NEW YORK — Broadway’s longest-running show, “Phantom of the Opera,” is expected to close in February 2023 due to attendance rates after the pandemic.

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According to The Associated Press, “Phantom of the Opera” has been a staple on Broadway since 1988.

The New York Times reported that since Broadway returned following the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, theatergoing crowds had not fully returned to pre-COVID attendance rates. Basically, tickets were not selling well enough to keep up with production costs.

“Phantom of the Opera” is based on a book written by Gaston Leroux that is about a deformed composer who haunted the Paris Opera House, according to The AP. The composer falls in love with a young soprano named Christine.

The AP said that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s songs made the musical even more lavish which included “Masquerade,” “Angel of Music,” “All I Ask Of You,” and “The Music of the Night.”

The show will end in February just after it celebrates its 35th anniversary in January, according to the NYT.

A spokesperson told the NYT said the final show of “Phantom of the Opera” will be on February 18. The cast of the show, crew and the orchestra were all informed about the end of the show on Friday.

The NYT said that show will continue to be performed elsewhere, including in London, where it has been running even longer than Broadway and went through the same production pause during the pandemic. It did return afterward, but had to make a few adjustments, including a smaller orchestra and some cost-lowering adjustments.

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