A newly shared video Andrew Lloyd Webber offers a rare glimpse into the development of The Phantom of the Opera. In the footage, the composer plays through material from the score of the musical, walking director Hal Prince through his latest melodies during the show’s formative stages.
See the pair at work on the sequence that would become the Phantom and Christine’s ghostly boat ride through the catacombs and more here:
The Phantom of the Opera premiered in London’s West End in 1986 and has since been seen by more than 160 million people in 205 cities across 58 territories and 21 languages. Featuring a score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the musical includes such songs as “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” “Masquerade,” and the title song.
Based on Gaston Leroux’s novel, the musical follows a mysterious figure known as the Phantom, who lives beneath the Paris Opera House. When he becomes captivated by the voice of young soprano Christine Daaé, he takes her under his wing and helps launch her career. As Christine grows closer to her childhood friend Raoul, the Phantom’s devotion turns into obsession, setting the stage for a story of love, jealousy and tragedy.
