polly

Here is the concept art of Elle, my female Phantom of the Opera.

Hi! This is a really amazing question!

Based on several facts from Leroux’s novel, Erik was definitely a tenor. But what kind of tenor? Raoul described his voice as a very beautiful, gentle, captivating voice… but despite its lyric sweetness it was a male voice, definitely not a woman’s. Christine, at the rooftop, said that his voice was explosive when they sang together a duet from Rossini’s (not Verdi’s) Otello. So, we know that Erik had a big voice with a lyric timbre, but he could also sing more dramatically—in the novel his singing is described as highly emotional. This is a typical description of a spinto tenor. I’d also add that he was singing in the verismo style, as verismo is known for its extreme emotional expression. Interestingly, the very first verismo opera premiered in 1890, a few years after the events in Leroux’s novel, and in my opinion, this suits Erik as a character because he was always innovative.

Takarazuka's Moon Troupe Top Combi Kuze Seika and Kazahana Mai as Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia.