Madame Giry
Encyclopedia
Madame Giry is a character in the Gaston Leroux
novel, The Phantom of the Opera
. She is a fairly intermediate character in the novel, although her role is much increased in the Andrew Lloyd Webber
musical
. This article will deal with both versions separately.
in the Place De L'Opera, who looks after patrons of the Opera, principally those who sit in the boxes
.
One night, whilst working, Madame Giry hears a male voice in Box Five, which she knows to be empty. After recovering from her surprise, she learns to trust the "voice" and does odd jobs for the owner.
In the novel, it is never mentioned that she knows Christine Daae
.
One of her little tasks is to collect the monthly "salary" of 20,000 francs owed to the "Opera Ghost." The Ghost instructs the managers of the Opera to hand Madame Giry a sealed envelope containing the money. The Ghost has provided her with a duplicate that contains play money
; she knows nothing of the contents of either envelope. Placing the duplicate in Box Five, she slips the real one into the back pocket of a manager's dress-coat while he is wearing it. The Ghost later retrieves the money from this pocket when the managers are back in the office, using a trapdoor built into the floor.
The managers, Firmin Richard and Armand Moncharmin, remove Madame Giry from her post, finding her troublesome. There is an indication that they consider her to be the Ghost, but since the Ghost remains in the Opera Garnier after Madame Giry is removed, this is clearly an erroneous suggestion. As they search for a replacement concierge, they invite one candidate to sit in the audience for a performance. The chandelier falls that night, with the candidate as the only fatality. Following direct intervention by the Opera Ghost, Madame Giry is eventually reinstated into her role as concierge.
During a meeting with the managers, she explains that she once found a note in Box Five, written by the Ghost and listing a number of dancers who married into royalty, with her daughter Meg
included as eventually becoming an empress. This note was enough to persuade Madame Giry to help the Ghost; later in life, Meg did become the Baroness de Castelot-Barbezac.
s The Phantom of the Opera
, Madame Giry's role is changed to become a slightly younger woman who now works as a choreographer of the corps de ballet
. She is shown holding a cane, which she uses to beat time with the music, but which she is rarely shown to use otherwise.
When the Opera Diva, Carlotta Giudicelli
, walks out during rehearsals at the start of the show, it is Madame Giry who suggests Christine Daaé
for the leading role. Later in the show, she receives one of the Phantom's "Notes" in both reprises of this tune. The first one she gives to M. Firmin, but the second she reads herself, being over-spoken by the Phantom part way through.
While there is very little history given between the Phantom and Madame Giry in the musical, a small scene was extended in the film version, showing a young Madame Giry rescuing the Phantom from a traveling circus
and hiding him in the Opera House. This was taken from Frederick Forsyth
's sequel, The Phantom of Manhattan
. Even in the extended scene she does not give any indication why she is working for the Phantom (other than empathy and her appreciation for his genius), unlike the reasons given in the novel.
In the 2004 film version
of the musical (in which she is played by Miranda Richardson
), Madame Giry is shown almost to be an accomplice of the Phantom, failing to notify people when he locks Christine's dressing room or when she spots him in the rafters during a scene. This collusion does not appear in the stage musical.
Regularly during the musical, Madame Giry tries to stop the Managers from doing any harm to the Phantom and defends him on several occasions. However, when Christine is abducted by the Phantom, Madame Giry gives up all hope of avoiding her past and helps Raoul de Chagny
to the Phantom's Lair deep underground. She shows him the way, but will not accompany him into the catacombs. In this way, Andrew Lloyd Webber combines the roles of Madame Giry and the Persian from the novel. (In the novel, the Persian shows Raoul where the Opera Ghost resides - although he does accompany Raoul, unlike Madame Giry.) They both tell Raoul to hold his hand near his eyes, to protect from attack with punjab lasso
.
Madame Giry is not amongst the crowd who enter the Phantom's Lair at the end of the musical, although her daughter Meg Giry
is. In the film version, Richardson is seen playing a non-speaking character in several of the black-and-white scenes, which indicate events many years after the events in the story. Since Raoul uses a wheelchair in these scenes, it is wrongly assumed that she is meant to be an elder Meg, as opposed to Madame Giry. This theory has been disproved by both Joel Schumacher (director) and the Really Useful Group; it is in fact Madame Giry who appears in these scenes.
In The Phantom of Manhattan
, her first name is given as Antoinette.
Gaston Leroux
Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera , which has been made into several film and stage productions of the same name, notably the 1925 film starring Lon...
novel, The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Le Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
. She is a fairly intermediate character in the novel, although her role is much increased in the Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
musical
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
. This article will deal with both versions separately.
Madame Giry in the The Phantom of the Opera novel
Madame Giry is an aging woman who works as a conciergeConcierge
A concierge is an employee who either works in shifts within, or lives on the premises of an apartment building or a hotel and serves guests with duties similar to those of a butler. The position can also be maintained by a security officer over the 'graveyard' shift. A similar position, known as...
in the Place De L'Opera, who looks after patrons of the Opera, principally those who sit in the boxes
Box (disambiguation)
A box is a container or package, often rectangular or cuboid.Box may also refer to:-People:* Ab Box , Canadian football player* Betty Box , British film producer* Cloyce Box , American football player...
.
One night, whilst working, Madame Giry hears a male voice in Box Five, which she knows to be empty. After recovering from her surprise, she learns to trust the "voice" and does odd jobs for the owner.
In the novel, it is never mentioned that she knows Christine Daae
Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera , the young singer with whom the main character Erik, the Phantom of the Opera falls in love.- Character history :...
.
