Andrew Lloyd Webber Receives Freedom of City of London

Nominated by Lady Mayor of the City of London, Dame Susan Langley, and Chair of the Barbican Centre Board and former Lord Mayor, Alderman Sir William Russell, the Freedom recognises Lord Lloyd Webber's outstanding achievements in, and contribution to, musical theatre and the arts.

Lord Lloyd Webber is one of the few artists to achieve 'EGOT' status, having won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards, and the first member of the British arts community to be appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG) in its 700-year history. He owns six London theatres, including the iconic London Palladium and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with all profits made by his theatres reinvested into the buildings “as his way of thanking the profession which has been so good to [him].”

As a passionate believer in the importance of music in education, Lord Lloyd Webber provides free music lessons to tens of thousands of children on both sides of the Atlantic through his Foundation. He also funds a wide range of scholarships, which enable young performers to have graduate training in musical theatre who would otherwise not receive it.

Lord Lloyd Webber's Freedom of the City of London comes two days ahead of the 40th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera, which will be marked by a gala performance at His Majesty's Theatre, four decades after the musical premiered at the then Her Majesty's Theatre. To align with the anniversary, he is also releasing a newly remixed and remastered version of the 1986 original London cast album of The Phantom of the Opera.

Speaking after his Freedom ceremony, Lord Lloyd Webber said:

“I am delighted to receive the Freedom of the City of London. As we mark forty years of The Phantom of the Opera in London this Friday, and with Michael Harrison's production of Jesus Christ Superstar about to move into the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, there is much to celebrate. I am truly grateful.”