Kouatchou, Ben Crawford, and John Riddle.

Related content:

• Watch Sara Bareilles record 'Moments in the Woods' ahead of Into the Woods cast album release
• It's like Omicron on your wedding day — Jagged Little Pill closes on Broadway over renewed pandemic fears
• The Devil Wears Prada musical casts The Prom 's Beth Leavel as Miranda Priestly

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.