Phantom of the Opera orchestra to be cut by 50% when it returns to West End

The Phantom of the Opera’s orchestra will be cut in half when the production returns to the West End this summer, reducing its previous 27 musicians to just 14.

It comes despite promises from Really Useful Group president Jessica Koravos that the returning show would be the “original Phantom” that was running until theatres closed last year.

It has also raised concerns about the future of orchestras in the West End and the decline of some instruments in favour of keyboards used to replicate certain sounds.

The production returning to the West End will use orchestrations currently used on tour, meaning the orchestra will consist of just 14 players, where it previously had 27 and was understood to be the largest band in the West End.

The Stage understands that instruments being cut include an oboe, percussion, harp, trumpets and horns, with the number of violins also reduced.

All 27 members of the band who had been playing with the production were released from their contracts last year, when it was decided that the theatre would have refurbishment works carried out while the theatre was closed due to the pandemic.

Musicians had hoped they might be rehired for the show when it reopened, but discovered a couple of weeks ago that the returning production would be using orchestrations from the touring production.

While it is understood that previous players are able to re-audition for the new orchestra, it nevertheless means 13 are unable to do so, as their positions no longer exist.

The move has left many of the musicians in extreme financial hardship, following a year in which some have been unable to earn any money from theatre work. Some of the musicians involved did not get anything other than statutory redundancy pay – because of the length of time they had been in the band – which further exacerbated this situation for them.

The Musicians’ Union has responded to the move, with general secretary Horace Trubridge saying the union was “sad and disappointed” that the band size is being reduced.

The Stage understands that the development has also prompted concerns that other productions may follow suit.

In a joint statement, Cameron Mackintosh Ltd and the Really Useful Group confirmed that the new West End production of Phantom will be “using the acclaimed orchestration for 14 musicians that was created for the international productions of the show”.

“These orchestrations are just as thrilling and rich as the original but would not have been possible with the technology available in 1986. The new Phantom orchestra will remain one of the largest in the West End – the orchestration featuring a contemporary line-up of top-flight soloists with modern instrumentation which will give this timeless score the freshness of a new musical to ensure that the music of the night will soar for decades more,” they added.

In 2019, a restructure of the band for Mackintosh’s Les Misérables also took place ahead of the launch of the West End’s more recent production in early 2020. Nine of the band’s 14 members were dropped in favour of new musicians, with five of the original members returning alongside a new cohort, and two offered work on Mary Poppins.