Broadway's longest running opera will ended last Sunday. "The Phantom of the Opera" has a long and storied history on Broadway, where it has become a beloved classic and one of the most successful musicals of all time. Its journey to the Broadway stage began with the original source material and culminated in the iconic production that continues to captivate audiences today.

The story of "The Phantom of the Opera" began as a French novel by Gaston Leroux, published in 1910. The novel tells the story of a disfigured musical genius, Erik, who haunts the Paris Opera House and falls in love with a young soprano, Christine Daaé. Andrew Lloyd Webber, the renowned British composer, conceived the idea of turning Leroux's novel into a musical in the early 1980s. Collaborating with lyricist Charles Hart and later, Richard Stilgoe for the libretto, Webber created the iconic score that would become synonymous with "The Phantom of the Opera.

The opera has been inspiration for countless artists. Its memorable songs, such as "The Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You," have become iconic in their own right. We love you ... you wonderful ghost!