#poto confessions

[potoconfessions]

i much prefer christine in the book than her in the show... show!christine just feels like another person, like a christine variant to me. i love her too, but book!christine holds a special place in my heart.

that's fair, it's been a while since i've read the book but book! and show!christine do feel like separate characters

[kotaka-kun]

casually translated the japanese lyrics of The Phantom of the Opera back into english bc i couldn't stop thinking abt how wildly different the song is from the original...

enjoy!

Christine: In [my] dreams, you whisper in this heart And now you appear before me, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, That’s right, that’s you, isn’t it Phantom: My beloved, Tonight too, [it is] lurking in your heart Together, let us sing this song THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA That’s right, it is me Christine: I will not be afraid Of your appearance Phantom: My [appearance] Phantom and Christine: Now we melt together, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Ah, [we] become one Phantom: The singing voice that whispers in your dreams Christine:  It’s you, isn’t it Phantom and Christine: Hidden in this heart, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA That’s right, [we] become one Phantom:  Sing, my angel of music Christine: Now, ah, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Phantom: Sing for me Sing ANGEL OF MUSIC Sing for me

[jennyfair7]

AAAH @a-partofthenarrative thank you for the newest addition to the Phantom section of my Christmas tree! 🎄

You’re so thoughtful 🥰 Hope you had an amazing trip! Merry Christmas! ❤️💚

[everiistence]

I CAN'T WITH THIS MUSIC VIDEO PLEASE god i hate this silly phantom sequel (what happened to meg. omfg) but ????? this?????? a different vibe altogether and i love. it opened on just. a projected black and white photo of sierra boggess on the wall. and i lost it

it's not even. humorous but it's humorous to ME. it's giving just. vevo love ballad music video. and sierra is just. featured. as she should ofc but it's. it's. mmhphhjkjlf;jakjklajk gjl !!!

[obliviand]

Me: God I can’t believe people think the most psychotic unhinged men are hot. Girl why are you hitting on Patrick Bateman? Why the dano riddler?

Also me: *sees the phantom of the opera*

ERIK MY BELOVED!!! 💕💕

[thelesbianoftheopera]

If you ask me where I stand, Grasshopper or Scorpion..... Or any Phantom ship in general

I'll tell you it's complicated

Because it is

[fateandloveentwined]

Characterising Valjean: masks and struggles

Okay, so jvj's sudden intense self-deprecation towards the end of part five has always eluded me. Like, where did that come from? Hadn’t he already turned over a new leaf with the bishop and with Cosette?

Les mis has many themes, but if we cast aside all the themes focusing on french insurgencies and her people, abstract grace and love and Progress, at the heart of the brick we find her characters, and to look at Valjean, perhaps there are two things that explain his abject self-deprecation and wretchedness/misery which were so pivotal to his last chapters in the book and central to his overarching character.

below has absolutely no regard for spoilers proceed with caution lol thanks

I. Masks and veneers.

It is my sorry fate that, only ever able to command respect that is fraudulently obtained, that respect humiliates me and inwardly oppresses me, and if I’m to have any self-respect others must despise me.

cough erik poto

As stated patently in his final ruminations, JVJ never considered himself successful. Everything he did which he was respected and lauded for, it was attributed to disguised versions of himself, Monsieur Madeleine and Fauchelevent. As valjean he never achieved anything of worth, he was terrified in his first days in paris hiding from javert's pursuit and finding the convent, he never felt anything of worth as valjean but a criminal and convict pursued for the entirety of his life.

Throughout the book, he lived a struggle between accepting valjean and donning another disguise that would be some other benevolent man: the extensive deliberations on his way to Arras (who am I?), his timidity after Cosette's marriage in which he deemed his work done — either he is to don a new identity or resume the one he hid away for the many past years; towards the end, as Cosette and Marius were increasingly besotted with each other, he withdrew, letting Javert arrest him again under conditions — he resigned to the resumption of his fugitive identity.

In all these years, his convicted past self loomed over him unfailingly, especially considering his canonical rearrest after Fantine’s death — in spite of all the good he did in the world he was never, in essence, a free man of his mind.

Which brings us to our second point.

