Phantom of the Opera celebrates 40 years in the West End

The Phantom of the Opera opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre (now His Majesty’s) on October 9, 1986, starring Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical is based on Gaston Leroux’s classic novel. It tells the story of Christine Daaé, a young soprano whose voice attracts the attention of the mysterious Phantom, a masked musical genius living beneath the Paris Opéra House.

Michael Crawford’s casting was somewhat of a surprise at the time, as he was primarily known for his role in the BBC TV show “Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em” and for playing Barnum in the West End for several years. Apparently, he shared a singing teacher with Sarah Brightman, who heard him ahead of her class and recommended him to her husband.

The original production was directed by the legendary Broadway producer-director Harold Prince. I was lucky enough to see it, and it was a brilliant example of gothic romance and the pinnacle of British mega-musicals featuring spectacular scenic effects. In this case, the infamous chandelier rises above the audience and falls at the interval.

The title song, featuring Steve Harley, was released ahead of the production and had a music video directed by Ken Russell. I always feel it has a slightly different musical language, as the original production was envisioned as more of a rock musical than the lush operatic version we have today. Sadly, Harley never made it into the actual production.

Aside from the title song, the score includes “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” and “Masquerade.” It has now played to more than 160 million people in over 200 cities and 23 languages.

The Phantom of the Opera has celebrated forty years in the West End. I can’t believe it, especially since I was there forty years ago, watching Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. The milestones keep accumulating: we’ve had 20 years of Wicked, 30 years of Rent, and now 40 years of Phantom.

A gala performance on Friday, October 9, celebrated the anniversary, and alas, I wasn’t able to attend. By all accounts, it was a wonderful evening with alumni from the past four decades joining the current company on stage for a special curtain call, including Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman, among others.

There’s also something new to listen to. Andrew Lloyd Webber has gone back to the original master tapes and remixed the entire album, bringing the orchestra to the forefront. It sounds much fresher and punchier than it did 40 years ago, thanks to advancements in technology. So, if you think you know the album, you can go to your streaming service, or even, heaven forbid, buy a CD, and hear this remixed version. Not only has the show been revamped with new scenery and effects, but the cast album has been revamped too.

The show is still running and booking well into the future, and I must go and see it in the theatre again. But the good news for me, and for anyone else who wanted to be at the gala, is that it has been filmed and will be released in cinemas internationally in 2027. So, not only can people go and see it in the West End and experience the chandelier falling on them for real, but they will also be able to see the entire gala.

Forty years on, there is plenty of Phantom to look forward to: the show itself, a freshly remixed album, and next year, the gala on the big screen. It shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.

John Martin has been watching Phantom since the chandelier first fell in 1986, and for EyeOnLondon’s money, the remixed album alone is worth seeking out before the show reaches fifty.

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