Broadway posters as seen in the summer or 2011, whenPhantom of the Operawas still running, more than two decades after it opened. Raymond Boyd / Getty ImagesWhen The Phantom of the Opera opened on January 26, 1988, there was no way to know that it would become the longest-running show in Broadway history.Created by English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who based his beloved musical on Gaston Lerouxs novel of the same name, Phantom is the story of a gifted soprano, Christine Daa. Following a successful performance at the Paris opera house, Christine confesses that shes been tutored by an Angel of Music, who turns out to be a mysterious phantom who lives inand perhaps cursesthe theater. From there, the storyline unfolds as a love triangle among the Phantom, Christine and Raoul, Christines childhood friend.Lloyd Webber made his Broadway debut with Jesus Christ Superstar in 1971, followed by popular musicals like Evita in 1979 and Cats in 1982. Less than two years after opening on Londons West End in October 1986, Phantom debuted in New York City at Manhattans Majestic Theatre. It starred English actor Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman, Lloyd Webbers then-wife, making her Broadway debut as Christine.The show became an instant hit. In its first year, it took home seven Tony Awards, including the award for Best Musical. By the early 90s, it was still playing to standing-room-only crowds and producing record-breaking box-office sales. For over three more decades, Phantom phans flocked to see this spectacle-based productionwhich included trap doors, a masked ball and an elegant one-ton chandelier that comes crashing down to the stage for the musicals first-act finalesome of them catching dozens of performances throughout its tenure.In 1989, Phantom launched its first national tour, putting on more than 3,000 performances as part of its touring circuit that lasted until 2010.But the Covid-19 pandemic spelled trouble for Broadways Phantom. In March 2020, Phantom temporarily closed, staying shuttered for 586 days before reopening on October 22, 2021. The shows audience never returned to its pre-pandemic attendance levels. Less than a year later, producers announced the productions record-breaking run would end in February 2023.But when patrons learned that the musical was leaving Manhattan, a surge in ticket sales led to a two-month extension. By the time the show closed on April 16, 2023, Phantom had played 13,981 Broadway performances.CNN called Phantom the most enduring relic of the 80s era of musicals built on spectacle, which also included mega-musicals like Miss Saigon and Cats. But the show is not without its controversy, especially in the era of the #MeToo movement. Its storyline focuses on the Phantoms dangerous obsession with his protge, Christine: one in which he sabotages her rival, threatens the life of her love interest and even kidnaps her.But the shows plotline has long been eclipsed by its sheer dazzlea spectacle that still fuels its popularity despite its Broadway demise. Its no exaggeration to say that Lloyd Webber and The Phantom of the Opera have changed the trajectory of musical theater, writes Sage Young in a post for uDiscoverMusic. The shows crossover impact introduced millions of new fans to the art form, and more than a few musicals that came afterward owe their sense of scale and spectacle to the international hit.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Broadway, COVID-19, Musical Theater, On This Day in History, Opera, Performing Arts