The Phantom of the Opera is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, and a story written by Lloyd Webber and Stilgoe. It is based on the 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux. The story follows Christine Daaé, a talented soprano, who becomes the focus of a mysterious and disfigured musical genius who lives in an underground maze beneath the Paris Opera House.

The musical first opened in London’s West End in 1986 and on Broadway in New York in 1988. It was directed by Harold Prince and featured Sarah Brightman as Christine Daaé, Michael Crawford as the Phantom, and Steve Barton as Raoul. The musical won the 1986 Olivier Award and the 1988 Tony Award for Best Musical. Michael Crawford also won both awards for Best Actor in a Musical. A movie version, directed by Joel Schumacher, was released in 2004.

The Phantom of the Opera holds the record for the longest-running show on Broadway. It reached its 10,000th performance on February 11, 2012, becoming the first Broadway production to achieve this milestone. It is the second-longest-running West End musical, after Les Misérables, and the third-longest-running West End show overall, after The Mousetrap. The musical has earned more than $6 billion worldwide and over $1 billion on Broadway. It was the most financially successful entertainment event until The Lion King surpassed it in 2014. By 2019, the musical had been seen by over 140 million people in 183 cities across 41 countries.

The original West End production at His Majesty’s Theatre in London ended in March 2020 because of the shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A smaller, revised version of the show opened in July 2021 with a smaller orchestra and redesigned set. The original Broadway production played its final show on April 16, 2023.

Synopsis

In 1919, the Paris Opéra House holds an auction of theatre items. Raoul de Chagny is among the attendees and buys Lot 665, a papier-mâché music box with a monkey figurine. He says in a mysterious way that it looks "exactly as she said." The next item, Lot 666, is a broken chandelier with parts fixed using electrical wires. The auctioneer mentions that this chandelier was involved in a famous disaster linked to "the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained." The auctioneer tells assistants to turn on the chandelier. As the overture plays, the chandelier lights up and rises to the ceiling, making the opera house look like it did before ("Overture").

In 1881, the cast of a new opera, Hannibal, rehearses ("Hannibal Rehearsal"). Carlotta, the Opéra's main soprano, starts singing a song when a backdrop falls, causing the chorus girls to shout, "He's here! The Phantom of the Opera!" The new owners, Firmin and André, say it's not a big deal, but Carlotta leaves the stage. Madame Giry, the ballet mistress, suggests that Christine Daaé, a chorus girl and daughter of a famous Swedish violinist, has learned well and can sing Carlotta's role. Since cancelling the show is the only other option, the managers audition Christine and find her talented. During the evening performance, Christine sings the song, and Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, recognizes her as his childhood friend ("Think of Me").

After Christine's successful first performance, she tells her friend Meg, Madame Giry's daughter, that her singing is inspired by an unseen teacher she calls the "Angel of Music" ("Angel of Music"). Raoul visits Christine in her dressing room, and they talk about stories her father used to tell about the "Angel of Music." Christine says the Angel has taught her to sing ("Little Lotte"). Raoul assumes these are fantasies and offers to take her to dinner. When Raoul leaves, Christine hears the Phantom's voice and asks him to show himself. The Phantom appears in her mirror ("The Mirror/Angel of Music (Reprise)"). Christine becomes dazed and is drawn through the mirror to the Phantom, who takes her to his hidden underground home ("The Phantom of the Opera"). The Phantom explains he has chosen Christine to sing his music. A mirror shows Christine in a wedding dress; when the reflection reaches out, Christine faints. The Phantom lays her on a bed and covers her with his cloak ("The Music of the Night").

As the Phantom composes music at his organ, Christine wakes up to the sound of the monkey music box ("I Remember"). She sneaks behind the Phantom, lifts his mask, and sees his disfigured face. The Phantom yells at her for prying, then sadly says he wants to be loved ("Stranger Than You Dreamt It"). Feeling pity, Christine returns the mask, and the Phantom takes her back above ground.

