by Xinhua writer Zhao Jiasong
LONDON, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thunderous cheers filled His Majesty's Theatre in London on Friday night as the audience rose to its feet for Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, the original stars of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," when they performed on stage at the musical's 40th-anniversary gala.
The special performance marked exactly four decades since the musical opened at the same venue on Oct. 9, 1986, when it was known as Her Majesty's Theatre. Brightman and Crawford originated the roles of Christine Daae and the Phantom, respectively.
The gala brought together performers from different generations of the musical's history, including former cast members from productions around the world. During the special curtain call, they joined the current company in singing songs from the musical, with many gathering around Crawford in a tribute to composer Lloyd Webber. Some performers and audience members were visibly moved to tears.
PHANTOM AT 40
Speaking on stage, Lloyd Webber expressed his gratitude to those who had contributed to the musical over the past four decades. He gave special thanks to Brightman, recalling her role in the musical's early development and how she had helped bring him together with Crawford, who went on to become the original Phantom.
"It's one of those rare moments that any composer, any author would want, where every element of everything came together," Lloyd Webber said while addressing the audience.
Cameron Mackintosh, the musical's producer, also paid tribute to the performers and production teams around the world who have brought the show to audiences over the past 40 years.
"Phantom has always attracted wonderful, wonderful artists, but tonight's company is truly extraordinary," he said.
For some spectators, the anniversary gala was an opportunity they had long awaited. Clemence Delaunay, a French theatergoer who traveled from Paris especially for the occasion, told Xinhua that she had grown up watching recordings of the musical's 25th-anniversary performance.
"I'm thrilled to finally attend such a special performance in London. It feels like being part of theatre history, celebrating a musical that has touched audiences for generations," she said.
Based on the novel by French writer Gaston Leroux, the musical has become the third-longest-running production in West End history, behind "The Mousetrap" and "Les Miserables," according to the Society of London Theatre.
Over the past four decades, the musical has attracted around 160 million spectators across 229 cities and been performed in 23 languages. Its international tour is currently playing in Shanghai, where a 40th-anniversary season featuring 104 performances runs until Dec. 27 at the Shanghai Grand Theatre.
To mark the anniversary, the production team also announced plans to film the London production, including Friday's gala performance, for an international cinema release in 2027, allowing more audiences worldwide to experience the show from its original London home.
LONDON'S ENDURING THEATRICAL APPEAL
The longevity of "The Phantom of the Opera" reflects the strength of London's theater industry, which has developed a thriving market for live performances and continues to attract performers and audiences from around the world.
Earlier this year, international city guide Time Out named London the world's best city for culture in 2026. In a survey covering more than 24,000 residents across 150 cities, 99 percent of London respondents rated the city's cultural offerings positively. London scored 90 percent for theater, the highest rating among the cities surveyed, while 60 percent of respondents considered the city's arts and culture affordable.
The industry also makes a substantial contribution to Britain's economy. According to the Theatre in the UK 2026 report released in March by the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, the West End attracted a record 17.64 million audience visits in 2025, generating 1.08 billion pounds (about 1.43 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue.
The report estimated that every pound spent on a theater ticket generates a further 1.40 pounds in local economic activity, benefiting restaurants, hotels, transport and other businesses.
Nicholas Scrivens, Programme Leader of Master of Arts in Musical Theatre at the Guildford School of Acting, told Xinhua that the West End's international reputation has developed over centuries, supported by a highly skilled creative workforce. He said the rise of large-scale musicals in the 1980s, led by figures such as Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh, helped establish London as a global center for musical theater.
Beyond its major commercial productions, London has a network of smaller theaters that provide opportunities for new writing and experimental productions. The musical "Operation Mincemeat," for example, premiered at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019 before transferring to the West End in 2023 and Broadway in 2025.
Scrivens said the success of newer productions such as "SIX" and "Operation Mincemeat" showed growing opportunities for original works. He attributed the West End's appeal to its theatrical heritage, creative excellence and the community of artists and professionals sustaining the industry.
Affordable ticket schemes have also helped bring more people into London's theaters. According to the industry report, more than a quarter of West End tickets sold in 2025 cost less than 35 pounds, while most were priced at 56 pounds or below. Many theaters also offer discounted tickets for young audiences, students and families.
Chinese musical theater performer and creator Aimee Yue recalled that when she began studying in Britain at the age of 14, her teachers took students to see theater performances almost every two weeks, often benefiting from affordable school tickets.
She told Xinhua that these early experiences helped develop her lasting interest in theater and that giving young people greater access to live performances was essential to cultivating future audiences.
Friday's anniversary gala also raised funds for the training of young performers. According to the organizers, proceeds from ticket sales will be matched by contributions from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation and the Mackintosh Foundation to establish a scholarship program supporting professional performing arts training in Britain.
Beatrice Penny-Toure, who played Christine Daae in Friday's anniversary performance, is herself a former recipient of an Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation scholarship.
