Following on from last weekend’s screening of The Phantom of Opera filmed at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Shows Must Go On! series will present the highly acclaimed Australian production of Love Never Dies this weekend (25 & 26 April 2020).
The year is 1907. It is 10 years after his disappearance from the Paris Opera House and the Phantom has escaped to a new life in New York where he lives amongst the screaming joy rides and freak-shows of Coney Island. In this new electrically-charged world, he has finally found a place for his music to soar. All that is missing is his love – Christine Daaé.
Christine is struggling in an ailing marriage to Raoul. She accepts an invitation to travel to New York and perform at a renowned opera house. In a final bid to win back her love, the Phantom lures Christine, her husband, and their young son Gustave from Manhattan; to the glittering and glorious world of Coney Island, not knowing what is in store for them…
Directed by Simon Phillips, with set and costume designs by Gabriela Tylesova, choreography by Graeme Murphy and musical direction by Guy Simpson, the revised Australian production of Love Never Dies featured one of Lloyd Webber’s finest musical scores performed by a 21 piece orchestra and a cast of 36 including Ben Lewis as The Phantom, Anna O’Byrne as Christine Daaé, Simon Gleeson as Raoul, Maria Mercedes as Madame Giry and Sharon Millerchip as Meg Giry.
Premiering at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in May 2011, the musical dazzled the audience with over 300 lavish costumes and a spectacular set illuminated by over 5,000 light bulbs. The production went on to win three Helpmann Awards for Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design and Best Lighting Design in 2011, before playing a season at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre in 2012. The original London production of Love Never Dies made its world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in 2010.
Love Never Dies streams on The Shows Must Go On! from 4.00am (AEST) – Saturday 25 April 2020 for 48 hours.
Image: Ben Lewis as The Phantom and Anna O’Byrne as Christine Daaé in Love Never Dies – photo by Jeff Busby