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Andrew Lloyd Webber, Gaston Leroux, Gothic fiction, Lloyd Webber, Palais Garnier, Paris Opera, Phantom of the Opera
Photo credit: Google Images
As you may know, Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s Phantom of the Opera, an enormously successful 1986 musical, is based on a French Gothic novel, Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, written by Gaston Leroux (6 May 1868 – 15 April 1927), serialized in Le Gaulois between 23 September 1909 and 8 January 1910, the year it was published. The original novel was not as popular as the cinematic adaptations preceding Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. Lloyd Webber first looked at two cinematic adaptations[i] of the novel and rejected the idea of writing a Phantom of the Opera based of these films. He changed his mind when he read an old copy of the out-of-print novel by Gaston Leroux.
The Phantom of the Opera
My parents owned a copy of the novel. I therefore read it as a young child and loved it. It was a real page-turner. However, when the Phantom of the Opera was reborn as a musical, it took me a while to realize the musical was based on the novel I had read decades earlier, but it was. Suddenly, Le Fantôme de l’Opéra acquired new proportions. Had I seen the house of my childhood as an adult, I might have found it smaller than I remembered it, but Le Fantôme de l’Opéra had grown larger. Obviously, Andrew Lloyd Webber liked it as much as I did, which pleased me enormously. I therefore sensed a connection.
Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, édition 1921
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Fantôme’s petits rats
Reading the Fantôme de l’Opéra, I learned that “petits rats [little rats] de l’Opéra” were children between the ages of 7 and 12 who studied ballet at l’Opéra de Paris, the dance company not the building, and performed at the Palais Garnier, built from 1861 to 1875. Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera was performed at the 1,979-seat Palais Garnier. I remembered the “petits rats‟ when I was writing my post entitled The Two Rats, Fox and Egg: The Soul of Animals. It was a happy memory and one I wanted to share it with you.
I never saw Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical and never saw one of The Phantom of the Opera‘s cinematic adaptations, but I read the book.
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[i] There are several cinematic adaptations of Le Fantôme de l’Opéra in a number of languages. I believe Andrew Lloyd Webber saw the Universal Studios‘ 1925 and 1943 adaptations. (See Adaptations of The Phantom of the Opera, Wikipedia.)
Andrew Lloyd Webber The Phantom of the Opera
(Please click on the image to enlarge it.)
Les Deux Rats, le Renard, et l’Œuf, by Granville
(Photo credit: lafontaine.net)
Micheline's Blog 
Micheline, I had no idea the Phantom was based on an old book! Now I MUST read it! thank you!
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Yes, it was based on an old book my parents owned and it seems the old book was better than the cinematic adaptations Lloyd Webber watched. I’m glad he read the novel. Until Lloyd Webber wrote the musical, I had never met a person who had read the 1910 novel.
Take care,
Micheline
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Excellent is this novel, Phantom of the Opera, I read the book and film adaptation I saw it! I love the video too!
I hope you have a wonderful day, dear Micheline! Hope you’re well!
I’m fine!
Bless you! Big hugs, much love, Stefania! 🙂
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It was an excellent novel, better than its early film adaptations. I’m glad Lloyd Webber read the actual novel. He would not otherwise have written his musical.
Bless you, Stefania.
Big hugs and love,
Micheline
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Have a romantic time … Thanks for sharing micheline …
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Thank you very much.
Love,
Micheline
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🙂 .. You are welcome … Dear Micheline …
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Pingback: Le Fantôme de l’Opéra | eleganzabello
You always provide the most interesting background information to music and paintings . I have not seen the movie or the musical either and I certainly haven’t read the book. I have heard many of the songs though.
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Thank you dear Gallivanta,
This time I simply remembered a book. A book I had loved as a child became an immensely popular musical. When I realized Lloyd Webber had decided to write the musical after reading the novel, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was a book someone else could like. I was not alone.
Take care Gallivanta.
Love,
Micheline
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Based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux , its central plot revolves around a beautiful soprano, Christine Daaé , who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius.
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It’s an extraordinary “Beauty and the Beast” type of novel.
Best,
Micheline
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While Sir Webber was developing his Phantom, the creators of the Fellini-inspired Nine were brainstorming ideas for their next project. Composer Maury Yeston and playwright Arthur Kopit chose to adapt Leroux’s novel. Unfortunately for them, as they were finishing up their musical they opened up a Variety magazine to discover that Webber’s next extravaganza was none other than The Phantom of the Opera. (Simpsons fans would call this a “D’oh!” moment).
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I thank you for the information you have provided. I have never forgotten Leroux’s novel. It is one of the first books I read. Little did I know that Sir Webber would turn it into his extraordinary Phantom of the Opera.
I’m glad you wrote to me regarding this matter.
Best wishes,
Micheline
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