Andrew Lloyd Webber gave the final bow after 35 years at the final Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera, dedicating the show’s final performance to his late son, who died last month.
On Sunday, the final curtain fell on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” closing Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from the famous chandelier.
It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theater and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of the Night” performed by the current cast, previous actors on the show – including original star Sarah Brightman – and crew members in street clothes.
Andrew Lloyd Webber took 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 long battle with stomach cancer and pneumonia. He was 43.
“When he was a little boy, he heard some of this music,” said Lloyd Webber. Holding his hand, Brightman agreed: “When Andrew was writing it, he was there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you very much.’
Andrew Lloyd Webber gave the final bow during the final Broadway production of Phantom of the Opera, dedicating the show’s final performance to his late son, who died last month
Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave some in the audience hope they’d see the Phantom again, and maybe sooner than they think.
“The one question I’m asked over and over again: will the Phantom come back? I’ve been a producer for over 55 years and 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 Broadway staple since it opened on January 26, 1988—has weathered recessions, war, terrorism, and cultural shifts.
But the ongoing pandemic may have been the last straw: it’s a precious musical to sustain, with elaborate sets and costumes and a large cast and orchestra.
Sunday’s curtain call showed how out of step “Phantom” is with the rest of Broadway, as well as 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,’ John Riddle said just before storming in to play Raoul for the last time.
Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, Phantom tells the story of a disfigured composer who haunts the Paris Opera and falls madly in love with the innocent young soprano, Christine.
Webber’s exuberant songs include ‘Masquerade’, ‘Angel of Music’ and ‘All I Ask of You’.
Lloyd Webber took the stage last in a black suit and tie and dedicated the final show to his son Nick (pictured center right), who died last month after a long battle with stomach cancer and pneumonia. He was 43
The cast of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ will appear at the curtain call after final Broadway performance at the Majestic Theater on Sunday
Glenn Close attends the final Broadway performance of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ at the Majestic Theatre
Lin-Manuel Miranda attends ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, the last Broadway performance at the Majestic Theater on Sunday
Emilie Kouatchou pictured as a member of the final Broadway cast
Raquel Suarez Groen at the closing performance
In addition to Riddle, the New York production also said goodbye Emily Kouatchou while Christine and Laird Mackintosh fill in for Ben Crawford as the Phantom.
Crawford was unable to sing due to a bacterial infection, but was cheered at the curtain call and stepped to the side of the stage. The Ghost beckoned him 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 packed 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 was in attendance, as was Glenn Close, who performed in two separate Broadway productions of Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard.”
Free champagne was offered during intermission and flutes of it were handed out on stage during the curtain call.
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 in 70,000 performances.
Longtime star Sarah Brightman appeared in the finale to the delight of fans
Andrew Lloyd Webber and the cast of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ appear at the curtain call after the finale
Many fans came out in costume for the last show
It has grossed more than $1.3 billion on Broadway alone.
When “Phantom” premiered in New York, “Die Hard” was playing in movie theaters, Adele was born and floppy disks were at the forefront of technology.
A stamp cost 25 cents and the most popular songs of the year were Steve Winwood’s ‘Roll With It’, George Michael’s ‘Faith’ and Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’.
Critics were positive: The New York Post called it “a piece of impeccably crafted musical theater,” the Daily News described it as “spectacular entertainment,” and The New York Times said it “desires nothing more than to flood audiences with fantasy.” and fun.’
Other Lloyd Webber musicals include “Cats,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita,” “Sunset Boulevard,” and “School of Rock.”
The conclusion of “Phantom” means the composer is left with one Broadway show, the critically torn “Bad Cinderella.”
Originally scheduled for February, the closure of ‘Phantom’ was pushed back to mid-April after a deluge of renewed interest and ticket sales pushed weekly grosses above $3 million. The closure means that the longest-running show crown now goes to “Chicago,” which began in 1996. “The Lion King” is next, which began performances in 1997.
Broadway took a hit during the pandemic, with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows – ‘Hamilton’, ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Wicked’ – recovered well, but other shows struggled.
A fan dressed as the Phantom watches the arrivals for the final performance on Sunday
Theatergoers attend “The Phantom of the Opera,” the last Broadway performance at the Majestic Theater
Break-even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for “Phantom,” and visitors to the city have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
The pandemic also increased spending on all shows, including routine COVID-19 testing and security personnel.
The Phantom became a billboard for Broadway’s return — he’s partially masked, after all.
Fans can always grab 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 for the final show in a hot pink dress with a sweetheart neckline and a cutout, said the bitterness was undermined by the big goodbye.
Most Broadway shows slip into the darkness unnoticed.
“It makes it a little sweet, doesn’t it?” she said. “At the end of this, we celebrate. We all get together and drink and laugh and talk about the show and all the highs and lows. It ends big.’