The Phantom of the opera (Original show 1986)

The Phantom of the Opera is a 1986 musical based off the book by the French author Gaston Leroux.

Prologue
The play opens in the Paris opera house in 1911, where an auction is taking place. Old theater set pieces are being sold. Raoul, Vicomte de Changy, purchases a music box with a monkey figure perched on its top. The final lot, 666, is then up. Lot 666 is revealed to be a chandelier, which the auctioneer mentions as beinging connected to "the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained". The chandelier is illuminated and slowly begins to rise, restoring the opera house to as it was 32 years before (Overture).

Act 1
A rehersal for Hannibal on the way in the opera house of 1881. Monsieur Lefevre, the manager, announces he has sold the opera house to Messiuers Andre and Firman, who show an interest in Christine Daae and her frined, Meg Giry. Andre then asks La Carlotta, the diva, to sing her aria. She complies, but she does not get to complete it, as a backdrop falls on her. The company blames this accident on the Opera Ghost. Carlotta, having dealt with these "accidents" for many years, announces she has had enough and quits, taking Piangi, the principal tenor, with her. The managers lament having to cancel the show, but Meg Giry suggests they replace Carlotta with Christine. They agree to hear her sing, and Christine, although she begins her aria ("Think of Me") tentatively, soon reveals the full potential of her voice. The company is impressed and the scene shifts to the performance of Hannibal, where Christine makes her debut as the leading lady.

The managers and Raoul, Vicomte de Changy (the new patron), watch from the stage box. Raoul, who is particularly impressed, remembers Christine from his childhood. After the performance, Madame Giry praises Christine and chastises the ballerinas, forcing them to practice into the night. The Phantom's voice, in the distance, commends Christine - "Bravi, bravi, bravissimi". Meg, who has snuck away from practice, finds Christine outside her dressing room. The two discuss her mysterious teacher ("Angel of Music") until Madame Giry arrives, retrieving Meg and delivering a note from Raoul.

The managers bring Raoul to Christine's dressing room. She is pleased to see him, and they reminisce together ("Little Lotte"). Raoul invites her to dinner, but she declines, saying that the Angel of Music (who she believes the Phantom to be) whould be angry. When Raoul leaves, the Phantom's voice angrily resounds throughout her dressing room, expressing his displeasure with Raoul ("The Mirror ( Angel of Music)"). Christine begs for forgiveness and for him to show himself. He complies, appearing in her mirror. The Phantom leads her down to his lair ("The Phantom of the Opera") where he entreats her to sing for him (this involves difficult runs, the last note being an E6). There, he sereanades her ("The Music of the Night") and eventually shows her a life-size doll of herself. When the doll reaches out to grab her, Christine faints, and the Phantom realizng that the doll was too much, carries her to a bed.

The next morning, Christine awakes to see the Phantom at his organ, composing ("I Remember"). She sneaks up behind him and removes his mask. She sees his deformity, though the audience does not. The Phantom, furious, chases her around his lair and they both eventually fall to the ground ("Stranger Than You Dreamt It"). He tries then to explain that he only wishes to be like everyone else and hopes that she will learn to love him in spite of his face. She returns his mask, and the two have a moment of understanding before he returns her to the surface.

Upstairs, Joseph Buqet scares the ballet girls with stories about the opera ghost ("Magical Lasso"), warning that the only way to protect yourself is to "keep your hand at the level of your eyes". He then pretends to strangle himself with a lasso, causing the girls to run off, screaming. Madame Giry warns that "prudent silence is wise".

In the manager's office, Andre, Firmin, Carlotta, and Raoul

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