Andrew Lloyd Webber facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Lloyd-Webber KG
Lloyd Webber in 2009
Born	(1948-03-22) 22 March 1948 (age 77) London, England
Alma mater	Royal College of Music
Occupation	Composer
Years active	1965–present
Organization	Really Useful Group Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation
Notable work	Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1968) Jesus Christ Superstar (1970) Evita (1976) Cats (1981) Starlight Express (1984) The Phantom of the Opera (1986) Sunset Boulevard (1993) School of Rock (2015)
Spouse(s)	Sarah Hugill ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1983)​ Sarah Brightman ​ ​ (m. 1984; div. 1990)​ Madeleine Gurdon ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	5, including Imogen and Nick
Parent(s)	William Lloyd Webber (father)
Relatives	Julian Lloyd Webber (brother)
Awards	Full list
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 25 February 1997 – 17 October 2017 Life peerage

Andrew Lloyd Webber (born March 22, 1948) is a famous English composer and producer of musical theatre. He has created many popular musicals that have been performed for a long time in London's West End and on Broadway in New York. He has written 21 musicals, a song cycle, variations, two film scores, and a special Latin Requiem Mass.

Many of Lloyd Webber's songs have become hits on their own, even outside of the musicals. These include "Memory" from Cats, "The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera, and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita. In 2001, The New York Times called him "the most commercially successful composer in history."

Lloyd Webber has won many awards for his work. These include a knighthood in 1992 and a special title as a Lord in 1997 for his contributions to the arts. He has also received seven Tony Awards, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, three Grammy Awards, and an Academy Award. In 2018, he became one of the few people to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Tony, a special achievement known as an EGOT. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

His company, Really Useful Group, runs several theatres in London. He is also the president of the Arts Educational Schools, a performing arts school in London. Lloyd Webber supports many charities, including the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, which helps arts and culture in the UK.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Andrew Lloyd Webber was born in London on March 22, 1948. His father, William Lloyd Webber, was a composer and organist. His mother, Jean Hermione Johnstone, was a violinist and pianist. His younger brother, Julian Lloyd Webber, became a famous cellist.

Lloyd Webber studied at the Royal College of Music in London, just like his father.

Andrew started writing music when he was very young. He wrote a suite of six pieces at age nine. He also created shows with his brother and aunt using a toy theatre. His aunt, Viola, who was an actress, often took him to see plays and backstage. In 1963, he began studying music part-time.

From 1960 to 1965, Lloyd Webber attended Westminster School. He loved 1960s rock and pop music. He called The Rolling Stones' song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" the "best record of the Sixties." He briefly studied history at Magdalen College, Oxford. However, he left in 1965 to study at the Royal College of Music in London. He wanted to focus on musical theatre.

A Career in Musicals

First Collaborations

In 1965, when Andrew was 17, he met Tim Rice, who wanted to write pop songs. Their first musical together was The Likes of Us. It was based on the true story of Thomas John Barnardo. They made a demo tape in 1966, but couldn't find anyone to support the project. This musical was not performed publicly until 2005.

In 1967, a family friend asked Lloyd Webber and Rice to write a piece for a school choir. They were asked for a "pop cantata" based on the Old Testament. This led to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. It humorously retells the biblical story of Joseph. The show used different pop music styles, like Elvis-style rock'n'roll and Calypso. Joseph started as a short cantata. It grew over time with new songs and performances. It became a full stage musical in 1972.

Jesus Christ Superstar, starring Paul Nicholas, at the Palace Theatre, London in 1972.

In 1969, Rice and Lloyd Webber wrote a song for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was not chosen, but with new lyrics, it became "King Herod's Song" in their third musical, Jesus Christ Superstar (1970). This musical opened on Broadway in 1971. It was very successful and ran for over eight years in London. It held the record for the longest-running West End musical for a time.

After Jesus Christ Superstar, Lloyd Webber worked with Alan Ayckbourn on a musical called Jeeves (1975). This show was not very successful at first. Many years later, they reworked it into a more successful version called By Jeeves (1996).

Mid-1970s Successes

Lloyd Webber and Rice worked together again on Evita (1978). This musical tells the story of Eva Perón. Like Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita was first released as a concept album in 1976. The song "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" became a big hit. The musical opened in London and ran for almost eight years.

Evita at the West End's Adelphi Theatre.

Evita then moved to Broadway in 1979. It won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Rice and Lloyd Webber mostly stopped working together after Evita, though they have collaborated occasionally since.

In 1978, Lloyd Webber created Variations with his brother Julian. It was based on a piece by Paganini. This album was very popular in the UK. The main tune from Variations became the theme song for the TV show South Bank Show.

