Phantom of the Opera

1. In the opening scene of Phantom of the Opera we are taken to Paris in 1919. As two elderly citizens are looking at the remains of a building in lot 666 which used to be an opera house. The audience is then taken to 1870 when the house was up and running (the duration of the movie remains in 1870).  During this time period going to the opera was a very important and prestigious event. Audience members would often dress very elegantly and were also (mainly) members of the upper class. Performances were often filled with very extravagant costumes, make up, and scenery. This period of opera was known as grand opera.

2. Main Characters

• The Phantom- Scarred as a young boy on his face Erik (the phantom) has found comfort in living in the catacombs of the opera house. The phantom is a musical virtuoso and has written several operas for the opera house. Throughout the movie he begins to fall in love and obsess over a young opera singer named Christine. 
• Christine- A young soprano and rising opera star, Christine instantly becomes the phantom's love interest and obsession. As she is tutored by the phantom she believes that he is the "angel of music" and the spirit of her late father. However, she grows attached to the phantom and she must choose between her childhood love, Raoul, and the Phantom. 
• Raoul- We are first introduced to the elderly Raoul in the opening scene of the movie. In his younger days, Raoul was the love of Christine. We often see him fighting the Phantom of Christine's affection and love. 
• Madame Giry- Madame Giry is the ballet Mistress of the opera house. She assumed the role as Christine's guardian after her father passed. She is also response for bringing the Phantom to the opera house to avoid him from facing persecution. 
• Meg Giry- Meg is a ballerina at the opera house and is also Christine's best friend. After the phantom kidnaps Christine, Meg, leads the effort to go find her. 

 3. The Phantom of the Opera is a disfigured music genius who lives beneath the opera house. He falls in love with Christine and tutors her to become the opera house's new star. However, the phantom falls in love with Christine, who is already in love with another, Raoul. After a series of duels the phantom gives Christine an ultimatum. She can either live with him (the phantom) for the rest of her life and Raoul's life will be spared or he will let her go but he will kill Raoul. Christine chooses to spare Raoul's life but the Phantom has realized that he has deeply hurt Christine so he lets her go, and live with Raoul.

4. I believe the overall meaning of the musical was that one can not expect to live happily if hatred and anger compel them. The phantom was living with deep anger and hate for those who treated him with the same feelings and thus he poured them back into his relationship with Christine which turned her away from him. In turn, his negative feelings ruined something that could have made him very happy. Christine was able to find the phantom to be an amazing person however, his internal ugliness turned her against him.