One of the most successful composers in the history of musical theatre has been honoured with one of London’s oldest civic awards. Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, the 78-year-old impresario behind a string of the biggest stage hits ever written, was made a Freeman of the City of London at a ceremony at Guildhall on Wednesday, in recognition of his contribution to musical theatre and the arts.
The honour, presented by the City of London Corporation, celebrates a career that has helped cement the capital’s standing as a global centre of culture — a reputation carried by everything from its West End stages to grassroots venues such as Islington’s historic Hope & Anchor music pub. Best known for The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starlight Express and Evita, Lord Lloyd Webber has composed 21 musicals, alongside a song cycle, two film scores, a set of variations and a Latin Requiem Mass.
Speaking after the ceremony, he said: “I am delighted to receive the Freedom of the City of London.” He pointed to the happy timing of the award, arriving as the capital prepares to mark 40 years of The Phantom of the Opera in London this Friday, with Michael Harrison’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar about to move into the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. “There is much to celebrate,” he added. “I am truly grateful.”
Lord Lloyd Webber was nominated for the honour by Dame Susan Langley, the lady mayor of the City of London, and Alderman Sir William Russell, chairman of the Barbican Centre board and a former lord mayor.
Dame Susan said that “over the last six decades, few people have done more to shape modern musical theatre than Andrew Lloyd Webber”. Through hugely popular and enduring works such as The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, she said, he had entertained and inspired audiences across the world while helping to secure London’s place as a global capital of culture. The Freedom, she added, recognised “not only Andrew’s remarkable creative legacy, but also his enduring commitment to nurturing future generations of musical talent and supporting the arts”.
Alderman Sir William described Lord Lloyd Webber’s name as “synonymous with theatrical excellence”, adding that his music had “undoubtedly become part of the soundtrack to many millions of lives around the world”.
What is the Freedom of the City of London?
The Freedom of the City of London is among the oldest civic honours in the country, believed to date back to 1237. Bestowed by the City of London Corporation, it is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to life in the capital. In earlier centuries, freemen enjoyed special rights and privileges within the Square Mile, including the right to earn a living there; those practical powers are long gone, but the honour remains one of the City’s most prestigious civic awards. Lord Lloyd Webber joins a distinguished roll of recipients that includes Dame Judi Dench, Sir Michael Caine, Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Arlene Phillips and Gloria Hunniford.
A Londoner through and through
Few recipients can claim a deeper bond with the capital. Born in London, Lord Lloyd Webber has spent his career at the very heart of the West End, and this week the city marks 40 years since The Phantom of the Opera first opened here. He owns six West End theatres, including the London Palladium and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane — which is about to welcome Michael Harrison’s Jesus Christ Superstar — and ploughs the profits from his venues back into maintaining and improving the buildings. That devotion to looking after the capital’s historic venues is echoed across London, from West Hampstead’s Black Lion, which is undergoing a six-figure refurbishment, to Biggin Hill’s historic Old Jail, where restoration plans could see it pour again.
Beyond the stage, Lord Lloyd Webber is a prominent philanthropist. He established the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation in 1992, which has donated millions to support the arts, culture and music education, and funds scholarships designed to widen access to musical theatre training. His work has brought him seven Olivier Awards and the rare distinction of EGOT status, with Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards all to his name. He was also the first member of the British arts community to be appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the UK’s most senior order of chivalry, in its 700-year history.
Images from Wednesday’s ceremony show Lord Lloyd Webber at Guildhall, pictured in front of La Ghirlandata, Rossetti’s pre-Raphaelite masterpiece. The latest honour adds to a long list of awards reflecting his enduring influence on London’s cultural life and the world’s stages.
