Actually, when Kopit and Yeston began work on their PHANTOM in late 1983, it wasn't in the public domain...in the US. Geoffrey Holder got the rights from the Leroux estate and they started. While they struggled, they then learned of ALW...and that the work was in the public domain in the UK. They had the rights for two more years, then it would be in the public domain globally.
And Sir Andrew got to the finish line first with a mega-hit, crushing Yeston and Kopit's dreams.
I think CYRANO wins for most versions.
Laura |
