Love Never Dies is a romantic musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music. Glenn Slater wrote the lyrics. The story was written by Lloyd Webber, Ben Elton, Frederick Forsyth, and Slater. It follows the 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera. However, the story is not based on the original 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux. Lloyd Webber said, "I don't think of this as a sequel. It's a separate story." Later, he said, "It is a sequel, but you don't need to have seen Phantom of the Opera to understand Love Never Dies." Glenn Slater explained that Lloyd Webber "viewed it more as 'a second story with these characters'." The musical is set in 1907, which is about ten years after the end of the original Phantom. However, the original Phantom story actually took place in 1881.

In the show, Christine Daaé is invited by Oscar Hammerstein I for her American debut. However, an anonymous manager, using the fake name Mr. Y, contracts her to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction on Coney Island. With her husband Raoul and son Gustave, she travels to Brooklyn. She does not know that the Phantom arranged her appearance at the popular beach resort.

Lloyd Webber began working on Love Never Dies in 1990. He started writing the music in 2007. The show opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London's West End on March 9, 2010, with previews starting February 22, 2010. Jack O'Brien directed the show, and Jerry Mitchell choreographed it. Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess starred in the original production. However, the show closed for four days in November 2010 for major changes. Lloyd Webber oversaw the rewrites, and the show reopened with new direction by Bill Kenwright. Bob Crowley designed the sets and costumes. The original London production received mostly negative reviews.

A later Australian production, starring Ben Lewis and Anna O'Byrne, included new designs and changes. This version was better received, but the show eventually closed with many discounted tickets. A planned Broadway production, which was to open at the same time as the West End run, was canceled. Negative reviews discouraged potential supporters. In 2023, the revised Australian version of the show had its West End premiere in a concert format. Norm Lewis and Celinde Schoenmaker starred in this performance.

Background

It is not necessary to have seen The Phantom of the Opera to understand Love Never Dies. However, if someone chooses to watch both musicals together, they may notice how the story continues and develops further.

Andrew Lloyd Webber began planning a sequel to his 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera in 1990. After discussing the idea with Maria Björnson, the original set designer, he decided the sequel would take place in New York City at the start of the 20th century. At first, he imagined the Phantom living in Manhattan’s first penthouse, but he changed his mind after watching a TV documentary about Coney Island. He then worked with author Frederick Forsyth on the project, but the collaboration ended because Webber felt their ideas were hard to turn into a musical.

For his 50th birthday concert in 1998, Kiri Te Kanawa performed a song called The Heart Is Slow To Learn, which was written for Forsyth’s version of the musical. This song was later changed into the title song of Love Never Dies. Forsyth published some of his ideas with Webber in 1999 as a novel titled The Phantom of Manhattan.

Webber returned to the project in 2006 and worked with several writers and directors. He still believed the ideas were difficult to adapt for the stage. In early 2007, he asked Ben Elton, who had worked on The Beautiful Game, to help create a story based on his original ideas. Elton focused on the original characters from The Phantom of the Opera and left out new characters that Webber and Forsyth had created. Webber liked Elton’s version and began working on the sequel. In March 2007, he announced the project would move forward. When he asked lyricist Glenn Slater to join, Slater said the idea sounded “terrible.”

The project faced delays when Webber’s six-month-old kitten, Otto, a rare Turkish Van cat, climbed onto his Clavinova digital piano and deleted the entire musical score. Webber could not recover the music from the instrument but eventually rebuilt it. In 2008, he announced the musical would likely be called Phantom: Once Upon Another Time. The first act was performed at his Sydmonton Festival, with Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom and Alistair Robbins as Raoul. However, in September 2008, Webber changed the title to Love Never Dies. Other workshop readings featured Aaron Lazar and Elena Shaddow as Raoul and Christine.

On July 3, 2009, Webber announced that Karimloo and Sierra Boggess, who had played Christine in Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular, would star in Love Never Dies. Summer Strallen would play Meg Giry, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry, and Joseph Millson as Raoul. Niamh Perry, an I’d Do Anything finalist, was cast as Fleck.

