To mark the 40th anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, Phantom of the Opera landmarks in major cities around the world have been illuminated in celebration.
From the Phantom’s iconic mask appearing across central London to large-scale light displays in Cologne, Shanghai and New York, the global illuminations mark four decades of one of the world’s most successful musicals.
Since opening in London in 1986, Phantom of the Opera has been seen by 160 million people in 229 cities, across 54 territories and in 23 languages. The production has taken an estimated $7.5 billion at the global box office, making it one of the biggest entertainment properties of all time.
The global celebrations coincided with a special 40th anniversary gala performance at His Majesty’s Theatre in London, which brought together the current cast and special alumni artists at the musical’s original home including the original Christine Daaé, Sarah Brightman and the original Phantom, Michael Crawford. The anniversary cast and gala performance has been captured for a global cinema release in 2027.
Lighting up the world
- London: In the original home of Phantom of the Opera, projections of the musical’s iconic mask appeared at central London locations including near St Paul’s Cathedral, Oxford St, Hammersmith Bridge and the Shard.
- Shanghai: In Shanghai where Phantom of the Opera opened at the end of September, The Shanghai season marked the anniversary with a special light show on a building beside Suzhou Creek. A mask slowly emerged from behind a curtain as petals fell, bringing the grandeur of the Opéra Populaire to life.
- Cologne: The city that will soon become the musical’s German home joined the celebrations with the Phantom mask projected on to the roof of the Musical Dome. Presented as a large-scale video installation over several consecutive nights, the display transformed the theatre into the future home of Phantom of the Opera.
- New York: in New York, which is home to MASQUERADE, the immersive production of Phantom of the Opera, One Times Square, home of the iconic Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball, illuminated the Ball in red on October 9 while "Edge and Vessel at Hudson Yards, two of New York City’s most iconic vantage points, joined the global celebration turning red to mark the 40th anniversary. Edge illuminated its Skyline Steps and new immersive experience PULSE, while Vessel lit up the entirety of its interconnected staircases and platforms.
40th anniversary activity to celebrate Phantom of the Opera
- Live capture: A recording of the 40th anniversary cast and gala performance at His Majesty’s Theatre, London, will be released in cinemas globally in 2027.
- New remixed and remastered album: The Phantom of the Opera (The Andrew Lloyd Webber 2026 Mix) is a remixed and remastered version of the Original London Cast album, featuring previously unreleased sections and material from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s personal archive.
- Behind-the-scenes book: Phantom of the Opera: A Behind-the-Mask Look at the Global Phenomenon, a lavish full-colour photographic anthology charting the past 40 years, will be published at the end of October.
- Young adult novel: Our Strange Duet by Erin A. Craig reimagines the Phantom story from Christine Daaé’s perspective. Published in September, it became an instant No. 1 New York Times bestseller.
