The Phantom of the Opera #44123

The Phantom of the Opera (French: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in Le Gaulois from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910.

Gaston Leroux claims that Erik, the "Phantom of the Opera", was a real person. We are then introduced to Christine Daaé who with her father, a famous fiddler, traveled all over Europe playing folk and religious music. When Christine is six, her mother died and her father is brought to rural France by a patron, Professor Valerius.

During Christine's childhood, her father tells her many stories about an "Angel of Music", who is the personification of musical inspiration. Christine is eventually given a position in the chorus at the Paris Opera House (Palais Garnier). She begins hearing a beautiful, unearthly voice which sings to her and speaks to her.