Joseph Buquet, the Opéra's chief stagehand, tells stories about the "Opéra Ghost" and his dangerous Punjab lasso. Madame Giry warns Buquet to stop ("Magical Lasso"). Arguments happen in the managers' office between Firmin, André, Raoul, and Carlotta over notes from the Phantom, including a demand that Christine replace Carlotta in the new opera, Il Muto ("Notes"). Firmin and André promise Carlotta

Development

In 1984, Andrew Lloyd Webber reached out to Cameron Mackintosh, who helped produce the musicals Cats and Song and Dance, to suggest creating a new musical. He wanted a romantic and sad story and proposed using the book The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux as a starting point. They watched the 1925 film starring Lon Chaney and the 1943 film with Claude Rains, but neither found a clear way to turn the story into a stage production. Later, Lloyd Webber found a used copy of the original novel, which gave him the inspiration to create the musical. He said, "I was writing something else at the time, and I realized the reason I was stuck was because I was trying to write a major romantic story, and I had been trying to do that since I started my career. Then with The Phantom, it was there!"

Lloyd Webber first asked Jim Steinman to write the lyrics because of his "dark obsessive side," but Steinman declined to focus on a Bonnie Tyler album. Alan Jay Lerner (1918–1986) was then brought on, but he became seriously ill and had to leave the project; his work, mostly on the song "Masquerade," is not credited in the show. Richard Stilgoe, the lyricist for Starlight Express, was hired next and wrote most of the original lyrics. Later, Charles Hart, a young and less-known lyricist, rewrote many of the lyrics and created the lyrics for "Think of Me." Some of Stilgoe’s original lyrics remain in the final version.

Influenced by an earlier musical version of the same story by Ken Hill, Lloyd Webber’s score sometimes has an operatic style but keeps the structure of a musical. Full operatic sections are used mainly for characters like André, Firmin, Carlotta, and Piangi. These sections also include music from fictional operas within the show, such as Hannibal, Il Muto, and the Phantom’s opera, Don Juan Triumphant. Lloyd Webber borrowed styles from operas by composers like Meyerbeer, Mozart, and Gilbert and Sullivan. These pieces are often shown as short musical segments, interrupted by dialogue or action to highlight the "show within a show" format. The Phantom’s opera, Don Juan Triumphant, includes modern, dissonant music, which may suggest the Phantom is artistically ahead of his time.

In the musical’s title song, a five-note descending musical phrase from the major root to the flat sixth below is similar to a musical phrase used by Pink Floyd in their 1971 song "Echoes" from the album Meddle. Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters expressed disappointment about this similarity in a 1992 interview.

Maria Björnson designed the sets and over 200 costumes, including the detailed gowns in the "Masquerade" scene. Her set designs, such as the chandelier, underground gondola, and grand staircase, won her many awards. Hal Prince, who directed Cabaret, Candide, Follies, and Evita, directed the production. Gillian Lynne, who worked on the choreography for Cats, created the musical staging and choreography for The Phantom of the Opera.

A preview of the first act was performed at Sydmonton Court (Lloyd Webber’s home) in 1985. Colm Wilkinson (later the star of the Toronto production) played the Phantom, Sarah Brightman played Christine (later renamed), and Clive Carter played Raoul. David Burt performed as Monsieur Firmin, and Jeff Shankley played Monsieur André. This early version used Richard Stilgoe’s original lyrics, and some song titles were later changed, such as "What Has Time Done to Me" to "Think of Me" and "Papers" to "Notes." The Phantom’s original mask covered his entire face and stayed on during the performance, making it hard for the actor to see and speak clearly. Maria Björnson designed the now-famous half-mask, and the unmasking scene was added. Clips from this preview were included in the 2004 film’s DVD.

