While Broadway connoisseurs might consider it passé to attend a show that “everyone” has seen, the story of The Phantom of the Opera is truly timeless and the performance is always awe-inspiring. Whether you’ve been once or ten times, seeing Phantom again is always enjoyable. If you’ve never seen a Broadway show, then Phantom is a great show to start with.
The Phantom of the Opera now holds the record for Broadway’s longest running show, as it surpassed the record mark of 7,485 performances (held by Cats) in January 2006. Since its opening in 1988, The Phantom of the Opera has completed well over 9,000 performances, and will celebrate its 25th anniversary show in January of 2013. Take a luxury car rental to NYC to take in this legendary musical at the Majestic Theatre – it’s a must-see for any fan of Broadway musicals.
The Phantom of the Opera, or Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, was originally a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It tells the story of a deformed musical genius, whose face is concealed by a mask, that lurks beneath the stage of an opera house. The phantom falls in love with a young soprano, and devotes himself to nurturing her extraordinary talents. Leroux’s story was adapted into a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which first opened in 1986 in London’s West End. The Phantom of the Opera opened on Broadway two years later, and proceeded to win seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in 1988.
Since that incredible first year, The Phantom of the Opera has gone on to become the most commercially successful entertainment project in history. As of 2011, it had been seen by over 130 million people in 27 different countries, and it has grossed over $5 billion worldwide. The show is currently playing in Las Vegas, London, Tokyo, Budapest and Johannesburg in addition to New York City. The Phantom of the Opera was also made into a movie in 2004 starring Gerard Butler.
Advance tickets for The Phantom of the Opera are available at the Majestic Theatre box office, open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Tickets are also available at thephantomoftheopera.com, and a variety of other online ticket outlets. Discounted same-day tickets for The Phantom of the Opera and other Broadway shows can be found at “TKTS” booths, at 25-50% less than face value. Take your New York car rental to one of the three TKTS locations in New York City: Downtown Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan and in Duffy Square at the north end of Times Square.
Get your tickets for The Phantom of the Opera today, and reserve a Range Rover rental for the evening to make it an experience you’ll never forget.
