The Phantom of the Opera celebrates 30th Anniversary and extends to October 2017

Long running show celebrates its 30th Birthday today.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's long running musical hit The Phantom of the Opera today celebrates its 30th Anniversary in London's West End. The production originally opened in London on 9 October 1986, following previews from 27 September 1986. The production has extended its booking period to 15 October 2017.

The anniversary will be celebrated this evening, Monday 10 October 2016, with a special charity gala performance in aid of The Music in Secondary Schools Trust at the Her Majesty's Theatre in London's West End.

The current cast of the musical, which includes Ben Forster as 'The Phantom', Celinde Schoenmaker as 'Christine Daae' and Nadim Naaman as 'Raoul' will be joined onstage by members of the original company and special guests in an extended finale.

The Phantom of the Opera is produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company Limited and opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on 9 October 1986 starring Michael Crawford as 'The Phantom' and Sarah Brightman as 'Christine'. The show has continued to play in the same venue and has won over 50 major theatre awards, including three Olivier Awards in the West End and seven Tonys on Broadway. It was the winner of the Olivier Audience Award, voted by the public, in the 2016 Laurence Olivier Awards. The production is currently showing in London, New York, Budapest, Prague, Oberhausen and on tour in the US and will open in Stockholm in September 2016.

The original Broadway production is the longest running musical in New York where it has been running for 28 years. The show has been seen by 140 million people in 35 countries and 160 cities in 15 languages. It became the first stage production to reach worldwide grosses of $6 billion.

Based on Gaston Leroux's gothic novel of the same name, the musical features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic score features the hits "Think of Me", "Angel of Music", "All I Ask of You", "The Music of the Night" and of course, the title song.

Original reviews of the London production called The Phantom of the Opera "a gorgeous operatic extravaganza that is a thrill to the blood and a sensual feast for the eye" (Sunday Express) with "soaring ballads and sensational stage effects" (The Telegraph)  and high praise for the "superb" Michael Crawrford in a "spectacular piece of true theatre" (Telegraph). 

The Phantom of the Opera is currently booking to 15 October 2017.