'Phantom' sequel to open next year

LONDON, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber says his sequel to the stage musical "Phantom of the Opera" is slated to open at the end of next year.

Webber told The Times of London he hopes "Phantom: Love Never Dies," the follow-up to his "Phantom of the Opera," will simultaneously debut on Broadway in New York, in the West End in London and in an as-yet-undetermined Asian city.

"I don't think you could do this if it wasn't the sequel to 'Phantom,'" Webber told The Times. "We've been into the feasibility of rehearsing three companies at once and opening very fast in the three territories. The one which really interests me (in the Far East) would be China ... I think to open 'Love Never Dies' in Shanghai would be an enormous thing."

"Opera" opened 22 years ago, has played in 124 cities around the world and made $5 billion at the box office.

The sequel is to be set 10 years after the events of the first musical. The show is to take place in Coney Island, N.Y., where the title character will be reunited with his opera singer love Christine, The Times said.