NY.- The final curtain on the New York production of “The Phantom of the Opera” fell today, bringing Broadway’s longest-running show to a close with standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti pouring from its famous chandelier.
It was the 13,981st show at the Majestic Theater and ended with a repeat of “The Music of the Night” performed by the current cast, previous cast of the show—including original star Sarah Brightman—and crew members in clothing street.
Andrew Lloyd Webber took the stage at the end, wearing a black suit and tie, and dedicated the final performance to his son, Nick, who passed away last month after a long battle with gastric cancer and pneumonia. He was 43 years old.
“When he was a little boy, he heard this music,” said Lloyd Webber. Brightman, taking his hand, agreed: “When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you so much.”
Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave the crowd hope that they will see the musical again, perhaps sooner than they think.
“The only question I get asked over and over again: will the Ghost return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I have seen all the great musicals come back, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest,” he said. “So it’s just a matter of time.”
A fixture on Broadway since its January 26, 1988 opening, the musical has weathered recessions, wars, acts of terrorism and cultural shifts. But the prolonged pandemic may have been the last straw: It’s an expensive musical to maintain, with elaborate sets and costumes, as well as a great cast and orchestra. Sunday’s finale showed just how out of step “Phantom” is with the rest of Broadway, but also how glorious a big, flashy musical can be.
Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, “The Phantom of the Opera” tells the story of a deformed composer who frequents the Paris Opera and falls head over heels for an innocent young soprano, Christine. Webber’s lavish songs include “Masquerade,” ″Angel of Music” and ″All I Ask of You”.
