The final curtain came down Sunday on New York’s production of “The Phantom of the Opera,” ending Broadway’s longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts, and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier.
It was show Number 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of “The Music of the Night” performed by the current cast, previous actors in the show — including original star Sarah Brightman — and crew members in street clothes.
Andrew Lloyd Webber took to 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 protracted battle with gastric cancer and pneumonia. He was 43.
Lloyd Webber said:
“When he was a little boy, he heard some of this music”.
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Brightman, holding his hand, agreed:
“When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you very much”.
Sarah Brightman
Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave some in the crowd hope they would see the Phantom again, and perhaps sooner than they think.
He said:
“The one question I keep getting asked again and again — will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest. So it’s only a matter of time”.
Cameron Mackintosh
The musical — a fixture on Broadway since opening on January 26, 1988 — has weathered recessions, war, terrorism, and cultural shifts. But the prolonged pandemic may have been the last straw: It’s a costly musical to sustain, with elaborate sets and costumes as well as a large cast and orchestra. The curtain call Sunday showed how out of step “Phantom” is with the rest of Broadway but also how glorious a big, splashy musical can be.
John Riddle just before dashing inside to play Raoul for the final time said:
“If there ever was a bang, we’re going out with a bang. It’s going to be a great night”.
John Riddle
‘Phantom’ is going to continue
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. Webber’s lavish songs include “Masquerade”, “Angel of Music” and ″All I Ask of You”.
Lin-Manuel Miranda attended, as did Glenn Close, who performed in two separate Broadway productions of Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Boulevard”. Free champagne was offered at intermission and flutes of it were handed out onstage at the curtain call.
Kouatchou, who became the first Black woman in the role in New York, didn’t think the show would ever stop.
She said:
“I was like, ’OK, I’m going to do my run, ‘Phantom’ is going to continue on and they’ll be more Christines of color′. But this is it”.
Emilie Kouatchou
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, it has grossed more than $1.3 billion.
The closing of “Phantom,” originally scheduled for February, was pushed to mid-April after a flood of revived interest and ticket sales that pushed weekly grosses past $3 million. The closing means the longest-running show crown now goes to “Chicago”, which started in 1996. “The Lion King” is next, having begun performances in 1997.
Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic, with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows — “Hamilton”, “The Lion King” and “Wicked” — rebounded well, but other shows have struggled.
Fans can always catch 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 before the final show in a hot pink clinging gown with a sweetheart neckline and a cutout, said the bitterness was undercut by the big send-off. Most Broadway shows that close slink into the darkness uncelebrated.
She said:
“It kind of sweetens it, right? We get to celebrate at the end of this. We get to all come together and drink and laugh and talk about the show and all the highs and lows. It’s ending on a big note”.
Emilie Kouatchou
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