Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
An Iranian missile hit an Israeli governmental compound in Haifa.
Talks begin in Geneva between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and the E3.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The E3 will present Araghchi with a four-point European plan that includes a complete end to uranium enrichment in Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives at the venue of the negotiations that will soon begin with the E3.
Araghchi: The Israeli attacks on nuclear facilities in Iran are serious war crimes.
Araghchi: We are determined to defend our territorial integrity and sovereignty with full force.
Araghchi: We were supposed to meet with the Americans on June 15 to draft a highly promising agreement regarding our nuclear program.
Araghchi: The unjustified Israeli attack on Iran is a violation of International Humanitarian Law Article 33.
Araghchi: Iran is facing aggression that cannot be justified in any way, and justifying this aggression is an act of complicity.
Araghchi: "Israel" bombed nuclear facilities that are under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The curtain is down for Broadway's ‘Phantom of the Opera’

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 17 Apr 2023 17:09
3 Min Read

On Sunday night, the show's record-breaking 35-year Broadway run came to an end. After its moving final performance, its iconic chandelier was given a bow, and its composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, gave an overwhelming bow.

  • x
  • Cast and crew members take a final bow as confetti is released after the final performance of the Phantom of the Opera, which closes after 35 years on Broadway, in New York City, US, April 16, 2023. (Reuters)
    Cast and crew members take a final bow as confetti is released after the final performance of the Phantom of the Opera, which closes after 35 years on Broadway, in New York City, US, April 16, 2023. (Reuters)

The curtain fell on "The Phantom of the Opera," the longest-running production in Broadway history, on Sunday, after 35 years and nearly 14,000 performances.

Since it debuted in January 1988, Andrew Lloyd Webber's majestic musical has astonished both locals and visitors to New York, standing as a representation of the renowned theater area.

Over three decades, 20 million people have watched the melodrama about a masked musical genius who haunts the Paris Opera House and whose heart aches for the young singer Christine, and ticket sales for it have brought in more than $1.4 billion.

But producers determined it was time to end the record-breaking run as the show struggled to recover from Broadway's 18-month suspension due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Spectator Daniel Wright said that while he'd seen the show multiple times, the final night was "extraordinary."

"There were so many moments when I teared up, goose bumps, it was just a well-crafted show," the 56-year-old said as quoted by AFP.

"There are reasons why it has been around for 35 years. It's a timeless classic, it has touched so many people's lives."

The play, which was adapted from the same-titled French novel by Gaston Leroux, won seven 1988 Tony Awards, including best musical, and on January 9, 2006, it surpassed all previous Broadway productions in terms of duration.

The production believes that over the years, it has employed around 6,500 people, including 450 performers. The 13,981st performance took place on Sunday in front of a sold-out audience at the Majestic Theatre near Times Square.

Related News

NY mayoral candidate, arrested by ICE, says, ‘Trump weaponizing fear’

Americans protest against potential US action in Israeli war on Iran

As Lloyd Webber and the original and current cast members took the stage for the last curtain call, the 1,600-person crowd stood and cheered passionately.

The septuagenarian British composer said, "Thank you all, thank you everybody, and thank you New York for being such a wonderful home for us."

Despite having numerous mega-fans, the show's Broadway run came to an end due to low attendance after Covid-19. The tardy return of foreign tourists to the Big Apple following the pandemic, according to British producer Cameron Mackintosh, who spoke to the New York Times in September of last year, caused the show to suffer from losses.

A contributing cause was the increase in production expenses, which reached $950,000 net per week. 

The musical, which has one of its most iconic sequences in which a chandelier falls to the stage, requires roughly 125 performers, musicians, and technicians to perform.

"There comes a point, with any show, where there is a tipping point, where the number of good weeks has declined sufficiently that actually it's outweighed by the number of losing weeks, and at that point, there's only one sensible decision to make," Mackintosh said.

Nevertheless, Mackintosh emphasized the success of the show during the curtain calls. 

"In our wildest childhood dreams, we could never imagine the success of Phantom," he said.

The ticket demand increased after it was revealed that "Phantom" would end its show, and the termination date was ultimately moved from February to April.

The remaining seats were going for more than $500 on ticket marketplaces in the days before this week's final performance.

  • New York
  • Andrew Lloyd Webber
  • Phantom of the Opera
  • Broadway
  • final performance

Most Read

Iranian missiles impact Israeli sites in Tel Aviv in 2nd wave

Iran's missiles impact 'strategic' Israeli site in Tel Aviv

  • Politics
  • 14 Jun 2025
Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Smoke rises after an Iranian ballistic missile directly struck Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

Op. True Promise 3: Iran's ballistic missiles strike Tel Aviv

  • MENA
  • 13 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Netanyahu stuns by postponing son’s wedding over Iran war
Politics

Netanyahu sparks outrage citing son’s wedding delay as Iran war cost

French court postpones verdict to July 17 on Georges Abdallah
Europe

French court postpones verdict on Georges Abdallah to July 17

Perseverance to shorten war: Iran's Larijani
Politics

Larijani says Iran to hold IAEA chief accountable after war ends

Damage to the Weizmann Institute of Science from an Iranian missile strike in Rehovot, Thursday, June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
Politics

'Catastrophic loss': Iranian blow to Weizmann’s war-linked facilities

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS