phantom of the opera play plot

The Phantom of the Opera

By gaston leroux.

• The Phantom of the Opera Summary

There are rumors that the opera house is haunted by a phantom who makes himself known by sending letters to the managers and by causing disturbances. On the retirement gala for the old opera managers, opera singer Christine attracts the attention of her childhood sweetheart, Raoul.

One night during a performance of Faust, with the resident prima donna, Carlotta , playing the female lead, the Phantom causes Carlotta to lose her voice and the chandelier to fall into the audience.

Christine is kidnapped by the masked phantom; he tells her his name is Erik and reveals her love for her. When Christine unmasks the phantom out of curiosity, his ugliness shocks her. The phantom decides to keep Christine prisoner for the rest of her life, but then he allows her to leave after she promises to wear his ring and remain faithful to him. Christine later tells Raoul that she was kidnapped; Raoul promises to run away with her, both unaware that Erik has been listening to their conversation.

During a production of Faust , Erik kidnaps Christine again and gives her an ultimatum: marry him or he will blow up the entire opera house. Christine refuses, but then she finds out that Erik has kidnapped Raoul as well as the Persian (Erik's old acquaintance) and has trapped them inside a torture chamber. In order to save them, as well as the occupants of the opera house, Christine agrees to marry Erik.

The Phantom of the Opera Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Phantom of the Opera is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Its beauty is an illusion wrought by the music.

Why do you think Christine thought she was dreaming when she first heard the voice?

I think she thought the voice was so beautiful, could it be real?

What is the atmosphere in the Phantom of the Opera?

The tone and mood of Phantom of the Opera is mysterious, romantic, tragic, and serious. There is also a mythic quality to it.

Study Guide for The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera study guide contains a biography of Gaston Leroux, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About The Phantom of the Opera
• Character List

Essays for The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.

• Erik of the Phantom of the Opera and Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights as Byronic Heroes
• Identity Issues in The Phantom of the Opera

Lesson Plan for The Phantom of the Opera

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to The Phantom of the Opera
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• The Phantom of the Opera Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for The Phantom of the Opera

• Introduction
• Film and television

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The Phantom of the Opera

Writers: Richard Stilgoe Andrew Lloyd Webber Charles Hart

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Prologue It is Paris in 1905. An auction of old props and relics from the Opéra Populaire (fictional, but based loosely on Paris’s Palais Garnier) is underway. An elderly man, Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, purchases Lot 665, which is a music box topped with a monkey (“every detail exactly as she said,” he notes). The next item up for auction, Lot 666, is a broken but grand chandelier. The auctioneer remarks that the chandelier played a major role in "the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera." When the dust cover is pulled off of the chandelier, it flickers to life and ascends to the ceiling at the center of the auditorium; the audience is transported back in time to 1881 as the Opéra is restored to its former grandeur.

Act One The Opéra rehearses for that evening’s performance of Hannibal; as the company’s egotistical prima donna, Carlotta, sings her aria, a piece of the set suddenly falls from the catwalk. As the new owners of the company, André and Firmin,

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• The Phantom of the Opera Story

The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera debuted in 1988, winning seven Tony Awards® including Best Musical. Based on Gaston Leroux’s horror novel, it tells the enticing story of the Phantom, who haunts the stage of the Paris Opera and subsequently falls in love with a beautiful young soprano. Audiences are in for a thrilling night of spectacle and romance, accompanied by Broadway’s most unforgettable score.

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The Phantom of the Opera

Book by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Richard Stilgoe: Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber: Lyrics by Charles Hart: Additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe

Her Majesty's Theatre, London - October 9, 1988 Majestic Theatre, Broadway - January 1, 1988

0n the stage of the Opera de Paris, 1905, old stage props are being auctioned. The elderly Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, is the major buyer and he seems emotionally affected by his purchases. A broken chandelier is produced. The auctioneer recalls its connection with the mysterious tale of the Phantom of the Opera nearly 50 years earlier. The music begins as the working portion of the chandelier is lit. Like magic, the lit portion starts to grow to full size. Finally, it rises to its former position in the auditorium as the stage of the Opera reverts, in flashback, to the grandeur of the year 1861. The great soprano Carlotta Giudicelli is rehearsing the opera Hannibal.

As she sings her aria, the backdrop crashes down. The chorus insist that this is the work of the Phantom and a frightened Carlotta refuses to perform that evening. Meg, who performs in the Opera's ballet, suggests that her fellow dancer Christine Daae should take over. As Christine sings for managers, André and Firmin, the scene changes to that evening's performance where she enjoys a great success. The Opera's distinguished patron - Raoul as a young man - recognises Christine as a childhood acquaintance.

