Gossip

Love Never Dies to Mount UK Tour in 2012???

Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s sequel to Phantom of the Opera, could be set to tour the UK next year if a tip-off from one regional receiving house is to be believed.

Michael Ockwell, chief executive of Belfast’s Grand Opera House tweeted last week the musical will embark on a UK tour in 2012 and that he was negotiating a two-week stint for the show in Northern Ireland.

Opened at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre on 3 March 2010 (previews from 20 February) with a cast led by Ramin Karimloo as the masked man and Sierra Boggess as Christine, the musical ended its run on 27 August this year.

Set in 1907, ten years after the conclusion of the original story, The Phantom has escaped to New York with Madame and Meg Giry and found success in the fairgrounds of Coney Island as a magician and entertainer. When he builds a new opera house, he persuades his old ingenue Christine Daae, now a huge star and married to her old flame Raoul, to sing for him once more.

Karimloo and Boggess will be re-united on stage for the 25th anniversary celebrations of Phantom of the Opera which takes place at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend. Three concert performances will be staged over 1 and 2 October with Sunday night’s performance streamed to 250 cinemas across the UK.

Speaking to the Daily Mail recently impresario and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber said he though Love Never Dies would be the piece of his work remembered in 100 years’ time.

Whether Love Never Dies or a previously tipped tour of Phantom hits the road next year remains to be seen. There has been no official word either way from Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group or Phantom producer Cameron Mackintosh.