Webber originally planned to open the musical in London, New York, and Shanghai in autumn 2009. By March 2009, he decided to open in London first, followed by Toronto and Shanghai. The three casts would rehearse together in London for three months starting in August 2009. Opening dates were set for October 26, 2009, in London; November in Toronto; and February 2010 in Shanghai, with later plans for Melbourne, Australia. A separate Broadway production was planned if the Toronto show was successful. However, delays occurred due to Webber reworking the score, technical issues with special effects, and challenges in managing multiple productions. By October 2009, plans for Shanghai were canceled in favor of an Australian production.

On October 8, 2009, Webber held a press conference at Her Majesty’s Theatre, where The Phantom of the Opera had been running since 1986. He confirmed Boggess and Karimloo as Christine and the Phantom. Karimloo performed Til I Hear You Sing, and an orchestra played The Coney Island Waltz for attendees. Webber announced that Love Never Dies would begin previews in London on February 20, 2010, and the Broadway production was expected to open on November 11, 2010. However, the Broadway opening was postponed and has not happened to date. Rehearsals began in January 2010.

Score

At Phantasma, the stage music is not from fictional operas. Instead, it comes from related pieces of the Savoy Operas. These operas were often burlesques and sometimes performed at the Opéra Comique. Many burlesques were based on existing French operas. During the Victorian era, almost every popular opera was turned into a burlesque.

Productions

The first preview of Love Never Dies was moved from 20 to 22 February 2010 because the actor playing Christine, Sierra Boggess, was briefly ill, and there were last-minute technical problems. The show officially opened on 9 March 2010. Jack O'Brien directed the production, and Jerry Mitchell created the choreography. Bob Crowley designed the sets and costumes. The cast included Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine, Joseph Millson as Raoul, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry, Summer Strallen as Meg Giry, and Niamh Perry as Fleck. In April 2010, Andrew Lloyd Webber faced a possible £20,000 fine for painting the Grade II-listed Adelphi Theatre black to promote the show, which is against the law for historic buildings.

In November 2010, Lloyd Webber closed the London production for a few days to make changes after poor reviews. Critics noted that the lyrics were revised by Charles Hart to improve the original lines written by Glenn Slater. Others said that new choreographer Bill Deamer and producer Bill Kenwright helped make the show more lively. The London production ended on 27 August 2011 after less than eighteen months. Lloyd Webber later said he was proud of the show but admitted it had some problems, including his own health challenges before the production began.

Plans for a Broadway production were delayed until spring 2011. Lloyd Webber also mentioned plans for Asian and Canadian shows, but these were later canceled. After negative reactions from Phantom fans, an executive producer said changes would likely happen before the show opened on Broadway. However, it was announced on 1 October 2010 that the Broadway opening would not happen in 2011. To date, Love Never Dies has not played on Broadway.

In 2016, Paule Constable, the lighting designer for the original production, said working on Love Never Dies almost made her quit the theater industry.

In 2010, Lloyd Webber announced that the Australian production would open on 21 May 2011 at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre. This was the first production outside the UK and featured new direction and design by an Australian team, including director Simon Phillips. Ben Lewis and Anna O’Byrne were the leads. Phillips said the negative reactions to the London show were not about the story itself, as Love Never Dies is not a sequel to the original Phantom novel. He also said the plot, which includes the Phantom and Christine sleeping together, requires the audience to accept the story to enjoy the show.

Lloyd Webber hoped to bring the Australian production to Broadway but told The New York Times that a Broadway transfer was unlikely even after the Australian show was improved. The Australian production was filmed on 15 September 2011 and released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2012, though the release was delayed. The film was shown in theaters in 2012 and later in U.S. cinemas. Lloyd Webber said he was proud of the film, even if a Broadway production never happened. The Australian production closed on 18 December 2011.

The Australian production moved to Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, opening on 12 January 2012. It ended on 1 April 2012. Reports said the show had mixed reviews and struggled with ticket sales, closing after seven months in Melbourne and three months in Sydney.

