<P> In the lair, Christine is forced to don a wedding dress . Raoul finds the lair and attempts to persuade the Phantom to spare Christine, begging him to show compassion . The Phantom refuses, and captures Raoul with the Punjab lasso . The Phantom tells Christine that he will free Raoul if she agrees to stay with him forever, but if she refuses, Raoul will die . Christine, heartbroken, tells the Phantom that it is his soul that is deformed, not his face . As the Phantom and Raoul both plead to her, Christine mournfully wonders what kind of life the Phantom has known . She tells the Phantom that he is not alone and kisses him, showing him compassion for the first time in his life . The Phantom, having experienced kindness at last, understands that he cannot compel Christine to love him, and sets them both free . Raoul hurries Christine out of the lair, but she returns alone to give the Phantom back his ring . The Phantom tells Christine he loves her, before she tearfully exits with Raoul . The weeping Phantom huddles on his throne and covers himself with his cloak . The mob, led by Meg, enters the lair . Meg pulls the Phantom's cloak from the throne, finding only his mask on the seat . She lifts the mask up into the light and gazes at it in wonder as the curtain falls . </P> <P> The original casts of the major productions of The Phantom of the Opera: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Original West End Cast </Th> <Th> Original Broadway Cast </Th> <Th> Original Las Vegas Cast </Th> <Th> Royal Albert Hall 25th Anniversary Cast </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> The Phantom of the Opera </Th> <Td_colspan="2"> Michael Crawford </Td> <Td> Brent Barrett Anthony Crivello ‡ </Td> <Td> Ramin Karimloo </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Christine Daaé </Th> <Td> Sarah Brightman Claire Moore † </Td> <Td> Sarah Brightman Patti Cohenour † </Td> <Td> Sierra Boggess Elizabeth Loyacano ‡ </Td> <Td> Sierra Boggess </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny </Th> <Td_colspan="2"> Steve Barton </Td> <Td> Tim Martin Gleason </Td> <Td> Hadley Fraser </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Carlotta Giudicelli </Th> <Td> Rosemary Ashe </Td> <Td> Judy Kaye </Td> <Td> Elena Jeanne Batman Geena Jeffries Mattox ‡ </Td> <Td> Wendy Ferguson </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Madame Giry </Th> <Td> Mary Millar </Td> <Td> Leila Martin </Td> <Td> Rebecca Spencer </Td> <Td> Liz Robertson </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Meg Giry </Th> <Td> Janet Devenish </Td> <Td> Elisa Heinsohn </Td> <Td> Brianne Kelly Morgan </Td> <Td> Daisy Maywood </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Monsieur Richard Firmin </Th> <Td> John Savident </Td> <Td> Nick Wyman </Td> <Td> Lawson Skala </Td> <Td> Barry James </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Monsieur Gilles André </Th> <Td> David Firth </Td> <Td> Cris Groenendaal </Td> <Td> John Leslie Wolfe </Td> <Td> Gareth Snook </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ubaldo Piangi </Th> <Td> John Aron </Td> <Td> David Romano </Td> <Td> Larry Wayne Morbitt </Td> <Td> Wynne Evans </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Character </Th> <Th> Original West End Cast </Th> <Th> Original Broadway Cast </Th> <Th> Original Las Vegas Cast </Th> <Th> Royal Albert Hall 25th Anniversary Cast </Th> </Tr>

Who played the phantom in the original phantom of the opera