History Theatre / ThePhantomOfTheOpera

* DiegeticMusic: The show takes place in an opera house, and several abbreviated theatrical productions are staged over the course of its run-time, so about a quarter of its music is diegetic.

** When the Phantom shouts, "DID I NOT INSTRUCT THAT BOX FIVE WAS TO BE LEFT EMPTY?!", the audience members ''actually'' sitting in Box Five will get a nice little surprise. [[spoiler:There's a speaker set up in there.]]

* BigNo: The Phantom usually lets one out when Christine sneaks up to him and pulls off his mask in the first lair scene. He rounds on her and gives chase, snarling and cursing her for a "prying Pandora."

* BusinessTripAdultery: The only revealed plot point of ''[[ShowWithinAShow Il Muto]]'', in which a countess disguises her lover, the mute Seraphimo, as a maid within her household, just before her husband departs for England on affairs of state.
* CastingCouch: Carlotta accuses Raoul of forging the notes signed "O.G.," which demand that Christine get the lead in the next production, because he and Christine are lovers. She's not totally off base; Raoul didn't write the notes, but the Phantom, who did, is very much obsessed with Christine.

* CreepyDoll: The Phantom has one of these done up as a bride in a broken mirror ([[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext just go with it]]). When he shows it to Christine at the end of "Music of the Night," it lunges out at her and makes her faint in shock. Excluded in the 25th anniversary performance and the US tour.

* MoodWhiplash: Whatever happy feelings the audience may be left with after watching Christine and Raoul sing their love duet evaporate almost immediately into a MassOhCrap when the Phantom emerges from behind the angel statue, clearly furious. Audiences have been known to gasp in horror at this moment.

Creator/MichaelCrawford and Music/SarahBrightman originated the roles of the Phantom and Christine in Webber's play. The musical was itself made into [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera2004 a movie]] in 2004 after years in DevelopmentHell, starring Creator/EmmyRossum as Christine and Creator/GerardButler as Erik, the Phantom. In 2011, London's Royal Albert Hall hosted a 25th anniversary staging that was released on video the following year starring Sierra Boggess as Christine and Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom[[note]]both of whom originated the same roles in Webber's 2010 sequel ''Love Never Dies''[[/note]]. It can be viewed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nINQjT7Zr9w here]].

* RaceLift: In the early 90's, Robert Guillaume became the first African-American actor to play the Phantom when he replaced Michael Crawford in the Los Angeles production. Norm Lewis became the second--and Broadway's first--after 26 years in 2014, Derrick Davis became the third and Quentin Oliver Lee the fourth (both as part of the US tour). Meanwhile, Margaret Ann Gates was the first Asian Christine in the Toronto production while Ali Edwolt was the first on Broadway, Jordan Donica was the first African-American Raoul, and Patricia Phillips the first African-American Carlotta. Following the pandemic-forced shutdown, the London and Broadway productions finally cast black actresses in the role of Christine, for a total of five thus far, with Lucy St. Louis as London's and Beatrice Penny Toure and Paige Blankson as the 2nd and 3rd, respectively, as understudies/alternates--along with Michelle Cornelius as the first black Madame Giry--while Emilie Koautchou debuted as Broadway's 1st (first as the alternate, then as the main one from January 26, 2022 through the show's closing in April 2023), followed by understudy/alternate Kanisha Marie Feliciano as the 2nd (and first Afro-Latina).

Gaston Leroux's novel ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' has perhaps its most well-known adaptation in this, Creator/AndrewLloydWebber's wildly successful {{musical}}. First produced in the West End in 1986, where it runs to this day, it debuted in 1988 on Broadway, where it ran for record-breaking 35 years, before finally closing in April 2023.

Gaston Leroux's novel ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' has perhaps its most well-known adaptation in this, Creator/AndrewLloydWebber's wildly successful {{musical}}. First produced in the West End in 1986, where it runs to this day, it debuted in 1988 on Broadway, where it ran for 35 years before finally closing in April 2023.

-->I have brought you\\

My music…\\

-->Since the moment I first heard you sing / I have needed you with me, to serve me, to sing for my music ...

** Different productions have Christine respond to this in different ways. Sometimes she gives him a LongLastLook before running away. Sometimes she briefly clasps his fingers in return. In the 25th anniversary production at the Royal Albert Hall, Christine, weeping, [[IKissYourHand bends over the Phantom's hand and kisses it]] in a farewell gesture of profound respect and gratitude. In the very last Broadway performance, the actress playing Christine whispered, "I love you too."

--> '''London:''' "Your face, Christine, so strange."
--> '''New York:''' "Christine, are you alright?"

* GraveMarkingScene: Seeking solace from all the turmoil she's been experiencing, Christine visits her father's grave. Unfortunately, the Phantom, who's either followed her there or knew that she would come, seizes the opportunity to try and kidnap her again.

-->"Would you not rather have your precious little ingénue?"