In 2012, Det Ny Teater in Copenhagen, Denmark, announced a production of Love Never Dies opening on 24 October 2012. It featured Tomas Ambt Kofod and Bo Kristian Jensen sharing the role of the Phantom, and Louise Fribo as Christine. New designs and choreography were created for this production. The show closed on 21 April 2013.

A German-language concert version of Love Never Dies was held in Vienna, Austria, in October 2013 at the Raimund Theater. Drew Sarich played the Phantom.

A Japanese production opened in March 2014 at Tokyo’s Nissay Theatre, using designs from the Australian version. Masachika Ichimura and Takeshi Kaga played the Phantom, and other actors took roles as Christine, Raoul, and supporting characters.

In 2015, the German branch of Stage Entertainment announced a production of Love Never Dies at Hamburg’s Operettenhaus. The show was translated as Liebe stirbt nie and based on the Australian version. However, it closed early due to low ticket sales.

A touring version of the Hamburg production, in English, traveled North America from 2017 to 2018. It started in Utica, New York, and ended in Austin, Texas. The cast included Gardar Thor Cortes and Bronson Norris Murphy as the Phantom, Meghan Picerno and Rachel Anne Moore as Christine, and other actors in supporting roles.

In January 2019, Love Never Dies returned to Tokyo’s Nissay Theatre for a limited season. Masachika Ichimura and Kanji Ishimaru played the Phantom, and other actors took roles as Christine, Raoul, and supporting characters.

In January 2020, it was announced that the Australian production would begin its first-ever world tour.

Synopsis (original London version)

Madame Giry walks alone on a lonely pier at night, remembering an amusement park called Phantasma, which was once known as Coney Island's "City of Wonders." The ghost of Miss Fleck, a performer in the freak show who worked with Giry at the park, appears from the darkness ("Prologue"). When Fleck urges Giry to remember the "good old days" and accuses her of causing "what happened," the audience is suddenly taken back in time. The old, worn billboards are restored, the lights of Phantasma shine again, and a group of the park's performers appear in a dreamlike scene ("The Coney Island Waltz/That's the Place That You Ruined, You Fool!").

Ten years have passed since the events at the Paris Opera House, and the story now takes place at Phantasma on Coney Island in New York. A group of excited vacationers arrives, amazed by the park's attractions. They talk about the park's reclusive, masked owner, a wealthy man known only as Mr. Y ("Heaven by the Sea").

Meg Giry, Christine Daae's friend from the Opera who was more curious than afraid of the Phantom in the past, is now a headlining burlesque performer at Phantasma. Madame Giry, Meg's mother and former ballet mistress at the Opera, is now a business manager and choreographer for the show. Both Meg and her mother want to gain favor with their employer to secure their future. As Meg prepares for a performance as "the ooh la la girl," she wonders if it will please Mr. Y ("Only for Him/Only for You"). After the show, Madame Giry tells Meg that she has arranged for her to meet an important client, hinting that Meg has secretly performed favors for key individuals to help Phantasma succeed financially and politically.

In a dark, private room in a tower above the park, the Phantom (now revealed as Phantasma's owner) interacts with an automaton that looks like Christine ("The Aerie"). Despite his many successes, the Phantom still longs to reunite with her ("Til I Hear You Sing"). Meg interrupts and asks for feedback on her performance, but the Phantom ignores her, lost in thoughts of Christine. Madame Giry is upset that the Phantom still thinks only of Christine, even though she and Meg have helped him escape to America years ago. Giry explains how she and Meg helped him flee Paris and travel to America on a ship from Calais. The Phantom ignores her and sends Miss Fleck, along with two other performers, Dr. Gangle and Mr. Squelch, to deliver a letter to Christine, inviting her to perform at Phantasma ("Giry Confronts The Phantom/Til' I Hear You Sing (Reprise)").

Three months later, Christine arrives in New York with her husband Raoul and their son Gustave. They are greeted by crowds of reporters at the dock ("Christine Disembarks"). People nearby suggest Christine has not performed in a long time and that Raoul has lost much of their money due to drinking and gambling. The Phantom's performers—Fleck, Gangle, and Squelch—arrive in a strange carriage pulled by a "ghost" horse and take Christine and her family to Coney Island ("Arrival of the Trio/Are You Ready to Begin?").