In her dressing room afterwards, Christine confides to Meg that she has a mysterious teacher whom she has never seen. She associates this disembodied voice with her dying father's promise to send an 'angel of music' to watch over her. Raoul de Chagny asks Christine to supper. As he leaves, the Phantom, angry at Raoul's familiarity with his protégée, commands Christine to look in the mirror. She sees him, then takes his hand and disappears with him through the mirror.

The creature leads Christine deep into the caverns and waterways beneath the opera house and across a subterranean lake, lit by candelabra. When they reach his secret lair, he plays a huge organ and sings of his shadowy, sensual world of music. The next morning, Christine wakes to the sound of the Phantom composing at the organ. She snatches at his mask and reveals his horribly disfigured face. Although he is enraged, he is reluctant to return her to the theatre and only does so after realising that her absence will cause a search.

Messages are then delivered from the Phantom. Raoul is forbidden to see Christine and another decree orders that Christine be given the leading role in the next opera, Il Muto, while Carlotta is to take a nonsinging role. Carlotta is furious. To keep her with the company, André and Firmin flatter her outrageously and privately assure her that she will, after all, play the star part.

They have reckoned without the Phantom. In the first performance of Il Muto he ridicules Carlotta by making her croak like a toad. Then a stagehand is found murdered. Christine takes Raoul up on to the roof of the theatre where they will be safe from the Phantom. She tells him everything. He comforts her and confesses his love, which she returns. The Phantom witnesses their kiss. Christine completes the opera in Carlotta's place. As she takes her curtain call, the great chandelier crashes to the stage.

Act Two opens on New Year's Eve. Everyone is gathered at the Opera for a masked ball. It is now six months since the chandelier incident and Raoul and Christine have secretly become engaged. At the height of the festivities, the Phantom appears on the Grand Staircase dressed in red and wearing a death's-head mask. He presents the score of a new opera, Don Juan Triumphant, and commands that the Opera stage it. In the notes to his opera, the Phantom orders that Christine not only take the primadonna role but that she should return to him for more tuition.

Confused and afraid, Christine seeks comfort at her father's grave but even there she is haunted by her angel of music. As he calls her to him, the figures of her father and the Phantom seem to merge in her mind. Raoul appears and breaks the mesmeric influence by carrying Christine to safety.

During the premiere of the opera, the Phantom murders the leading man and takes his place opposite Christine. He sings passionately of his love. At the climax of his song, Christine tears at his mask to expose his hideous deformity to the audience. Screaming, he grabs her and they disappear, pursued by theatre staff.

Raoul, the first to reach the Phantom's lair, is trapped and a rope is dropped over his neck. The monster offers Christine a choice: succumb to him or see her loved one die. Christine, feeling both terror and pity, approaches the Phantom and kisses him. The kiss has a magical effect. The creature releases Raoul and urges them both to cross the lake. As they leave, he whispers, 'Christine, I love you'. The Phantom covers himself with his cloak as the mob breaks in. The cloak is snatched aside. Only his mask remains.

Musical Numbers:

• Think of Me - Carlotta, Christine and Raoul
• Angel of Music - Christine and Meg
• Little Lotte ../The Mirror (Angel of Music) - Raoul, Christine & Phantom
• The Phantom of the Opera - Phantom and Christine
• The Music of the Night - Phantom
• I Remember .../Stranger Than You Dreamt It - Christine and Phantom
• Magical Lasso - Buquet, Meg, Madame Giry & the Ballet Girls
• Notes ...../Prima Donna - Firmin, André, Raoul, Carlotta, Giry, Meg &Phantom
• Poor Fool, He Makes Me Laugh - Carlotta and Company
• Why Have You Brought Me Here ..../

Raoul and Christine All I Ask Of You - Raoul and Christine All I Ask Of You (Reprise) - Phantom

• Masquerade/Why So Silent - Full Company
• Twisted Every Way - André, Firmin, Carlotta, Piangi, Raoul, Christine, Giry & Phantom
• Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Christine
• Wandering Child .../Bravo, Monsieur - Phantom, Christine & Raoul
• The Point of No Return - Phantom and Christine
• Down One More ..../Track Down This Murderer - Full company.

The Phantom of the Opera

Why Do Audiences Love This Show?

• Musical Theater
• Stand Up Comedy
• M.A. in Literature, California State University – Northridge
• B.A. in Creative Writing, California State University – Northridge

The Phantom of the Opera is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Based on Gaston Leroux’s gothic novel, Phantom holds the record as the longest-running musical on Broadway. For over twenty years, Webber’s masked musical has wowed audiences with its over 9000 performances on the West End, not to mention the countless touring companies that have spread Phantom-mania throughout the world.

