The world’s most popular musical, The Phantom of the Opera, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Group Ltd made its debut in Saudi Arabia at The Arena Riyadh on Oct.14 and will run until Dec. 5. Brought to the Kingdom for the very first time by Broadway Entertainment Group, musical theater enthusiasts and theater first-timers are thrilled to experience an incredible visual and auditory spectacular.
The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical is based on the classic novel, Le Fantôme de L’Opéra, by Gaston Leroux. Set in Paris in the 1880s, it tells the tale of a musical genius known as the “Opera Ghost” who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House.
The Phantom of the Opera is one of the most successful musicals of all time. Since the show’s debut on Oct. 9, 1986 in London’s West End, The Phantom of the Opera has been seen by over 160 million people across 186 cities around the world, with an estimated gross of $6 billion.
The show has been performed in 19 different languages in 44 countries worldwide. Audiences across England, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, Austria, Sweden, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Scotland, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Hungary, Poland, Wales, Estonia, Russia, Singapore, Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Philippines, China, Czech Republic, Thailand, Turkiye and Finland among other countries have been wowed by this spectacular show.
The subterranean “lake” below the Paris Opera House inspired the Phantom’s lair. Beneath the Palais Garnier sits a water tank, and some say that once a man lived there who had no face. That tank, which has been referred to as a lake and a lagoon, inspired Leroux, a crime reporter and theater and opera critic, to use it as a setting in his classic novel.
The Phantom of the Opera was the longest-running show in Broadway history. It staged its final Broadway show on April 16, 2023 after 35 years and 13,981 performances. It remains Broadway’s longest running production, with thousands more performances than any other show in the top 10.
With more than 40 million copies sold worldwide, the original cast recording is the bestselling cast recording of all time. The production has won over 70 major theater awards, including seven Tony Awards on Broadway and four Olivier Awards in London’s West End. Some of its thrilling music tracks include “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Think of Me,” and “Music of the Night.”
The Phantom of the Opera was first adapted into a silent film. There have been many literary and dramatic works based on Leroux’s 1910 novel, ranging from stage musicals to films to children’s books. One of the first was the 1925 American silent horror film adaptation, directed by Rupert Julian and starring Lon Chaney.
The Phantom’s mask is custom-made. Each actor who plays the Phantom has a mask made just for them from a mold of their face. In the original book and prior adaptations, the mask covered his whole face. A half-mask was designed after the original full mask muffled the actor’s voice and obscured their vision.
The tickets for The Phantom of the Opera, at The Arena Riyadh are available from https://phantom.platinumlist.net/ or https://www.ticketingboxoffice.co...
Deals:
- Buy 10 tickets or more and get 20 percent off the total.
- Family bundle promotion available on Saturday 7.30 p.m. show. Buy three or more tickets and get 20 percent off the total.
- There is a special offer with 50 percent off on Friday and Saturday matinee shows.
- There are two shows every Friday — 2.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
- There are two shows every Saturday — 2 p.m. and 7.30 p.m.
- No shows on Sundays
