MUSICAL MASTER

Riding the lift with a lord -- or in the American vernacular, taking the elevator with a nobleman of the British crown -- we arrive at his suite at The Venetian, into which Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber briskly strides, glancing around the exquisitely appointed minipalace that nearly merits its own knighthood.

"I really don't need all this," he says, gesturing toward a piano in the corner. "That's all I need."

Perhaps, but it's impossible to imagine the dignified legend seated at the keyboard in his room at Motel 6. The suite suits him, as does a cheeky sense of humor when he marvels at how Las Vegas means "The Meadows" in Spanish.

"There couldn't have ever been a meadow here," he says in his impeccable, across-the-pond accent. "I haven't seen any sheep."

The maestro of "Phantom of the Opera" -- as well as "Phantom --The Las Vegas Spectacular," continuing its successful run several floors below -- was in town to mentor the final six "American Idol" contestants who will sing his songs on today's broadcast (8 p.m., KVVU-TV, Channel 5), which will include footage from the tutoring session taped on the Phantom Theatre stage. Lloyd Webber will join them to perform on Wednesday's results show. He is doing similar duty for his BBC theater talent search, "I'd Do Anything," one of several such reality shows he has produced or appeared on in Great Britain.

It's a brief timeout for the composer, who is laboring on the much-rumored-about "Phantom" sequel. Lloyd Webber is cryptic about the details, but the London Daily Mail describes it this way: "The Phantom has slipped away to New York and has set up a fairground on Coney Island, along with Madame Giry and her daughter, Meg. He organizes a concert in Manhattan for Christine, the object of his desire. Christine travels to the U.S. with her husband, Raoul, and their teenage son, who happens to be a musical genius, just like the Phantom."

The Coney Island reference is not a misprint.

So, Lord Lloyd Webber -- oh, let's be informally formal and call you Lord Andy -- let's talk:

Question: Why did you decide to appear on "Idol"?

Answer: I've been very lucky being able to make an incredible living out of musicals and it's a way of giving back. My (TV) shows, and I've got four around the world right now, are based on a very simple philosophy: We nurture artists, we don't torture them. We're not there to humiliate them, and what I try and find is the best, and so with the six kids here, I hope -- and in one case I think I certainly have -- actually made a difference to them. It's not about making smart-aleck comments.

Q: What do you stress in these sessions?

A: I always talk about the words of songs, because I'm a composer for the theater, and stories are the most important thing for me, so I'm very story-driven. I want to hear them interpret words, because that's what makes theater work.

Q: Have the reality shows you've done been gratifying for you?

A: It's been odd for me to be in demand for television work, but I do enjoy it. But it isn't my day job. I've got to explain to them that I've got a new musical myself coming out next year and that has to take priority.

Q: You were a guest judge on a reality show here in the States, "Grease: You're the One That I Want" (patterned after a Lloyd Webber-produced show in England) to choose co-stars for that Broadway revival and ...

A: Yes, and that show was completely appalling. That whole idea, they ripped it off from me. This other arm of the BBC Worldwide admitted they ripped it off, wrecked it and it was a complete disaster.

Q: How did it go wrong?

A: Well, you saw it. They're The One Nobody Wanted. One of the worst shows I've ever seen. Nobody had any sense of humor, no one had any ideas, and these poor kids were floundering around. I'd never seen anything like it. No words are strong enough. They didn't understand the genre. My programs are about working with people, and of course, there's nothing to say about "Grease." Nothing to say at all, except that the girl is pretty and the boy is pretty. ... Sandy and Danny. Actually, they're both boys' names. Maybe you do have a show.

Q: What's the status of the "Phantom" sequel?

A: It's in the middle of being written. The current estimate is it would be ready to be produced in the fall of next year, or the spring of '10.

Q: Why did you want to do a sequel -- that word has had a bad connotation in terms of quality.

A: I thought about it for a long, long time, and it took me a very long time to agree to do it. But I have a fantastic story, and I've approached it as if it's a completely new work. There will be nothing of the melodies of the old 'Phantom' in it at all. There might be a little tiny hint of some of the more obscure motifs so I can have some fun with my musician friends.

Q: Are you concerned about unrealistic expectations among devoted "Phantom" fans?

A: Actually, I haven't absolutely decided to do it. I mean, I'll write it first, then decide if I want to produce it. There's no point in even going ahead with it if when I perform it the first time in a workshop it isn't completely standalone. Apart from the characters being the same, it can't have any -- well, I guess it must have some resonance from what it was before, but you have to be able to see it and say you didn't need to see the first one.

Q: Isn't this based on source material, a novel called "The Phantom of Manhattan"?

A: Yes, but I couldn't make that work, so it's a new story. I promise you, the only reason I'm doing it is because it's a very, very good story. It's a better story than the original.

Q: Can you give us an outline of the story?

A: Nooooo, I certainly cannot!

Q: How is Las Vegas treating Broadway shows?

A: I don't really know. "Phantom" was completely rethought for Las Vegas and is one of the reasons it seems to have worked. I haven't seen any of the other Broadway shows that have been here. But it seems to me theater has bedded itself into this town now, and it's only a matter of time before somebody embraces it and does something that is original to Las Vegas, and that will be really interesting.

Contact reporter Steve Bornfeld at sbornfeld@reviewjournal.com or (702)383-0256.