Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions about the "Phantom of
the Opera" music box.  I'm glad to know that the one used in the show
(although it's not a real one) is similar to ones of the 1880s, when
the play takes place, and that _real_ music boxes exist which play the
tune "Masquerade" and other songs from "Phantom."

Some final thoughts to close this discussion thread:

It is Christine's old boyfriend, Raoul, who purchases the music box
with the monkey figure at an auction twenty years after the original
story takes place.  Upon receiving the box, Raoul sings:

  "A collector's piece indeed... every detail exactly as she said...
   She often spoke of you, my friend... your velvet lining and your
      figurine of lead...
   Will you still play, when all the rest of us are dead...?"
   ("Phantom of the Opera," Prologue, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber,
   Lyrics by Charles Hart)

The monkey music box is overshadowed in the opening scene by the
spectacular entrance of the famous chandelier.  The chandelier makes a
much more emphatic impression on the audience, which is the intention.
However, the monkey music box does appear a few more times in the show.

In the entire-cast production number of "Masquerade," one of the actors
wears a monkey costume, complete with cymbals, similar to the monkey on
the music box.  Since the monkey-costumed actor is not spotlighted or
made to stand out in the production number, play-goers have to look
carefully to find him (or her, as is often the case).

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange     * Buy - Sell - Trade *
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~brite/