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In 1911 the contents of the Paris Opera House are being auctioned off. Present are the auctioneer, porters and bidders. Raoul, now aged considerably, is seventy years old and in a wheelchair, buys a poster and a music box. As the auctioneer precedes to display the Opera House chandelier ("Lot 666..." See note), he explains that it is connected with the legend of The Phantom of the Opera. When the auctioneer turns on the chandelier there is a flash of light.  The audience is flung back in time, when the Paris Opera was at its height. [Overture]

 

When the lights return the chandelier is now back in its original position. We are also thrust in the middle of a rehearsal for the opera Hannibal. [The Dress Rehearsal for Hannibal] Monsieur Lefèvre, the retiring manager of the Opera, is showing the two new managers, Monsieur Firmin and André, the great stage. As the prima donna, Carlotta, is singing, a backdrop falls to the floor, nearly killing her. The cry is raised, "It's The Phantom of the Opera!" Upset, Carlotta refuses to sing and storms of stage. Meg Giry, daughter of the ballet mistress, Madame Giry, suggests her friend, Christine Daaé, take Carlotta's place. Christine has been taking lessons from a mysterious new teacher.  Monsieur Lefèvre is hesitant to try this new star but reluctantly gives in. [Think of me--as Christine sings the scenery transforms from rehearsal to the performance].

At her triumph in the Opera, is Raoul, a nobleman and patron of the Opera. Raoul recognizes Christine as a childhood friend. After her triumph Christine and Meg walk into Christine's Dressing room and Christine becomes frightened because she hears the Phantom calling her. [Angel of Music]  He comes backstage after the performance to escort her to dinner, [Little Lotte] but Christine tells him she cannot go, because her teacher, "The Angel of Music," is very strict.

When Raoul leaves Christine's room, the Phantom appears. [The Mirror (Angel of Music)]  The Phantom starts to sing and Christine is lured into the bowels of the Opera House, where the Phantom will continue her lessons.

He leads her to his underground lair [The Phantom of the Opera], where she sees a frightening vision of herself in a wedding gown. She faints [The Music of the Night], only to be awakened several hours later by the Phantom's music on the organ. Creeping up behind him, she rips off his mask. [Stranger than you Dreamt it] Horrified, he takes her back to the surface.

The Phantom has sent notes to both the managers of the Opera, as well as Raoul, Madame Giry and Carlotta, which give instructions that Christine will have the lead in the new opera, Il Muto. [Notes / Prima Donna] The manager's refuse to give in to the Phantom's demands.

Il Muto proceeds as planned, with Carlotta in the lead, and Christine in a secondary role. [Poor Fool...]  As promised, disaster strikes - the stage hand, Joseph Buquet, is killed, and Carlotta's voice is stolen.

In the confusion, Raoul and Christine escape to the roof of the Opera House. There, with all of Paris around them, they pledge their love to one another. [All I ask of You] They cannot see the Phantom overhearing their vows of love. Enraged at Christine's betrayal, the Phantom causes the final disaster of the night - the mighty chandelier comes crashing to the stage floor. [All I ask of You Reprise]

 

[ Entr'acte]

The second act opens at a grand Masquerade Ball, held on the steps of the Paris Opera House. [Masquerade]   No one has heard from the Phantom in six months. Christine and Raoul are engaged, but are keeping it a secret; Christine keeps her engagement ring on a chain around her neck.

Suddenly, the Phantom appears, disguised as The Red Death, and delivers to the managers a score from his opera, Don Juan Triumphant. [Chains] The Phantom also notices that Christine is wearing Raoul's engagement ring and rips it off her neck.

At first, the managers refuse to perform the strange, disturbing opera. Then, with the help of Raoul, they devise a plan to trap the Phantom, using Christine as bait. Plans for Don Juan Triumphant, and the trap, are made.

Christine visits the grave of her father. [The Graveyard] [Wishing You were Somehow Here Again]  There on the grave stands the Phantom, beckoning her to join him. [Wandering Child.../Bravo, Monsieur]  Raoul appears and takes her away.

At last, the opening night of Don Juan Triumphant arrives. The theater is surrounded by guards and police, eager to catch the Phantom. As the opera comes to its end, the Phantom takes the place of Piangi, the lead singer. [The Point of No Return] He confronts Christine on stage during the performance, and escapes with her once more to his labyrinth below the Opera House. [Down Once More]

In a last confrontation, the Phantom gives Christine a choice: stay with him forever, or he will kill Raoul. [**Track Down This Murderer** **The Phantom's Lair**]  Her decision brings to an end the story of The Phantom of the Opera.

*"Lot 666..." If you notice that the numbers, 666, represent the sign of the devil.  What Andrew Lloyd Webber was aiming for was to show that this chandelier represents something evil.  By having the auctioneer say that this is Lot 666 Andrew is foreshadowing that the chandelier will be used for something terrible.  This is best shown by having the Phantom cut down the chandelier right after the Production of Il Muto*

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**In my encounters with sets of the soundtracks and programs for the productions I have found that the final song in Canada is called, "The Phantom's Lair." In the United States and mostly elsewhere it is called, "Track Down This Murderer."**