Get to know the 40th anniversary cast of 'Phantom of the Opera'

For this special year, the iconic West End musical is led by Jordan Donica, Beatrice Penny-Touré, and Sierra Boggess.

Summary

• Phantom of the Opera is celebrating its 40th anniversary
• The West End production has an incredible cast for this special year
• It includes Jordan Donica; Beatrice Penny-Touré and Rhys Whitfield
• Sierra Boggess makes a special appearance as Carlotta

It has been four extraordinary decades of “The Music of the Night” in the West End, and Phantom of the Opera is celebrating in style. The legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is holding a special 40th anniversary performance at His Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October, and an equally special cast has been assembled both for this gala celebration and for Phantom’s birthday season.

Phantom, which originally premiered in 1986, joins an elite club of long-running musicals after Les Misérables also hit the big 4-0 last year. The powerful gothic romance, featuring talented soprano Christine Daaé, mysterious musical genius the Phantom, and competing love interest Raoul, continues to entrance audiences with its spine-tingling score and magnficent staging. Meet the company that producer Cameron Mackintosh calls one of the show’s “finest casts ever” ahead of your trip to Phantom in this landmark anniversary year.

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Jordan Donica

Donica can’t get enough of this show! He made his Broadway debut in Phantom playing Raoul from 2016-17, and reprised the role in 2022. He’s now donning the famous mask to play the Phantom in the West End. Donica’s other work includes My Fair Lady, Camelot (earning a Tony nomination) Sunset Boulevard, and Hamilton, plus, on screen, Charmed and The Gilded Age.

Beatrice Penny-Touré

Phantom is also a special show for Penny-Touré. She made both her professional and West End debuts in the London production, as part of the ensemble, before graduating to Christine in 2022 – a role she now reprises for this anniversary season. Her other work includes the 40th Anniversary and Arena World Tour of Les Misérables, as well as Mary Poppins and Stephen’s Sondheim’s Old Friends.

Rhys Whitfield

Whitfield plays Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, a role he first brilliantly inhabited in the West End in 2021. His numerous past stage shows include Into the Woods, The Devil Wears Prada, Jesus Christ Superstar, My Fair Lady, The Commitments, Summer and Smoke, Million Dollar Quartet, An Officer and a Gentleman, and Close To You.

Sierra Boggess

In a real treat for musical theatre fans, Boggess plays the prima donna Carlotta. She previously appeared in the 25th anniversary production at the Royal Albert Hall, and she also played Christine on Broadway, in Las Vegas, and originated that role in sequel Love Never Dies in the West End in 2010, earning an Olivier nomination. Her other credits include The Little Mermaid, School of Rock, and Les Misérables.

Ian Pirie

Pirie plays Monsieur Firmin, the new manager of the opera house in the show. He previously played Buquet in the West End production of Phantom in 2008-9. His other credits include Les Misérables, Notre Dame de Paris, The Canterbury Tales, Black Watch, and Macbeth. On screen, his work includes Da Vinci’s Demons, The English, Chernobyl, The Matrix Resurrections, and The Capture.

Joseph Millson

Millson plays Monsieur André, Firmin’s managerial partner at the opera house. Like many of this company, Millson has previous form with this world in another role: in his case, he played Raoul in Love Never Dies in the West End. His other work includes Mary Poppins, Much Ado About Nothing, Mr Foote’s Other Leg, and King John. His screen work includes Casino Royale, Peak Practice, Angel Has Fallen, Moon Knight, 24, and The Last Kingdom.

Joanna Riding

Riding plays the all-seeing ballet mistress Madame Giry. She is a two-time Olivier winner whose stellar theatre career features show like Carousel, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot the Musical, Follies, The Girls, Stephen Ward, The Witches of Eastwick, Me and My Girl, A Little Night Music, Gypsy, The Girls, and Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends.

Matt Bateman

Bateman plays Ubaldo Piangi, the principal tenor and Carlotta’s frequent co-star (and husband). He is another long-time Phantom company player: he previously took various ensemble and cover roles in the West End production from 2017-19. His other work includes Les Misérables, Pretty Woman: The Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Greatest Showman.

Millie Lyon

Phantom has often been a star-making show during its long history, showcasing phenomenal new talent. That is certainly true of Lyon, who made an impressive West End debut in the London production in 2024 playing Meg Giry, a young ballet dancer and Madame Giry’s daughter. She continues in the role for this unforgettable anniversary season.

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Photo credit: Phantom of the Opera cast (photos courtesy of the production)