On March 3, 1888, a performance of the opera Faust at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne ended in tragedy when, at the very end of the play, as the Devil, Mephistopheles decended into Hell on a trap door and in a midst of thick stage smoke. The actor, playing him, Frederick Baker, known as Frederici, suffered of a massive heart attack and died instantly. As the rest of the cast went out to the stage to take their bows, Frederici was pronounced dead beneath the stage. When told later that evening that the star had died, the cast said that Frederici was, in fact, out there with them taking his bows as well. The ghost of Frederici has haunted the site ever since. He has been seen on many occasions, usually on the third balcony of the dress circle, watching rehearsals. For many years, a seat was always reserved for Fredericis ghost. Dame June Bronhill, Bert Newton and Rachael Beck are amongst the many who have seen him. The Ghost of Frederici is a legend in Australian Ghost Lore.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 10:05:42 +0000
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