The 1980s and Iconic Musicals

In 1981, Lloyd Webber created Cats. He used poems by T. S. Eliot for the lyrics. Cats became the longest-running musical in London, playing for 21 years. On Broadway, Cats ran for 18 years. The song "Memory" from the show became a Top 10 hit.

Cats at the London Palladium.

Starlight Express (1984) was another big hit. It ran for many years in London. The show is still running full-time in a special theatre in Bochum, Germany, since 1988. It holds a Guinness World Record for the most visitors to a musical in one theatre.

Lloyd Webber wrote a special piece of music called Requiem Mass in 1985. He dedicated it to his father, who had passed away. He won a Grammy Award for Requiem in 1986.

In 1986, Lloyd Webber premiered The Phantom of the Opera in London. It was inspired by a novel by Gaston Leroux. He wrote the role of Christine for his wife at the time, Sarah Brightman. She starred in the original London and Broadway shows. Phantom became a huge success. It is still running in London. In January 2006, it became the longest-running show on Broadway, surpassing Cats. The Broadway production closed on April 16, 2023, after 13,981 performances, making it the longest-running Broadway show ever.

The Phantom of the Opera at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto.

Aspects of Love followed in 1989. It ran for four years in London. The song "Love Changes Everything" from this musical became very popular.

The 1990s and Beyond

In 1992, Lloyd Webber wrote "Amigos Para Siempre — Friends for Life" for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It was performed by Sarah Brightman and José Carreras.

He then created Sunset Boulevard (1993), based on a famous 1950 film. It opened in London and was very successful. In 1994, Sunset Boulevard also became a hit on Broadway.

Lloyd Webber received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1993.

In 1998, a film version of Cats was released. Later that year, Whistle Down the Wind debuted. It included the hit song "No Matter What". His musical The Beautiful Game opened in London in 2000.

2000s and Reality TV

In the 2000s, Lloyd Webber also became a producer. He brought the musical Bombay Dreams to London in 2002. In 2004, his musical The Woman in White opened in London.

In 2006, he produced The Sound of Music. He made a unique choice for the lead role of Maria. He found an unknown actress through the BBC reality TV show How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, where he was a judge.

U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush with the Kennedy Center honourees in 2006. Lloyd Webber is second from left.

In 2007, he appeared on another BBC show, Any Dream Will Do!. This show aimed to find a new Joseph for his revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The winner was Lee Mead.

In 2008, Lloyd Webber was a judge on the BBC show I'd Do Anything. This show searched for an actress to play Nancy in a West End production of Oliver!. He also appeared on the U.S. talent show American Idol as a mentor.

In 2009, Lloyd Webber helped choose the UK's entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. He composed the song "It's My Time" for Jade Ewen. The UK finished fifth in the contest.

Lloyd Webber and the UK's 2009 Eurovision entrant Jade Ewen

Lloyd Webber and Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow

In October 2009, he announced his musical Love Never Dies. It is a planned sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.

2010s and Recent Works

In 2010, Lloyd Webber searched for a new musical theatre performer on the BBC show Over the Rainbow. The winner, Danielle Hope, was cast as Dorothy Gale in his new stage production of The Wizard of Oz. He and Tim Rice wrote new songs for this show. The Wizard of Oz opened in London in March 2011.

The 2017 Broadway production of Sunset Boulevard at the Palace Theatre.

In 2012, Lloyd Webber hosted the ITV show Superstar. This show aimed to find an actor to play Jesus in an arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

For his next project, he adapted the 2003 film School of Rock into a musical in 2015. Auditions were held for children aged nine to fifteen.

In 2016, a revival of Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close was very popular in London. It then moved to Broadway in 2017. This meant Lloyd Webber had four musicals running on Broadway at the same time.

His memoir, Unmasked, was published in 2018. In September 2018, Lloyd Webber, along with Tim Rice and John Legend, won an Emmy for Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert. This made them EGOT winners. Lloyd Webber also wrote the song "Beautiful Ghosts" with Taylor Swift for the 2019 film adaptation of Cats.

2020s and New Projects

Lloyd Webber's new version of Cinderella opened in London in 2021. Its opening was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The story was written by Emerald Fennell. Critics praised School of Rock and Cinderella for their fresh and witty style.

Cinderella at the West End's Gillian Lynne Theatre in July 2021.

In 2022, Lloyd Webber appeared at the BBC Platinum Jubilee Concert for Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. In 2023, he was one of twelve composers asked to write a new piece for the coronation of Charles III and Camilla. His anthem, "Make a Joyful Noise", was performed during the ceremony.

In 2024, Lloyd Webber announced his next musical will be based on the 2006 film The Illusionist. In 2025, he will work with Tim Rice again to create songs for a play called Sherlock Holmes and The 12 Days of Christmas.

Accusations of Plagiarism

Andrew Lloyd Webber has faced some accusations that parts of his music sound similar to other works. For example, some people have noted a similarity between a part of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor and the song "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar. His biographer, John Snelson, said that while the opening theme might be similar, Lloyd Webber added new dramatic feeling and developed the melody in his own way.

Another accusation involved the 1971 Pink Floyd album Meddle. Some say the opening organ part in "The Phantom of the Opera" is similar to a riff in Pink Floyd's song "Echoes". Roger Waters of Pink Floyd mentioned this similarity.

In 1987, the Puccini estate, which manages the works of composer Giacomo Puccini, sued Lloyd Webber. They claimed his song "The Music of the Night" was similar to a melody in Puccini's opera La fanciulla del West. The case was settled outside of court, meaning they reached an agreement without a trial. Another songwriter, Ray Repp, also claimed Lloyd Webber copied a melody, but the court ruled in Lloyd Webber's favor.

Personal Life

Andrew Lloyd Webber has been married three times. His first marriage was to Sarah Hugill in 1971. They had two children, Imogen and Nicholas. They divorced in 1983.

Lloyd Webber (middle) with his then-wife Sarah Brightman (right) in 1985.

He then married English singer Sarah Brightman in 1984. He cast Brightman in the main role in his musical The Phantom of the Opera. They divorced in 1990 but have remained friends and continued to work together.

His third marriage was to Madeleine Gurdon in 1991. They have three children.

Lloyd Webber and Madeleine started the Watership Down Stud in 1992, which is a place for breeding horses. They also own Kiltinan Castle Stud in Ireland.

He is a lifelong fan of the London football club Leyton Orient F.C..

In late 2009, Lloyd Webber had surgery for early-stage prostate cancer. He recovered well and was declared cancer-free in January 2010. Sadly, his son Nicholas passed away in 2023 at age 43 after battling gastric cancer.

Wealth and Interests

Lloyd Webber is one of the richest musicians in the UK. He lives at Sydmonton Court in Hampshire, England. He also owns much of the nearby Watership Down area.

He is a passionate art collector, especially of Victorian painting. In 2003, some of his art collection was shown at the Royal Academy. In 2010, a painting by Pablo Picasso from his collection was sold at auction for a large sum of money.

Charity Work

Lloyd Webber is involved in many charitable activities. These include the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Nordoff Robbins (a music therapy charity), Prostate Cancer UK, and War Child. In 1992, he started the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. This foundation supports the arts, culture, and heritage of the UK.

In 2013, the Andrew Lloyd Webber Programme was launched. It helps the Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST). This program aims to give every child in participating schools the chance to learn a musical instrument. Lloyd Webber believes that music helps children grow as people, not just as musicians.

Lloyd Webber's Cats-themed Paddington Bear statue in London.

In 2014, Lloyd Webber designed a Cats-themed Paddington Bear statue. It was one of 50 statues placed around London. These statues were later auctioned to raise money for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).

Political Role

Lloyd Webber was made a life peer in 1997. This means he was given a special title, Baron Lloyd-Webber, and became a member of the House of Lords. He sat as a member of the Conservative Party. He retired from the House of Lords on October 17, 2017. He said his busy schedule made it hard to attend Parliament, especially with important new laws coming up.

In July 2021, he stated that he would no longer vote for the Conservatives. He felt they did not handle the COVID-19 pandemic well and did not support the arts sector enough during that time.

Awards and Honours

Lloyd Webber's coat of arms.

Lloyd Webber was made a knight in 1992 for his services to the arts. He received his life peerage in 1997, becoming Baron Lloyd-Webber. On St George's Day 2024, he was appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter (KG), which is a very high honour.

Theatre Works

Note: Music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber unless otherwise noted.

Musicals

Plays

Film Adaptations of His Musicals

Several of Lloyd Webber's musicals have been made into films:

• Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
• Evita (1996)
• The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
• Cats (2019)

Some have also been adapted into made-for-television films, released on DVD and often shown on BBC. These include Cats (1998), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999), and Jesus Christ Superstar (2000).

Special live performances of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (2011) and a reworked Love Never Dies (2012) were also filmed and released.

Other Musical Works

• Gumshoe (1971) - film score
• The Odessa File (1974) – Film score.
• Variations (1978) – A set of musical variations for his brother, Julian. This album was very popular. The main theme is used as the theme music for The South Bank Show.
• Requiem (1985) – A classical choral work dedicated to his father.
• Watership Down (1999) – He composed the song "Fields of Sun" for this animated series, though it was not used in the final show.

Discography

Musicals and Show Recordings

Other Albums

• Variations (1978)
• Variations with London Philharmonic Orchestra (1986)
• Symphonic Suites (2021)

Images for kids

• 

  Starlight Express has been running in Bochum, Germany, since 1988.

See also

In Spanish: Andrew Lloyd Webber para niños