A. L. Webber’s Musical "The Phantom of the Opera": First Glimpses from Arena Vilnius

The legendary Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, "The Phantom of the Opera," continues its anniversary European tour. This morning, May 19, a dress rehearsal took place in the Lithuanian capital, with members of our country's media invited to attend. We invite you to see the first glimpses from Arena Vilnius, which reveal the sheer grandeur of the production—from the one-ton chandelier to 230 luxurious costumes.

For eight evenings, from May 19 to 24, Arena Vilnius will be transformed into the opulent Paris Opera House. The musical’s creative team—a company of more than 150 actors, technical crew, and orchestra members—polished the most spectacular scenes during their final rehearsals, including the iconic "Masquerade." This morning, three scenes from the legendary musical were shown to the press: the title song "The Phantom of the Opera," performed by the Phantom and Christine; the romantic duet between Christine and Raoul, "All I Ask of You"; and the colorful, majestic opening piece of the second act, "Masquerade."

Tonight, in a packed arena, the Lithuanian audience will enjoy the grand premiere of the musical. Poised to become this year’s largest indoor event, the show has already garnered exceptional viewer attention. Tickets for two of the performances are nearly gone, over half have been sold for the remaining four, and two additional shows have been announced due to massive interest. For the convenience of the audience, a limited number of extra tickets has been made available and is distributed by Bilietai.lt.

A total of 15 large shipping containers were used to transport the entire stage set and equipment, which arrived alongside the famous, one-ton, 3-meter-wide chandelier adorned with 6,000 crystal beads. A special hoist with a 3.5-ton capacity is used to operate the chandelier. During the spectacular performances, the audience will witness as many as 22 scenic transformations, while 14 wardrobe assistants working backstage will help the actors swiftly change into more than 230 costumes.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterpiece will be staged in Lithuania for six days, with a record-breaking series of eight consecutive performances scheduled. Public interest in this event is immense, with up to 97% of tickets already sold for certain showtimes. For the comfort of the audience, Arena Vilnius will be transformed into a cozy, intimate theatre space, with synchronous translation into Lithuanian displayed on screens. This will be a unique opportunity to witness a top-tier Broadway and London West End-caliber show featuring magnificent music, luxurious set design, and spectacular effects.

This tour of "The Phantom of the Opera" marks the 40th anniversary of the musical. Since its premiere in London in 1986, the story of the mysterious Phantom and his love for Christine Daaé has captured the hearts of more than 160 million people worldwide. This world-class production is brought to the Baltic States by the music agencies M.P.3 and Baltic Music Group, alongside lead producers Broadway Entertainment Group and LW Entertainment, in association with Andrew Lloyd Webber's own The Really Useful Theatre Company Limited.