Phantom Of The Opera to be filmed live for 40th anniversary of West End musical

A special production of Phantom Of The Opera will be filmed live as part of the 40th anniversary celebrations for the West End musical, marking a first for the hit theatre show.

Based on the 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux, the stage musical follows a disfigured musical genius who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls in love with a young chorus singer.

It was famously adapted by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who wrote the music and co-wrote the book for the show, which made its stage debut at His Majesty’s Theatre in London on October 9 1986.

Lord Lloyd-Webber wrote the 1986 production and composed its music (Andy Butterton/PA)

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The production will mark the milestone anniversary at the venue with a live Gala performance which will be recorded for a theatre film, which will be released in cinemas internationally next year.

Directed by Brett Sullivan and produced by Dione Orrom, the live capture will also feature appearances from celebrated alumni artists as they join the current cast onstage for a curtain call during the performance.

The production is executive produced by Helen Parker and will be led by US actor and singer Jordan Donica as the brilliant but deformed Phantom, joined by Rhys Whitfield as Viscount Raoul de Chagny and Beatrice Penny-Toure as their shared love interest Christine Daae.

The full anniversary company will perform at His Majesty’s Theatre until November 21 2026, with tickets on sale now for shows until October next year.

This year’s celebrations also include the release of The Phantom Of The Opera (The Andrew Lloyd-Webber 2026 Mix), after the theatre impresario rediscovered the master tapes for the original 1986 cast recording.

Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber rediscovered the master tapes for the original cast recording (Ian West/PA)

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The album features Some Mothers Do Ave Em star Michael Crawford and singer and actress Sarah Brightman, along with unreleased sections and rare material from Lord Lloyd-Webber’s personal archive and a remix of the original record.

It will be available digitally from October 9, with CD and vinyl editions following on November 6.

With collective sales of more than 40 million, The Phantom Of The Opera is one of the best-selling cast albums of all time, and was the first musical cast recording to debut at number one in the UK charts.

Since Cameron Mackintosh’s original production opened in 1986, Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Phantom Of The Opera has gone on to see productions playing to more than 160 million people in 229 cities, 54 territories and in 23 languages.