Excitement is mounting as plans to celebrate the 25^th anniversary one of the most successful stage musicals of all time, The Phantom of the Opera, continue to take shape.

The Royal Albert Hall will host a gala performance of The Phantom of the Opera for the first two nights of October and the show’s original choreographer, Gillian Lynne, will stage the performances.

The two night special is being produced by Phantom producer, Cameron Mackintosh and the musical’s composer himself, Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Die hard Phantom fans, which first opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October 1986, will be pleased that the show will be a fully staged, brand new production of the smash hit musical and will star Ramin Karimloo in the lead role.

Ramin is no stranger to the role, having spent long periods as the Phantom in the original show and then going on to reprise the role in Webber’s sequel, Love Never Dies which currently resides at the Adelphi Theatre. Sierra Boggess will reprise the part of Christine Daae, the show’s heroine, after depicting her in the Las Vegas production of Phantom and the London production of Love Never Dies.

The special performances will feature a 200 strong orchestra and special guest appearances. Fans will be hoping that the original Phantom, Michael Crawford and original Christine, Sarah Brightman will be among the guests making special appearances. Although Michael Crawford may have to get time off from his starring role as the Wizard in another of Lloyd Webber’s productions, The Wizard of Oz.

Producers, Webber and Mackintosh, will be looking for the Royal Albert Hall gala to raise the bar after last year’s milestone Phantom celebrations to mark the show’s 10,000^th performance.

Tickets for the gala and for The Phantom of the Opera itself are available through SeatChoice and don’t forget that Love Never Dies closes on 27th August.