So, What Makes Phantom So Popular?

The Phantom of the Opera combines high-tech stagecraft with good old fashioned melodrama. Consider some of the elements featured in this musical:

• A sweeping musical score.
• Powerful, operatic voices.
• Sharp, direction by Harold Prince.
• A sprinkling of ballet choreographed by Gillian Lynne.
• Elaborate costumes and dozens of quick changes.
• And when all else fails to entertain: Throw in a falling chandelier.

Why Do Some People Hate Phantom ?

Anytime something is immensely successful, a critical backlash is to be expected. In my observations, many who are serious about musicals despise much of Webber’s work, opting instead, for instance, for the more complex compositions of Stephen Sondheim. Some might argue that The Phantom of the Opera is filled with gimmicky effects, flat characters, and sub-par trilling.

As warranted as these criticisms might be, there is a component to this show that remains the secret of its phenomenal success. The show has been a hit for over two decades because the character of the Phantom is a mesmerizing anti-hero.

The Bad Boy Image

Step one in winning the hearts of the female audience: create a mysterious character with a dark side. Step two: Make certain that underneath that dangerous exterior lurks a loving heart, ready to bloom when the right woman happens along. A character that is seemingly cold, callous, and even cruel delights the hearts of romance addicts. Just look at some of these supposed jerks who turned into dreamboats:

• The Beast from Beauty and the Beast
• Edward Cullen from Twilight
• Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

The Phantom’s character possesses these traits – but there are some key differences. For one, the Phantom murders two innocent people. He crosses a moral boundary, making us wonder – should we despise him or pity him? Also, most romantic leads are stereotypically attractive. Even the protagonist from Beauty and the Beast was secretly a handsome prince. Not so, with the Phantom. He appears attractive until the mask is wiped away, revealing his hideous deformation.

Musical Genius and Renaissance Man

To contrast his violent nature, the Phantom is a masterful composer of brooding ballads which have the power to transfix the young singer, Christine Daae. More than just a musician, the Phantom is also almost like a Parisian Batman. He’s got a cool lair, which he constructed himself. He has created a plethora of inventions (some of them deadly). Also, he is a shrewd businessman (or extortionist) because he constantly sends payment notices to the opera managers. We can only assume he also designs his own costumes. All of this talent almost makes the viewer want to ignore his murderous crimes.

Sensitive Soul or Sinister Stalker?

Yes, The Phantom of the Opera has been called the most “haunting romance” of all time. But think of it: would you really want someone becoming obsessed over you the way the Phantom becomes obsessed with Christine? Maybe not. Today we call that stalking. However, because deep down the Phantom has a sensitive soul, audiences ultimately become sympathetic to him, despite his villainous behavior.

Through exposition, we learn that the Phantom was imprisoned in a carnival freak show. We also learn that his own mother despised him. He sings about his appearance: “This face which earned a mother’s fear and loathing.” These details put the audience in a forgiving mood.

In the final scene, the Phantom attempts a devious plan. He threatens to kill Christine’s handsome boyfriend, Raoul unless she decides to live with the Phantom. However, his plan backfires. Christine sings, “Pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known. God give me courage to show you, you are not alone.” Then, she bestows upon the Phantom a long, passionate kiss.

After the smooch, the Phantom is overwhelmed by the experience of physical affection. He feels an unselfish love for Christine and he releases the young lovebirds. His transformation differs from other stories which hinge upon true love’s kiss. In this case, the Beast archetype doesn’t turn into a handsome prince. However, he does undergo a moral awakening. And it is that moment, the Phantom's reaction to the kiss, that makes The Phantom of the Opera a classic.

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• ACT ONE •

At an auction of opera memorabilia at the Paris Opera House, an old man, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, bids for a strange musical box which seems to hold for him some special memory. The remnants of a chandelier are revealed and we are swept back to the time of Raoul’s youth, when the chandelier hung in splendour from the dome of the Opera House.

A new opera, Hannibal, is in rehearsal. Lefèvre, manager of the Opera House, arrives and explains to the company that he is retiring. He introduces the new managers, André and Firmin. André asks the prima donna, Carlotta, to sing, but a backdrop falls suddenly from the flies, almost killing her. There are murmurs among the company that it must have been the work of ‘the ghost’. Carlotta storms out, leaving the new production without a star. The new managers learn that there have been too many accidents. Madame Giry, the ballet mistress, hands the managers a note from ‘the opera ghost’ demanding a salary and a free box at the opera. Meg, Madame Giry’s daughter, suggests to André and Firmin that her friend and fellow dancer Christine Daaé could take Carlotta’s place. Christine has been taking singing lessons, but is unable (or unwilling) to say from whom. The managers grant her an audition.

