The talented English composer and director of several musicals is Andrew Lloyd Webber. His productions have enjoyed astounding success, playing on Broadway and the West End for more than ten years. He is regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the twentieth century and has received countless honors, including a peerage from Queen Elizabeth II. His body of work demonstrates the depth of his musical understanding as well as the extent of his influence on popular culture. Webber has achieved incredible heights over the course of a career spanning more than five decades, both as a theatre producer and a legendary musician. Webber has contributed significantly to some of the most popular theatrical performances of the past fifty years, from the epoch-defining “Jesus Christ Superstar” to the melancholy melodies of the smash musical “Phantom of the Opera.” His theater firm, the “Really Useful Group,” is one of the biggest in the UK. As the president of “Arts Education Schools London,” he seeks to develop young artists. Being a true humanitarian, Webber is involved with numerous charitable organizations, like the “Elton John AIDS Foundation” and “Nordof Robbins,” among others.
Early Childhood & Life
William Lloyd Webber and Jean Hermione Johnstone welcomed Andrew Lloyd Webber into the world on March 22, 1948, in Kensington, London. His parents were talented musicians who had a strong commitment to music. Julian Lloyd Webber, his younger brother, is a well-known musician as well.
The environment Lloyd grew up in allowed him to develop his gift, and at the age of nine, he began writing a suite of six musical compositions. With his brother and aunt, he was able to stage several amusing versions of these as well.
In 1965, he was a Queen’s Scholar who attended Westminster School. He then enrolled at Oxford’s Magdalen College to study history but left in order to pursue musical theater at the Royal College of Music.
Career of Andrew Lloyd Webber
He worked with Tim Rice in 1965 to create the musical “The Likes of Us,” which was based on Thomas John Barnado. Despite receiving a high rating, the production stalled and wasn’t performed in public until 2005.
Alan Doggett hired the team in 1967 to compose a song for the school choir. As a result, ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ was created, drawing on a variety of genres.
The pair collaborated on “Jesus Christ Superstar” in 1970, and it became an instant hit. The West End stage hosted the musical’s performance.
Their first musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” was turned into a long theater production and shown in the West End in 1972.
A musical based on P. G. Wodehouse stories was what Rice and Webber had intended to create, but Rice dropped out. With Alan Ayckbourn, Webber continued to work on the musical and composed “Jeeves.” But it left no lasting effect at first.
In 1978, Rice and Webber reconnected to create “Evita.” This musical, which was based on Eva Peron, went on to be popular. At the West End and eventually on Broadway, the production ran for more than ten years.
After “Evita,” Webber formed his own music production company. Julian, his brother, was mentioned in his composition “Variations.” This series’ theme song was utilized for 32 years in “South Bank Show.”
He contributed to the musical “Cats,” which is based on writings by T. S. Eliot, in 1981. With a 21-year run, this went on to become the longest-running musical in London. With 18 years, it also set a record for the longest run on Broadway.
He wrote “Starlight Express,” which became a commercial success, in 1984.
He composed ‘Requiem Mass’ in 1985 as a tribute to his late father. In 1986, he received a Grammy honor for it.
He collaborated with Tim Rice to create “Cricket” in 1986. The 60th birthday musical for Queen Elizabeth was presented at Windsor Castle.
‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1986) is his most well-known work to date. The Harold Prince-helmed production had the longest run of any musical on Broadway and the West End. In 2012, the 10,000th Broadway production was finished.
He published ‘Aspects of Love’ in 1989. Based on a narrative by David Garnett, the musical. The show ended after four years, despite being relatively successful.
He composed a song for the Barcelona Olympics in the 1990s. He later worked on the 1994 play “Sunset Boulevard,” which had its world premiere at the Adelphi Theatre and ran for more than 1,500 performances. Despite this, any benefits they did make were negated by the high production costs.
Webber was rated as the most popular composer by the early 2000s. He produced “Bombay Dreams” in collaboration with Indian maestro A. R. Rahman.
His production, “The Woman in White,” debuted in 2004 at Palace Theatre before moving to Broadway. Despite favorable reviews, the production soon ended.
He shared the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006 alongside Steven Spielberg, Dolly Parton, Zubin Mehta, and others. He also served as one of the judges for the reality competition “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?” that same year.
He performed excerpts from his musicals in the London performance of “Concert for Diana” in 2007. His work was performed in several different pieces.
He served as the panelist on the ‘I’d Do Anything’ talent panel in 2008. He also served as a mentor to the contestants on “American Idol.”
He published the musical ‘Love Never Dies’ in 2009. Her Majesty’s Theatre hosted the performance’s debut. In 2011, he worked on the production of “The Wizard of Oz.”
He began working on the musical “Stephen Ward: The Musical,” the revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and the primetime program “Superstar” in 2012.
He began work on a musical adaption of the music-themed movie “School of Rock” in 2014. With the assistance of the music education program School of Rock, it opened its doors in 2015.
In March 2018, Webber released his autobiography, titled “Unmasked.” The book spans his time in school up until his success on stage.
Personal Legacy & Life
Sarah Hugill and Andrew Lloyd Webber were wed from 1971 until their divorce in 1983. Imogen Llyod Webber and Nicholas Llyod Webber are the couple’s two kids.
In 1984, he wed singer Sarah Brightman in his second union. They split up in 1990.
In February 1991, he wed Madeleine Gurdon. Alastair Adam, William Richard, and Isabella Aurora are their three children. The family resides in Hampshire’s Sydmonton Court.
He was quickly operated upon after receiving an early prostate cancer diagnosis in 2009. By 2010, he had declared himself cancer-free and had completely removed his prostate.
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Net Worth
Trivia
When he published the ‘Matters of Taste’ column for the Daily Telegraph, Andrew Lloyd Webber put on the hat of a restaurant reviewer. He wrote restaurant reviews between 1995 and 2000.
He is a passionate collector of Victorian art. For his charity, he has auctioned off some of his treasures.