Andrew Lloyd Webber was booed during the final curtain call of Cinderella after her branded the production a "mistake".
The composer wasn't at the Gillian Lynne theatre in London, but a letter he'd written was read out by the director, Laurence Connor.
The stalwart's note read: "I keep thinking if only we had opened three months later, we wouldn't have had to postpone our opening twice because of COVID… I promise you we would have been here for a very long time to come.
"My huge thanks to everyone. We kept the government's feet to the flames and led the charge to the West End opening again.
"It might have been a costly mistake, but I am proud of what we did and will forever be grateful to everyone who supported me."
Cinderella opened in August last year with lyrics by David Zippel and a book by The Crown star Emerald Fennell.
However, due to the pandemic the musical made its debut with an audience of just 50%.
Sadly in December it was stopped due to 'Covid-related' absences alongside popular musicals Hamilton and the Lion King.
At the time, Lloyd Webber said it is "simply heartbreaking' to see the theatre industry 'decimated' by cancellations, adding "no-one in the Government listens".
He postponed Cinderella until 2022 'to avoid more disruption' Covid-19 took hold of the country.
Then in early May it was announced the show would soon be axed.
Carrie Hope Fletcher, who played the titular role and is the sister of McFly frontman, Tom, said she'd 'had a ball' in the role.
Taking to Instagram, she wrote: "The last three years on this project have had many highs and lows but overall I'm glad to have stood in Cinderella's glass slippers.
"Everyone in the Gillian Lynne from cast to crew to lighting to sound to wardrobe to dressers to wigs to stage management to front of house...coming to work has been an honour and a privilege.
"Bye, Cinders. It's been a ball."
Director Connor added: “What I feel about this production is that we’ve created something really special.
“On this day, watching that final performance with everybody, that’s how I want us to go.”
When contacted by the Mirror, a rep for Mr Lloyd Webber said: "Andrew and the whole team and incredibly proud of Cinderella and the “mistake” referenced was trying to open early in the midst of the pandemic (in a bid to try and bring some life back into the beleaguered West End.)"
A spokesperson for his Really Useful Group added: "The reference to a “costly mistake” was never – and would never be – about the production. It related to the early opening of the show and the myriad challenges faced because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"As Andrew said in the letter, he is immensely proud of the show and that is hugely due to everyone involved.”