--> "My angel of music! SING! ''SING FOR ME!"''
* LaughingMad: The Phantom does this in the ''Il Muto'' scene when he screws with Carlotta's voice, and then again when he hangs Joseph Buquet above the ballet dancers for the horrified audience to see. In many productions, he engages in this after his reprise of "All I Ask of You" before dropping the chandelier.

* NumberOfTheBeast: One has to wonder what jackass decided to [[TemptingFate tempt fate]] by putting the cursed chandelier with the bloody past into the musical's auction as Lot 666.

* RaceLift: In the early 90's, Robert Guillaume became the first African-American actor to play the Phantom when he replaced Michael Crawford in the Los Angeles production. Norm Lewis became the second--and Broadway's first--after 26 years in 2014, Derrick Davis became the third and Quentin Oliver Lee the fourth (both as part of the US tour). Meanwhile, Margaret Ann Gates was the first Asian Christine in the Toronto production while Ali Edwolt was the first on Broadway, Jordan Donica was the first African-American Raoul, and Patricia Phillips the first African-American Carlotta. Since re-opening after the pandemic-forced shutdown, the London and Broadway productions finally cast black actresses in the role of Christine, for a total of five thus far, with Lucy St. Louis as London's and Beatrice Penny Toure and Paige Blankson as the 2nd and 3rd, respectively, as understudies/alternates--along with Michelle Cornelius as the first black Madame Giry--while Emilie Koautchou debuted as Broadway's 1st (first as the alternate, then as the main one as of January 26, 2022), followed by understudy/alternate Kanisha Marie Feliciano as the 2nd (and first Afro-Latina).

* VillainousBreakdown: The Phantom has one at the end of Act II. After she unmasks him in front of the entire opera house, he abducts Christine and tries to force her to marry him, losing in his desperation all his prior charisma and composure.

* HotterAndSexier: Where "The Music of the Night" is full of careful metaphors and sensuality, "The Point of No Return" abandons all pretense regarding Don Juan's desires -- and, consequently, those of the Phantom. The lyrics are dark, intense and impassioned; the music goes from low and restive to full of surging anticipation. However, it's the body language of the actors that speaks the loudest, as over the course of the song, Christine and the Phantom exchange numerous coy caresses far bolder than anything the musical has thus far permitted them.

** Different productions have Christine respond to this in different ways. Sometimes she gives him a LongLastLook before running away. Sometimes she briefly clasps his fingers in return. In the 25th anniversary production at the Royal Albert Hall, Christine, weeping, [[IKissYourHand bends over the Phantom's hand and kisses it]] in a farewell gesture of profound respect and gratitude. In the very last Broadway performance, she actually whispered, "I love you too."

** Different productions have Christine respond to this in different ways. Sometimes she gives him a LongLastLook before running away. Sometimes she briefly clasps his fingers in return. In the 25th anniversary production at the Royal Albert Hall, Christine, weeping, [[IKissYourHand bends over the Phantom's hand and kisses it]] in a farewell gesture of profound respect. In the very last Broadway performance, she actually whispered, "I love you too."

Gaston Leroux's novel ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' has perhaps its most well-known adaptation in this, Creator/AndrewLloydWebber's wildly successful {{musical}}. First produced in the West End in 1986, where it runs to this day, before debuting on Broadway in 1988, where it became the longest-running show on the Great White Way with an impressive 35-year run before finally closing in April 2023.

Like the novel it is based on, the musical is set in late 19th-century Paris and follows Christine Daaé, a promising young soprano whose life is turning around -- not only has she just gotten the lead role in the opera house's new production, she has also reunited with her handsome childhood sweetheart, Raoul de Chagny. But Christine is also the obsession of the titular Phantom, a mysterious musical genius who resides in the subterranean depths of the Opera Populaire. The Phantom is dangerous and brilliant, and he is willing to go to great lengths to ensure Christine becomes his.

Creator/MichaelCrawford and Music/SarahBrightman originated the roles of the Phantom and Christine in Webber's play. The musical was itself made into [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera2004 a movie]] in 2004 after years in DevelopmentHell, starring Emmy Rossum as Christine and Gerard Butler as Erik, the Phantom. In 2011, London's Royal Albert Hall hosted a 25th anniversary staging that was released on video the following year starring Sierra Boggess as Christine and Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom[[note]]both of whom originated the same roles in Webber's 2010 sequel ''Love Never Dies''[[/note]]. It can be viewed [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nINQjT7Zr9w here]].

* BusinessTripAdultery: The only revealed plot point of the ShowWithinAShow ''Il Muto'', in which a countess disguises her lover, the mute Seraphimo, as a maid within her household, just before her husband departs for England on affairs of state.

* TheIngenue: Christine, complete with an InnocentSoprano voice. Even Carlotta snidely refers to her as such when the managers beg her to return to the stage.

* LaughingMad: The Phantom does this in the ''Il Muto'' scene when he screws with Carlotta's voice, and then again when he hangs Buquet above the ballet dancers for the horrified audience to see. In many productions, he engages in this after his reprise of "All I Ask of You" before dropping the chandelier.

