The final curtain came down Sunday on New York鈥檚 production of 鈥淭he Phantom of the Opera,鈥� ending Broadway鈥檚 longest-running show with thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier.
It was show No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre and it ended with a reprise of 鈥淭he Music of the Night鈥� performed by the current cast, previous actors in the show 鈥� including original star Sarah Brightman 鈥� 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, He was 43.
鈥淲hen he was a little boy, he heard some of this music,鈥� Lloyd Webber said. Brightman, holding his hand, agreed: 鈥淲hen Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you very much.鈥�
Producer Cameron Mackintosh gave some in the crowd hope they would see the Phantom again, and perhaps sooner than they think.
鈥淭he one question I keep getting asked again and again 鈥� will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I鈥檝e seen all the great musicals return, and 鈥楶hantom鈥� is one of the greatest,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 only a matter of time.鈥�
The musical 鈥� a fixture on Broadway since opening on Jan. 26, 1988 鈥� has weathered recessions, war, terrorism and cultural shifts. But the prolonged pandemic may have been the last straw: It鈥檚 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 鈥淧hantom鈥� is with the rest of Broadway but also how glorious a big, splashy musical can be.
鈥淚f there ever was a bang, we鈥檙e going out with a bang. It鈥檚 going to be a great night,鈥� said John Riddle just before dashing inside to play Raoul for the final time.
Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, 鈥淧hantom鈥� 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鈥檚 lavish songs include 鈥淢asquerade,鈥� 鈥矨ngel of Music鈥� and 鈥矨ll I Ask of You.鈥�
In addition to Riddle, the New York production said goodbye with as Christine and Laird Mackintosh stepping in for Ben Crawford as the Phantom. Crawford was unable to sing because of a bacterial infection but was cheered at the curtain call, stepping to the side of the stage. The Phantom waved him over 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 crowded with Christines, Raouls and Phantoms. The late director Hal Prince, choreographer Gillian Lynne and set and costume designer Maria Bj枚rnson were also honored.
Lin-Manuel Miranda attended, as did Glenn Close, who performed in two separate Broadway productions of Lloyd Webber鈥檚 鈥淪unset Boulevard.鈥� Free champagne was offered at intermission and flutes of it were handed out onstage at the curtain call.
Riddle first saw 鈥淭he Phantom of the Opera鈥� in Toronto as a 4-year-old child. 鈥淚t was the first musical I ever saw. I didn鈥檛 know what a musical was,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow, 30-some odd years later, I鈥檓 closing the show on Broadway. So it鈥檚 incredible.鈥�
Kouatchou, who became the first Black woman in the role in New York, didn鈥檛 think the show would ever stop. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥極K, I鈥檓 going to do my run, 鈥楶hantom鈥� is going to continue on and they鈥檒l be more Christines of color,鈥� 鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut this is it.鈥�
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.
When 鈥淧hantom鈥� opened in New York, 鈥淒ie Hard鈥� was in movie theaters, Adele was born, and floppy discs were at the cutting edge of technology. A postage stamp cost 25 cents, and the year鈥檚 most popular songs were 鈥淩oll With It鈥� by Steve Winwood, 鈥淔aith鈥� by George Michael and Rick Astley鈥檚 鈥淣ever Gonna Give You Up.鈥�
Critics were positive, with the New York Post calling it 鈥渁 piece of impeccably crafted musical theater,鈥� the Daily 亚洲天堂 describing it as 鈥渟pectacular entertainment,鈥� and The New York Times saying it 鈥渨ants nothing more than to shower the audience with fantasy and fun.鈥�
Lloyd Webber鈥檚 other musicals include 鈥淐ats,鈥� 鈥淛esus Christ Superstar,鈥� 鈥淓vita,鈥� 鈥淪unset Boulevard鈥� and 鈥淪chool of Rock.鈥� The closing of 鈥淧hantom鈥� means the composer is left with one show on Broadway, the critically mauled 鈥淏ad Cinderella.鈥�
The closing of 鈥淧hantom,鈥� 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 鈥淐hicago,鈥� which started in 1996. 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� is next, having begun performances in 1997.
Broadway , with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows 鈥� 鈥淗amilton,鈥� 鈥淭he Lion King鈥� and 鈥淲icked鈥� 鈥� rebounded well, but other shows have struggled.
Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for 鈥淧hantom,鈥� and visitors to the city haven鈥檛 returned to pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic also pushed up expenses for all shows, including routine COVID-19 testing and safety officers on staff. The Phantom became a poster boy for Broadway鈥檚 return 鈥� after all, he is partially masked.
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 cut out, said the bitterness was undercut by the big send-off. Most Broadway shows that close slink into the darkness uncelebrated.
鈥淚t kind of sweetens it, right?鈥� she said. 鈥淲e 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鈥檚 ending on a big note.鈥�
鈥擬ark Kennedy, The Associated Press
