Webber Opens Up About Alcohol Recovery, Wine Auction

Andrew Lloyd Webber has revealed he is a recovering alcoholic who now attends daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, regardless of whether he is at home in London, Hampshire, or New York. The 78-year-old composer of The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Evita first stopped drinking in 2016, selling much of his renowned wine collection including cases of Château Pétrus 1982 worth £50,000 each, but admitted he began drinking in secret after 18 months of what he calls "white-knuckling" without proper support. His family, including his wife Madeleine, had reached a "desperate state" over his drinking, with his wife feeling she "couldn't go on" before he finally decided to seek professional help approximately 16 months ago. Webber checked himself into a clinic and now describes his sobriety as "the best thing that ever happened to me." He expressed surprise at how much he enjoys attending AA meetings, where he has found unexpected friendships and equality. "You go into a room and everybody's equal. I've made friends that I wouldn't have thought possible," he told The Times, recalling meetings in locations as varied as St Louis and Chelsea. The composer explained he had previously used alcohol to "liberate" himself during periods of writer's block, though he acknowledged the spiral of increasing dependence that followed. The renowned composer has discovered that sobriety has not diminished his creativity; he is currently writing two new musicals, one based on the 2006 film The Illusionist and another about the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa. Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a tribute to the 1980s drag scene, has opened to positive reviews on Broadway. Webber is auctioning the remainder of his wine collection through Christie's from April 22 to May 6, with the estimated £300,000 proceeds to be donated to the Music in Secondary Schools Trust. His revelation comes shortly after his younger brother, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber, announced he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.