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  • "The Phantom of the Opera" by Gaston Leroux



  • The Phantom of the Opera Summary -Courtney C.

    The Phantom of the Opera was set in the late 1800's but begins in the early 1900's at an auction at the Paris Opera House in France. Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny is old and is in a wheelchair, but still attends the auction. Some of the items up for auction are set pieces from Hannibal, a few posters and the item that catches Raoul’s eye. "Lot 665, ladies and gentlemen, a paper mache musical box in the shape of a barrel organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals. This item discovered in the vaults of the theatre, still in working order." The bidding starts at 15 francs, and Raoul buys it for 30 francs. Then, a rather large item is uncovered and it is the old chandelier, the same one that fell not too long ago. It had been restored to the best of the workshops ability. The auctioneer suggests "Perhaps we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination?" and the Overture begins and the Opera House is restored to its earlier grandeur.

    We are then taken throughout the backstage of the Opera House where rehearsals are going on for Hannibal. Then the scene cuts to Hannibal (played by Senior Piangi) coming out on stage on an elephant that contains drinking stage hands inside. Carlotta then sings "Think of Me"(and a few people on stage shove cotton in their ears) for the new managers, Gilles Andre and Richard Firmin (the current manager, M. Lefevre, is retiring), and while doing so, a backdrop falls. Erik does it, while Joseph Buquet, the chief scene shifter, was not at his post. Carlotta of course throws a fit for a while and the new managers try to reassure her that these things do happen and she replies "Si, these things do happen, but until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen!" The scene goes back to the catwalks above the stage showing Joseph Buquet drinking. Back on stage, Carlotta leaves yelling "Where’s my doggie, bring my doggie!" Madame Giry, the ballet director suggests that the young chorus girl, Christine Daae, can sing the part. The managers are amazed at this suggestion, but allow her to sing anyway after Mme. Giry tells that she has been taking lessons from a great teacher. The managers ask who, but Christine doesn’t know.

    After the introduction to the song, the scene changes and Christine is revealed in full costume singing to a full Opera House. During this time, Raoul recognizes her and says his bravos (which is wrong, really, because you’re not supposed to say bravo for a girl.. It’s brava..) and makes his way from his box so that he can see her after the performance.

    After the performance, Christine goes to the chapel to say a prayer to her father who passed away years ago. (Song: Angel of Music) Meg comes to find her and asks her who is this great tutor she has been taking lessons from. Christine said that her father told her that when he died, he would send her the Angel of Music to give her lessons. She thinks that the spirit of her father has been instructing her in the privacy of her dressing room, but it’s not. She very soon finds that out.

    Meg and Christine leave and make their way to Christine’s dressing room that’s filled with flowers from adoring fans and Meg leaves. Raoul comes in and sings to her. "Little Lotte, let her mind wander..." and Christine joins in. He tells her to get ready to go to dinner but she can’t because her music teacher is very strict. Raoul thinks it’s nonsense and leaves. Erik’s voice fills the dressing room and seems to put Christine in some sort of trance. He says "Look at your face in the mirror, I am there inside," and at this time, you can plainly see that it was not the spirit of her father teaching her, but the Phantom of the Opera, or as many people like to call him, the Opera Ghost. (I prefer Erik because I just think all the other names are absurd..) Christine walks toward the mirror and Erik holds out his hand for her to take it. Raoul comes back to the door, but the door is locked and he can’t get in. He listens and finds out that Christine is not alone. Thus begins the song "The Phantom of the Opera" in which she takes Erik’s hand and walks through the mirror, Erik leading her to the edge of the lake in the bottom most cellars (the 5th cellar) to his little "house on the lake", as Gaston Leroux called it, on the other side.

    When they reach the house, they go inside and Erik sings to her why he has brought her down here and then sings "The Music of the Night" and leads her to a wax impression of Christine that is wearing a wedding dress. Christine faints and he carries her to the bed lays her down and pulls the curtain, leaving her to sleep.

    She wakes up the next morning to the little music box with the monkey in Persian robes on it playing "Masquerade". She recalls the night before singing "I Remember...". Erik is playing at his organ and she walks up behind him and pulls off his mask. Erik, infuriated, yells at her and sings "Stranger Than You Dreamt It". She gives his mask back and orders for her to return back above ground.

    (I can’t remember where this happens in the movie, but in the play, the scene is where Joseph is demonstrating to the ballet girls, how to guard themselves from the Punjab lasso. Then Mme. Giry comes in and warns Joseph Buquet..)

    In the managers office, Firmin is busy reading a newspaper article on the previous nights production. Andre gets upset, however, but Firmin reassures him. They both have received notes from Erik insulting the ballet, but complimenting Christine. He also requests that his salary of 20,000 francs be sent to him by return of post, or in other words, to Mme. Giry. The managers think that this is absurd and refuse, but little do they know the power that Erik can have over them. They are both signed "O.G." and the managers realize that it is indeed from the Opera Ghost. Raoul enters with a note, too, from Erik and reads it for the managers. Carlotta comes in demanding to know where Raoul is because she too has a note from Erik telling her to not to sing or "be prepared for a great misfortune should you attempt to take her place." Mme. Giry and Meg enter informing them that Christine has returned. Mme. Giry also has a note telling who to cast for whom in the new production of Il Muto, Carlotta the silent part, and Christine as the main part. He also warns that if box five isn’t let to his disposal, "a disaster beyond your imagination will occur." He finishes the letter saying "Your obedient servant, O.G."

    Then they all start singing ("Prima Donna") random things at once and no one really knows what they’re saying.. Then the managers beg Carlotta to come and play the Countess in Il Muto.

