The final curtain on Sunday night’s performance of Phantom of the Opera marked the end of its record 35-year run on Broadway and was met with “thunderous standing ovations, champagne toasts and gold and silver confetti bursting from its famous chandelier,” according to The Associated Press. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, taking to the stage surrounded by both current and former cast members, dedicated the performance to his late son, Nicholas, who died after a battle withgastric cancer in March last year. “When he was a little boy, he heard some of this music,” Lloyd Webber said. The show’s original star, Sarah Brightman, who was holding Webber’s hand, added: “When Andrew was writing it, he was right there. So his son is with us. Nick, we love you very much.” While it had weathered many financial storms, the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to be the final nail in Phantom’s coffin. However, producer Cameron Mackintosh hinted there may be hope left for a triumphant return. “The one question I keep getting asked again and again — will the Phantom return? Having been a producer for over 55 years, I’ve seen all the great musicals return, and ‘Phantom’ is one of the greatest,” he said. “So, it’s only a matter of time.”