In their rooms, Raoul is upset that their host sent circus performers to greet them ("What a Dreadful Town!…"). He makes Gustave feel bad by refusing to play with him and leaves to find a bar, leaving Christine to explain his behavior to their son ("Look With Your Heart"). When Gustave goes to sleep, the Phantom enters and tells Christine that he invited her to perform at Phantasma. At first angry, Christine eventually remembers a secret evening she shared with the Phantom before marrying Raoul. They recall their one night of passion, and Christine admits she once planned to leave Raoul for the Phantom but woke up alone. The Phantom explains he fled out of fear she would reject him when she saw his face in the morning light ("Beneath a Moonless Sky"). They agree their love could not work now ("Once Upon Another Time"). They are startled by a scream from Gustave, who wakes from a nightmare and runs into the room ("Mother Please, I'm Scared!"). Christine introduces the Phantom as an old friend named Mr. Y, and he promises to show Gustave around Phantasma the next day.

In the rehearsal studio at Phantasma, Meg is surprised to see Christine, who tells her she was invited to sing. Meanwhile, Raoul meets Madame Giry and learns the Phantom brought them to Coney Island ("Dear Old Friend").

Later, the freak show trio takes Gustave to meet the Phantom in the Aerie, where the boy is fascinated by the strange inventions on display. When Gustave plays a sad melody on the piano, the Phantom is reminded of his time with Christine and wonders if the boy could be his son ("Beautiful"). The Phantom asks Gustave about his interests and finds they are similar. Believing Gustave can see past appearances, the Phantom removes his mask to reveal his face. Gustave is shocked and screams, but Christine enters and calms the boy. When the Phantom confronts Christine about Gustave's possible parentage, she admits the child is his. The Phantom vows to dedicate his life to Gustave ("The Phantom Confronts Christine"). Unbeknownst to them, Madame Giry overhears and is furious, believing her efforts to help the Phantom were wasted.

A drunk Raoul sits alone in a dark bar, thinking about his relationship with Christine ("Why Does She Love Me?"). Meg enters and warns him that New York is not safe for his family, urging them to leave immediately. Raoul refuses, saying they need the money, and boasts he is not afraid of the Phantom. Unaware, the Phantom has replaced the barman. When Meg leaves, the Phantom confronts Raoul, making him doubt his claim to be Gustave's father. The Phantom offers Raoul a bet: if Christine fails to perform, he will pay their debts and let them leave together. If she sings, Raoul must return to France alone. Raoul agrees, then panics about

Synopsis (2011 Australian version)

Ten years after the events at the Paris Opera, the Phantom is now a well-known business leader and the main planner of Phantasma, a Coney Island amusement park. Despite his success, he is troubled by the absence of Christine Daaé in his life and longs to hear her sing again ("Til I Hear You Sing"). At Phantasma, a group of unique performers (Dr. Gangle, Miss Fleck, and Mr. Squelch) introduce the wonders of Coney Island ("The Coney Island Waltz"). Meg Giry, Christine's friend from the Paris Opera, has become "The Ooh La La Girl" in The Phantom's vaudeville show, which Madame Giry produces. Meg and the Phantasma cast win the crowd over with their performance ("Only for You"). Madame Giry has read in the newspaper that Christine is coming to New York to sing for Oscar Hammerstein I at the opening of his new Manhattan opera house. She expresses concern that Meg has lost the attention of the Phantom and reminisces about how she and Meg smuggled him from Paris, France to New York City ten years ago. Meg ignores her mother's warnings and looks with joy towards her old friend coming to visit after such a long time ("Ten Long Years").

Christine, Raoul, and their ten-year-old son Gustave arrive in New York and are met by crowds of paparazzi ("Christine Disembarks"). They are greeted by Gangle, Fleck, and Squelch, who arrive in a horseless carriage, to take them to Coney Island ("Are You Ready to Begin?").

