Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera Returns to Germany

A milestone for the German musical scene: Cameron Mackintosh's acclaimed new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is coming to Germany for the first time, playing at the Musical Dome Cologne from November.  

This spectacular production has enjoyed sensational sellout success since it was first seen in 2012 in Great Britain, North America and Australia, where it opened at the iconic Sydney Opera House. This was followed by the European premiere in Vienna where it is soon to complete a sellout three-year run. To celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of the original London production, this fabulous musical now returns to the German stage this autumn for the first time in over ten years, directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn, based on the original direction by Laurence Connor and overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh.

This production was created on the same scale as the brilliant original but conceived to be able to play many of the theatres that the original couldn’t. Paul Brown’s dazzling stage design, bringing to thrilling life a “brand new chandelier”, retains the late Maria Björnson’s celebrated costume designs. With choreography by Scott Ambler and additional staging by Matthew Bourne, the production is lit by one of the world’s greatest lighting designers, Paule Constable, with sound design by the incomparable Mick Potter. This rapturously received staging brings Andrew Lloyd Webber’s phenomenal score to intoxicating new life.

Cameron Mackintosh said:

“I never imagined that 15 years on this production would prove itself to be as successful as the brilliant original – indeed I think THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is the only musical in history that has ever had two equally successful versions, on a similar scale, running in different parts of the world at the same time. So, I am delighted that, in our 40^th year, German audiences - who have loved the show for so long - will have the chance to let their fantasies unwind and fall in love again with the music of the night, as if for the first time”.

Phantom of the Opera has haunted generations of audiences since its premiere in 1986 and, with over 160 million visitors in 217 cities and 23 languages, is one of the greatest stage successes the world has ever seen with more than 70 international theatre awards to its name – including Olivier Awards, Tony Awards, Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's glorious soaring, romantic music which includes ‘The Music of the Night’, ‘All I Ask of You’, ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’, ‘Masquerade’ and the iconic title song are among the best-known and most popular musical hits of all time.

Directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson®, scenic adaptation and additional design by David Harris, associate costume design & original designs recreated by Jill Parker, lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable, projection design by Zakk Hein and sound design by Mick Potter,  this new production is supervised by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh. ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ in Cologne will be directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn.

The first performance of Phantom of the Opera will take place on 5 November, with the official premiere celebrated on 15 November.  

The return of this global musical phenomenon not only marks the beginning of a new chapter in this extraordinary success story in Germany – in 2026, the Musical Dome will also celebrate its 30th anniversary.