July 01, 2006 | Bloomberg | Andrew Lloyd Webber sat in his palatial suite at the Las Vegas Venetian on Saturday, showing off rave reviews from British newspapers of the new London revival of “Evita.”Hours later, Lloyd Webber would be downstairs for the opening of a long-awaited Vegas-size “Phantom of the Opera.” The $35 million production is staged in a $40 million theater that David Rockwell designed to resemble the interior of the Palais Garnier opera house in Paris.
Speaking to me in his suite, which was outfitted with a grand piano and pool table, Lloyd Webber was gracious and full of nervous energy. The 58-year-old composer is convinced that Las Vegas is a good market for his shows and says he’s been talking with lyricists about creating a new musical that would premiere here.
