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- The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera - Show Information
Based on Gaston Leroux's gothic novel, Andrew Lloyd Webber's romantic musical The Phantom of the Opera is a haunting story of seduction and despair.The Phantom of the Opera is set in the Paris Opera House during the 19th century, where the facially disfigured Phantom haunts and terrorizes occupants. Based on a classic French thriller about a terrifying and legendary figure who emerges from the depths of The Paris Opera House and manifests the mythic opera ghost in terrifying reality.
The mysterious masked Phantom falls in love with the young and beautiful soprano Christine and whisks her away to his subterranean lair below the theatre to teach her to sing "like an angel".
Although she initially becomes entranced by him, she loves another: Raoul, a nobleman and patron of the Opera. She is faced with a stark choice: stay with the Phantom forever, or he will kill Raoul.
This haunting musical traces the tragic love story of a beautiful opera singer and a young composer shamed by his physical appearance into a shadowy existence beneath the majestic Paris Opera House.
With some of the most lavish sets, costumes and special effects ever to have been created for the stage, The Phantom of the Opera is a musical phenomenon.
The Phantom of the Opera is the jewel in the crown of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Group's copyrights. In London there has never been a seat unsold, and the musical has achieved in excess of 99% of potential capacity wherever it has been presented.
The Phantom of the Opera opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on 9 October 1986 since when it has been seen in 110 cities in 20 countries to over 70 million people - grossing over £1.6 billion. This means that the show's box office revenues are higher than for any film or stage play in history, including Titanic, ET and Star Wars.
| Author(s) | Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on the novel Le Fantome de I'Opera by Gaston Leroux. |
| Director | Harold Prince |
| Lyrics | Charles Hart additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe |
| Music | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
| Design | Production design by Maria BjÖrnson |
| Notes | Age Recommendation 10+ |
| Duration | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Go to The Phantom of the Opera web site | |
| Awards | Winner of the 1987 Olivier Award and 1986 Evening Standard Award for 'Best Musical'. The Phantom of the Opera has won over 50 major theatre awards, including seven Tonys on Broadway and three Olivier Awards in the West End. |
| Reviews | "Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical extravaganza... as spectacular a piece of true theatre as has been seen in years" Daily Telegraph "Magic, memorable and so spectacular" Sunday Express |