Raoul is angry at the reception ("What a Dreadful Town!") and upsets Gustave by not playing with him. When Raoul departs in response to an invitation to meet Hammerstein in the hotel bar, Gustave asks Christine why his father seems not to love him. Christine encourages Gustave to look past the surface to try to help him understand ("Look With Your Heart"). When Gustave goes to bed, the Phantom appears on the balcony and Christine faints in shock, having believed him dead. He carries her to a chair, where she awakens and the two recall a night of passion before Christine's wedding, and the Phantom explains why he felt compelled to leave her side afterwards ("Beneath a Moonless Sky"). Moving to the balcony, the pair sadly remember how they once thought their love had a chance of succeeding ("Once Upon Another Time"). The Phantom offers to pay Christine twice Hammerstein's price if she will sing just one song that he has written for her, but Christine refuses. Gustave wakes up screaming from a nightmare and interrupts them ("Mother Please, I'm Scared!") and Christine introduces him to the Phantom for the first time. The Phantom promises to show Gustave all of Phantasma the next day. After Gustave returns to bed, The Phantom threatens to abduct the boy unless Christine agrees to sing for him again. A shaken Christine relents and the Phantom leaves her with the sheet music for the song he has written.

In the rehearsal studio for Phantasma, Meg is dismayed and hurt to learn that Christine has been assigned the "leading lady slot" in the show. Raoul encounters Madame Giry and discovers that the Phantom is the mysterious Mr. Y for whom Christine will be singing now ("Dear Old Friend"). Gangle, Fleck, and Squelch bring Gustave to the Aerie, where he is greeted by the Phantom. Child prodigy Gustave sings and plays a melody on the piano ("Beautiful") that leads the Phantom to suspect he is Gustave's father ("He plays like me! He's just ten years old…ten years old"). The Phantom questions Gustave as he shows him around the dark wonders, illusions, and freaks of Phantasma and discovers that they are kindred spirits. He unmasks himself, believing Gustave will accept him, but Gustave screams in horror and flees ("The Beauty Underneath"). Christine comforts Gustave and then asks Meg to take him back to the hotel. When pressed by the Phantom, Christine confesses that Gustave is his son ("The Phantom Confronts Christine"). The Phantom makes Christine promise to never tell Gustave that Raoul is not his real father. Christine gives her word and vows to sing for him once more, and then leaves him alone. Stunned by what has transpired, the Phantom declares that everything he creates and owns will be inherited by Gustave. An eavesdropping Madame Giry becomes enraged at the realization that all she and Meg have done for the Phantom over the years has been for nothing ("Ten Long Years").

In a gloomy bar, Raoul contemplates his relationship with Christine. He is joined by Meg, who tells him she swims each day to wash away the stress of working. She tells Raoul that he must leave with Christine and Gustave and runs out of the bar ("Why Does She Love Me?"). Raoul says he is not afraid of the Phantom. Suddenly, the Phantom reveals himself to Raoul and they make a bet that if Christine sings, the Phantom wins and if she doesn't, Raoul wins. If Raoul wins the bet, the Phantom will pay his debts and Raoul can leave with Christine and Gustave. However, if the Phantom wins, Christine and Gustave will remain in America with him and Raoul must return to Paris alone. The Phantom also leads Raoul to question Gustave's paternity ("Devil Take the Hindmost"). Fleck, Squelch, and Gangle appear to advertise Christine's appearance at Phantasma ("Invitation to the Concert"). That night, Meg performs a strip-tease about her choice of swimming costumes ("Bathing Beauty"). She successfully impresses the audience, but Madame Giry reveals to Meg that the Phantom did not watch the performance, saying it was for nothing ("Mother, Did You Watch?").

In Christine's dressing room, Gustave helps his mother get ready for the show. Raoul arrives and Christine asks Gustave to wait for his father backstage. Raoul begs Christine not to sing, and to leave New York with him if she really loves him. Christine asks for some time and Raoul leaves. The Phantom enters and tells Christine that Raoul's love is not enough, and that she must sing for him and embrace her destiny ("Before The Performance"). Christine recalls the events at the Opera where she had to decide between Raoul and the Phantom ("Twisted Every Way").

