The Phantom of the Opera made his first official appearance in a 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux. The author claimed the tale was inspired by a number of legends and quasi-facts surrounding the Pairs Opera House, though evidence of any real historical parallel is sketchy at best. The novel has inspired a number of adaptations, including a silent-film version starring Lon Chaney and a phenomenally successful musical penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. In the process, the story has become a cultural icon and one of the most popular horror tales ever told.
Features
Leroux's story concerned itself with a disfigured outcast named Erik who wanders the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House. Cursed with horrifying features, he nevertheless possesses uncanny musical abilities, as well as unparalleled knowledge of the operation of the Opera House. He gains a measure of notoriety as the "Opera Ghost," influencing important decisions by wreaking havoc whenever his wishes are defied. He takes on a protege--a beautiful girl named Christine--and teaches her to sing with the beauty of an angel. Christine loves another man, Raoul, which makes Erik insanely jealous. He attempts first to woo Christine away from him and then keep the two apart forever. In the process, Christine discovers his true nature, which both horrifies her and fills her with pity. Though Erik plots to kill Raoul, Christine's kindness convinces him to let them both go free. He dies shortly thereafter, after expressing his grief at losing such a rare and extraordinary woman.
History
The book itself did not initially sell very well, and has risen and fallen in popularity since its original publication in 1910. There is some evidence to suggest that Leroux was inspired by a similar Gothic work called Trilby, which was published some 30-odd years before his novel. The historical basis of the Phantom is dubious, and has since been embellished as a way of encouraging tourists and increasing the popularity of the Paris Opera House. The locale contains plenty of old legends about a "ghost," however, and the city's extensive sewers and catacombs easily give rise to romantic notions of tragic and monstrous figures.
Types
The novel itself has long since overshadowed by various adaptations into other media, most notably film and theater. Of the former, the most famous is a silent 1925 film directed by Rupert Julien and starring the great Lon Chaney, Sr.. Chaney's performance has been cited as one of the greatest in all of cinema, but the film itself was plagued by production troubles, and Julien's direction is considered quite feckless. Nearly a dozen other versions of the story have been filmed, including a 1943 production starring Claude Rains, a 1962 Hammer Horror version featuring Herbet Lom (which is most famous for its use of Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor"), a very gory 1989 version with Robert Englund of "Nightmare on Elm Street" fame, and a 2004 adaptation of the stage musical starring Gerard Butler as Erik and Emmy Rossum as Christine.
Types
Looming even larger than the film versions, however, is a fantastically successful stage musical created by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1986. He uses Leroux's tale as a framework, but makes a number of alterations--most notably by leaving Erik's final fate up in the air. The play emphasizes the dark romance of the tale rather than its more horrific aspects, and is typically marked by elaborate production values to accentuate its popular songs. It first opened in London's West End in 1986, with Michael Crawford as the Phantom and Sarah Brightman as Christine. (Both performers are now known primarily for those roles.) The play appeared on Broadway 2 years later and collected a number of prestigious awards (most notably the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Musical), despite a great deal of negative criticism. Its popular success, however, has long since outmatched any debate over its artistic merits. Performances have run both in London and on Broadway since its opening, and other productions have run in over 124 cities worldwide. It is estimated that some 100 million people have seen some version of the stage play, and worldwide grosses are estimated to be in the range of $3 billion (not counting soundtrack sales, T-shirts, and similar residuals).
Effects
Buoyed by the success of Webber's version, the story of the Phantom of the Opera has cemented its place as a cultural icon. Most people in the world now recognize the Phantom's signature white mask, and the scene in the 1925 film in which Christine reveals the Phantom is one of the most notable in 20th-century horror. Though penned centuries before Leroux's novel, "Toccata and Fugue" is now indelibly associated with the character. The story's Gothic themes of romance, monstrosity and longing continue to reverberate, and new variations will inevitably unfold as each new generation discovers it.
