Shedding Light On the Magical Finale of Phantom of the Opera (opens in new tab)

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette. “It’s a de Kolta chair!” That’s the thought that sprang to my mind in 1989 as I was riveted on the finale of the Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway. The Phantom had just sat down on the throne in his underground lair and covered himself with his cape so that only the outline of his form was visible. As Meg Giry ripped the cape away, the audience was stunned — the Phantom had vanished with only his mask left on the...