II. Jacob's wrestle

The terrible struggle of old, of which we have already seen several phases, began once more. Jacob wrestled with the angel for only one night. Alas! how many times have we seen Jean Valjean forced to grapple with his conscience in the dark, and struggling frantically against it!

The bring him home reprise in the finale is SO poignant, even more so than the original number because of what it truly meant to Valjean in the book. The musical "redeemed" many characters by painting them in a better light: Javert, with his misguided understanding of religion vs. reading the law as bible; Eponine, with her scream saving jvj's household at Rue Plumet. As for jvj, his many wrestles with faith were downplayed for the sake of simplification, going as far as to him praying earnestly for Marius’ life at the barricades in the musical when in the book, let’s face it, he was physically saving Marius but in his mind he probably didn't understand why he was doing something so foolish.

Predestined fates do not all follow a direct route. They do not run straight before the one who is predestined. They have dead ends, blind alleys, obscure turnings, daunting crossroads offering several alternative routes.

And so with the musical where all these mental struggles were downplayed, in the book he wrestled with the faith he has chosen, first during his torturously slow tread to Arras (who am I?), his ruminations on Marius (akin to heart full of love reprise), and his final confession to Marius — so many times had he struggled; there's the idea that God redeemed him through the bishop, and he did good as a man — yet still why had his life been so tortured and full of agony? At first I questioned the use of the title “the miserables/the wretched” — for les amis de l’ABC, the destitute people of the republic, I could see their wretchedness, but for Valjean — as the main character, why was the title so unfitting of the main character? But no. Internally he was wretched, he was pitiable and miserable, and in the aura of his bring him home we forget about his moments of wrath flung out about his faith and life philosophy, blunt anger at the injustice not of the world but of how his life had been — unredeemed, in spite of; the arrant, incomprehensible fear of being pursued and hunted, the resignation to his fate at the very end: moments at the sewers, before javert and before the loving newlyweds.

As such so profound it is, towards his final moments in the musical he reprises “God on high” and prays to bring himself home, he yields to the things in life he doesn’t like and defers to God’s judgement, the faith he has followed on and the bargain he has made so many long years ago — it was not at Arras that his soul truly belonged to God, it was at these final moments where he prays that he has lived his faith through — and that was when I felt jvj’s character fully unravelled.

It was a starless night and extremely dark. No doubt, in the shadows, some immense angel stood with wings outspread, awaiting his soul.

---

oops this has gone on for way too long but i was itching to dissect jvj and have put it off for so long since reading the book i just had to do it for myself anyway.

Also living for all the nonexistent COMC Edmond Dantes and JVJ crossovers because discounting the timeline they share too many similarities in knowledge acquisition imprisonment and faith and pretences to not have met and had many an interesting tete-a-tete.

*quotes taken from christine donougher's translation. explains my tendency to use wretched over miserable lol.

[flagbridge]

No Vows Chapter 9: A Name

Phantom of the Opera, E/R, E/C/R, Queer Awakening, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, POTO Queer Week 2024, 18+

“I have felt the presence of God in two ways in my life. Being in Christine’s arms was the second. The first…” He looked up at the sky, purple with clouds, but breaking in some places, where tiny bursts of light peeked through. He sniffed, wiping a hand across his face, “The sea has always called to me. I was running towards the waves when I first heard Christine singing. Spending three weeks with other Navy men…and here…its pull is … I don’t know what I will do.”

Erik turned to see the boy’s eyes staring back at him, pleading for an answer. He didn’t know why the younger man had made such a confession, but in this moment he did not care. Raoul’s wavy blond hair was mussed by the wind, his smooth cheeks stained with tears that rolled from his stormy eyes. In the half light, his mustache was barely visible, his lips slightly parted.

No Vows Chapter 9: A Name, is now live

Thank you @obliobla for the beta!

Art is “The Sleepers and the One That Watches”, Simeon Solomon, 1871

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

Phantom of the Opera Soundscape Library

This is a masterlist of PotO inspired soundscapes I've created. I struggled for weeks to find good ASMR ambience for writing until my good friend @enigmawritesstuff put me on to the myNoise.net sound generator.

Though I created these for some of the hyper-specific settings in my fic When the Longing Returns, (the stable, the dormitory, etc.), they're also good for general PotO ambience. I figure if I can't find good Lair or opera house asmr, most other writers and readers probably can't either. So please, consider this a resource, my gift to you, for the good of all Phan-kind.