Productions

The Phantom of the Opera began previews at Her Majesty's Theatre in London's West End on September 27, 1986, under the direction of Hal Prince. It officially opened on October 9. Gillian Lynne choreographed the show, and Maria Björnson designed the sets. Andrew Bridge handled the lighting. Michael Crawford played the Phantom, Sarah Brightman was Christine, Steve Barton was Raoul, Rosemary Ashe was Carlotta, David Firth was Monsieur André, John Savident was Monsieur Firmin, Mary Millar was Madame Giry, Janet Devenish was Meg Giry, and John Aron was Piangi. When Crawford, Brightman, and Barton left to start the Broadway production, they were replaced by Dave Willetts, Claire Moore, and Michael Ball. The show reached its 10,000th performance on October 23, 2010, with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Michael Crawford in attendance. The 30th anniversary was on October 10, 2016, with a special appearance by the original cast. It is the second longest-running musical in West End history, behind Les Misérables, and third overall, behind The Mousetrap.

The production paused on March 16, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following month, it was announced that the show would close longer to repair the sets and theatre. In July 2020, photos of the sets, props, and costumes being removed from Her Majesty's Theatre were shared online. Since Andrew Mackintosh had recently closed the original 1985 London production of Les Misérables to replace it with a new version, people wondered if The Phantom of the Opera would also be changed or replaced. On July 28, 2020, Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber confirmed that the original London production would close permanently after 33 years, but they said they wanted the musical to return to the West End.

The Really Useful Group denied that the original production was closing forever, saying the closure was only to repair the theatre and that the show would return unchanged. They did not confirm if the original 27-piece orchestra would return. In October 2020, Mackintosh said the new version based on the 2020 UK tour would reopen at Her Majesty's Theatre after the pandemic.

On December 4, 2020, Mackintosh confirmed the original London production had officially ended, with investors receiving closing notices. The 2020 tour version would move to Her Majesty's Theatre. A planned reopening was set for July 27, 2021. Redesigns of Maria Björnson's sets were confirmed, including removing the Angel statue, reducing the mobility of the travelator and candelabra, and fewer grotesques on the proscenium. On April 12, 2021, it was confirmed that the original orchestra would be reduced from 27 to 14 players. On April 15, 2021, Mackintosh said the original staging would not return, and the designs, direction, and choreography would be changed by a new team. The 2020 tour redesigns would replace the original sets at Her Majesty's Theatre. Full casting for the new production was announced on April 27, 2021, with all previous cast members leaving the show.

The show returned in a smaller version at Her Majesty's Theatre on July 27, 2021. Although Andrew Lloyd Webber called it "substantially identical" to the original, the new staging had fewer details, such as 14 musicians instead of 27. Changes included removing Maria Björnson's sculptures on the proscenium, replacing the levitating Angel statue with a replica, and reducing the number of candles on the lake. The original red curtain was replaced with a painted flat, and the travelator bridge was less mobile. The black velour and paint around the proscenium were removed, returning the stage boxes to their original colors. The reopening cast included Killian Donnelly as the Phantom, Lucy St. Louis as Christine, Rhys Whitfield as Raoul, and Saori Oda as Carlotta.

New casting was announced on January 18, 2023, with Earl Carpenter and Jon Robyns as the Phantom from February 13 to April 1 and from April 3, 2023, and Holly-Anne Hull as Christine Daae from January 23.

The Phantom of the Opera began previews on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre on January 9, 1988, and opened on January 26. Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, and Steve Barton repeated their West End roles. Other original Broadway cast members included Judy Kaye as Carlotta, Cris Groenendaal as Monsieur André, Nicholas Wyman as Monsieur Firmin, Elisa Heinsohn as Meg Giry, Leila Martin as Madame Giry, and David Romano as Piangi. When Crawford left in October 1988 for a national tour, he was replaced by Timothy Nolen, who was later replaced by Groenendaal. In March 1990, Barton returned as the Phantom for nine months. The show played at the Majestic Theatre, becoming the first Broadway musical to reach 10,000 performances on February 11, 2012, and closing on April 16, 2023. The 25th anniversary was celebrated on January 26, 2013, with its 10,400th performance. It is the longest-running show in Broadway history, with over 3,500 more performances than any other. The 30th anniversary was on January 26, 2018, with special events and an extra performance. By April 2019, the show had been performed over 13,000 times. Howard McGillin and Hugh Panaro are the longest-running Phantoms in the Broadway production. Norm Lewis was the first African American actor to play the Phantom on Broadway.