Audition and performance merge and, from the managers’ box, the young Raoul, patron of the Opera House, voices his enthusiasm for the new star. After the Gala, Meg asks Christine about her mysterious teacher, but Christine can only tell Meg that he is the Angel of Music whom her late father had always promised would one day visit her. Christine’s performance is met with unanimous approval and Raoul goes backstage to congratulate her. The meeting becomes a reunion, both realising that they used to play together as children. As soon as Christine is alone, a figure appears behind the mirror. It is The Phantom, the teacher whom she has never seen – her Angel of Music. The Phantom draws Christine into the dark beyond the mirror and, when Raoul returns, the room is empty. Christine is led beneath the Opera House. They cross a lake and arrive at The Phantom’s subterranean lair. The Phantom explains that he is a composer and she has been his inspiration. He is teaching her so that she can sing his music. 

Christine falls into a trance, waking the following morning to the sound of the music box. Consumed with curiosity, Christine succeeds in uncovering The Phantom’s face. His anger dissolves into self-pity and Christine feels herself almost reciprocating his affection. The Phantom agrees to return her to the outside world. Backstage at the Opera, Buquet, the flyman, catches sight of the two re-emerging from below. Madame Giry cautions him to hold his tongue.

Meanwhile the Opera has been thrown into confusion by Christine’s disappearance. Everyone has received notes from The Phantom. The Phantom demands that Carlotta be replaced by Christine as leading lady in a forthcoming revival of the opera Il Muto. News arrives of Christine’s return, but the managers assure Carlotta that no heed will be paid to The Phantom’s demands. 

The Phantom’s voice is heard threatening ‘a disaster beyond imagination’. Il Muto is performed with Christine cast in a silent role. The Phantom’s voice reiterates his demands and, when these are ignored, he causes Carlotta to emit the croak of a frog instead of singing. As the indisposed prima donna is led away, André replaces her with Christine. But The Phantom is still much in evidence as the body of Buquet drops from the flies with a rope around his neck.

In the ensuing pandemonium Christine flees with Raoul to the safety of the roof of the Opera House. They agree to leave together that night. The Phantom emerges from his hiding place, where he has heard everything, and vows vengeance. As Christine and the cast take their bows, the chandelier crashes down from the ceiling.

• ACT TWO •

At a masked ball, all celebrate the New Year and the disappearance of The Phantom. Raoul and Christine have secretly become engaged. At the height of the festivities a strange figure descends the staircase. The Phantom has returned. He flings to André the score of his new opera, Don Juan Triumphant, commanding that it be performed. Backstage, Raoul interrogates Madame Giry about the identity of The Phantom. He is an escaped fairground freak – a physical monstrosity with a brilliant mind. Presumed dead, he in fact lives still, somewhere in the Opera House.

Raoul hits upon a scheme to ensnare The Phantom using his own opera as bait. If Christine agrees to sing the principal role, The Phantom is sure to attend. With the doors locked and guarded he will be unable to escape. Christine unhappily agrees to co-operate. The singers have immense difficulty learning the dissonant score, but their task is mysteriously facilitated when the piano magically takes over and the singers, mesmerised, begin to perform flawlessly. 

Christine visits her father’s grave. She knows that if she can free herself from his memory she will no longer be in thrall to The Phantom. The Phantom appears to her in the graveyard. His hypnotic influence, however, is broken when Raoul arrives on the scene. Enraged, The Phantom declares war on them both.

In the final scene of the opera, Christine becomes aware that The Phantom has taken the place of Piangi in the role of Don Juan. As her duet finishes, she tears the mask from his face. Surrounded by police, The Phantom is nevertheless able to escape, dragging Christine with him. The garrotted body of Piangi is revealed.

Madame Giry agrees to lead Raoul to The Phantom’s lair. An angry mob follows. In the underground lair, Christine confronts The Phantom: his true disfigurement lies not in his face but in his soul. Raoul appears and The Phantom traps him. The Phantom offers Christine a bizarre choice: she must either stay with him forever or see Raoul killed. The mob drawing ever closer, The Phantom relents and orders them both to go. The mob descends towards the lair, but all that remains of The Phantom is a white mask.

