Phantoms of the operas

ARIA SCARED? IRISH THEATRE AMONG WORLD'S MOST HAUNTED...

- Here JAMES MOORE reveals the

IT’S 100 years this week since the landmark Phantom Of The Opera movie was released - but did you know that the tale is inspired by real spooky legends?

The eerie silent film was based on a horror novel by French author Gaston Leroux and was also turned into a famous musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

★Here JAMES MOORE reveals the real mysteries behind the opera house in which the action was set and creepy tales about other similar buildings...

IN THE original story fictional story, The Phantom is a mysterious deformed man who lurks beneath the Paris Opera House - known as the Palais Garnier - causing mischief.

The tale is based on real myths, legends and tragic events at the building.

In 1896 a huge seven-tonne chandelier broke free at the opera and plummeted to the ground, killing a concierge and wounding others.

Leroux incorporated this into his story along with a strange ‘lake’.

A huge reservoir really does lie underneath the Opera House. There were reports of a skeleton being found beneath the place too.

Some say The Phantom, otherwise known as Erik, is based on an architect called Eric Vachon who asked to live in the bowels of the building and when he was refused mysteriously disappeared...

STAGE FRIGHTS...