愛污传媒

Skip to main content

'The Phantom of the Opera' extends its long Broadway goodbye

Actors from the musical Phantom of the Opera perform at the Platinum Jubilee concert taking place in London, Saturday June 4, 2022, on the third of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool) Actors from the musical Phantom of the Opera perform at the Platinum Jubilee concert taking place in London, Saturday June 4, 2022, on the third of four days of celebrations to mark the Platinum Jubilee. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool)
Share
NEW YORK -

The masked man of Broadway is going out strong.

 "The Phantom of the Opera" -- Broadway's longest-running show -- has postponed its final performance by eight weeks, pushing its final curtain from February to April after ticket demand spiked. Last week, the show raked in an eye-popping $2.2 million US with a full house.

The musical -- a fixture on Broadway since 1988, weathering recessions, war and cultural shifts -- will now play its final Broadway performance on April 16. When it closes, it will have played 13,981 performances.

"We are all thrilled that not only the show's wonderful fans have been snapping up the remaining tickets, but also that a new, younger audience is equally eager to see this legendary production before it disappears," lead producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement.

Producers said there would be no more postponements. "This is the only possible extension for the Broadway champion, as the theater will then be closed for major renovations after the show's incredible 35-year run."

Based on a novel by Gaston Leroux, "Phantom" tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine. Andrew Lloyd Webber's lavish songs include "Masquerade," "Angel of Music," "All I Ask of You" and "The Music of the Night."

The closing of "Phantom" would mean the longest-running show crown would go to "Chicago," which started in 1996. "The Lion King" is next, having begun performances in 1997.

Broadway took a pounding during the pandemic, with all theaters closed for more than 18 months. Some of the most popular shows -- "Hamilton," "The Lion King" and "Wicked" -- have rebounded well, but other shows have struggled. Breaking even usually requires a steady stream of tourists, especially for the costly "Phantom," and visitors to the city haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Police are looking for a suspect who allegedly threw a coffee at a woman鈥檚 vehicle and then shot at her windshield following some sort of dispute that began at a Tim Hortons in Pickering on Friday morning.

The former principal of a Christian school in Ontario's Niagara Region has been arrested and charged with sexual assault.

Toronto police have identified the woman who was allegedly killed by a suspected serial killer earlier this month.

Parents at some private, for-profit daycares across the GTA are being warned that their fees could soon be doubling as operators consider pulling out of the national $10-a-day child-care program.

Local Spotlight

James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.

This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of a large blizzard that paralyzed Manitoba.

There was an eye-catching mix of rainbows and lightning over Vancouver following a brief downpour this week.

Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.

Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.

A B.C. couple is getting desperate 鈥 and creative 鈥 in their search for their missing dog.

Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.

A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.