    During the performance of Il Muto, Erik speaks his mind and says during "Poor Fool He Makes Me Laugh", "Did I not instruct that box five was to be kept empty?" and then Christine says "It’s him.. I know it, it’s him." (She had been cast as the pageboy against Erik’s commands) Carlotta gets mad and says "Your part is silent, little toad." Of course this offends Erik and he says "A toad madam? Perhaps it is you who are the toad." Carlotta, unmoved, instructs the maestro to begin again. She sings and croaks. She begins singing again and she croaks several times and Erik is laughing at her. Then he shouts "Behold! She is singing to bring down the chandelier!" and during this Carlotta is throwing a mad diva fit. The managers come on stage and tells the audience that they will be seeing the ballet from act three to give Christine time to change into the Countess’ costume. Up on the catwalk, Joseph Buquet is watching from above. You can see shadows and profiles of Erik walking the catwalks and he then confronts Joseph Buquet, pinning him to the ground after Buquet trips and falls after running from Erik. During the climax of the ballet, Joseph Buquet’s dead body falls from the catwalks and hangs on the Punjab lasso. Raoul comes and takes Christine away and she tells him to go to the roof. The managers tell the audience not to panic and that it was an accident. While they’re on the roof, Raoul asks why Christine has brought them to the roof and she says because they’d be safe there. Little do they know that Erik is up there with him hiding behind the statue of Apollo.

    Raoul and Christine sing to each other, ("All I Ask of You") and then Christine tells Raoul to "order your fine horses" and wait for her so they can run away together.("All I Ask of You (Reprise)") Erik hears this and starts singing and crying "You will curse the day you did not do, all that the Phantom asked of you." The chandelier falls, killing quite a few people, including the new concierge who had just begun working at the Opera House. She was killed by the counterweight of whose chain had become rusty and broke causing the chandelier to fall in the first place. It was not Erik’s fault.
    END OF ACT ONE

    At the beginning of act one, we hear the "Entr’Acte" playing and during this, a Masquerade ball is taking place on the Grand Staircase. The managers approach each other and compliment each other. They all go into this wild singing and dancing to "Masquerade". Near the end, Erik appears at the top of the steps dressed as Red Death. In his arms he holds a score to his opera, Don Juan Triumphant and demands that his orders be obeyed for this opera because he has written the opera based on who plays what and so on.

    Raoul begs Mme. Giry to tell him the story of Erik and she reluctantly tells him. Mme. Giry had gone to a sideshow and Erik was in a cage. He was a genius. He had built a maze of mirrors for the Shah of Persia. He was deformed from birth (not from a fire which I have heard countless times from people who have hardly even paid attention to any of this story).

    ("Notes.../Twisted Every Way") They next day, the managers have read it and don’t like it but they daren’t refuse. "Not another chandelier," Andre groans. Carlotta and Piangi come in expressing their disgust for the play, insulting it because they got such small parts. Christine enters and she and Carlotta argue. But during this, Raoul gets the clever idea of having the Opera House watched at every entrance because they know that the Phantom will be there for the performance to see Christine. Then they all start singing again as in "Prima Donna" and we can’t understand them again, until Christine shouts and she sings and Carlotta says "She’s mad."

    During the rehearsal for Don Juan Triumphant, M. Reyer, the maestro, tries desperately to get Piangi on the right note. Confusion, arguing, etc.

    Christine leaves soon after to go to the graveyard to visit the grave of her father. Raoul has followed her there and is watching close behind. Christine sings "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" and the doors to the mausoleum glow orange-red and Erik emerges. Erik sings "Wandering Child" and Christine joins. Erik spots Raoul and begins singing "Bravo, Monsieur" Erik and Raoul begin a sword fight and Raoul gets cut up rather badly, but that doesn’t stop him. Erik runs away and goes back to the Opera House.

    At the premier of Don Juan Triumphant, every entrance and door is guarded by the police. The opera begins as normal and then Don Juan, played by Piangi, exits and enters back on stage and it is Erik, but the audience cannot see his face. Christine knows it is him, but does nothing. They begin to sing "The Point of No Return" and near the end while Don Juan is singing a part of "All I Ask of You", everyone (except the audience who just thinks this is part of the play) has now realized that it is the Phantom who has somehow slipped past the guards. They disappear into the ‘flames’ and proceed to the underground lair once again. Piangi’s dead body falls onto the stage and a mad mob of people take off after Erik and Christine.

    ("Down Once More.../Track Down This Murder") Raoul jumps into the fire after them, but finds himself in the Torture Chamber, but he makes it out.

    At this time, Erik’s face is revealed to everyone. Raoul, making his way down to the house, almost drowns but he escapes just in time. When he reaches his destination, he has reached a portcullis that Erik opens and then he ties Raoul to it. Erik gives Christine a choice. To either choose him and let Raoul live, or choose Raoul resulting in Raoul dying. Erik finally releases him, though, and tells Christine to go with Raoul and to leave him there. They leave, but Christine comes back and gives the engagement ring back to Erik, which he takes, and Christine runs back to Raoul and they sing bits of "All I Ask of You". Erik picks up the music box and makes it play and he sings "Masquerade" with it. He disappears behind a curtain. The mob finds their way into the lair only to find it empty. Meg finds his mask and picks it up and looks around.
    END OF ACT TWO

    This was not modified except to move one sentence to its correct placement. It's also a combination of the movie and the Original London production, so I am sorry if it gets confusing. This is MY assignment so do not steal it. And if you do.. well.. go ahead and try it..