The Phantom of the Opera 1986

10 Sept

The Phantom of the Opera

Her Majesty’s Theatre, London 1986

Based on the 1910 French novel The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, it tells the tragic story of a beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, masked musical genius living in the subterranean labyrinth beneath the Paris Opéra House.

Michael Crawford starred as the Phantom with Sarah Brightman as Christine and Steve Barton as Raoul in London, and the same trio would star when the show opened at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway in 1988.

Originally opening in London in September 1986, it ran until for 13,919 performances before the covid pandemic forced its closure in 2020, reopening again in 2021 where it continues today.

It is the longest running show in Broadway history - opening in 1988 and eventually closing in May 2023 after 13,981 performances and is the second longest-running West End musical. It continues to break records with total estimated worldwide gross receipts of over $6 billion and by 2019, it had been seen by over 160 million people in 41 countries and 186 cities in 19 languages.

Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber

Lyrics: Charles Hart with Richard Stilgoe

Original London cast included: Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Steve Barton, John Savident, Steve Barton, Rosemary Ashe, David Firth, Mary Millar

Director: Hal Prince

Musical Staging & Choreography: Gillian Lynne

Designer: Maria Björnson