On March 12, 2020, the Broadway show paused due to the pandemic and resumed on October 22, 2021. Unlike the West End version, the Broadway production returned with the original sets and costumes designed by Maria Björnson and directed by Harold Prince. After Prince's death in 2019, the original production continued with his vision.

Reviews

Critical reviews of the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera were mostly positive when it opened. Frank Rich of the New York Times wrote that while some people might not enjoy the show, it is not easy to dislike. He said that only someone who is overly critical would let the large amount of publicity before the show opened ruin their experience. The show, he noted, usually aims to bring joy and fantasy to the audience and often succeeds. Howard Kissel of the New York Daily News praised the production, calling it a very impressive show visually and the most impressive of British musicals. He also praised Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music, even though some critics said it sounded like it was borrowed from other sources. He highlighted Michael Crawford’s strong performance. Maria Björnson’s set and costume designs received special praise, with reviewers describing them as a beautiful and clever tribute to 19th-century theater and as excellent examples of detailed historical design and technical skill.

Other productions

A special 25th-anniversary stage show was held in London on October 1 and 2, 2011, at the Royal Albert Hall. The event was shown live in cinemas around the world. Cameron Mackintosh produced the show, and Laurence Connor directed it. Gillian Lynne designed the musical staging and choreography, Matt Kinley created the set design, Maria Björnson designed the costumes, Patrick Woodroffe handled the lighting, and Mick Potter worked on the sound design. The cast included Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine, Hadley Fraser as Raoul, Wynne Evans as Piangi, Wendy Ferguson as Carlotta, Barry James as Monsieur Firmin, Gareth Snook as Monsieur Andre, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry, and Daisy Maywood as Meg Giry. Former West End Phantom Earl Carpenter played the Auctioneer. Andrew Lloyd Webber and some original cast members, including Crawford and Brightman, attended the event, along with Colm Wilkinson and Anthony Warlow, who first performed the Phantom role in Canada and Australia, respectively. A DVD and Blu-ray of the performance was released in February 2012, and it began airing on PBS’s "Great Performances" television series in March 2012.

In March 2012, a new production directed by Laurence Connor began a UK and Ireland tour to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the show. The tour started at the Theatre Royal Plymouth and included stops in Manchester, Bristol, Dublin, Leeds, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Cardiff, and Southampton. John Owen-Jones and Earl Carpenter took turns playing the Phantom, with Katie Hall as Christine and Simon Bailey as Raoul. In November 2019, co-producers Cameron Mackintosh and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group (RUG) announced a new UK and Ireland tour that would return to the original production instead of the 2012 version. Although the tour was described as an "exact replica" of the Broadway and West End shows, changes were made to the set design to make it lighter. These changes included reducing the size of the false proscenium and removing the centrepiece Angel statue designed by Maria Björnson. Performances of the 2020 tour were paused on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020, Mackintosh and RUG announced the tour would end early. Instead of resuming the tour after the pandemic, the production moved to Her Majesty’s Theatre in London in July 2021, replacing Hal Prince’s original production.

The Phantom of the Opera has been translated into many languages and performed in over 40 countries across six continents. Most of these productions, except for the 25th Anniversary UK and US Tours, are "clones" of the original show, using the same staging, direction, sets, and costumes. Notable international productions include:

• Argentina: The show ran from March to November 2009 in Buenos Aires at the Teatro Opera.
• Australia: 1990–1998: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth; 2007–2009: Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, Perth, and Adelaide, both featuring Anthony Warlow as the Phantom. Brian Stacey was the original conductor of the first Australian production. Marina Prior played Christine in the original production, and Rob Guest later took over the Phantom role. The final leg of the recent tour in Adelaide used giant screens on either side of the stage to show footage filmed during the performance. In 2013, a production in Canberra starred Michael Cormick as the Phantom and Julie Lea Goodwin as Christine. Goodwin had previously played the role as the "Alternate Christine" in the 2007–2009 national tour. An outdoor production with new sets, costumes, and direction ran from March to April 2022 in Sydney Harbour. A production from August 2022 to February 2023 at the Sydney Opera House featured Josh Piterman, Amy Manford, and Paul Ettore Tabone, who had previously played the Phantom, Christine, and Piangi in the West End production.
• Austria: The German-language version of the show premiered in Vienna in December 1988, running until June 1993. A touring version directed by Laurence Connor is scheduled to begin in Vienna in March 2024 at the Raimund Theater, produced by Vereinigte Bühnen Wien.
• Brazil: The first Brazilian production opened in São Paulo in April 2005 and closed in April 2007. A revival began on August 1, 2018, in São Paulo at the Teatro Renault.
• Canada: The Canadian production ran from September 20, 1989, to October 31, 1999, in Toronto at the Pantages Theatre, with Colm Wilkinson originating the Phantom role. The Canadian International Touring Company performed in Canada, Hawaii, Alaska, Hong Kong, and Singapore from March 11, 1991, to October 1995. The Music Box Tour (third US national tour) played in Canada in 2006–2007, including stops in Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Saskatoon, and Ottawa.
• China: The Shanghai production performed 97 times at the Shanghai Grand Theatre. The world tour’s sixth season ran from December 3, 2013, to January 26, 2014, at the Culture Plaza Theatre in Shanghai Culture Square. The tour returned to China in Guangzhou from September 26 to October 10, 2015, and ended its season in Beijing at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from November 17, 2015, to January 10, 2016. A new Mandarin production opened in Shanghai from May 2 to June 4, 2023, and was planned to tour mainland China, visiting cities such as Shenzhen, Quanzhou, Guangzhou, Xiamen, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, and others.
• Czech Republic: A non-replica production at the GoJA Music Hall Theater in Prague began in September 2014. A revival started in September 2018 and was planned to end in June 2019.
• Denmark: The first production opened in Copenhagen in 2000, and the second ran from January to May 2009. A third production began in September 2018, also in Copenhagen.
• Estonia: A production in Estonian (with English and Finnish subtitles) premiered on October 4, 2014, at Theatre Vanemuine in Tartu. The first season (2014–2015) included 24 performances, eight of which were in Tallinn at Nordea Concert Hall. Additional performances were planned for spring 2017, including two in Tallinn.

Film adaptations

A film version of the story, directed by Joel Schumacher and featuring Gerard Butler as the Phantom, Emmy Rossum as Christine, Patrick Wilson as Raoul, Minnie Driver as Carlotta, and Miranda Richardson as Madame Giry, was released in the United States on December 22, 2004.

In August 2025, Qubic Pictures and Lloyd Webber's LW Entertainment announced plans to create an anime adaptation of the musical, with Justin Leach responsible for overseeing the project.

In June 2025, Lloyd Webber shared that a new version of the 2004 film is being developed in its early stages. He did not name potential directors or actors but mentioned he would prefer someone in their early 40s to portray the Phantom in the remake.

Casting

The original casts of the English-speaking productions of The Phantom of the Opera:

• Christine Daaé: Rachel Barrell, Gina Beck, Meredith Braun, Rebecca Caine, Sofia Escobar, Celia Graham, Leila Benn Harris, Katie Hall, Holly-Anne Hull, Myrra Malmberg, Chumisa Dornford-May, Claire Moore, Robyn North, Anna O'Byrne, Celinde Schoenmaker, Lucy St. Louis
• The Phantom: Simon Bowman, Earl Carpenter, Peter Cousens, Killian Donnelly, Ben Forster, Ethan Freeman, Tim Howar, Peter Jöback, Ramin Karimloo, Peter Karrie, Glyn Kerslake, Ben Lewis, Marcus Lovett, John Owen-Jones, Peter Polycarpou, Gerónimo Rauch, Jon Robyns, Martin Smith, David Thaxton, Dave Willetts
• Raoul de Chagny: Michael Ball, John Barrowman, Simon Bowman, Simon Burke, Clive Carter, Michael Cormick, Garðar Thór Cortes, Killian Donnelly, Ramin Karimloo, Sean Palmer, Alex Rathgeber, Oliver Thornton, Michael Xavier
• Carlotta: Joanna Ampil, Rebecca Lock
• André: Martin Ball, Ethan Freeman, Peter Land, Mark Wynter
• Firmin: Martin Ball, Michael N. Harbour, Bill Homewood, Barry James, Royce Mills, Bruce Montague
• Madame Giry: Liz Robertson, Heather Jackson
• Piangi: Jeremy Secomb, Paul Ettore Tabone

• Christine Daaé: Sierra Boggess, Kimilee Bryant, Patti Cohenour, Ali Ewoldt, Samantha Hill, Rebecca Luker, Mary Michael Patterson, Meghan Picerno, Julia Udine, Lisa Vroman
• The Phantom: James Barbour, Steve Barton, Ben Crawford, John Cudia, Davis Gaines, Kevin Gray, Cris Groenendaal, Mark Jacoby, Peter Jöback, Ted Keegan, Jeff Keller, Norm Lewis, Brad Little, Marcus Lovett, Laird Mackintosh (Final Phantom), Gary Mauer, Howard McGillin, Timothy Nolen, Thomas James O'Leary, Hugh Panaro
• Raoul de Chagny: John Cudia, Jordan Donica, Jason Forbach, Davis Gaines, Tim Martin Gleason, Kevin Gray, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Brad Little, Gary Mauer, Hugh Panaro, Ciarán Sheehan
• Carlotta: Kimilee Bryant
• André: George Lee Andrews, Bradley Dean, Ted Keegan, Jeff Keller, Laird Mackintosh
• Firmin: George Lee Andrews, David Cryer, Tim Jerome, Jeff Keller
• Madame Giry: Linda Balgord
• Piangi: Peter Lockyer

• Christine Daaé: Lisa Vroman, Susan Owen, Kimilee Bryant
• The Phantom: Davis Gaines, Robert Guillaume, Ron Bohmer, Kevin Gray, Mark Jacoby, John Cudia, Tim Martin Gleason, Ted Keegan, Brad Little, Gary Mauer, Thomas James O'Leary
• Raoul de Chagny: John Cudia, Tim Martin Gleason, Ciarán Sheehan
• Meg Giry: Jen Gould

• Christine Daaé: Patti Cohenour
• The Phantom: Ethan Freeman, Cris Groenendaal, Jeff Hyslop, Peter Karrie, Ciarán Sheehan, René Simard, Paul Stanley
• Raoul de Chagny: Laird Mackintosh, Christopher Shyer
• Carlotta: Patricia Phillips
• Meg Giry: Diana Kaarina

• Christine Daaé: Anna O'Byrne
• The Phantom: Anthony Warlow, Rob Guest
• Raoul de Chagny: Alexander Lewis
• Firmin: John O'May

Orchestra

The original orchestrations were written by David Cullen and Lloyd Webber.

There are several versions of the orchestration:

• 27-piece (the original score, used on Broadway and in London until 2020, also used for the 2022 Australian production)
• 29-piece (the original Broadway score)
• 14-piece (used on tour, most international productions from 2012 onwards, the 2020 UK Tour, and in London from 2021)
• 45-piece (used for the 25th anniversary)

The Broadway production originally used a 29-piece pit orchestra. Percussion is divided into two sections: regular percussion and mallets.

