Yip1982
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The Phantom's choice of victimsI've wondered why the Phantom preyed on Buquet and Piangi for some time, but I think I might have more of an answer why the Phantom murdered Buquet.
Early on in the first act Buquet suspects that the Phantom is on the loose not too long after Andre and Firmin have taken over the Opera House. Later on, Buquet eyes the Phantom and Christine as they leave his subterranean lake, and demonstrates his method of killing using the Punjab lasso, just to keep the ballet girls on the lookout. With these experiences, I can conclude that the Phantom murdered Buquet so that he could stop him from blabbing about his existence to anyone else in the Paris Opera. I really suspect that the Phantom had been eying Buquet for quite a long time, from the moment of Buquet's encounter.
But I fear I haven't found out why the Phantom chose Piangi as his next victim when the Opera Company premieres Don Juan Triumphant. I suspect that it's because the Phantom considered Piangi to be too overweight for his age, and unfit to look the part of Don Juan. I fear there aren't any clues besides the Phantom's criticisms of Piangi's size.
I know these points may not be of great significance but I think that it would lend insight to the community of Phans who frequent this POTO forum.
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Phantom On A Budget
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Great topic. 
I think you've explained some of the reasoning behind Buquet's death in the musical very well. As Giry warns, " Those who speak of what they know, find too late that prudent silence is wise ..." Buquet's death in the original novel, however, is a bit different. He had been speaking rather freely about his encounter with the Opera Ghost, but when he stumbled upon a trap door that lead to Erik's hidden torture chamber, Buquet more or less did himself in.
Piangi's death, in my opinion, was purely opportunistic. The Phantom needed to take Piangi's place quickly and quietly in order for his scheme in Don Juan to work. Thus, he killed Piangi not because he didn't feel he was suitable to the character, but because Piangi was in the way.
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Brock07
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I agree. Piangi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Set_Buildin_Dad
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| Brock07 wrote: | | I agree. Piangi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. |
I also think that the Phantom didn't like Piangi very well. He became a victim in the Phantom's plot because the Phantom didn't care about Piangi's life.
Buquet was getting to close to the Phantom. The Phantom killed him because he percieved Buquet as a danger.
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Brock07
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| Set_Buildin_Dad wrote: | | Brock07 wrote: | | I agree. Piangi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. |
I also think that the Phantom didn't like Piangi very well. He became a victim in the Phantom's plot because the Phantom didn't care about Piangi's life.
Buquet was getting to close to the Phantom. The Phantom killed him because he percieved Buquet as a danger. |
Then why didn't he just kill Carlotta? No secret that he didn't like her. At all.
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Set_Buildin_Dad
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| Brock07 wrote: | | Set_Buildin_Dad wrote: | | Brock07 wrote: | | I agree. Piangi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. |
I also think that the Phantom didn't like Piangi very well. He became a victim in the Phantom's plot because the Phantom didn't care about Piangi's life.
Buquet was getting to close to the Phantom. The Phantom killed him because he percieved Buquet as a danger. |
Then why didn't he just kill Carlotta? No secret that he didn't like her. At all. |
He didn't care about Carlotta's life either, but Carlotta didn't fit into his plot as well. If she dd I'm sure he would have had no qualms about dispatching her. She just would have been harder for him to impersonate on stage.
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Yip1982
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The unusual thing is that in the original book the chandelier kills Carlotta, whereas in the show the Phantom only makes it fall and break without killing anybody.
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Pannic
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In the other Phantom musical, he electorcutes Carlotta as she tries to make an escape via the metal staircase, because she tried to poison Christine.
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ConverseSneaker
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| Yip1982 wrote: | | The unusual thing is that in the original book the chandelier kills Carlotta, whereas in the show the Phantom only makes it fall and break without killing anybody. |
No it doesn't. The chandelier kills an usher, the usher that replaced Madame Giry.
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Futuretonywinner
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I think Phantom killed Buquet because he was so mad about the managers casting Carlotta instead of Christine in Ll Muto, and since Buquet knew too much, and he was right above the stage he was an easy victim.
