Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running, largest-grossing musical of all time. This book is the story of the stage show, film, and sequel, and the controversies that have surrounded them. You will learn why: Sarah Brightman had to leave the UK after her divorce from Lloyd Webber and how she became the highest paid soprano in the world. Gerard Butler was cast as a "younger, hotter" Phantom in the film, and why diehard fans thought he was not ugly enough. Lloyd Webber ignored early warnings that fans would spurn a sequel-a decision that cost him millions. A social media campaign led to the demise of the Phantom sequel, and how it was reborn. Phantom of the Opera: A Social History of the World's Most Popular Musical is the first book that fully documents the history of a musical now in its 31st year of a continual run that has become a cultural force.