Phantom Curiosities
Did you know that the Phantom of the Opera musical composed by
Webber inspired the famous Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris?
David Goebel, author of the article Behind the scenes of Phantom
Manor, explains:
"One major influence for the attraction was Andrew Lloyd Webber's
musical version of "The Phantom of the Opera," and the design crew
transported the storyline into an Old West setting. Instead of the
catacombs of the Paris opera, the Phantom of the Manor dwells in a
Western ghost town, visible near the end of the ride".
The story of this Mansion is:
In the old days, it was a small town with only one street, a few
houses and shops, a casino and a saloon. The town's new mayor and
founder, Mr. Ravenswood, built a huge, glorious manor on the hill
high overlooking the town on the south border of the settlement. In
this house he raised his young daughter, Melanie, and the opulent
family lived happily for many years.
The young girl grew into a young woman, and it came time for her to
take a husband and raise a family. She chose a bright young man
who was an engineer on the Thunder Mesa Railroad, and a date was
set for their marriage. On the wedding day, while the young bride
was preparing in her boudoir, a horrible phantom materialized
inside the house. He fell madly in love with the bride to be. Seeing
the groom so enraged his insane mind that he dragged the young
man into the attic and hung him, laughing maniacally.
In the ballroom the bride sat alone. Hours went by with no sign of
the groom. The guests slowly filed away, leaving the bride alone in
the house with the staff of maids and butlers. "Some day", she told
herself, "he will come". And so, having never taken off her wedding
dress or dropped her bouquet in preparation of her loved one's
return, she wandered the house aimlessly, singing melancholy songs
of lost love. The phantom was still in the house, laughing at her
humanly devotion to her intended husband. One by one he invited
his dead, friends from the afterlife to fill the house in an eternal
party. The shape of the house was slowly transformed surreally by
the evil forces.
Years passed. Inside and outside, the house was decaying. Dusty
cobwebs cover every inch, the disheartened staff caring not, for it
was rumored that the young bride had lost her mind. She wandered
the house for years and years, singing softly to her groom while all
around her demons and ghosts reveled and danced. Everywhere she
went she was reminded of the wedding. The phantom's eternal
laughter still carried through the walls of the house trying to
convince her to marry him. The deserted building were rumored to
be haunted, and anybody who entered the ghastly old town at night
never came back. Today, nobody knows what happened to Melanie
Ravenswood. Although no human being can live that long, her
beautiful voice still carries over the town at night, though the walls,
and night air. And sometimes, people still see lights in the house.
Some nights, when the moon is full and the sky is clear of clouds,
you can still hear the lonely mourning of the bride, the maniacal
laughter of the phantom, and the faint tinkle of glass and laughter of
party guests. Whether she's alive or not, what is well known is that
poor old Melanie never really left the crumbling mansion. She till
waits for her groom. David Goebel also writes:
"A studio chorus rounds off the music with Imagineer and part-time
opera singer, Katherine Meyering, delivering the soprano parts that
accompany each appearance of the bride. "After all, the attraction
was strongly influenced by the musical The Phantom of the Opera".
Another Phantom elated curiosity is the Phantom on Ice show,
recorded into video in 1997.
In the Prologue we can understand most of the story: The Phantom is
seen composing at his organ by a gaslamp. He falls asleep at the
desk and a figure (The Persian, music rival and lover of Carlotta)
appears and steals his music. As he is about to make his escape, the
Phantom wakes and in the ensuing struggle the gaslamp is broken.
The Phantom is engulfed in flames and the Persian leaves him for
dead.
Next act, we can see the gala performance of a new Opera. Carlotta is
leading the performance until she leaves in a fit of anger and
Christine is persuaded to take the lead role.
As the Opera ends and the cast return for the curtain calls, we notice
that Christine receives far more acclaim for her performance than
Carlotta does. The two theatre managers also appear at this point to
present bouquets of flowers. All the cast, except Christine become
aware of a strange presence and they nervously drift away....
Christine is alone on the stage, glowing in triumph and unaware of
what is going on around her. In the audience is Raoul, an army
officer, who has recognised Christine as his former childhood
sweetheart. He reminds Christine that they were once childhood
sweethearts and recalls the time when they saw each other for the
last time.
The Phantom, who has fallen in love with the young soprano, guides
her to his secret lair when he tries to show his love. Sadly, she takes
off his mask revealing his ugly face...
Of course the rest of the story is similar to the famous original story,
but the ending guards a gorgeous surprise...
Cast: The Phantom is Valeri Spiridinov, Christine Daee is
Ekaterina Murugova and Raoul, Andrei Bannikov.
recorded into video in 1997.
In the Prologue we can understand most of the story: The Phantom is
seen composing at his organ by a gaslamp. He falls asleep at the
desk and a figure (The Persian, music rival and lover of Carlotta)
appears and steals his music. As he is about to make his escape, the
Phantom wakes and in the ensuing struggle the gaslamp is broken.
The Phantom is engulfed in flames and the Persian leaves him for
dead.
Next act, we can see the gala performance of a new Opera. Carlotta is
leading the performance until she leaves in a fit of anger and
Christine is persuaded to take the lead role.
As the Opera ends and the cast return for the curtain calls, we notice
that Christine receives far more acclaim for her performance than
Carlotta does. The two theatre managers also appear at this point to
present bouquets of flowers. All the cast, except Christine become
aware of a strange presence and they nervously drift away....
