Phantom of the Opera stars celebrate Andrew Lloyd Webber’s birthday with their favourite numbers

Andrew Lloyd Webber turns 77 today!

His varied repertoire includes musicals about trains (Starlight Express), Cats (Cats), multi-coloured coats (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat), as well as figures ranging from Jesus (Jesus Christ Superstar) to Eva Peron (Evita – making a triumphant return to the West End this summer with Rachel Zegler)! He’s rocked schools (School of Rock), followed the yellow brick road (The Wizard of Oz) and re-written Cinderella, with sass.

But one of Webber’s greatest mainstays has to be The Phantom of the Opera. It is one of three West End staples to reach 15,000 performances and has played to over 160 million people to date, in 46 territories and 195 cities in 21 languages. The score includes such standards as “Music of the Night”, “All I Ask of You”, “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” and, of course, the title song.

We asked the West End’s Christine Daaé and Phantom to share their favourite numbers from the composer, and you can listen to them below. Remember to let us know what you’d pick by messaging us on social media!

Lily Kerhoas, plays Christine Daaé

I discovered “Pie Jesu” from Requiem recently and had the pleasure to sing it with Andrew, and the first time listening to it made me instantly emotional. It’s simple and pure.

Dean Chisnall, plays the Phantom

Without wishing to sound predictable, I’d have to say “Music of the Night”. As one of the greatest songs in musical theatre history and one of the very first songs that made me want to do what I do today – I had to choose this.

Never in a million years did I think the teenage Dean Chisnall, when he first heard it, would have the extraordinary honour of singing it as the man in the mask. I still pinch myself and always will.