THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

PLOT SUMMARY The Opera singer Christine triumphs at the gala on the night of the old managers' retirement. Her old childhood friend, Raoul, hears her sing and recalls his love for Christine. At this time there are rumors of a phantom living at the Opera and he makes himself known to the managers through letters and malevolent acts. Some time after the gala, the Paris Opera performs Faust, with the prima donna Carlotta playing the lead, against the Phantom's wishes. During the performance Carlotta loses her voice and the grand chandelier plummets into the audience.

After the accident, Christine is kidnapped by the phantom, and taken to his home in the cellars of the Opera and he reveals his true identity to her simply as Erik, though not his real name. He plans to keep her there for a few days, hoping she will come to love him. But she causes Erik to change his plans when she unmasks him and, to the horror of both, beholds his face which resembles the face of a rotting corpse. Fearing that she will leave him, he decides to keep her with him forever, but when Christine requests release after two weeks, he agrees on condition that she wear his ring and be faithful to him.

On the roof of the opera house, Christine tells Raoul that Erik abducted her. Raoul promises to take Christine away to a place where Erik can never find her. Raoul tells Christine he shall act on his promise the next day, to which Christine agrees. She, however, has pity for Erik and will not go until she has sung a song for him one last time. Neither is aware that Erik has been listening to their conversation and that he has become extremely jealous.

The following night, Erik kidnaps Christine during a production of Faust and tries to force Christine to marry him. He states that if she refuses, he will use explosives (which he has planted in the cellars) to destroy the entire opera house. Christine refuses, until she realizes that Erik learned of Raoul's attempt to rescue her and has trapped Raoul in a hot torture chamber (along with the Persian, an old acquaintance of Erik who was going to help Raoul). To save them and the people above, Christine agrees to marry Erik. Erik initially tries to drown Raoul, using the water which would have been used to douse the explosives. But Christine begs and offers to be his "living bride", promising him not to kill herself after becoming his bride, as she had both contemplated and attempted earlier in the novel. Erik eventually rescues Raoul from his torture chamber. When Erik is alone with Christine, he lifts his mask to kiss her on her forehead, and is given a kiss back. Erik reveals that he has never received a kiss (not even from his own mother) or has been allowed to give one and is overcome with emotion. He lets Christine go and tells her, "Go and marry the boy whenever you wish", explaining, "I know you love him." She leaves on the condition that when he dies she will come back and bury him.

THE OPERA HOUSE

Α building of grand architecture with 17 floors A grand staircase with precious marbles and onyx Grand Foyer with statues of the world’s greatest composers A web of passageways underneath the scene and many dark cellars

THE VOICE Christine Daae awoke to the heavenly singing with this musical perfection The sensational voice came near her offering a gift What would he ask her in return?

THE MYSTERY BEGINS A dark mysterious man appears on the scene, surrounded by a mystery Monsieur Buquet is found dead-hanged by himself Raoul de Chagny expresses his admiration for Christine’s beautiful singing Christine ignores Raoul pretending she doesn’t know him Raoul feels disappointed by that rejection

THE PHANTOM’S BOX The phantom appears among the costumed people in the Grand Foyer, causing great fear The new managers are distrustful and practical and don’t believe in superstitions The phantom sends a note with his demands showing his highest authority Christine is abducted by the Phantom

THE ANGEL OF MUSIC Christine ,being aware of the danger Raoul may confront from the Phantom,invites him to Perros, to explain and apologise She recalls the time she met him when they were children. She feel extremely upset hearing Raoul saying about the man’s voice he had heard. Trying to stop her from running away, a black figure with the face of death blocked his way.

THE PHANTOM STRIKES Christine is willing to sacrifice herself to save Raoul whom she deeply loves from the Phantom The Phantom sends a note threatening Carlotta that sth bad will happen to her if she insists on singing During Carlotta’s singing, the scenery is out of control She writes a note to Raoul warning him of the great danger because the Phantom would harm him. She is again abducted by the Phantom and carried to his house which is dark and mysterious like him. The phantom offers Christine a ring a ring asking her to marry him.

THE RING Christine accepts the ring, but can’t stand to be near the Phantom Raoul wants to protect Christine and this reflect the attitude of the era She wants to leave Paris with Raoul, but wants to sing for him one last time Raoul hears the voice and the laughter but doesn’t believe the Phantom really exists The Phantom is listening to what Christine and Raoul are talking about and feels frustrated and furious with them.

JOURNEY OF TERROR Raoul knows that the Phantom may come after him for revenge Meanwhile he is planning their escape from Erik Christine is abducted again-Raoul heartbroken is looking for her desperately The Persian offers to help him, leading him to the underground passages

ERIK’S STORY Raoul and the Persian continue looking for Erik in his secret world . They reach a room full of mirrors. The Persian starts revealing Erik’s story-his dream to become an architect-the fire that burnt his face and ruined his life-his mother’s rejection-the construction of the torture chamber on the foundations of the Opera

THE TORTURE CHAMBER Raoul and the Persian are trapped in a torture chamber,suffering from an unbearable heat that makes them faint They find a trapdoor leading to a cellar full of barrels containing gunpowder. Eric forces Christine to make a decision to marry him or he will set off an explosion and everyone and everything will be reduced to ashes. The room with the explosives is being filled with water and the two men are drowning.

THE LAST PROMISE Erik releases Raoul and the Persian after she agrees to marry him, sacrificing herself for Raoul’s sake. Erik pays his last visit to the Persian although he is deadly wounded, saying that he let Christine go. Erik returns to the Opera where he dies, leaving his black cloak, his mask and the ring neatly folded in a dressing room at the Opera to Christine and let her know that he loved her The Persian decides to write Erik’s story to be freed from the terrible memories of events in the Opera cellars. Christine marries Raoul.