Phantom of the Opera Background Information Le Fantme

Phantom of the Opera Background Information

Le Fantôme de l'Opéra • Novel by Gaston Leroux • Published in 1909 • Partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the 1800 s

Phantom of the Opera • Musical • Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber • Opened in 1986 • Most financially successful entertainment event to date • Estimated worldwide gross receipts of over $5. 6 billion

Characters • The Phantom of the Opera (Erik) • Christine Daae • Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny • Carlotta Giudicelli • Madame Giry • Meg Giry • Monsieur Richard Firmin • Monsieur Gilles Andre • Ubaldo Piangi

Prologue SETTING • Paris Opera House • 1905 PLOT • Auction of old theatre props • Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, buys a couple items • Old chandelier is uncovered • It illuminates and slowly rises over the audience to its old position in the rafters • The years roll back and the Opera returns to its 1880 s grandeaur

Act I SETTING • Paris Opera House • 1881 PLOT • Carlotta (soprano prima donna) is rehearsing for the evening’s performance • A backdrop collapses without warning • The Opera’s new owners (Firmin and Andre) try to downplay the incident • Carlotta refuses to continue and leaves • Madame Giry tells the owners that Christine could sing Carlotta’s role • Owners reluctantly audition Christine and are surprised at how good she really is

• After her performance, Christine admits to her friend Meg that she only knows her teacher as an invisible “Angel of Music” • Raoul (an old playmate of Christine’s) finds Christine in her dressing room • Raoul invites Christine to dinner • The jealous Phantom appears in Christine’s mirror • He guides her into a ghostly underground realm • They cross a subterranean lake to his secret lair beneath the opera house • Christine sees a mannequin that looks like her in a wedding dress • She faints and the Phantom carries her to a bed • Christine awakens to the sound of the monkey music box • She slips up behind the Phantom (while he is composing music) and lifts his mask

• The Phantom gets very upset • He admits that he longs to look normal and to be loved by her • In the opera house, Joseph Buquet (the chief stagehand) regales everyone with tales of the Phantom • Madame Giry warns him to be careful • The Phantom sends a note to the new owners demanding that Christine take Carlotta’s place in the new opera • Carlotta is enraged • The owners assure Carlotta that she will remain the star • During her performance, disaster strikes – the Phantom reduces Carlotta’s voice to a frog-like croak • The corpse of Buquet drops from the rafters • Christine manages to escape to the roof with Raoul • She tells him of her subterranean rendezvous

• Raoul is skeptical • He swears to love and protect her always • The Phantom overhears the conversation • He is heartbroken • The Phantom angrily vows revenge against Raoul • The opera’s chandelier crashed to the stage INTERMISSION

Act 2 SETTING • Paris Opera House • Six months later PLOT • Masquerade ball • Phantom appears costumed as the Red Death • He announces to the stunned guests that he has written an opera • He demands that it be produced and that Christine is to be in the lead role • The Phantom seizes Christine’s engagement ring and vanishes • Raoul demands that Madame Giry tell him about the Phantom

• Madame Giry tells Raoul that the Phantom is a brilliant musician and magician born with a terrifyingly deformed face • The Phantom escaped from captivity in a traveling freak show and disappeared • Raoul hatches a plan to use the new opera to capture the Phantom • Christine is torn between her love for Raoul and her gratitude to the Phantom • She visits her father’s grave (longing for her father’s guidance) • The Phantom appears again • Christine nearly falls under his spell but Raoul rescues her • The Phantom taunts Raoul • After Christine & Raoul leave, the Phantom sets fire to the cemetery • The new opera opens with Christine and Ubaldo singing the lead roles

• During their duet, Christine realizes that she is singing with the Phantom • Christine rips off his mask & exposes him to the shocked audience • Ubaldo is found strangled backstage • The Phantom seizes Christine and flees theatre • An angry mob (led by Meg) searches for the Phantom • Madame Giry tells Raoul about the underground lair • She also warns him about the lasso that the Phantom likes to use • Christine is forced to put on the wedding dress • Raoul finds the lair but the Phantom captures him • The Phantom tells Christine that he will free Raoul if she stays with him forever

• If Christine refuses, the Phantom will kill Raoul • Christine tells the Phantom that it is his soul that is deformed, not his face…and she kisses him • The Phantom (having experienced kindness and compassion for the first time) sets them both free • Christine returns the Phantom’s ring to him • He tells her that he loves her • Christine cries and forces herself to run away • The Phantom (weeping) huddles on his throne and covers himself with his cape • The mob storms the lair and Meg pulls away the cape • The Phantom has vanished – only his mask remains

Musical Numbers PROLOGUE • Overture ACT 1 • Think of Me • Angel of Music • Little Lotte / The Mirror • The Phantom of the Opera • The Music of the Night • I Remember • Magical Lasso • Notes • Prima Donna • Poor Fool, He Makes Me Laugh • Why Have You Brought Us Here • All I Ask of You

ACT 2 • Entr’acte • Masquerade • Why So Silent? • Notes • We Have All Been Blind • Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again • Wandering Child • The Point of No Return • Down Once More • Finale