Phantom of the Opera, The synopsis

• Overture/Hannibal
• Think of Me
• Angel of Music
• Little Lotte/The Mirror
• The Phantom of the Opera
• Music of the Night
• Magical Lasso
• I Remember/Stranger Than You Dreamt It
• Notes/Prima Donna
• Poor Fool, He Makes Me Laugh/Il Muto
• Why Have You Brought Me Here/Raoul I've Been There
• All I Ask of You
• All I Ask of You (Reprise)
• Masquerade / Why So Silent?
• Madame Giry's Tale/The Fairground
• Journey to the Cemetery
• Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
• Wandering Child
• The Swordfight
• We Hall All Been Blind
• A Rehearsal for Don Juan Triumphant
• Point of No Return/Chandelier Crash
• Down Once More/Track Down This Murderer
• Learn to Be Lonely

Phantom of the Opera, The Synopsis - Broadway musical

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The Phantom of the Opera

58 pages • 1 hour read

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• Prologue-Chapter 4
• Chapters 5-8
• Chapters 9-12
• Chapters 13-17
• Chapters 18-21
• Chapter 22-Epilogue
• Character Analysis
• Symbols & Motifs
• Important Quotes
• Essay Topics

Summary and Study Guide

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a Gothic mystery novel first published serially in 1910. The novel follows a “ghost” who haunts the Paris Opera and the mysterious incidents attributed to this figure. The characters and the narrator himself try to uncover the secret of this ghost, who is really a masked man infatuated opera singer, Christine Daaé . The novel has been adapted into several formats, most notably a 1925 silent film directed by Rupert Julien and a 1986 musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A 2004 film adaptation of this musical directed by Joel Schumacher was nominated for three Academy Awards and three Golden Globes. This guide follows Arcturus Publishing Limited’s paperback edition, published in 2021. This edition uses Alexander Teixera de Mattos’ translation.

Plot Summary

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The Prologue opens with the narrative’s frame: The narrator says they will explain the mysterious incidents at the Opera House through the existence of the "Opera Ghost". His investigation proves that this phantom was really a man with an incredible talent for illusions. By tracing the ghost’s life and movements, the narrator says they can explain the disappearances, deaths, and accidents that occurred 30 years prior.

The story itself begins on the night of the Opera’s gala performance where Christine Daaé unexpectedly dazzles the audience . Many young dancers claim to see the Opera Ghost lurking about, and when they hear news of stagehand Joseph Buquet's sudden death, they fear the ghost has struck. The retiring managers Poligny and Debienne relay the ghost's demands and threats to the new managers Moncharmin and Richard, who think the Opera employees are playing an elaborate joke. The managers soon receive their own demands from the Opera Ghost.

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Viscount Raoul de Chagny , who has been in love with Christine since childhood, visits her after the miraculous performance, but she pretends to not remember him. Raoul overhears a man's voice congratulating Christine in her dressing room and thinks she is in love with someone else. Raoul follows Christine to Perros, the seaside town where they spent a year of their childhood together. Christine thinks she has been visited by the heavenly Angel of Music , and this mysterious figure plays violin for her in the graveyard, where Christine visits her father’s tomb. Raoul discovers the Angel is a man in a mask and worries Christine is being taken advantage of.

Back in Paris, the managers ignore the ghost's demands and even act in direct opposition to them. Soon, disaster strikes. The opera star, La Carlotta , croaks onstage during a show, the men hear the ghost's voice taunting them, the chandelier crashes into the audience, and Christine disappears. After many days, Raoul finally meets Christine at a masked ball where he confronts her about the Angel of Music. She refuses to explain and runs away to her dressing room. Raoul, in hiding, hears the Angel's voice calling to Christine, and as if by magic, Christine vanishes through her mirror.

Later, Christine and Raoul play at being engaged and she agrees to explain her strange behavior. The Angel of Music is a man named Erik who hides his face because of its extreme scarring. Erik taught Christine to sing again, and on the night of the opera’s chandelier accident, he took her to his underground house. Christine is afraid to run away but afraid to go back to the monster in the cellars. The night Raoul promises to take Christine away, she vanishes again in the middle of her performance. Meanwhile, the managers slowly go insane, as their attempts to uncover the truth of the ghost only prove his existence further.

The police dismiss Raoul's story about the ghost man, but the Persian—a retired police chief who knows Erik—believes and helps him. They go through the revolving mirror in Christine's dressing room and descend into the cellars of the Opera where they encounter frightening figures. They try to sneak into Erik's house, but accidentally drop into his torture chamber. In the adjacent room, Erik forces Christine to answer his marriage proposal by the following night. Erik illuminates the torture chamber and disorients Raoul and the Persian to madness. Five minutes before Christine’s deadline, Raoul and the Persian discover a cellar full of explosives. Erik intends to blow up the entire Opera if Christine rejects him.