Wandering Child (Church Bells (slow), Wind and tree creaks, Wind, Church Bells (faster), Footsteps in snow, Crows, Carriage, Horse and harness, Wind 2, Horse hooves)

Cemetery Walk Preset

Carriage Ride Preset

Carriage House/Opera Stable (Distant Bells, ambient tone, barn/stable, horse munching, distant crowd chatter, distant clatter 1, footsteps, distant clatter 2, blacksmith hammer, rustling hay)

Opera House (Low ambient string tone, deep ambient tone, higher string tone, fireplace crackle, distant singing, flame, crowd chatter, steps, gaslight hiss, cheery babble)

Hallway Preset

Refectory Preset

Foyer Preset (Crowded)

Foyer Preset (Empty)

Empty Stage Preset

Dressing Room Preset

Backstage (Low ambient strings, deep ambient tone, higher ambient strings, ambient horns, flame, crowd chatter, distant clatter (2 kinds), hammering, gaslight hiss)

Ballet Dormitory (Ambient tone, blowing fabric, bells, window wind, wooden creaks (2 kinds), whispering, morning birds, gaslight hiss, cheery babble)

Day Preset

Bedtime Preset

Night Preset

In the Bois (Background Paris, winter wind, Church Bells, snowy footsteps, trotting horses, birds, carriages, children playing, snow thaw, cheery babble)

Phantom's Lair (Lapping water, oar/pole in water, low ambient tone, organ music, lantern/gate squeak, torch/flame, horse & harness, footsteps, pen scratching paper, dripping water)

Tunnel Walk Preset

Boat Ride Preset

Erik Composing Preset

The Setting Sun Inn (Church bells, Chatter, Fireplace (three kinds), footsteps, coin clink, table sounds, wind whistle, light snow) Note: This is the first scape I've done exclusively for Gaston Leroux's novel. When Raoul follows Christine to Perros they lodge at the little inn there, called the Setting Sun, run by one Mme. Tricarde.

Breton Winter (Chilly coastal sounds, night birds, wind rustling heather, crashing waves, light snow) Another 'scape for Leroux, also for The Magic Violin. I've tried to capture the hillside on the edge of the moor overlooking the sea where Christine tells Raoul about her visits from "the Angel of Music"

Other Soundscapes

Chateau Destler (For Guardian Angel by @madamedestler)

Chateau de Chagny (For The Phantom's Atonement by MadameDestler, Chapter's 1 and 3)

Christine's Room Preset

Engagement Party Preset

Madame Bassett's (For The Phantom's Atonement by MadameDestler, Chapters 2, 14, and 15 )

Lounge Preset

Claire's Room Preset

Lyon Cottage (For The Phantom's Atonement by @madamedestler)

Cozy Evening Preset (With Rain)

Cozy Evening Preset (No Rain)

Spring Afternoon Preset

Church Saint-Jacques (For Corpus Christi by @madamedestler. A little combination of Church echo, wooden creaks, fabric rustle, and most important for any sinful assignation--rain and thunder. This is such a vivid setting for a fic, and I really wanted an excuse to do a Cathedral scape. The Church Saint-Jacques is one of the two actual churches in Perros-Guirec. The one that features in Leroux's book may be the other: the Chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Clarte)

Christine's Sleeping Cell Preset

Night Confession Preset

Sounds of St. Florent (For Sacred by TryingNotToLoveYou. This is such a breath of fresh air. Very specific to the fic because of the Corsica setting, but really good fun because of all the sounds one doesn't often get to use for a PotO scape.)

