We felt we had to know something of his back story. I don't think people in the cinema would just accept that he's there. I think we had to learn how he (got there).

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Lloyd Webber has also been accused of plagiarising Puccini most notably in Requiem and The Phantom of the Opera. Pie Jesu from Requiem achieved a high placing on the UK pop charts. In 2008 amateur rights were released via the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) in association with the Really Useful Group.

Several of his songs have been widely recorded and were hits outside of their parent musicals notably "The Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "You Must Love Me" from Evita "Any Dream Will Do" from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and "Memory" from Cats. He has also gained a number of honours including a knighthood in 1992 followed by a peerage from Queen Elizabeth II for services to Music seven Tony Awards three Grammy Awards an Academy Award fourteen Ivor Novello Awards seven Olivier Awards a Golden Globe Award and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2006. He has composed 13 musicals a song cycle a set of variations two film scores and a Latin Requiem Mass.