Christine agrees to the marriage and pleads with Erik to spare Raoul and the Persian. Raoul and the Persian pass out from exhaustion in the torture chamber and the Persian awakens to find themselves in a sitting room with Christine and Erik. Erik mixes a draft for the Persian, who falls asleep again and finds himself back in his own room upon waking. Erik, dying of love, later visits the Persian to share that he freed Christine and Raoul after he finally experienced love's happiness. Erik dies shortly after. The narrator share's Erik's tragic history of rejection in the Epilogue, asking the audience to pity and forgive the unfortunate man.

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The Phantom of the Opera

A young soprano becomes the obsession of a disfigured and murderous musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opéra House. A young soprano becomes the obsession of a disfigured and murderous musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opéra House. A young soprano becomes the obsession of a disfigured and murderous musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opéra House.

• Joel Schumacher
• Gaston Leroux
• Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Gerard Butler
• Emmy Rossum
• Patrick Wilson
• 2.1K User reviews
• 149 Critic reviews
• 40 Metascore
• See more at IMDbPro
• 7 wins & 42 nominations total

• The Phantom

• Madame Giry

• (as Kevin R. McNally)

• Carlotta's Maid

• Carlotta's Wigmaker

• Carlotta's Seamstress

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Did you know

• Trivia The doll in the Phantom's lair that is supposed to resemble Emmy Rossum is not actually a wax mold. It is Emmy Rossum. The production produced a mask of her face to use on the mannequin but when they put in the fake eyes it didn't look like her. She suggested to stand in as the mannequin instead. This was done by her being made up like a doll with waxy makeup on, and her standing very, very still.
• Goofs When Raoul is on his way down the stairs to the Phantom's lair, he falls through a hole, down into a pit of water. Iron bars then lower from above, but since Raoul fell straight down into the water, it would be impossible for the bars to be there.

[as he leads Christine down the tunnels of the opera]

The Phantom : [sings] Sing once again with me our strange duet. / My power over you grows stronger yet. / And though you turn from me to glance behind, / The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind.

• Connections Featured in HBO First Look: The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
• Soundtracks Auction at the Opera Populaire, 1919 (Prologue) Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Charles Hart , and Richard Stilgoe Performed by Patrick Wilson Produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Nigel Wright , Joel Schumacher , Simon Lee , and Guy de Villiers

User reviews 2.1K

• Nov 23, 2004

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• $70,000,000 (estimated)
• $51,293,931
• Dec 26, 2004
• $154,674,241

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• Runtime 2 hours 23 minutes
• Black and White
• Dolby Digital

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The Phantom of the Opera

Gaston leroux, everything you need for every book you read., christine daaé, erik / the phantom of the opera / the ghost / the voice, viscount raoul de chagny, daroga of mazenderan / the persian, count philippe de chagny.

Christine’s Father

Mme valerius, firmin richard, armand moncharmin, m. debienne, inspector mifroid, joseph buquet, baroness de castelot-barbezav / little meg giry, professor valerius.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom Opera

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Anderson Cooper Had This Criticism Of Donald Trump's Rally Music

Posted: October 22, 2023 | Last updated: October 22, 2023

• Anderson Cooper showed hints of sarcasm and personal opinion during coverage of a Donald Trump rally with a peculiar choice of music.
• Donald Trump's use of Phantom of the Opera music at rallies has been a topic of discussion since 2016, and he personally picks the playlist.
• Cooper has previously expressed his opinion on Trump, calling some of his comments "disturbing," and he chose not to report the details of the rally due to the loud music.

As a world-renowned journalist, Anderson Cooper has reported on everything from wars abroad to presidential elections in the United States to local politics. He has also led various TV shows, including one talk show that earned him criticism for kicking a guest off . There was also that time he put Lady Gaga on the spot with an awkward question (though she handled it well).

Anderson's moves aren't always controversial, however; he's also had heartwarming moments with interviewees like Stephen Colbert , and he has proven he can be objective in reporting the news. In one instance, he seemed to stick to the facts while also pointing out something he apparently found amusing about one of Donald Trump 's political rallies.

During One News Clip, Anderson Was Confused By Donald Trump's Political Rally

In September 2023, former President Donald Trump held a rally in South Dakota, and the event garnered media interest. CNN had correspondent Kyung Lah on the scene in Rapid City, and she chatted with Anderson Cooper about the rally during the broadcast .