Boat Ride Preset

Dining Hall Preset

Rain Dance Preset

In Church Preset

For Salvation by TryingNotToLoveYou

Walk from Vornay (For Chapters 1 and 3)

Tavern Preset

Windy Walk Preset

Chateaux Menetou

Chateaux by Night Preset

Chateaux by Day Preset

Dinner Preset

By the Stream Preset

Horse Ride Preset

Bellanger Ball (For Chapters 18 and 19)

At the Ball Preset

Carriage Ride Preset

[phantomgraphicnovel]

got no idea where the normal confession poto blogs are but... I just started writing a phanfic and I realised erik shares a concerning number of similarities with my mum,,,,,,,,,,

Yeah Erik acts like my ex did and tbh it's been really cathartic to finally get it out of my mind this way ... isn't it funny how narcissists all act the same way? it's as if they all got together and agreed on how exaclty to do it! 😆 But it does make it easier to spot them, once you get a sense for the pattern... sending you lots of love, phamily. Stay safe and far away from narcissists! ❤️

[potoconfessions]

*taps microphone* hello?

i'm back . . . again. sorry for disappearing off the face of the earth for the millionth time. i'm going to try and be more active on this blog (however i am a college student so no promises), so send in your confessions and i shall respond.

[withmytailtotheworld]

Ok so basically…

(Spoilers for all three games and movies 2 and 4 just to be safe)

Alexander was a Human representative to the Yo-Kai world near the end of Ancient Enma’s life. He had the ability to communicate with yo-Kai and unlike most didn’t lose that ability when he got older. He was good friends with Ancient Enma and Nurarihyon, in fact there were even rumors that he and Nurari were dating.

(Nurarihyon is Zazel’s Japanese name, in my AU he changed his name from Nurarihyon to Zazel after the events of the second movie to signify his change in character and purpose)

Ancient Enma, near the end of his life, started to believe that humans were evil and the source of all that was wrong in the Yo-Kai world, so one of his first orders in this era of his life was to kill Alexander. Ancient Enma thinks that Alexander is getting too close to too many yo-Kai, that he might be trying to start a rebellion, that he’s trying to turn Nurarihyon against him. So Alexander was assassinated, and his soul was sent to the infinite inferno for his “crimes”.

Fast forward several decades.

There’s a new Enma, Nurarihyon is Zazel, and yo-Kai-human interaction is accepted and even encouraged by Enma. Zazel has mostly forgotten about Alexander, it had been decades at that point. And someone escapes the infinite inferno, a mysterious yo-Kai with the ability to steal other yo-Kai’s powers from them. His name is Azriel.

Azriel kidnaps Zazel one day and Zazel starts to remember Alexander and eventually puts two and two together.

And Zazel remembers how much he loved Alexander, and they kiss. Azriel has an “Erik at the end of POTO” moment, tells Zazel to leave him alone, but unfortunately for the both of them their love had been set in stone and there’s nothing they could do to change that.

Azriel lashes out at the new Enma, trying to steal his powers, but he can’t. Enma tries to talk sense into Azriel but is unsuccessful, and all hope seems lost when who else arrives but Righteous Zazel to save the day.

Azriel gets defeated, Enma is considering sending him back to the inferno for his crimes, when Zazel steps in and tells Enma about who Azri really is.

Zazel basically confesses his love for Azriel and Azriel is granted mercy.

Azriel from then on works for Enma in the palace and gets to date zazel.

And that’s that.

…Wow that was a lot to take in lol sorry if that was too much. I just really love Zazel and I think he needs a boyfriend

honestly, this rocks

it makes sense to me, at the beginning it was a lot to take in but after getting my brain thinking and working (trying to remember stuff + shifting gears from working with technology all day) it all just flows easily. Alexander (Azriel) coming back as a yo-kai to reunite with Nurarihyon (Zazel) felt like a hugeee “Screw you lmao, you can’t stop our love 🖕🖕” to Ancient Enma, which I always love, even when it’s just from an audience perspective at time.

I can definitely say that I am a Alexander/Azriel enjoyer all the way after reading this 👍👍

[melop-sia]

not hyperfixated on poto anymore but still love her... and just remembered a raoulstine oneshot i was working on a few weeks ago that im kind of proud of (soft raoul especially)!!! soo below the cut is a few teeny tiny snippets ! eat up your microscopic crumbs fellow raoulstine fans :)

#1

... The minor confession slipped out before she could even understand it. Christine's eyes widened ever so slightly at her words, staying on guard for his reply as if an apprehensive doe. Raoul's, however, took the more abstract form of stars twinkling through a pale sunlit sky. They shone with the epiphany of a lifetime, in the disbelief but solace of their findings. God, those deep eyes were a sight to behold.

