The Phantom

I gave you my music, made your song take wing... and now, how you've repaid me, denied me and betrayed me... he was bound to love you, when he heard you sing... Christine... Christine... you will curse the day you did not do, all that the phantom asked of you...

The Phantom, who was deformed from birth, had always kept his face hidden by a mask. He was a genius: an architect, composer and scholar, but the world never knew of his talent because people were scared of him, or rather, of his face. He had never experienced love, until he heard Christine sing. He enticed Christine down to his house on the lake, and captivated her with 'Music Of The Night'. She tried to see his face by removing his mask, but he turned on her, fearful of her reaction. He realised that he couldn't keep her prisoner in his lair, so he took her back to the opera house, where he demanded that she should have the lead in the play, 'Il Muto'. When the managers disobeyed him, he turned on them, killing Joseph Buquet, a stage hand. Christine, fearful of what he might do next, told Raoul, her childhood sweetheart about him. He overheard and declared war on them both.

For six months he worked on the opera that he was composing, and when it was finished, he demanded that it should be performed at the opera house, with Christine in the lead. The managers had no choice but to obey. The Phantom tried to entice Christine back to his lair again, but she was prevented by Raoul. This angered him, and led him to murder Ubaldo Piangi, and take his place in the opera on opening night. In the final scene, he declared his love for Christine, and gave her a gold band, which she slipped on her finger. She calmly removed his mask and then he 'kidnapped' her, and took her to his lair, where he demanded that she should be his wife. With the arrival of Raoul, the Phantom issued an ultimatum to Christine: be his wife or watch her lover die. Christine eventually kissed him, declaring that he was not alone. For the first time in his life he felt love, and realised what Raoul and Christine felt for each other. After this, he let them leave together, demanding that they tell no-one of the events surrounding him.