Ramin Karimloo Will Lead THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Premiere in Italy This Summer

Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera will open for the first time in Italy at Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia in Trieste on 4th July 2023. The production will be presented by Broadway Italia in its original language, English and directed by Federico Bellone (Dirty Dancing, Phoenix Theatre/Dominion Theatre and Mary Poppins, Italy)

Leading the cast as The Phantom is Olivier and Tony Award nominee Ramin Karimloo, who has previously played the role in London's West End, Korea and in the 25th Anniversary Concert at The Royal Albert Hall.

Watch a clip of Karimloo performing 'The Music of the Night' below:

Ramin said, "I couldn't be more thrilled to be part of this new production of The Phantom of the Opera with Broadway Italia. I'm excited to work with director, Federico Bellone. Together we have been long-standing fans of the original production and both agree it's a masterpiece. We want to celebrate that and have let that inspire us into creating a brand-new production of the glorious score, story and design".

Producer, Broadway Italia is a new company born with the aim of producing high quality live musicals in Italy. The Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia is an Italian landmark for fans of musical theatre that, over the years, has been home to original productions in national exclusives, including Mamma Mia! Cats and Chicago. Broadway Italia is honoured to announce this new production of The Phantom of the Opera for the Italian audiences with new, innovative special effects, including a flaming chandelier with the Phantom on it.

Since opening in London in 1986, The Phantom of the Opera has played to over 145 million people in 183 cities in 17 languages and has received over 70 major theatre awards, including seven Tony and four Olivier awards. It is considered one of the most successful musicals of all time and holds the record for the longest running show on Broadway and in 2004 was adapted into a film directed by Joel Schumacher.

With original music by Andrew Lloyd Weber, lyrics by Charles Hart and book and additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, The Phantom of the Opera is presented by an agreement with the Really Useful Group. The plot, set in the late nineteenth century, is based on the novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux and tells the story of a mysterious masked musical genius, who lives in the labyrinth of tunnels under Palais Garnier, the iconic opera house in Paris, who becomes infatuated with a beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé.

Federico Bellone, Director says: "At last, thanks to the definitive recovery of the musical theatre industry in Italy we have the opportunity to stage a show that is a milestone in the history of the musical and that, for the first time, plays in Italy, boasting the presence of an actor considered an excellence worldwide, with the hope of following up all the other productions we have planned".

The tickets will be available from 3rd March 2023 presale for subscribers of the Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia and on general sale from 9th March 2023.