#2

... A carriage was called and they were seated together, thickening the heavy atmosphere of mixed emotions once more. On one more wholesome side of the vast spectrum they were basking in the warmth of each other’s much missed presence. On the other, there was a shared feeling of longing in so many senses. After a few unbearable minutes, Christine had decided to take initiative this time. She lightly held Raoul's hand, which was acquiescent yet restless. She watched him glance away in all his giddy suppressing of a smile once more. Christine was too willing to give everything to know his present, bashful thoughts.

both from the same fic! sorry if they make no sense out of context im super sleep deprived and just wanted people to see em before i forget!

[auditionsuggestions]

hello!! in about a month, i'm auditioning for my #1 dream role, johanna from sweeney todd, and i am VERY nervous. i have a few ideas for songs, but nothing's REALLY hit the spot yet. i'm looking for something a bit older, or at least something with that ingenue spice, maybe something to show that i can manage tricky sondheim music, and legit soprano. thank you!!

I got you. Also congrats on the opportunity (Johanna's definitely on my list, too, so sending you some extra good vibes) Good legit soprano is tricky to find.

"In My Life" from Les Mis (the Singer's Musical Theatre Anthology has a really nice 32bar cut of this song in Soprano Vol 3), "Soon" from A Little Night Music, the title song from "Light in the Piazza", and "Moonfall" from The Mystery of Edwin Drood are all great (They're also the first options that pop up when you google, so idk how you'd feel about them)

Less obvious (still good) choices: "I Saw Him Once" cut from Les Mis, "One More Kiss" from Follies, "Home" or "My True Love" from Phantom (the Yeston and Kopit POTO), "Who Is This Man" or "How Will I Know" from Death Takes a Holiday.

(extra spicy, off the wall choice: "Rosa's Confession" from Drood. Very Act II Johanna in terms of character)

Break a leg!

[angelicaether]

WIP Game

I was tagged by the lovely @pinksparkl thank you <33

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP list, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it. And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I also have a ton of wips. Most of them are just ideas rolling around in my head but hopefully posting this will encourage me to finish up kinktober and then get started on these. Some are slightly nsfw so read with caution I suppose lol. I'm keeping them vague to keep up the mystery ;3c Also all the writers I follow have probably already been tagged, so if you see this I tag you!

(Humanization) Gavin/Freelancer

(The Unconventional Love of Telepathy) James/Unnamed Listener

(My Ex-Boyfriend’s A Loser) David/Angel

(He’s In Your Bed, I’m In Your Twitch Chat) Streamer!Honey/Guy

(A Tiny Dose of Reality) Caelum & Freelancer

(Unnamed) Shaw-Solaire AU

(You Take My Breath Away) Eli/Sunshine

(The Only Way To Confess) Lasko/Huxley

(Un-Honeymoon Phase) Lovely & Sam

(Pizza and Moving Boxes) Guy/Honey

(Unnamed) Vincent/Lovely/Adam PoTO AU

(Build-a-Boyfriend) James/Unnamed Listener

(First Look) David/Angel & Asher

(Investigative Lycanthropy) Milo/SH

(Out of the Office) Aaron/Smartass

(Off-screen Romanticism) Christian/Amanda

(Unnamed) DAMN Breakfast Club AU 

(Last Summer) Blake/Bestie

(I Vow to You) Shaw Pack  

(Ceramics Class) DamiHux

(My Cellmate is Annoying) Regulus & Vega

(Work Dinner) SH, Warden, Cutie, Cam, Crux 

(It’s Been Too Long) Anton/Listener

(College “Friends”) Guy/Eli/Geordi 

(Windy Whispers) SweetMiLasky

(Coffee Shop AU) Avi/Starlight

(Riding Dirty) Vincent/Lovely

(I Went to Therapy and All I Got Was This Coping Mechanism) Geordi/Cutie

(He’s a Dog (But I Love Him)) Guy/Honey

(Golden Retriever) Asher/Gavin

(Little Brother) Aaron & Eli & Ollie

[andromedaa-starss]

It has been reported that jeverney stille has sustained an injury during a recent excavation under the majestic theater. one anonymous report indicates the injury appears to be a bite mark, though reports differ on that. We wish him a speedy recovery.

a. what a tragedy of the utmost degree, i shall wish mr. stille all the best

b. was this meant for the poto confession blog or the person running the blog (aka me)