THE FANTASY

In 1911 Gaston Leroux, a French author, published Le Fantóme de l'Opera introducing it to his readers by explaining how he investigated events of a strange nature that had occurred in the Paris Opera House in the 1880's. He tells of exploring "the ghost's vast domain, the huge building which he had made his kingdom." He writes of visiting the huge underground lake where the Phantom hid and even stumbled upon the skeltons of "some poor wretches who had been massacred uner the Commune in the cellars of the Opera."

Today the Phantom lives in a musical produced for the stage by Andrew Lloyd Webber.The British composer's Phantom of the Opera has been named the most commercially successful entertainment show of the century, topping all other stage productions and film. With more than $3 billion in ticket sales since its 1986 launch, the musical has raked in more than Hollywood's worldwide box-office champ Titanic ($1 billion). It also easily bests the likes of Star Wars and and E.T. The musical has been staged in 91 cities in 15 countries. (Its Broadway incarnation has been running since 1988.) Its soundtrack has sold more than 25 million units. In 1966-71 there was a "gothic soap opera" broadcast on ABC TV which had a character called Angelique Collins who was in love with Barnabus, a vampire. Lara Parker played the sensuous and scheming Angélique, the witch who had been burned in the 1800's after chasing after Barnabus who was married to her mistress.

Christine in the Phantom of the Opera as recreated on the Broadway and London stage by Andrew Lloyd Webber was true to the Gaston Leroux work as the submissive yet ambitious Christine coached to her greatness by the Phantom.
What if Christine were more the temptress in this story? What if Christine were like Angélique, scheming and ever glued to her goal as the prima donna of the Opera? Would she had exposed the Phantom in her quest? What magic would she bring to the stage and what of poor Rauol, would he have been a pawn in her quest for greatness? My bet that a lot more than chandeliers would have fallen in the Paris Opera House had Angélique been the Phantom's Christine! There is a Fantome & Angelique Fantasy but it is not for general (G rated) audiences...If you are over 21 and want to see it e-mail me..at lefantome@webtv.net. Now......check out some sites on the web and create your own fantasy and mail it to LeFantóme........

The Phantom on Video the Complete Guide to Movies and Video