As Kyung began speaking, viewers could see people milling about while waiting for Trump to take to the stage. There was also music playing very loudly, to the point where it was difficult to hear Lah speaking.

The reporter described the scene, including various supporters wearing Donald Trump's mug shot (from his arrest in August 2023 ) on t-shirts, as Anderson listened, squinting and tilting his head.

Interrupting Lah, he asked, "Is that... I'm sorry is that the Phantom of the Opera soundtrack playing?" As Cooper is about to continue, saying "Wha—", Kyung replies, "It is indeed. We've heard Miceli, we've heard Sinead O'Connor... It's been... uh... a different sort of playlist this evening but yes..."

Related: Sinead O'Connor Was Banned From NBC After This Controversial Live Moment

Anderson began to smile as Kyung related the Sinead O'Connor piece, and then replied, "I'm sure Sinead O'Connor would have been thrilled about that." Clearly, this was sarcasm; the late O'Connor often feuded with celebrities , and she was not a fan of Trump.

In fact, Sinead stated during a 2020 interview that she believed "Donald Trump is the biblical Devil." O'Connor was also quoted as saying, "They should have dragged (Trump) out of the White House at the point he separated the first child from their parents at the Mexican border."

Cooper seemed aware of the late singer's feelings about Trump, given his quip about her being "thrilled." But the question of why the rally also featured a soundtrack from Phantom of the Opera seemed to be the bigger one on viewers' minds.

Why Does Donald Trump Play Phantom Of The Opera Music At His Rallies?

Anderson Cooper was not the first person to be surprised by Trump's use of Phantom of the Opera music at his rallies. Not only that, but 2023 was far from the first time the subject has come up.

Back in 2016, Vox explored Trump's apparent love of Andrew Lloyd Webber , pointing out that while the composer once owned an apartment in Trump Tower, the former President's praise for him predated that (Webber also sold his apartment in 2010).

Vox also maintains that since Trump "personally choose[s] the songs that he plays before and after rallies," it's clearly music he likes that makes it onto the playlists.

The publication also quoted John Santucci (of ABC News) as saying, "Donald Trump actually takes a lot of pride in telling people he picked the soundtrack. Last week actually when we were in Jacksonville, he’s going around signing a bunch of autographs for people post the speech, and Phantom of the Opera comes on. Okay, Phantom of the Opera, at a rally. And they’re playing it softly, because you know it’s not really a good song to get people motivated, but he’s there saying ‘Turn it up! Turn it up! Let me hear it! I want to hear the music!’ He really gets into it."

Related: Russell Brand Was Left Confused Over The Request Donald Trump Made When They Privately Met At Trump Tower

It turns out the explanation for the music might be simpler than anyone thought, although that doesn't necessarily explain the Sinead O'Connor hits.

But another piece of Vox 's argument is that Andrew Lloyd Webber, who has "often been accused (fairly) of caring more about spectacle and bombast than about characters that audiences care about," may be just Trump's style.

The publication summed up, "Donald Trump cares more about impressing people than anything else, and the way he impresses them is by telling them how impressive he is," connecting Webber's style to Trump's, though their avenues are very different.

Anderson Cooper Has Made His Stance On Donald Trump Clear

Anderson Cooper is largely known for his reporting skills, and he often remains passive while relating facts about various newsworthy events. Yet he sometimes injects his personal opinions into said reporting when he, apparently, feels it is warranted—as he seemed to, however subtly, during the Trump rally correspondence.

Related: Donald Trump Once Fell For A Prank (And Cashed A Check Worth 13 Cents)

For example, Cooper once called some of Donald Trump's town hall comments "disturbing," saying he "continued to spew lie after lie..." By listing out various quotes from Trump, some of which he called "ridiculous lies," Cooper made his opinion clear on the former President.

In the clip with Kyung Lah, Cooper cut away from the reporter after telling her that it was hard to hear over former President Trump's soundtrack, opting to ditch any efforts at reporting what was going on there.

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• ACT ONE •

At an auction of opera memorabilia at the Paris Opera House, an old man, Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, bids for a strange musical box which seems to hold for him some special memory. The remnants of a chandelier are revealed and we are swept back to the time of Raoul’s youth, when the chandelier hung in splendour from the dome of the Opera House.

