Musical licensing business Ovation Rights has acquired the rights to Sir Richard Stilgoe’s catalogue of stage musicals, including The Phantom of the Opera and Starlight Express.
Ovation Rights was founded and is led by West End producer Jamie Hendry (Accidental Death of an Anarchist) and former Amazon executive Philip Green, funded by BlackRock’s Direct Private Opportunities business.
Richard Stilgoe has written lyrics and books to countless musicals, notably in collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber. Stilgoe’s Lloyd Webber musicals include The Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express and Cats.
Stilgoe’s other musicals include Bodywork and Brilliant the Dinosaur written for schools.
Ovation will manage the performing rights royalties, mechanical royalties, synchronization licensing and print rights of the lyrics and songs by Richard Stilgoe.
Companies acquiring the music catalogues of songwriters and stars is currently big business, although acquiring the catalogues of musical theatre composers and lyricists is still pretty rare, particularly for lyricists.
Sir Richard Stilgoe said in a statement: “Together with the trustees of my foundation, I have been working closely with Jamie to ensure the custodianship of my work on ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Starlight Express’ and ‘Cats’ rests with someone who truly understands and respects the theatre. In Jamie and the team at Ovation Rights, I have found a partner I can trust wholeheartedly to protect and champion the work I am immensely proud of. Jamie’s deep roots in our industry, coupled with Ovation Rights’ vision for the rights of authors, composers and lyricists, make this partnership a perfect fit. Ovation Rights and The Really Useful Group share my unwavering commitment to preserving and championing the work Andrew and I, together with our many collaborators, created all those years ago, and which I hope audiences will continue to enjoy for many more years to come.”
Jamie Hendry said: “Richard’s extraordinary contributions have not just shaped British musical theatre, they’ve transformed the global stage. I’m honoured to be entrusted as the custodian of his remarkable legacy and to have helped him unlock the future value of his contributions in these iconic works to support his ongoing charitable work. In partnering with BlackRock, we are poised to continue investing in artists and rightsholders with significant capital and care, ensuring their contributions endure and thrive for decades to come.”
Richard Stilgoe makes a number of his poems and songs available to download free on his website.
Book tickets to The Phantom of the Opera at His Majesty’s Theatre in London
Book tickets to Starlight Express at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre in London
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