Phantom Sequel to Play West End's Adelphi Theatre Before Bowing on Broadway

Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, will play the West End’s Adelphi Theatre before bowing on Broadway probably at the Neil Simon Theatre, according to London’s The Daily Mail. As previously announced, the musical, directed by Jack O’Brien, will likely star Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess.

Shortly following the London premiere, productions of Love Never Dies will open at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre and in Shanghai, China. The Broadway production, which was originally announced for the fall of 2009, will then premiere in April 2010, likely featuring the cast from the Toronto production. It is still unclear which productions will feature Boggess and Karimloo.

Love Never Dies features a book by Ben Elton and songs by Lloyd Webber and lyricist Glenn Slater. The sequel takes place in Coney Island, where the mysterious Maestro who runs the local theater announces a one-off concert with legendary Parisian soprano Christine Daaé. After Daaé arrives in New York with husband Raoul, Victome de Chagny and son Gustave, their subsequent meeting with the Maestro sends the cataclysmic events that happened at the Paris Opera a decade ago crashing back into their lives.

"The Phantom has been so extraordinary in my life—the biggest musical I've been involved with so far. Somehow, after nearly 25 years, to come back to it again, it releases a lot,'” Lloyd Webber told The Daily Mail. “A vast repository of his [Lloyd Webber's] own life and themes are coming back and being newly re-explored,” added director O’Brien. “He's not phoning this in—it's all new stuff.”

A concept album of the score for Love Never Dies was recorded this week, featuring a 90-piece orchestra. The stage show will have a pared down orchestra of 26 or so musicians. It is still undecided if the album will be released prior to the show's opening.

In addition to O'Brien the creative team includes choreographer Jerry Mitchell, designer Bob Crowley and music supervisor Gareth Valentine.