Author note:

This story takes place in present day. I am altering reality here: the story of the movie (supposedly) actually happened, and were written about in a book "Le Fantôme de L'Opéra" by Gaston Leroux. (Yes, this is the real book the musical is based on – but my story differs slightly from reality). A stage musical of The Phantom of the Opera was never made, but a movie musical was made, very similar to the one released in 2004… but this was released in 1992, and was not that much of a hit; but had a cult following. All 'Phantom of the Opera' Characters look as they did in the 2004 movie.

Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own the Phantom of the Opera Musical, its characters, its music, and its plot - though I wish I did. I only own the characters I create and the fictional situations I put them in.

PS: I own so little, do not deny me a review or two?

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HE'S THERE

PROLOGUE

They had gone. The screaming mob, the chanting sheep. Those hypocritical opera rats that had come looking for a murder, with their own murderous eyes and boiling blood. They sealed off the catacombs of the Opera House, leaving the Phantom to his dark fate, and what they believed would be a just death. Painful... and slow. They had been called away with words that the Opera House would soon collapse as its foundations were devastated by hungry flames, those flames that had erupted from the jealous crash of the house chandelier.

So they left, losing their identities to the tragic opera house fire. The Opera House was said to be cursed, still haunted by the presence of the Opera Ghost. But now, he was no longer in human form, but a true poltergeist. A ghost out for vengeance against the cruel end to his long-suffering life. Parisians avoided this particular Opera House as though it housed victims of the bubonic plague, which had ravaged Europe in the 1800s.

The tale of the Phantom of the Opera spread, even a well selling book was written about the Opera House tragedy; and was the towns' claim to fame… or infamy. Until the next big scandal. Suspicious, conspiring minds found a new haunting to latch onto, and the tale of the Opera Ghost began to wear itself dry. Those that were part of the tale grew old and died, those they had told seemingly forgot their predecessors' colourful history, and talk of the curse died or was covered up for the sake of the entrepreneurs.

It was then, that a wealthy Frenchman, Monsieur Garnier, decided to stake his claim, and leave a legacy in France. He bought the Opera House, and began renovations, determined to bring the opera house back… and possibly beyond its former glory. The fire-ravaged innards were gutted; new materials and the finest craftsman were imported from Spain and Italy. Soon enough his work was complete, the Opera House was reborn. While it maintained its roots in the original design, it was now bigger and bolder than it had even been. To a great fanfare the Opera House opened in all its glory, further strengthening the love and exclusivity of Opera in France. Despite the Opera House living in the shadow of another more successful Opera House, it's successes were not to be taken lightly. New Operas were written, great performers were discovered and paraded on its stage, musical geniuses were employed and fired, vagrant artists came and went, but the popularity of the Opera never swayed. Even as decades passed, and the Opera House changed owners, and went through further refurbishments, it never closed it doors due to lack of popularity. Shows that played there were a hit… as if the very scandal that had once made the theatre so infamous lived inside its walls, inexorably drawing patrons into its mystery and magic. The Opera House majesty was so firmly grounded in history, people couldn't stay away… and the magic of this Theatre lives on….

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