On April 16th, at Broadway, the Phantom shouted, “Sing! Sing for me. Sing, my Angel of Music!” Christine triumphantly hit her seemingly impossible high E for the last time. The curtains closed for the masterpiece musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and produced by Cameron Mackintosh. Running for a record-breaking 35 years, The Phantom of the Opera was the “angel of music” of Broadway. Many musical alumni and die-hard Phans came to watch the chandelier fall for the last time. 

The musical, adapted from the novel by Gaston Leroux, first shocked audiences in January 1988. Over the course of 35 years, it won over 70 major theater awards, including Olivier Awards, Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards, and others. The film was highly successful, reaching audiences of over 20 million people and grossing $1.36 billion. Unfortunately, recent inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the musical. Although initially projected to close in February, the closing date was delayed for two months due to the overwhelming demand of ardent Broadway fans and the delayers who realized it would be the last chance to watch the breathtaking musical. 

The final performance was a tearful and celebratory moment. It was constantly interrupted by applause, not only for the actors but also for celebrated props like the monkey music box, the gondola, the chandelier, and more. The faces of the original creative team members, including deceased members like the director Hal Prince, were projected on the theater’s back wall. 

Some of the most iconic scenes that represented Broadway for decades include the labyrinth unfolding as Erik and Christine sing their duet title piece with the same name, “The Phantom of the Opera,” Christine and Raoul on their discreet roof—though Erik was watching the whole time—the confrontation at the torture chamber, and Christine’s return to the labyrinth. 

Although some critics claim it is histrionic, anyone who watched The Phantom of the Opera cannot deny its irresistible pull. Just as Elisabeth Vincentelli, a New York Times journalist comments, the unconventional musical is void of any logic, taste, or story yet thrilling. Further, a New York Times critic, Joshua Barone, recommends, “Your best bet, should you find yourself in the audience, is to just sit back and surrender to it.”

Even though The Phantom of the Opera leaves Broadway, the haunting mask and eerie but majestic title piece will forever be etched in our memories, just as Christine sings, “The Phantom of the Opera is there / inside my mind.”