DESCRIPTION:
Phantom of the Opera accompanied by organist Todd Wilson on the Kilgen Pipe Organ at Our Lady of Refuge Church in the Brooklyn Diocese.

The story concerns Erik, a much-feared fiend who haunts the Paris Opera House. Lurking around the damp, dank passages deep in the cellars of the theater he secretly coaches understudy Christine Daae to be an opera star. Through a startling sequence of terrors, including sending a giant chandelier crashing down on the opera patrons, the Phantom forces the lead soprano to withdraw from the opera, permitting Christine to step in. Luring Christine into his subterranean lair below the opera house, the Phantom confesses his love, but Christine in is love with Raoul de Chagny. The Phantom demands that Christine break off her relationship with Raoul before he’ll allow her to return to the opera house stage. She agrees, but immediately upon her release from the Phantom’s lair, she runs into the arms of Raoul and they plan to flee to England after her performance that night. The Phantom overhears their conversation and, during her performance, the Phantom kidnaps Christine, taking her to the depths of his dungeon. It is left to Raoul and a secret service agent to track down the Phantom and rescue Christine.
Paul Brenner All Movie Guide

Todd Wilson keeps alive a famous tradition of live pipe organ accompaniments for silent films. The silent film was in its heyday in 1925 when Lon Chaney produced his silent classic The Phantom of the Opera. Though now almost 90 years old, this masterpiece from the silent era still holds our 21st century senses with its abundant drama and humor; and the famous unmasking scene still packs quite a wallop!

Mr. Wilson’s improvised accompaniment assigns short themes to the primary characters and emotions, in the same manner as Wagner used leitmotivs in his operas. Though the fabric of Mr. Wilson’s accompaniment is entirely original, he draws freely on themes from a variety of composers and musical sources, often employed with wit and humor. We hope you will find this evening’s film a unique and entertaining multi-sensory experience!


The organ at Our Lady of Refuge was restored to pristine condition through an international appeal since the parish didn't have the financial resources to pay for the work itself. Over 1000 donations from around the world paid for the restoration of this pipe organ - many of the people who gave money have never been to Brooklyn to hear the organ in person. Many of those people are JAV Recordings's customers. These videos are JAV Recordings gift to them to say THANK YOU.

The restoration of the pipe organ at Our Lady of Refuge in Brooklyn was spearhead by Joe Vitacco working with Fr. Michael Perry, Pastor and a terrific team at the parish. In March of 2016 and after 10 years Joe Vitacco retired and resigned from all volunteer work at Our Lady of Refuge in Brooklyn. Joe wishes the parish the very best and will miss that organ. It was left in the good hands of local organ builder James Konzelman.

The restoration work was carried out by two of the finest organ builders in North American: Quimby Pipe Organs and A.R. Schopp's Sons.

http://quimbypipeorgans.com

http://arschopp.com

For more on the pipe organ at Our Lady of Refuge and its restoration: http://www.olrbrooklyn.org/pipeorgan/

If you are in Brooklyn stop by the church to hear the pipe organ or just attend Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Refuge. Click her for the Mass schedule: http://www.olrbrooklyn.org/mass-times-in-brooklyn/

http://www.olrbrooklyn.org/contact/