1st Night Photos: Starry Love Never Dies Premiere

Love Never Dies, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-awaited follow-up to his musical blockbuster The Phantom of the Opera, had its world premiere last night (9 March 2010, previews from 22 February) at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre, with a cast led by Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom and Sierra Boggess as his muse Christine.

TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF THE LOVE NEVER DIES 1st NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE “NEXT >” LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.

The action is 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 are joined in the principal cast by Joseph Millson (as Raoul), Liz Robertson (Madame Giry) and Summer Strallen (Meg Giry). Love Never Dies has lyrics by Glenn Slater and is directed by Jack O’Brien, designed by Bob Crowley and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.

Amongst others in the stellar first night audience were: Michael Caine, Nick Moran, Don Black, Elaine Paige, Rhydian Roberts, Joanna Page, Rupert Everett, Michael Winner, Janet Street-Porter, Kathy Lette, Trinny Woodall, Arlene Phillips, Clive Anderson, Rory Bremner, Melvyn Bragg, Michael Grade, John Partridge, Natalie Casey, Phillip Schofield, Graham Norton, Tim Rice, Chris Evans, Scarlett Strallen, Frederick Forsyth, David Frost, Michael Ball, Duncan James, Sheridan Smith, Cilla Black, Angus Deayton, Ben James Ellis, Eileen Atkins and Hollywood screen star Gerard Butler, who played the Phantom in the 2004 feature film of The Phantom of the Opera.