• 2 timpani, suspended cymbals, crash cymbals, snare drum, triangle, tambourine, bass drum
• Glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone, marimba, tubular bells, bell tree, woodblock, gong, guiro, finger cymbals

The original London score is the same as the Broadway score but includes one percussion part and seven violins. The most recent Broadway orchestration is licensed by R&H Theatricals for amateur and professional productions. The only difference between the Broadway 29-piece and 27-piece orchestras is that the smaller orchestra does not include Violins VII and VIII.

The current 14-piece orchestration, used in London and on tour, removes about half of the original orchestra’s parts while adding an extra keyboard. Removed sections include the original Reed III, harp, percussion, all brass instruments except one French horn, and most of the string doubles. This leaves three violins and one of each other string instrument.

Recordings

Cast recordings have been made of the London, Austrian, Dutch, German, Japanese, Swedish, Korean, Hungarian, Mexican, Polish, Russian, and Canadian productions.

The recording of the 1986 original London cast was released by Polydor Records in 1987. It was released as a single-CD version called Highlights from The Phantom of the Opera and a two-CD version called Phantom of the Opera. Both versions have been awarded 4× Platinum in the United States and sold 4.97 million copies as of January 2017. A version called The Complete Recordings has sold 507,000 copies since 1991. The Phantom of the Opera was also awarded 3× Platinum in the United Kingdom. The Canadian cast recording was awarded 2× Platinum in Canada. In Switzerland, The Phantom of the Opera was awarded 3× Platinum, and Highlights was awarded 2× Platinum. Recordings of the Vienna cast and the Hamburg cast, produced by Jimmy Bowien, were awarded Gold and triple Platinum, respectively, in Germany. The original album recording is said to have sold 40 million copies worldwide.

A live performance of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall was released in the UK on November 15, 2011, and later in the United States and Canada on February 7, 2012. It was released alongside Blu-ray and DVD videos, and a collectors’ box set that includes the Royal Albert Hall concert recording, the original cast recording, and the sequel Love Never Dies.

Allegations of plagiarism

In 1987, the heirs of Giacomo Puccini filed a lawsuit, stating that a repeated two-bar section in the song "Music of the Night" closely matched a similar phrase from the opera La fanciulla del West. The case was resolved through a private agreement, and the amount paid was not made public.

In 1990, a songwriter from Baltimore named Ray Repp claimed that the main song from The Phantom of the Opera was based on a song he wrote in 1978 called "Till You." After eight years of legal battles—including a failed attempt by Andrew Lloyd Webber to claim that "Till You" copied a song from his earlier musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat—a jury ruled in favor of Lloyd Webber.

Roger Waters, a former member of the band Pink Floyd, said that the unique musical pattern in Phantom's title song was copied from a bass line in the 1971 Pink Floyd song "Echoes" from the album Meddle. He did not pursue legal action, stating, "Life is too long to bother with suing Andrew Lloyd Webber."

Sequel

The sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ben Elton, Frederick Forsyth, and Glenn Slater, is titled Love Never Dies. It was based on the 1999 novel The Phantom of Manhattan by Frederick Forsyth. The story takes place in 1907, which is 26 years after the events of The Phantom of the Opera (the original show was set in 1881). Christine is invited by an unknown manager to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction in Coney Island. She travels to Brooklyn with her husband, Raoul, and their son, Gustave, not knowing that the Phantom arranged her appearance at the popular beach resort.

The original production was directed by Jack O'Brien and had dance movements designed by Jerry Mitchell. The sets and costumes were created by Bob Crowley. It opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on March 9, 2010, with Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess in the lead roles. The show ran for more than 17 months and closed on August 27, 2011. It received mixed reviews. A planned Broadway opening in November 2010 was delayed until Spring 2011 and later canceled. A new version of the show, starring Ben Lewis and Anna O'Byrne, opened in Melbourne, Australia, on May 21, 2011, and received better reviews. After its run in Melbourne ended on December 12, 2011, the production moved to Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, where it played from January to April 2012. A West End revival concert featuring Norm Lewis and Celinde Schoenmaker took place at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on August 21 and 22, 2023.