The story remained unappealing to the masses until the Roaring Twenties when Lon Chaney, a famous silent-film star known as the “Man with a Thousand Faces,” took the title role as the Phantom in the 1925 silent film. If one searches “The Phantom of the Opera,” his name is mentioned, but not the other way around. In fact, “the Phantom of the Opera” is rarely included on lists of Leroux’s works. Unfortunately, his target audience did not enjoy his work. Because Leroux was a journalist in France, he wrote for the common people in French. The story of a horrible ugly phantom kidnapping a beautiful young girl and terrorizing an opera house was simply not something people in France wanted to read during the early 1900s. This original publication received terrible reviews. Gaston Leroux was a French journalist-turned-novelist and when he originally wrote “the Phantom of the Opera,” it was published serially before it was published as a novel. What is the reason for all these different endings? The answer lies in the historical background. The musical and the 2004 film version both contain the ending above ending. In the silent film from 1925 staring Lon Chaney, the Phantom drowns in a river after a long chase seen involving a mob.
In the original novel “Le Fantome de l’Opera,” written by Gaston Leroux in 1910, it was reported in newspapers that the Phantom died of a broken heart. In fact,the ending has been changed many times over the years. Though this ending is the lovely, heartfelt ending, it is not the original ending of the story. All that is left of him is his mask, which remains as a symbol of eternal, but unrequited love, before the police arrive. As Christine and Raoul escape by a small boat, the Phantom breaks all of his mirrors in anger and sorrow and disappears through one of them. He demands that they forget him and the events that just took place. He pulls away from Christine and tells Raoul that he will let them both go. Christine then kisses the Phantom who is surprised and saddened by her choice.
He gives Christine a compromise: he will kill Raoul and let her go or she must stay with him and he will free Raoul. Christine argues that it is his soul that she is afraid and no longer his face. The Phantom accuses Christine of being unable to love him because of his deformity. However, hefalls into a trap while the Phantom makes Christine choose between him and Raoul. Before he gives orders, Raoul goes down to the cellars alone to save Christine. At thesame time, Raoul has gathered the police to capture the Phantom at the right moment. At the premiere of Don Juan Triumphant, the Phantom kidnaps Christine and takes her down to his cellars. He begins to terrorize the opera, killing anybody in his way of Christine or her career. The two eventually are engaged, which enrages the Phantom. However, as much as she loves the Phantom, her heart belongs to Raoul. Christine becomes torn between her two suitors: the Phantom and Raoul. Christine then tells her story to Raoul who ensures Christine that he will do anything to protect her from the Phantom. Christine becomes worried, but takes the ring and the Phantom lets her go. The two instantly fall in love with each other, which makes the Phantom of the Opera jealous.Īfter gala night at the opera house, the Phantom takes Christine down to his chambers and promises only to release her if she wears a ring symbolizing her commitment to him. He also happens to be Christine’s childhood friend. Raoul the Viscount of Chagny becomes the new patron. During this time, the opera house changes patrons and managers.
The Angel of Music teaches Christine how to sing and later on she becomes the most popularsoprano at the opera house. The Angel of Music is supposed to protect Christine, so she surrenders herself to this voice she hears it. Christine thinks this Angel of Music is the gift her father promised to send her after he passed away. No one sees the Phantom except Madame Giry, who is the only person who receives his secret letters and music scores. This voice belongs to the Phantom of the Opera, the disfigured genius who composes all of the scores and stories at the opera house. While at the opera house, Christine is visited by voice that she calls her Angel of Music. After Christine’s father dies, she is put into the care of Madame Giry who is charge of the chorus at the opera house. The plot is centered on a love triangle between Christine Daae, The Phantom and Raoul, the Viscount of Chagny.Ĭhristine, the main female character, is the orphaned daughter of Father Daae, a famous violinist at the time. “The Phantom of the Opera” musical takes place at the Paris Opera House in 1870. Elizabeth Evangelou, Regina Fojas, & Bryan Nevarez įor our project, we decided to analyze the content of “The Phantom of the Opera.” To begin, here is a background of the characters and the story of the show.