The Phantom of the Opera to Close on Broadway After 35 Years

After 35 years, the longest running show in Broadway history is coming to a close. On Friday it was announced that Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera will close at the Majestic Theatre on February 18. 2023. The show will celebrate its 35th anniversary just a few weeks before its final curtain, celebrating that milestone on January 26th. According to Broadway World, Chicago will have to continue playing on Broadway for another eight years to break Phantom's record.

The reason for The Phantom of the Opera ending its Broadway run appears to be largely economic. Ticket sales for all Broadway shows slowed dramatically during the pandemic, including for Phantom which has continued to see a decline in ticket sales. According to CNN, the show dropped from 255,000 in weekly attendees in May to 180,000 in September.

"As a producer you dream that a show will run forever. Indeed, my production of Andrew's 'Cats' proudly declared for decades 'Now and Forever.' Yet 'Phantom' has surpassed that show's extraordinary Broadway run. But all shows do finally close," Mackintosh said in a statement.

The Phantom of the Opera was created by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, director Hal Prince, and producer Cameron Mackintosh. Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L'Opéra by Gaston Leroux, the musical premiered on London's West End in October 1986 before opening on Broadway on January 26, 1988. The production is well known for some of its more iconic songs, including "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You", "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", and "Masquerade".

As for the musical itself, while the Broadway production is coming to a close, the show will go on internationally. London's production celebrates its 36th year on October 9th, the recently premiered production in Melbourne, Australia is expected to continue, and a Mandarin-language version is set to debut in China in 2023.

What do you think about The Phantom of the Opera's Broadway run ending in 2023? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.