One of her little tasks is to collect the monthly "salary" of 20,000 francs owed to the "Opera Ghost." The Ghost instructs the managers of the Opera to hand Madame Giry a sealed envelope containing the money. The Ghost has provided her with a duplicate that contains play money
Play money
Play money is noticeably fake bills or coins intended to be used use as toy currency, especially for classroom instruction or as a marker in board games Play money is noticeably fake bills or coins intended to be used use as toy currency, especially for classroom instruction or as a marker in board...
; she knows nothing of the contents of either envelope. Placing the duplicate in Box Five, she slips the real one into the back pocket of a manager's dress-coat while he is wearing it. The Ghost later retrieves the money from this pocket when the managers are back in the office, using a trapdoor built into the floor.
The managers, Firmin Richard and Armand Moncharmin, remove Madame Giry from her post, finding her troublesome. There is an indication that they consider her to be the Ghost, but since the Ghost remains in the Opera Garnier after Madame Giry is removed, this is clearly an erroneous suggestion. As they search for a replacement concierge, they invite one candidate to sit in the audience for a performance. The chandelier falls that night, with the candidate as the only fatality. Following direct intervention by the Opera Ghost, Madame Giry is eventually reinstated into her role as concierge.
During a meeting with the managers, she explains that she once found a note in Box Five, written by the Ghost and listing a number of dancers who married into royalty, with her daughter Meg
Meg Giry
Meg Giry is one of the fictional characters from Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. In the story she is Madame Giry's oldest daughter....
included as eventually becoming an empress. This note was enough to persuade Madame Giry to help the Ghost; later in life, Meg did become the Baroness de Castelot-Barbezac.
Madame Giry in the 1986 The Phantom of the Opera musical
In Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
s The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
, Madame Giry's role is changed to become a slightly younger woman who now works as a choreographer of the corps de ballet
Corps de ballet
In ballet, the corps de ballet is the group of dancers who are not soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers. A corps de ballet works as one, with synchronized movements and corresponding positioning on the stage...
. She is shown holding a cane, which she uses to beat time with the music, but which she is rarely shown to use otherwise.
When the Opera Diva, Carlotta Giudicelli
Carlotta Giudicelli
Carlotta is a fictional character from the French novel The Phantom of the Opera.In the novel she is a minor character hailing from Spain. The first time that she is mentioned in the novel is during the chapter "The New Marguerite", where it is revealed that she could not perform at the ceremony...
, walks out during rehearsals at the start of the show, it is Madame Giry who suggests Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera , the young singer with whom the main character Erik, the Phantom of the Opera falls in love.- Character history :...
for the leading role. Later in the show, she receives one of the Phantom's "Notes" in both reprises of this tune. The first one she gives to M. Firmin, but the second she reads herself, being over-spoken by the Phantom part way through.
While there is very little history given between the Phantom and Madame Giry in the musical, a small scene was extended in the film version, showing a young Madame Giry rescuing the Phantom from a traveling circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
and hiding him in the Opera House. This was taken from Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
's sequel, The Phantom of Manhattan
The Phantom of Manhattan
The Phantom of Manhattan, a 1999 novel by Frederick Forsyth, is a sequel to the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera, itself based on the original book by Gaston Leroux....
. Even in the extended scene she does not give any indication why she is working for the Phantom (other than empathy and her appreciation for his genius), unlike the reasons given in the novel.
In the 2004 film version
The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film)
The Phantom of the Opera is a 2004 film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1986 musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux....
of the musical (in which she is played by Miranda Richardson
Miranda Richardson
Miranda Jane Richardson is an English stage, film and television actor. She has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA during her career....
), Madame Giry is shown almost to be an accomplice of the Phantom, failing to notify people when he locks Christine's dressing room or when she spots him in the rafters during a scene. This collusion does not appear in the stage musical.
Regularly during the musical, Madame Giry tries to stop the Managers from doing any harm to the Phantom and defends him on several occasions. However, when Christine is abducted by the Phantom, Madame Giry gives up all hope of avoiding her past and helps Raoul de Chagny
Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny
Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny is a main character from Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera.-Biography:Raoul de Chagny is a viscount and Christine Daaé's childhood friend. They first met when he was a young child when he went on vacation in Northern France...
to the Phantom's Lair deep underground. She shows him the way, but will not accompany him into the catacombs. In this way, Andrew Lloyd Webber combines the roles of Madame Giry and the Persian from the novel. (In the novel, the Persian shows Raoul where the Opera Ghost resides - although he does accompany Raoul, unlike Madame Giry.) They both tell Raoul to hold his hand near his eyes, to protect from attack with punjab lasso
Punjab lasso
The Punjab lasso is a type of weapon referred to in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. It is described as a noose but employed like a garotte to strangle victims...
.
Madame Giry is not amongst the crowd who enter the Phantom's Lair at the end of the musical, although her daughter Meg Giry
Meg Giry
Meg Giry is one of the fictional characters from Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. In the story she is Madame Giry's oldest daughter....
is. In the film version, Richardson is seen playing a non-speaking character in several of the black-and-white scenes, which indicate events many years after the events in the story. Since Raoul uses a wheelchair in these scenes, it is wrongly assumed that she is meant to be an elder Meg, as opposed to Madame Giry. This theory has been disproved by both Joel Schumacher (director) and the Really Useful Group; it is in fact Madame Giry who appears in these scenes.
In The Phantom of Manhattan
The Phantom of Manhattan
The Phantom of Manhattan, a 1999 novel by Frederick Forsyth, is a sequel to the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera, itself based on the original book by Gaston Leroux....
, her first name is given as Antoinette.