Andrew Lloyd Webber remixes and remasters original Phantom of the Opera album for new release

Andrew Lloyd Webber has remixed and remastered the original London cast recording of Phantom of the Opera to mark the musical’s 40th anniversary.

The Phantom of the Opera (The Andrew Lloyd Webber 2026 Mix) will be released digitally on 9 October, with a 3LP vinyl and 2CD edition following on 6 November. A limited-edition six-LP box set, Phantom of the Opera – A Collector’s Piece Indeed, will be released on 20 November.

The title song, recorded by Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford, is released as a digital single today, 18 September.

Lloyd Webber returned to the original analogue master tapes recorded at Abbey Road Studios in September and October 1986. Of the 11 original two-inch reels, eight survived intact and have been remixed without enhancement, with the vocal and orchestral performances presented as they were recorded 40 years ago. Material from the three missing reels has been restored using an unplayed vinyl pressing of the original 1986 album.

The new mix restores sections of the score that were cut from the original album because of running-time restrictions. It also includes three previously unheard recordings from Lloyd Webber’s archive: a cassette demo of the title song from its earliest incarnation as a proposed single, “Box Five”, an early version of the Opera Managers’ “Notes” scene which was later reworked into “Prima Donna”, and an early demo of “Masquerade” featuring Richard Stilgoe’s original lyrics.

The album features the original performances of Crawford as the Phantom, Brightman as Christine and Steve Barton as Raoul, conducted by Mike Reed.

Lloyd Webber said: “Mixing the album I made 40 years ago was an extraordinary experience. It was as if I had the artists in the studio with me all over again. One of the most poignant moments was hearing the late Steve Barton as Raoul. As the memories of the making of this album flooded back, I was struck by how brilliant and precise Hal Prince’s casting was. Every performance has such character. Michael Crawford’s Phantom is a masterclass in musical theatre acting through song. Sarah Brightman’s voice has a trueness and clarity combined with vulnerability that I had forgotten. I remembered the late drama critic Jack Tinker describing it as like fine porcelain. Mike Reed, the conductor, interpreted my score with an unerring understanding of tempi and with a rare combination of bravura and sensitivity. The orchestral playing is sensational.”

The 29-track release includes songs such as “The Music of the Night”, “Think of Me”, “All I Ask of You” and “The Phantom of the Opera”, alongside the three archive recordings.

The original cast recording was recorded for Abbey Road Studios and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. It was also the first musical cast recording to debut at number one in the UK charts.

The six-LP A Collector’s Piece Indeed box set will contain the new 2026 Mix on three black vinyl LPs, alongside the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on two champagne-coloured LPs and Masquerade: The Orchestral Score on glass-clear vinyl. The latter has previously only been available at Masquerade, the immersive Phantom of the Opera experience in New York.

The box set will also include a hand-numbered Robert Heindel art print, replica annotated early edition scripts and sheet music from Lloyd Webber’s archive, and a fold-out replica poster of the original Broadway production featuring cast signatures.

The 3LP edition will include a full libretto, a letter from Lloyd Webber and previously unseen photography, while the 2CD edition will contain the complete 29-track mix alongside the letter and photography.

Since Cameron Mackintosh’s original production opened in London in 1986, Phantom of the Opera has played to 160 million people in 217 cities, 52 territories and 23 languages. The London production is marking its 40th anniversary with a gala performance at His Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October – plans for that gala were revealed today.