Characters and original cast

Below is a list of the main roles played by the original English-speaking cast members in the musical Love Never Dies.

Musical numbers

The Original Concept Album was released in March 2010. It reached the highest position at number 10 on the UK Albums Chart, number 1 in Greece, number 8 in New Zealand, and number 15 in Denmark. The songs on the album appear in the following order.

The Original London production included all the songs from the Concept Album. However, the show was revised several times, and many songs were rearranged or removed. Charles Hart, one of the original lyricists from The Phantom of the Opera, was brought in to help with the revisions. Below are the songs as they appeared in the final version of the London Production.

Symbols:
– denotes new lyrics by Charles Hart.
* denotes a new song with lyrics by Hart.
** denotes a new scene or song with lyrics by Glenn Slater.

The Original (reworked) Australian production included many songs from the revised London production, with new staging. The revised script is the version used in later productions. New lyrics were added by Charles Hart, the original lyricist of The Phantom of the Opera. Staging and songs for the Australian and later productions:

Notes: ✝ denotes new lyrics by Charles Hart, the original lyricist of The Phantom of the Opera.

The Copenhagen and Tokyo productions translated the script from English to Danish (by Karen Hoffmann) and Japanese (by Ryu Machiko).

Recordings

The first song made available to the public was "The Coney Island Waltz." It was shared on the musical's official website as part of a teaser trailer video for Love Never Dies in September 2009. The teaser combined clips from the 2009 London EPK video of The Phantom of the Opera (featuring Gina Beck, Ramin Karimloo, and Simon Bailey) with black-and-white film footage of immigrants arriving in New York City by ship and images of Coney Island. Later in 2009, the official website released "The Coney Island Waltz" as a sample track and as a free music download for customers who pre-ordered the Love Never Dies studio recording album. The music video for "The Coney Island Waltz" uses archival film footage of Coney Island.

The song "Til I Hear You Sing," performed by Ramin Karimloo, was the first single from the musical. It was previewed on The Mail on Sunday website on February 20, 2010, and shared elsewhere on February 22, 2010. The song is a love ballad about a man expressing his desire to hear the voice of the person he loves after many years. The promotional music video showed a clip of Ramin Karimloo's live performance at the October 8, 2009, London press launch. The video was made available the same day, showing Karimloo singing on a blue-lit stage while Sierra Boggess sat quietly on a throne. The official music video features Karimloo singing in a flat with projector images in the background and a visual of Boggess floating.

On January 26, 2010, the title song "Love Never Dies" was first performed publicly at The South Bank Show Awards. Sierra Boggess sang it, accompanied by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Louise Hunt on two grand pianos. The performance was broadcast on ITV1 on January 31, 2010. The melody of "Love Never Dies" is the same as Lloyd Webber's song "Our Kind of Love" from The Beautiful Game (2000) and "The Heart is Slow to Learn," which was intended for a Phantom sequel and performed by Kiri Te Kanawa in 1998. The song also shares a similar melody with Charles Williams' "Jealous Lover" from the 1949 film The Romantic Age. "Jealous Lover" was later renamed "Theme from The Apartment" for the 1960 film The Apartment.

In late 2009, Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins was asked by Lloyd Webber to record her version of "Love Never Dies." The song appears as the first track on the special edition of Jenkins' album Believe, released in the UK on March 29, 2010. Jenkins performed the song with Lloyd Webber on the ITV1 show Dancing on Ice on February 28, 2010. Lloyd Webber stated that Jenkins' voice, a mezzo-soprano, did not match the musical's requirements, which called for a soprano like Sierra Boggess.

Japanese singer Ayaka Hirahara recorded a Japanese version of "Love Never Dies" as a bonus track on the Japanese release of the soundtrack album. The song was also recorded in Mandarin by Liping Zhang and in Korean by Sumi Jo.

