Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Composer
- Music Department
- Writer
Andrew Lloyd Webber is arguably the most successful composer of our
time. He is best known for stage and film adaptations of his musicals
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973),
Cats (1994), Evita (1996), and
The Phantom of the Opera (2004).
He was born on March 22, 1948, in South Kensington in London, England,
the first of two sons of William Lloyd Webber, an organist and
composer. His mother, Jean Johnstone, was a pianist and violinist.
Young Andrew Lloyd Webber learned to play various musical instruments
at home and began composing at an early age. He continued his music
studies at Westminster School, where his father was an organist. At the
age of 9, young Andrew was able to play the organ and assisted his
father during performances. In 1964 he went to Oxford University as a
Queens Scholar of history.
In 1965 he met lyricist Tim Rice and
dropped out of school to compose musicals and pop songs. In 1968 he had
his first success with the West End production of 'Joseph and the
Amasing Techicolor Dreamcoat'. From the 1960s to 2000s Lloyd Webber has
been constantly updating his style as an eclectic blend of musical
genres ranging from classical to rock, pop, and jazz, and with
inclusion of electro-acoustic music and choral-like numbers in his
musicals.
Andrew Lloyd Webber shot to fame in 1971 with the opening of his rock
opera 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. His next successful collaboration with
Tim Rice was the musical biopic
'Evita', based on the true story of Eva Peron of Argentina. Andrew
Lloyd Webber has been constantly updating the genre of musical theatre.
In 1981 he delivered 'Cats', based on Old Possum's Book of Practical
Cats and other poems by T.S. Eliot. It was
produced at New London Theatre, where stage was designed as a giant
junkyard with large-scale bottles and cans scattered around a huge tire
representing a playground for cats dressed in exotic costumes who would
come and go through the aisles. The record-breaking production of
'Cats' was on stage for 21 seasons, from 1981 - 2002, and became one of
the most popular musicals of all time. It played the total of 8,949
performances in London and 7,485 in New York.
In 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber released his most successful musical, 'The
Phantom of the Opera', based on the eponymous book by
Gaston Leroux with the English lyrics by
Charles Hart. 'The Phantom of
the Opera' became the highest grossing entertainment event of all time,
with total worldwide gross of 3,3 billion dollars and attendance of 80
million. It is also the longest running Broadway musical of all time
and the most financially successful Broadway show in history. 'The
Phantom of the Opera' was translated into several languages and was
produced in more than twenty countries as "clones" of the original
production, using similar staging, direction, costumes concept and sets
design.
He was knighted Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1992, and was created an
honorary life peer in 1997 as Baron Lloyd-Webber, of Syndmonton in the
County of Hampshire. He won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Music,
Original Song for Evita (1996), and
received two more Oscar nominations. Among his other awards are seven
Tonys and three Grammys, including his 1986 Grammy Award for Requiem in
the category of best classical composition. In 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber
was Awarded Kennedy Center Honors. He owns seven London theatres, which
he also restored. Outside of his entertainment career he developed a
passion for collecting Pre-Raphaelite paintings and Victorian art. He
was married three times and has five children. He is residing in
England.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is currently working on his new opera titled
'Master and Margarita' based on the eponymous novel by
Mikhail A. Bulgakov.
time. He is best known for stage and film adaptations of his musicals
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973),
Cats (1994), Evita (1996), and
The Phantom of the Opera (2004).
He was born on March 22, 1948, in South Kensington in London, England,
the first of two sons of William Lloyd Webber, an organist and
composer. His mother, Jean Johnstone, was a pianist and violinist.
Young Andrew Lloyd Webber learned to play various musical instruments
at home and began composing at an early age. He continued his music
studies at Westminster School, where his father was an organist. At the
age of 9, young Andrew was able to play the organ and assisted his
father during performances. In 1964 he went to Oxford University as a
Queens Scholar of history.
In 1965 he met lyricist Tim Rice and
dropped out of school to compose musicals and pop songs. In 1968 he had
his first success with the West End production of 'Joseph and the
Amasing Techicolor Dreamcoat'. From the 1960s to 2000s Lloyd Webber has
been constantly updating his style as an eclectic blend of musical
genres ranging from classical to rock, pop, and jazz, and with
inclusion of electro-acoustic music and choral-like numbers in his
musicals.
Andrew Lloyd Webber shot to fame in 1971 with the opening of his rock
opera 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. His next successful collaboration with
Tim Rice was the musical biopic
'Evita', based on the true story of Eva Peron of Argentina. Andrew
Lloyd Webber has been constantly updating the genre of musical theatre.
In 1981 he delivered 'Cats', based on Old Possum's Book of Practical
Cats and other poems by T.S. Eliot. It was
produced at New London Theatre, where stage was designed as a giant
junkyard with large-scale bottles and cans scattered around a huge tire
representing a playground for cats dressed in exotic costumes who would
come and go through the aisles. The record-breaking production of
'Cats' was on stage for 21 seasons, from 1981 - 2002, and became one of
the most popular musicals of all time. It played the total of 8,949
performances in London and 7,485 in New York.
In 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber released his most successful musical, 'The
Phantom of the Opera', based on the eponymous book by
Gaston Leroux with the English lyrics by
Charles Hart. 'The Phantom of
the Opera' became the highest grossing entertainment event of all time,
with total worldwide gross of 3,3 billion dollars and attendance of 80
million. It is also the longest running Broadway musical of all time
and the most financially successful Broadway show in history. 'The
Phantom of the Opera' was translated into several languages and was
produced in more than twenty countries as "clones" of the original
production, using similar staging, direction, costumes concept and sets
design.
He was knighted Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1992, and was created an
honorary life peer in 1997 as Baron Lloyd-Webber, of Syndmonton in the
County of Hampshire. He won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Music,
Original Song for Evita (1996), and
received two more Oscar nominations. Among his other awards are seven
Tonys and three Grammys, including his 1986 Grammy Award for Requiem in
the category of best classical composition. In 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber
was Awarded Kennedy Center Honors. He owns seven London theatres, which
he also restored. Outside of his entertainment career he developed a
passion for collecting Pre-Raphaelite paintings and Victorian art. He
was married three times and has five children. He is residing in
England.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is currently working on his new opera titled
'Master and Margarita' based on the eponymous novel by
Mikhail A. Bulgakov.