“The Phantom of the Opera,” the show that has been running the longest in Broadway history and, for many, a symbol of musicals, will close its curtains for the last time in February 2023.
The musical is yet another victim of the pandemic caused by Covid-19. Since the theaters were closed due to the virus, the production has not seen audience returns at the same intensity. As a result, it is not selling enough to cover the high weekly operating costs.
The closure is both expected—no show runs forever—but also surprising, because “The Phantom” has become part of the Broadway landscape, in addition to becoming a tourist magnet.
The show celebrates its 35th anniversary in January and will then have its final performance on Broadway on February 18, 2023.
However, the show will continue in other locations: the London production, even older than the New York one, closed in 2020 at the height of the pandemic but then returned, with a smaller orchestra and other low-cost reconfigurations.
A new production opened last month in Australia, and the first Mandarin production is scheduled to premiere in China next year. Additionally, actor Antonio Banderas is working on a new Spanish production.
“The Phantom” is an icon of Broadway from the 80s, created by three of the most legendary figures in the history of musical theater: composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Hal Prince, and producer Cameron Mackintosh.
In very few words, the show is about an opera lover who wears a mask and haunts the Paris Opera while becoming obsessed with a young soprano. It became very famous for that chandelier, which falls on stage every night.
Over the years, “The Phantom” has attracted huge audiences around the world. Since the first production premiered in London in 1986, the show has been seen by over 145 million people in 183 cities worldwide; it has been performed in 17 languages, and next year that number is expected to rise to 18 when the Mandarin production opens.
On Broadway, the show has been seen by 19.8 million people and has grossed $1.3 billion since its debut, according to data compiled by the Broadway League. But nowadays it is not selling enough to sustain a production with a large cast, a big orchestra, and an elaborate set, which increases operating costs.