2008 Phantom Of The Opera

If you haven't seen Phantom of the Opera yet, you should: no matter what you think of British mega-musicals or Andrew Lloyd Webber or the rest of the hype, this is a wonderfully eerie, memorable, and one-of-a-kind theatre experience.

Phantom of the Opera premiered in London in 1986 with Michael Crawford as The Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine. Based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, Phantom tells the story of Christine Daa, a young and inexperienced member of the Paris Opera company, and her capture by the mad, lonely, disfigured Phantom who haunts the Opera House. The Phantom engineers her debut as the company's prima donna, and then spirits her away to his lair beneath the theatre and beyond a mysterious lake. There, he reveals his love for her; but Christine is in love with the Opera's wealthy patron Raoul. The battle between Raoul and the Phantom for Christine's love brings the story to its inevitable climax.

Phantom of the Opera premiered on Broadway in 1988 with Crawford and Brightman repeating their roles. The show was a resounding success and gave Andrew Lloyd Webber the distinction of being the first composer to have three musicals running simultaneously in London and New York.