A new opera, Hannibal, is in rehearsal. Lefèvre, manager of the Opera House, arrives and explains to the company that he is retiring. He introduces the new managers, André and Firmin. André asks the prima donna, Carlotta, to sing, but a backdrop falls suddenly from the flies, almost killing her. There are murmurs among the company that it must have been the work of ‘the ghost’. Carlotta storms out, leaving the new production without a star. The new managers learn that there have been too many accidents. Madame Giry, the ballet mistress, hands the managers a note from ‘the opera ghost’ demanding a salary and a free box at the opera. Meg, Madame Giry’s daughter, suggests to André and Firmin that her friend and fellow dancer Christine Daaé could take Carlotta’s place. Christine has been taking singing lessons, but is unable (or unwilling) to say from whom. The managers grant her an audition.

Audition and performance merge and, from the managers’ box, the young Raoul, patron of the Opera House, voices his enthusiasm for the new star. After the Gala, Meg asks Christine about her mysterious teacher, but Christine can only tell Meg that he is the Angel of Music whom her late father had always promised would one day visit her. Christine’s performance is met with unanimous approval and Raoul goes backstage to congratulate her. The meeting becomes a reunion, both realising that they used to play together as children. As soon as Christine is alone, a figure appears behind the mirror. It is The Phantom, the teacher whom she has never seen – her Angel of Music. The Phantom draws Christine into the dark beyond the mirror and, when Raoul returns, the room is empty. Christine is led beneath the Opera House. They cross a lake and arrive at The Phantom’s subterranean lair. The Phantom explains that he is a composer and she has been his inspiration. He is teaching her so that she can sing his music. 

Christine falls into a trance, waking the following morning to the sound of the music box. Consumed with curiosity, Christine succeeds in uncovering The Phantom’s face. His anger dissolves into self-pity and Christine feels herself almost reciprocating his affection. The Phantom agrees to return her to the outside world. Backstage at the Opera, Buquet, the flyman, catches sight of the two re-emerging from below. Madame Giry cautions him to hold his tongue.

Meanwhile the Opera has been thrown into confusion by Christine’s disappearance. Everyone has received notes from The Phantom. The Phantom demands that Carlotta be replaced by Christine as leading lady in a forthcoming revival of the opera Il Muto. News arrives of Christine’s return, but the managers assure Carlotta that no heed will be paid to The Phantom’s demands. 

The Phantom’s voice is heard threatening ‘a disaster beyond imagination’. Il Muto is performed with Christine cast in a silent role. The Phantom’s voice reiterates his demands and, when these are ignored, he causes Carlotta to emit the croak of a frog instead of singing. As the indisposed prima donna is led away, André replaces her with Christine. But The Phantom is still much in evidence as the body of Buquet drops from the flies with a rope around his neck.

In the ensuing pandemonium Christine flees with Raoul to the safety of the roof of the Opera House. They agree to leave together that night. The Phantom emerges from his hiding place, where he has heard everything, and vows vengeance. As Christine and the cast take their bows, the chandelier crashes down from the ceiling.

• ACT TWO •

At a masked ball, all celebrate the New Year and the disappearance of The Phantom. Raoul and Christine have secretly become engaged. At the height of the festivities a strange figure descends the staircase. The Phantom has returned. He flings to André the score of his new opera, Don Juan Triumphant, commanding that it be performed. Backstage, Raoul interrogates Madame Giry about the identity of The Phantom. He is an escaped fairground freak – a physical monstrosity with a brilliant mind. Presumed dead, he in fact lives still, somewhere in the Opera House.

Raoul hits upon a scheme to ensnare The Phantom using his own opera as bait. If Christine agrees to sing the principal role, The Phantom is sure to attend. With the doors locked and guarded he will be unable to escape. Christine unhappily agrees to co-operate. The singers have immense difficulty learning the dissonant score, but their task is mysteriously facilitated when the piano magically takes over and the singers, mesmerised, begin to perform flawlessly. 

Christine visits her father’s grave. She knows that if she can free herself from his memory she will no longer be in thrall to The Phantom. The Phantom appears to her in the graveyard. His hypnotic influence, however, is broken when Raoul arrives on the scene. Enraged, The Phantom declares war on them both.

In the final scene of the opera, Christine becomes aware that The Phantom has taken the place of Piangi in the role of Don Juan. As her duet finishes, she tears the mask from his face. Surrounded by police, The Phantom is nevertheless able to escape, dragging Christine with him. The garrotted body of Piangi is revealed.

Madame Giry agrees to lead Raoul to The Phantom’s lair. An angry mob follows. In the underground lair, Christine confronts The Phantom: his true disfigurement lies not in his face but in his soul. Raoul appears and The Phantom traps him. The Phantom offers Christine a bizarre choice: she must either stay with him forever or see Raoul killed. The mob drawing ever closer, The Phantom relents and orders them both to go. The mob descends towards the lair, but all that remains of The Phantom is a white mask.