The Phantom of the Opera: Book vs Musical

Short Answer

Yes. Wikipedia says the musical was inspired by Gaston Leroux's novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra, published as a book in 1910. The main differences we found are Erik's ending, the Persian and Raoul's brother Philippe; the musical's character list omits the last two.

Checked October 2026 against Project Gutenberg's text of the novel, Wikipedia's pages for the novel and the musical, Broadway Direct, TheaterMania, and the show's official tour site.

The Novel

Gaston Leroux published Le Fantôme de l'Opéra as a serial in the newspaper Le Gaulois from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910, then in book form in late March 1910. The first English translation appeared in 1911; the Project Gutenberg page does not name the translator. The novel's text on Project Gutenberg includes the Persian, Carlotta, Philippe, Madame Giry and Meg Giry. Our guide to Broadway musicals based on books says that, by his own account, Andrew Lloyd Webber came across a secondhand copy of the novel and read it in an afternoon, citing the composer's site.

The Musical

Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music; Charles Hart is the lyricist, with Richard Stilgoe credited for additional lyrics, according to Wikipedia. Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber wrote the book. The show opened in the West End on October 9, 1986, following previews from September 27, and opened on Broadway on January 26, 1988, at the Majestic Theatre. The show closed on Broadway on April 16, 2023, according to Wikipedia. Broadway Direct's announcement of the closing date put the run at more than 13,000 performances. Wikipedia gives the exact total as 13,981 performances. Our guide to the longest-running Broadway shows lists it as the longest run in Broadway history as of September 27, 2026.

TheaterMania reports that a live capture of the show at His Majesty's Theatre, filmed as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, will be released in cinemas internationally in 2027. The show's official tour site lists North American engagements through September 5, 2027.

What Changes Between the Book and the Musical

These are the differences found in the sources we checked; novel-side details come from the novel's text on Project Gutenberg, and musical-side details here come from Wikipedia's page for the musical.

• Erik's ending: In the novel, a newspaper runs an advertisement reading "Erik is dead." The narrator later identifies a skeleton as Erik's by a gold ring that, he reasons, Christine slipped on his finger when she came to bury him, as she had promised. In the musical, as a mob closes in, Meg pulls away the Phantom's cloak and finds only his mask.
• The Persian: appears in the novel, where he guides Raoul into Erik's lair. He does not appear in the musical's character list.
• Raoul's brother: In the novel, Philippe, Comte de Chagny, is found dead on the bank of the Opera lake; Erik says he fell into the lake, and the Persian answers "You lie!" Philippe does not appear in the musical's character list.
• Format: The novel began as a newspaper serial before becoming a book. The musical is a staged show with a book by Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber.

Which Should You Start With?

We suggest reading the novel first if you want the mystery to unfold the way the novel presents it, piece by piece through an investigation. Or start with the musical if you'd rather meet Erik through the Phantom's songs before knowing how the book's ending plays out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Persian a character in the musical?

No. The Persian appears in the novel but is not in the musical's character list, according to Wikipedia.

Are Madame Giry and Meg Giry in the original book?

Yes. Both appear in Gaston Leroux's novel, confirmed directly in the text on Project Gutenberg.

Is The Phantom of the Opera still on Broadway?

No. The Broadway production closed on April 16, 2023. As of October 2026, the show's official tour site lists a North American tour through September 5, 2027.

Sources

• Project Gutenberg, The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
• Wikipedia, The Phantom of the Opera (novel))
• Wikipedia, The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical))
• Broadway Direct, The Phantom of the Opera Delays Closing Date on Broadway
• TheaterMania, Phantom of the Opera West End Proshot Will Be Released in 2027
• The Phantom of the Opera, official North American tour site