* RaceLift: In the early 90's, Robert Gulliame became the first African-American actor to play the Phantom when he replaced Michael Crawford in the Los Angeles production. Norm Lewis became the second--and Broadway's first--after 26 years in 2014, Derrick Davis became the third and Quentin Oliver Lee the fourth (both as part of the US tour). Meanwhile, Margaret Ann Gates was the first Asian Christine in the Toronto production while Ali Edwolt was the first on Broadway, Jordan Donica was the first African-American Raoul, and Patricia Phillips the first African-American Carlotta. Since re-opening after the pandemic-forced shutdown, the London and Broadway productions finally cast black actresses in the role of Christine, for a total of five thus far, with Lucy St. Louis as London's and Beatrice Penny Toure and Paige Blankson as the 2nd and 3rd, respectively, as understudies/alternates--along with Michelle Cornelius as the first black Madame Giry--while Emilie Koautchou debuted as Broadway's 1st (first as the alternate, then as the main one as of January 26, 2022), followed by understudy/alternate Kanisha Marie Feliciano as the 2nd (and first Afro-Latina).

Creator/MichaelCrawford and Music/SarahBrightman originated the roles of the Phantom and Christine in Webber's play. The musical was itself made into [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera2004 a movie]] in 2004 after years in DevelopmentHell, starring Emmy Rossum as Christine and Gerard Butler as Erik, the Phantom. In 2011, London's Royal Albert Hall hosted a 25th anniversary staging that was released on video the following year starring Sierra Boggess as Christine and Ramin Karimloo as The Phantom[[note]]both of whom originated the same roles in Webber's 2010 sequel ''Love Never Dies''[[/note]].

''Theatre/LoveNeverDies'', a stage sequel by Webber, premiered in 2010. See also the [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1925 famous 1925 silent film]] by Creator/{{Universal}} starring Creator/LonChaney, which gave Webber additional inspiration for the 1986 musical.

* PragmaticAdaptation: In the book, the Phantom has a face resembling a skull, accurately recreated in the 1925 film by Lon Chaney. The deformity was changed in the musical as applying such make-up would take too long to apply for a live-show andit would have hindered an actor's singing ability.

** The Phantom's iconic fedora counts as well; while the musical is explicitly set in 1881, homburg hats -- from which fedoras would develop -- didn't rocket to popularity until the late 1880s.

* GrewASpine: Christine over the course of the show. At the beginning she is almost too shy to sing in front of an audience, later on she stands up for herself to the likes of Carlotta and the Phantom himself.

** In addition, whenever he publicly terrorizes one of the [[ShowWithinAShow in-story performances]], his voice can be heard echoing from anywhere in the theatre.

* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: It's left ambiguous as to whether this version of the Phantom truly has supernatural abilities. Some of his tricks, like the mirror passage, are understandable in-universe, but the rest (e.g., making the piano play by itself during rehearsals, shooting fireballs at Raoul in the graveyard, apparently vanishing and teleporting at will) are given no practical explanation.

Like the novel it is based on, the musical follows Christine Daaé, a promising young soprano whose life is turning around -- not only has she just gotten the lead role in the opera house's new production, she also has reunited with her handsome childhood sweethart, Raoul de Chagny. But Christine is also the obsession of the titular Phantom, a mysterious and terrible musical genius who resides in the subterranean depths of the Opera Populaire.

* LaughingMad: The Phantom does this in the ''Il Muto'' scene when he screws with Carlotta's voice, and then again when he hangs Buquet above the ballet dancers for the horrified audience to see.

* FakeOutFadeOut: The curtain comes down at the end of "Prima Donna," which can sometimes trick first-time theatre-goers into believing that it's time for intermission.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: Laird Mackintosh, the last actor to play the Phantom on Broadway, turned and looked directly at the audience just before the Phantom's disappearance at the conclusion of the final show.

** This is why in Notes the Phantom instructs Piangi to lose some weight, so he can better imitate him. Some productions will remove padding from Piangi's costume to help with this.

** Different productions have Christine respond to this in different ways. Sometimes she gives him a LongLastLook before running away. Sometimes she briefly clasps his fingers in return. In the 25th anniversary production at the Royal Albert Hall, Christine, weeping, [[IKissYourHand bends over the Phantom's hand and kisses it]] in a farewell gesture of profound respect. In the very last Broadway show, she actually whispered, "I love you too."

** Different productions have Christine respond to this in different ways. Sometimes she gives him a LongLastLook before running away. Sometimes she briefly clasps his fingers in return. In the 25th anniversary production at the Royal Albert Hall, Christine, weeping, [[IKissYourHand bends over the Phantom's hand and kisses it]] in a farewell gesture of profound respect, while at the final Broadway show, the actress actually whispered "I love you too".

''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera'' has perhaps its most well-known adaptation in Creator/AndrewLloydWebber's wildly successful {{musical}}. First produced in the West End in 1986, where it runs to this day, before debuting on Broadway in 1988, where it became the longest-running show on the Great White Way with an impressive 35-year run before finally closing in April 2023.