The Phantom of the Opera – “Angel of Music” (with lyrics)
Contents
“The Phantom of the Opera” is a song from the eponymous musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart. It is sung by the character of the Phantom in the presence of Christine Daaé, his love interest.
Introduction
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart. The book was originally published as a serialization in 1913 by French author Gaston Leroux. It was later adapted into a 1930 film starring Lon Chaney, Sr., and then into a successful Broadway musical in 1988. The musical has been performed in over 150 cities in 27 countries, and has been translated into 16 languages.
“Angel of Music” is a song from the musical, sung by the character of the Phantom. It is included on the soundtrack album, and was released as a single.
The song is sung by the Phantom to Christine Daaé, an aspiring opera singer whom he has been grooming for greatness. In it, he professes his love for her and pledges to be her “Angel of Music.”
History and Background of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. The novel was first published in serial form in the daily newspaper Le Gaulois from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910. It was then published in book form in 1910.
The Birth of the Opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music has a leading role and the parts are taken by singers. Such a work is typically a drama that is sung throughout, although there are examples where singing is mixed with spoken dialogue (these are called ‘opéra comiques’). Opera arose in the Italian Renaissance sometime around the year 1600 and has since spread around the world. In Italy, opera was initially called ‘melodrama per musica’ (‘drama set to music’) or ‘melodrama in musica’ (‘drama in music’), after the genre’s first presenter, Jacopo Peri. These terms were shortened to ‘melodramma’ and subsequently to simply ‘opera’.
During its formative years, opera was heavily influenced by ballet. This was evident in the first works of opera, which were often based on stories that featured dancing. The influence of ballet can still be seen in some modern operas, such as those by composers such as Sergei Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky. However, as opera developed, it began to diverge from ballet, with composers such as Giacomo Puccini writing works that placed more emphasis on vocal performance and dramatic effect than on dance.
The Making of the Opera
The origin of the opera can be traced back to 1844, when a novel called Le Fantôme de l’Opéra was published in France. The author of the novel was Gaston Leroux, and it tells the story of a man who is horribly disfigured and lives in the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House. He is obsessed with a beautiful singer named Christine, and he kidnaps her and forces her to love him.
The novel was adapted into an opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1986. The opera was a huge success, and it has been running continuously on Broadway since 1988. It is now the longest-running Broadway show of all time.
The Phantom of the Opera has been adapted into several other forms, including movies, television shows, and video games. The most recent adaptation is a movie that was released in 2004. It starred Gerard Butler as the Phantom and Emmy Rossum as Christine.
The First Performance of the Opera
The first performance of the opera was on the evening of the sixth of December, 1887, at the Salle Le Peletier of the Paris Opera House. It was a gala performance attended by many members of high society, including Alexandre Dumas fils, Victor Hugo, Jules Verne, Émile Zola, George Sand, and Edgar Degas. The love story and Moorish atmosphere of the opera immediately captivated its audience, and it became an instant success.
The Phantom of the Opera went on to enjoy a successful run at the Paris Opera House, with over 200 performances in its first year alone. It has since been performed countless times all over the world and is one of the most popular operas in existence.
The Plot of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. The novel was first published in 1909. The story is set in Paris, France in the late 19th century and tells the story of a phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House.
The Characters of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera is a novel by Gaston Leroux. The novel tells the story of a phantom who lives in the catacombs under the Paris Opera and falls in love with a young soprano, Christine Daaé.
The phantom is a complex and tragic character. He is deformed, and his face is so horrifying that he wears a mask to cover it. He is also an excellent musician and has a beautiful singing voice. He is obsessed with Christine and will do anything to make her love him.
Christine is a young soprano who is preparing for her debut at the Paris Opera. She is beautiful and has an exquisite singing voice. She is initially terrified of the phantom, but he exerts a strange power over her and she eventually falls in love with him.
The other main characters in the novel include:
Raoul de Chagny: Christine’s childhood friend and eventual husband. Raoul is a young nobleman who loves Christine deeply. He is determined to save her from the phantom’s clutches.
Mme. Giry: The head usher at the Opera House. Mme. Giry knows about the phantom’s existence but protects him out of fear.
Meg Giry: Mme.’s Giry’s daughter and an aspiring ballet dancer at the Opera House. Meg also knows about the phantom but remains loyal to her mother’s wishes to keep his identity secret.
The Story of the Opera
The story of the opera is set in Paris in the late 19th century and follows a young soprano named Christine Daaé, who is taken under the wing of a mysterious masked man known as “The Phantom of the Opera”. The Phantom falls in love with Christine and starts to mentor her, but when she begins to fall for her childhood friend Raoul, the Phantom becomes jealous and plots to keep them apart. The story culminates in a showdown between the Phantom and Raoul, with Christine caught in the middle.
The Music of the Opera
The Composer of the Opera
Few people know that the composer of “The Phantom of the Opera” was not Andrew Lloyd Webber, but rather a man by the name of Gaston Leroux. Leroux was a French journalist and author who wrote the novel “The Phantom of the Opera” in 1909. The novel was immediately popular and was turned into a play, which opened in Paris in 1911.
Leroux himself did not compose the music for the play, however. That task was left to Andre Messager, who was one of the most popular composers in France at the time.Messager’s music was very successful, and it helped to make “The Phantom of the Opera” into a hit play.
In 1925, “The Phantom of the Opera” was made into a movie, and again Messager’s music was used. This time, however, Webber’s musical version of “The Phantom of the Opera” has become much more famous than Messager’s original score.
The Songs of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera has some of the most beautiful and moving songs ever written for an opera. Here are some of the more popular ones:
“Angel of Music” is a haunting melody that is sung by the Phantom to Christine. It is a promise of the music they will make together and is one of the most popular songs from the opera.
“The Phantom of the Opera” is the title song and is sung by the Phantom to Christine. It tells his story and how he has been waiting for her.
“All I Ask of You” is a beautiful duet sung by Raoul and Christine. It is a declaration of their love for each other and is one of the most popular love songs from any opera.
“Masquerade” is a fast-paced song that is sung at the masked ball in Act II. It is full of excitement and anticipation for what lies ahead.
Conclusion
The “Angel of Music” is one of the most iconic and well-loved songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. The song is a beautiful ballad that tells the story of the Phantom’s love for Christine, and how he is her guardian angel, protector and teacher. The lyrics are both touching and haunting, and the melody is unforgettable. It is no wonder that this song has become one of the most popular songs from The Phantom of the Opera.
