The Paris Opera House is a historical building and opera house located in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built by the construction firm Visconti and it was completed in 1875. Over the years, several changes have been made to the Opera House including changes in interior design and structural changes.
Paris Opera House has had many famous opera singers perform on its stage as well as several famous plays and musicals. Some of the most famous operas that have been performed at Paris Opera House include Faust, The Magic Flute, Tosca, and La Bohème. Some of the most famous performers that have graced its stage include Joseph Faure, Joan Sutherland, Natalie Dessay, and Ricardo Cervero.
In this prologue to The Phantom of the Opera story, we will be taking a look at some of the events leading up to Sir Andrew’s arrival at Paris Opera House.
Audience members enter and take their seats
As the audience members enter the room, they are greeted by an employee of the theater who hands them a program. The program includes a list of the songs that will be performed during the show, pictures of the main characters, and a short synopsis of the story.
Many people take pictures with their phones at this point, but if you are someone who likes to take pictures or doesn’t have a phone or camera, then you are able to purchase official photos later.
The stage is very elaborate and impressive, and there are many different things that go into setting it up for each performance. The stage shifts (pieces of stage that move) take a long time to set up due to how many there are and how precise they have to be in placing them.
The lights in the theater are controlled from upstairs by staff members who know exactly which button to push to turn on which light. The audience hears several sounds during the show such as clapping and laughing, all of which are pre-recorded.
The prologue begins with an announcement from the stage manager
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to announce that after more than a century, the Paris Opéra House will reopen its doors to the public.”
The stage manager continues by explaining that tonight is a special night as they are not only reopening the opera house but also debuting a new production.
He explains that this production is special as it has taken years of hard work and dedication to produce. He says that everyone from the designers, choreographers, and producers have poured their hearts into this show.
He ends his announcement by wishing everyone at the opera house a wonderful show!
The stage manager announces that the show will begin shortly and asks everyone to take their seats. As people begin to enter the theater, they are greeted by staff carrying candles so that they can find their seats in the dark theater. The audience members seat themselves as the lights go down and the show begins.
The orchestra begins to play, and the chandelier is lowered from the ceiling
As the chandelier is illuminated, the Phantom appears on stage, singing about his love for opera and Paris
The Phantom is a mysterious figure who has re-designed and re-built parts of the Opera House. He has been working in the underground catacombs that run beneath Paris, constructing new passages and rooms.
He has a strong love for music and opera, which is why he chose to live underground where he could hear the music more clearly. He feels as though he is part of the opera himself, so he dedicates his life to making him—and himself—the best.
The Phantom of the Opera is a novel about this mysterious man who haunts and stalks Christine Daae, an aspiring singer. The two fall in love with each other but face many challenges along the way.
All appears normal until a strange figure appears on stage
This figure is the Phantom, who wears a mask to hide his face and unusually long hair. He is an enigmatic character with an obsessive love for opera and music.
He initially works in the opera house’s underground tunnels, where he designs and builds a studio for him to practice his music. Here, he practices singing and playing the piano.
As time goes on, his obsession with music grows, and he begins to demand that his protégé sing his songs in the opera house. When this does not happen, he begins to terrorize both those above ground and those below in the tunnels.
His violent outbursts lead many to believe that he is mentally ill.
The figure disappears as quickly as they appeared, and the performance continues
This figure was known as the Phantom of the Opera. They were a mysterious figure that haunted and terrorized those that entered the underground of Paris Opéra House.
They were known to manipulate people into doing what they wanted, including getting jobs or marrying them. They also scared people into leaving the building or dropping out of the opera competition.
Many believed that this person was a ghost due to their ability to appear and disappear at will, as well as their expertise in setting up the opera stage perfectly each time. Others believed that they were a former worker at Paris Opéra House who had knowledge of how everything worked, thus explaining how they could appear and disappear at will.
Regardless, no one knew who they were or what they looked like, making them incredibly hard to find and stop. The Phantom of the Opera took down several opera singers’ careers due to their fears of them being murdered like Lison was.
At intermission, audience members discuss what they have witnessed on stage
During the intermission of the Phantom of the Opera, people around you discuss their thoughts on the performance. Some people say that it was better than the original production, while others say that it was just as good.
Many people agree that the set design and musical composition were superb. Some even go as far to say that it was too good- they claim that there should have been some mistakes or mess ups, but there weren’t any.
Some are not a fan of how dark the production is compared to other performances. Others appreciate how it brings more attention to the music and stage instead of elaborate costumes and sets.
The second act begins with an onstage snowfall
In the second act, we see the Phantom’s true intent: he wants to make a beautiful woman his bride.
This happens when he reveals to Christine that she is his childhood love, and that he intends to use her to win her over.
He asks her to marry him, and when she refuses, he attempts to force her. At this point, the opera really turns into a thriller!
The stage crew manipulates the water mechanism so that it appears as if Christine is drowning. This is very clever, as it adds an extra layer of horror. The audience knows she is not actually underwater, but it looks very real!
At the end of the opera, we find out that the Phantom dies in a fire. However, this does not happen in the real opera- it was added for the film version.
Another strange figure appears on stage, this time wearing a white mask over their face
In this version, the Phantom is not revealed until the end of the story. Unlike in the original novel, where the Phantom is revealed early on as being a student of Gaston Leroux’s character, this Phantom remains hidden until his true identity is revealed.
This adds to the mystery and suspense of the story, keeping the audience wondering who he really is and what his motives are.
The white mask that he wears represents purity and anonymity. By wearing this mask, he hopes to represent himself as pure and innocent, which ties into his desire to have Christine sing for him so that he can then “save” her.
He also wears black clothing which represents darkness and evil – traits that he possesses but tries to hide. The long coat also adds to this effect (see picture above).
