Il Muto is a fictional opera by Albrizzio, within the musical The Phantom of the Opera, just as Hannibal and Don Juan Triumphant are operas inside the show. Il Muto is Italian for "The Mute." It is featured in the scene in which the Phantom hangs Joseph Buquet.
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Il Muto is supposedly based on and a parody of the opera The Marriage of Figaro.
A wealthy Countess (played by Carlotta) is having an affair with a pageboy (servant) named Serafimo (played by Christine). To avoid her husband's wrath she makes Serafimo disguise as one of her maids while one of the maids assumes the role of Serafimo (played by Meg). However, her husband, Don Attillo (played by Piangi), senses the deception; he pretends to leave the country, but instead conceals himself behind a screen in his wife's room. The Countess, believing her husband to be far away, removes Serafimo's disguise and kisses him (her since Christine is playing a male role), laughing about the apparent success of her deception. This aria, with its musical simulation of laughter, shares some similarities with "Mein Herr Marquis" from Die Fledermaus. There is a momentary interruption when the Phantom tries to express his anger that the managers forgot to leave Box Five empty. After the interruption from the Phantom, Carlotta and the other characters on the stage then start singing the aria again. But while this countess and the other characters sing it, Carlotta loses her voice and has to be taken off stage. However, the managers announce that they will let the performance continue in 10 minutes with Christine as the Countess, but in the mean time just sit back and watch the ballet performance from Act Three. The rest of the scene is unknown because of the Phantom's interruption.
Although most of the plot of this act is unknown, it features a ballet entitled "Dance of the Country Nymphs".[1] It is seen after Carlotta loses her voice. At the end of it, the Phantom murders Joseph Buquet.