Christine is alone on the stage, glowing in triumph and unaware of
what is going on around her. In the audience is Raoul, an army
officer, who has recognised Christine as his former childhood
sweetheart. He reminds Christine that they were once childhood
sweethearts and recalls the time when they saw each other for the
last time.
The Phantom, who has fallen in love with the young soprano, guides
her to his secret lair when he tries to show his love. Sadly, she takes
off his mask revealing his ugly face...
Of course the rest of the story is similar to the famous original story,
but the ending guards a gorgeous surprise...
Cast: The Phantom is Valeri Spiridinov, Christine Daee is
Ekaterina Murugova and Raoul, Andrei Bannikov.
We all know about the famous Phantom at Her Majesty's Theatre
in London. But did you know that it is haunted by other ghosts?
Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket is supposed to be haunted by
the ghost of the Actor-Manager Sir Herbert Beerbohm-Tree,
famous also for creating the role of Svengali in the stage
adaptation of the novel "Trilby" by George Du Maurier.
Anther case is Dame Flora Robson thought she witnessed the
ghost of a former manager, John Buckstone, who died over 120
years ago.
Buckstone has been heard whispering in one of the dressing
rooms and some years ago, one actor opened the door of the room
saw the figure wearing a long frock coat sitting in a chair. He
immediately closed the door, locked it and called the fireman.
When they arrived and opened the dressing room door, they found
nothing. Two firemen, however, saw a man's face staring at them
through one of the windows. The ghost has been identified as
Buckstone from an old photograph. It was Olga Barnett, assistant
stage manager for one of the shows, who saw him standing behind
Michael Flanders'wheelchair during a show and on enquiry learnt
several members of the audience had commented on 'the tall
gentleman in the old frock coat'. The story goes on that the
phantom only appears when productions are successful.
Another Phantom at the Theatre is Sir Beerbohm Tree, an actor,
for whom the current incarnation of the theatre was built and also
starred in several of its productions after. He passed away in 1917,
though his spirit is said to live on inside the theatre.
Also like the play, the ghost is said to have his own box, the top
box located on stage right. Theatre patrons who have occupied
that box have complained of cold spots and the door suddenly
opening on its own. Cold spots seem to be the majority of
experiences that people have witnessed, though during one
incident in the 1970's at a performance of Cause Celebre, the cast
of the play was said to have seen the ghost walking at the back of
the orchestra seating.
in London. But did you know that it is haunted by other ghosts?
Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket is supposed to be haunted by
the ghost of the Actor-Manager Sir Herbert Beerbohm-Tree,
famous also for creating the role of Svengali in the stage
adaptation of the novel "Trilby" by George Du Maurier.
Anther case is Dame Flora Robson thought she witnessed the
ghost of a former manager, John Buckstone, who died over 120
years ago.
Buckstone has been heard whispering in one of the dressing
rooms and some years ago, one actor opened the door of the room
saw the figure wearing a long frock coat sitting in a chair. He
immediately closed the door, locked it and called the fireman.
When they arrived and opened the dressing room door, they found
nothing. Two firemen, however, saw a man's face staring at them
through one of the windows. The ghost has been identified as
Buckstone from an old photograph. It was Olga Barnett, assistant
stage manager for one of the shows, who saw him standing behind
Michael Flanders'wheelchair during a show and on enquiry learnt
several members of the audience had commented on 'the tall
gentleman in the old frock coat'. The story goes on that the
phantom only appears when productions are successful.
Another Phantom at the Theatre is Sir Beerbohm Tree, an actor,
for whom the current incarnation of the theatre was built and also
starred in several of its productions after. He passed away in 1917,
though his spirit is said to live on inside the theatre.
Also like the play, the ghost is said to have his own box, the top
box located on stage right. Theatre patrons who have occupied
that box have complained of cold spots and the door suddenly
opening on its own. Cold spots seem to be the majority of
experiences that people have witnessed, though during one
incident in the 1970's at a performance of Cause Celebre, the cast
of the play was said to have seen the ghost walking at the back of
the orchestra seating.
Delacorte Press, the first Susan Kay editorial, wrote an article
which shows how Steven Spierlberg's Amblin and Warner
Bros Company bought the novel Rights.
When will we see a movie based in this wonderful book?
which shows how Steven Spierlberg's Amblin and Warner
Bros Company bought the novel Rights.
When will we see a movie based in this wonderful book?
Peter Bregman, the author of the famous comic The Trap-door
maker, announces, in exclusive for this website, a sample of his
next work based in the Phantom of the Opera Leroux novel. Do
you want to see it? CLICK HERE.
maker, announces, in exclusive for this website, a sample of his
next work based in the Phantom of the Opera Leroux novel. Do
you want to see it? CLICK HERE.
This clay sculpture of Erik is done by the artist Greg Hildebrandt for his
illustrated version of the original novel. It really could pass for the
actual skull of the Phantom found in the Opera's underground!
illustrated version of the original novel. It really could pass for the
actual skull of the Phantom found in the Opera's underground!
Did Sherlock Holmes investigate the Phantom?
That's what this Russian version of the detective thinks:
That's what this Russian version of the detective thinks:
David Copperfield did a wonderful homage to the Phantom's legend.
Do you want to know more? Enter here.
Do you want to know more? Enter here.
Please, don't take any photo without my permission.
In the Tonys 2008 Ceremony, John Cudia appeared as the Phantom
together with Whoopi Goldberg in a comical duet.
together with Whoopi Goldberg in a comical duet.
The Triplets, a Spanish cartoon also have its own Phantom version.
Do you want to see some images? CLICK HERE.
Do you want to see some images? CLICK HERE.