The concept album for Love Never Dies was recorded between 2008 and 2009, using an 80- to 90-piece orchestra. Lloyd Webber disliked the orchestrations in the second act, so he had half the album re-recorded. John Barrowman originally sang the role of Raoul on the concept album but was replaced by Joseph Millson, who was cast as Raoul for the stage production when the album was re-recorded. Sally Dexter, who performed Madame Giry on the album, was replaced by Liz Robertson in the musical. The album was completed in September 2009 and scheduled for release on March 10, 2010, the day after the show's London opening. Preview clips of all tracks became available online on February 8, 2010, at Amazon.co.uk.

A cast recording of the original production was released on March 8, 2010, by Polydor Records in the UK and on March 9, 2010, by Decca Records in North America. It reached No. 82 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Billboard Cast Album chart, and No. 10 on the UK Albums Chart. It also charted at No. 1 in Greece, No. 14 in Taiwan, No. 8 in New Zealand, and No. 15 in Denmark.

The Love Never Dies Deluxe Edition [Original Cast Recording] was released on March 8, 2010, in the UK and March 9, 2010, in North America. It includes 2 audio CDs and 1 DVD-Video. The DVD features interviews, filmed footage, and a 40-page booklet with the full libretto.

The Love Never Dies [Original Cast Recording] was released on March 8, 2010, in the UK and March 9, 2010, in North America. It includes 2 audio CDs. Both versions have the same 19 tracks on Disc 1 and 13 tracks on Disc 2, with each disc matching an act. A digital version of the double CD album was also available on the Love Never Dies official online store.

The Love Never Dies Asian edition was released on March 30, 2010, in North America. It includes 2 audio CDs and 2 bonus tracks: the Mandarin version of "Love Never Dies" by Liping Zhang and the Korean version by Sumi Jo.

The Love Never Dies 2018 Studio Cast was released on February 15, 2018. It includes 2 audio CDs and features an album-only track titled "Conclusion."

The original Australian production of the musical, starring Ben Lewis, Anna O'Byrne, Simon Gleeson, Sharon Millerchip, and Maria Mercedes, was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on May 29, 2012, by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Reception

After Love Never Dies opened in London on March 9, 2010, most critics gave it negative reviews. One of the few positive reviews came from Paul Taylor of The Independent, who gave the show five stars. He praised the production's technical quality, the orchestra's performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's music, and the creative designs by Bob Crowley and Jon Driscoll. He described the sets as richly detailed, with elements inspired by Art Nouveau and special effects that created a vivid, imaginative setting.

In contrast, Ben Brantley of The New York Times gave the show zero stars, calling it "gaudy" and unoriginal. He compared the production to a "clown in a carnival dunking booth," suggesting it was eager to be criticized.

Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph gave the show four stars, calling it Lloyd Webber's best work since Phantom of the Opera. He praised the music's emotional depth but noted the show might not appeal to a wide audience. Paul Callan of The Daily Express also gave it four stars, calling it a clever sequel to Phantom and worth seeing for Lloyd Webber's fans.

Michael Billington of The Guardian gave the show three stars, saying the music was strong but the story lacked depth. He compared the production to a diamond that could shine if set properly but was not fully realized. Tim Walker of The Sunday Telegraph praised the special effects and performances but said the show lacked a memorable "showstopper."

Benedict Nightingale of The Times gave the show two stars, suggesting audiences should see Phantom instead. Henry Hitchings of The Evening Standard criticized the story as predictable and the music as uneven. David Benedict of Variety called the show "torpid" and said it needed a major rewrite to succeed.

Susannah Clapp of The Observer called the show "drab" and "lacking tension," while Sam Marlowe of Time Out London gave it one star, calling it "ghastly" and "wearisome." Other negative reviews appeared in The Financial Times, Entertainment Weekly, and The Arts Desk.

Dave Itzkoff of The New York Times reported that fans were not enthusiastic about the show. A Facebook group called "Love Should Die" criticized the production as a poor follow-up to Phantom. Some bloggers humorously changed the title to "Paint Never Dries."

The show received mixed reviews in Melbourne and Sydney, where it was generally better received than in London. Chris Boyd of The Australian called it "a missed opportunity," praising some musical moments but noting the story lacked cohesion. Jason Blake of The Sydney Morning Herald highlighted the creative staging and attention to detail in the production.