Broadway's iconic Phantom of the Opera is bowing out; its magic endures

Hit by Covid slump, Broadway's longest-running play will stage its last show in February 2023

It was a typical July evening in New York — overcast, somewhat dank, and sizzling with the city’s incessant energy. Two fans of the DC superhero Batman stood in front of the Majestic Theatre waiting to fulfill a long-cherished wish: to watch The Phantom of the Opera. Hardcore fans will know of the Phantom’s deep influence on the Cape Crusader’s journey on and off the pages of comics.

This was in 2017. Five years later, Broadway’s longest-running show has been scheduled for its final performance. The chandelier will rise one last time in February 2023, almost a month after the