The Phantom of the Opera

by Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux

Overview

The Phantom of the Opera is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialization in Le Gaulois from 23 September 1909, to 8 January 1910. It was published in volume form in late March 1910 by Pierre Lafitte and directed by Aluel Malinao. The novel is partly inspired by historical events at the Paris Opera during the nineteenth century and an apocryphal tale concerning the use of a former ballet pupil's skeleton in Carl Maria von Weber's 1841 production of Der Freischütz. It has been successfully adapted into various stage and film adaptations, most notable of which are the 1925 film depiction featuring Lon Chaney, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789176377109
Publisher:	Wisehouse Classics
Publication date:	05/01/2020
Sold by:	StreetLib SRL
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Gaston Leroux's most famous work, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra (The Phantom of the Opera), was inspired by a tour of the cellars at the Paris Opera, and published in 1911.

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Excerpted from "The Phantom of the Opera"
by .
Copyright © 2012 Gaston Leroux.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 7

Chapter I Is it the Ghost? 15

Chapter II The New Margarita 29

Chapter III Why the Managers Resigned 42

Chapter IV Box 5 53

Chapter V The Enchanted Violin 71

Chapter VI A Visit to Box 5 94

Chapter VII The Fatal Performance 98

Chapter VIII The Mysterious Brougham 118

Chapter IX At the Masked Ball 129

Chapter X 'Forget the Man's Voice!' 143

Chapter XI Above the Trap-Doors 151

Chapter XII Apollo's Lyre 162

Chapter XIII A Masterstroke 189

Chapter XIV The Safety-Pin 204

Chapter XV 'Christine! Christine!' 213

Chapter XVI Mame Giry and The Ghost 219

Chapter XVII The Safety-Pin Again 235

Chapter XVIII The Commissary of Police 244

Chapter XIX The Viscount and the Persian 252

Chapter XX In the Cellars of The Opera 261

Chapter XXI Vicissitudes of a Persian 283

Chapter XXII In the Torture-Chamber 302

Chapter XXIII The Tortures Begin 311

Chapter XXIV 'Barrels! Barrels!' 320

Chapter XXV Which Shall She Turn? 335

Chapter XXVI The End of the Ghost 346

Epilogue 359

Reading Group Guide

"The story of the monster man whose horrible deformities cause fear and terror, his search for love and acceptance, and his haunting of the opera house in Paris is told in very simple language. Beautifully adapted, the story flows along so easily that readers will be immediately caught up in the tangle of events and emotions. McMullan conveys all of the anger, grief, joy, and love that make the phantom a truly believable character. Will attract reluctant readers."--School Library Journal.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

10/28/2019

The inaugural release in the Horror Writers Association Haunted Library of Horror Classics series will be a revelation to those familiar only with the musical based on the 1910 novel by LeRoux (1868–1927). The tale of a Paris opera house inhabited by a spectral figure with seemingly magical abilities remains genuinely creepy today. Much of the book’s power stems from the author’s presentation of his narrative as the factual product of his own diligent archival research and interviews with survivors of the phenomenon. This understated treatment means that even his spoiler-laden prologue heightens rather than lessens suspense. A turnover in the management of the opera house coincides with sightings of the so-called Opera ghost and the grim discovery of the hanged corpse of Joseph Buquet, the company’s chief scene-shifter. These events are followed by an unexpectedly triumphant performance by Christine Daeé, who previously had an undistinguished singing career, which proves to be linked to the phantom. Fans of literate horror, whatever their opinion of Andrew Lloyd Weber, will be gratified. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

The phantom of the Opera was written in 1910 by Gaston Leroux who was inspired to tell the story of a disfigured masked musical genius who lived beneath the Paris Opera House and tried to win the love of a beautiful opera singer through his own love of music. Author Donnelly has adapted this classic story for young readers through the use of dialogue and nineteen distinct chapters that move the story along. The beginning chapter is entitled "Is It the Ghost?" It introduces the mysterious figure whom witnesses say inhabits the Opera House. In this case, six young girls of the ballet are frightened by a phantom that appears in black evening clothes and then disappears as soon as he is seen. In the second chapter entitled "The New Opera Star," the reader is introduced to Christine Daae, the girl who will become the Phantom's object of love. In the audience that night, another man named Raoul is captivated by Christine's voice. He goes to her dressing room to meet her, but Christine is exhausted from singing and sends him away. Raoul listens at the door and hears a man speaking. He had just been in there and had seen no one. In the following chapters, the mystery continues. Raoul is determined to find out to whom Christine has been speaking and why she seems to be so drained after singing her heart out on stage. The story continues, filled with secrets, mysterious appearances and disappearances. Raoul will not be satisfied until he saves Christine from the spell the Phantom of the Opera has woven around her. Christine is drawn to this man who lives beneath the Opera House and inspires her to sing as she has never done before. The men battle for the heart and soul of beautiful Christine. Thisis an easy-to-read version of a classic love story that has been made into movies and plays. Included are clear, sharp, black and white illustrations. 2005, ABDO Publishing Company, Ages 10 to 12.
—Della A. Yannuzzi

EBOOK COMMENTARY

"Horror Writers Association Haunted Library of Horror Classics series will be a revelation...Fans of literate horror, whatever their opinion of Andrew Lloyd Weber, will be gratified." - Publishers Weekly

"I found the story to be so compelling, and the characters so powerfully drawn... Is it a classic? Yes. It should be on your shelves." - Classic Mysteries

"One of the most powerful Gothic romances ever written." - The New York Times

From the Publisher