Masquerade blurs the lines of reality, bringing audiences inside and closer than ever before to the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera – a mystery never fully explained. From the highest rooftop to the subterranean lair deep below the Opera Populaire, guests will be invited to experience the music of the night more intimately than ever before. And when the iconic chandelier rises again above New York City, it will provide more than “a little illumination,” with a dazzling display of over 30,000 crystals provided by Preciosa, the Official Crystal Partner of Masquerade.
Masquerade is based on the original musical The Phantom of the Opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart, additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe and book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Masquerade is presented by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Limited
Capitalized at $25 million and extended into next February, Masquerade tries to be a lot: a karaoke Phantom by hard-working troupers; a theme-park ride inside the world; a two-hour chunk of fan service with extra back story; an IRL mingle for Phans to play dress-up and quaff champagne in the bar afterward. What it wasn’t, for me, is fun or emotionally resonant. If you think Phantom of the Opera is legit art, that’s your problem. I’ll assume you’re not reading this, that you’re busy charging $500 on a pair of tickets. I hope the actors are well compensated, because they don’t get a bow—shameful. We all know the modern musical has to evolve to survive in the face of technology and economic precarity, but this cash-grab stunt tries to look backward and forward at once: hard to do with a silly mask on your mug.
A few smart, artful additions raise “Masquerade” to something far greater than a jolly tourist attraction. Paulus, when she’s firing on all cylinders, knows how to fuse the commercial with the profound.
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
Videos