Phantom killed Piangi simply because he needed to sing with Christine in the Point of No Return so he could propose to her.
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Toasterphantom
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Also, at least if we're talking Webber musical wise, Buquet was not only conveniently there, getting a bit too close to knowing to much, and freely open to discussing the phantom, but also made quite a stir and point to hang and draw attention to the fact that he wasn't fooling around.
As has been mentioned Pianji was just the man in the lead where Erik needed be. And Carlotta was nothing more than a small thorn in his side. Buquet's death got the point across that he wasn't fooling around that Christine should be the lead. He didn't need to get rid of Carlotta.
| Quote: | | In the other Phantom musical, he electorcutes Carlotta as she tries to make an escape via the metal staircase, because she tried to poison Christine. |
Very true. In ONE other phantom musical, Yeston & Kopit's phantom musical, and Pianji is killed early on and stuffed later in a trunk to scare Carlotta. In Ken Hill's Phantom musical, Erik drops a chandelier on Carlotta (Which didn't happen in Leroux... as someone else so correctly pointed out.). In Bruce Falstein's phantom musical, I believe Carlotta was left alone, but Buquet was used and then got an ax in his back. Same goes for Carlotta in Tom Alonso's Phantom musical, which is more to Leroux than the other musicals.
Various things happened with all of the characters in different movies. But Pianji didn't really exist in any of them.
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lottielou22
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| Quote: | | In ONE other phantom musical, Yeston & Kopit's phantom musical, and Pianji is killed early on and stuffed later in a trunk to scare Carlotta. |
BUQUET is stuffed in a trunk to scare Carlotta. 
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Toasterphantom
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| lottielou22 wrote: | | Quote: | | In ONE other phantom musical, Yeston & Kopit's phantom musical, and Pianji is killed early on and stuffed later in a trunk to scare Carlotta. |
BUQUET is stuffed in a trunk to scare Carlotta. |
Yes yes. Thank you.  Sometimes I type so fast I don't even realise when I mess something simple like that up.
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lottielou22
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I know what you mean! What is the title of Tom Alonso's musical?? and, for that matter, Bruce Falstein's?
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Toasterphantom
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Both are just titled "The Phantom of the Opera". I like both for different reasons. I always skip the last 30 seconds of Falstein's because it annoys me at that point. But until then, I love it.
And Alonso's seems to be the most book-loyal play. Alonso's CD is not in sale nor is any DVD or Libretto for it. It IS however going to be shown again in Baltimore some time late this year for a bit, and he was thinking about selling the CD again while it's open, since people'll be coming to see it.
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lottielou22
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What happens in the last thirty seconds that's irritating?? Do they totally maim the storyline??
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Toasterphantom
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They suggest an Erikxotherwoman (possibly but not definately meg) pairing. Not quite the end of the world, and right up to that point I'm hooked, so I just make sure to switch off the DVD before that point.
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lottielou22
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But why?? that kind of ruins the whole tragic/romantic ending. Ugh.
But--there's a DVD?? yay!! Where do I get one??
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Toasterphantom
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Type it into amazon.com. Click go. Click on it. Buy. It's not as uncommon as other version, just no one knows about it.
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Phantom On A Budget
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| Toasterphantom wrote: | | Both are just titled "The Phantom of the Opera". I like both for different reasons. I always skip the last 30 seconds of Falstein's because it annoys me at that point. |
The horrendous music is what did it in for me. Acting wise, though, I did enjoy Elizabeth Walsh and David Staller's portrayals.
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lottielou22
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| Quote: | | Type it into amazon.com. Click go. Click on it. Buy. |
Oh. Well, that was a lot simpler than I exected it to be.
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Toasterphantom
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Indeed. It's simple to find, you just first needs know of it's existance.
And I'll admit that the music is lacking in more than one place. But acting is nice, though the persian didn't seem too persian. Maybe it was just me.
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