Lloyd Webber, Andrew (1948-…), became the most popular composer of his time in English music theater. He is especially known for his long, flowing melodic scores. Lloyd Webber has won several Tony Awards for achievements in Broadway theater.
Lloyd Webber first earned fame for his collaborations with English lyric writer Tim Rice on three musicals. These shows were Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1968, revised 1973 and 1991); Jesus Christ Superstar (1971), with its popular title song and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”; and Evita (1978), with its hit song “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.” All three musicals originated as recordings. Lloyd Webber and Rice also won the 1997 Academy Award for best song for “You Must Love Me” from Evita (1996).
Lloyd Webber composed the musical Cats (1981), using lyrics from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (1939) by the poet T. S. Eliot. The musical’s best-known song is “Memory.” The Phantom of the Opera (1986) is based on a horror novel written by the French author Gaston Leroux. Its best-known song is “The Music of the Night.” A sequel, called Love Never Dies, opened in 2010.
Lloyd Webber’s other musicals include Song and Dance (1982), Starlight Express (1984), Aspects of Love (1989), Sunset Boulevard (1993), The Beautiful Game (2000), and The Woman in White (2004). He also composed Requiem (1985), a memorial Mass for his father. Lloyd Webber was born on March 22, 1948, in London. The composer was knighted in 1992. In 1997, he was named a lord, taking the name Baron Andrew Lloyd-Webber of Sydmonton.
