...Gioachino Cocchi aka le comte de Saint Germain, C.W. Gluck, F.M.Grimm, Chastellux and J.J.Rousseau.
"They" -alltogether-will certainly "haunt" opera to eternity, there is however specific evidence as well: "Don Juan triumphant" points to Gluck's "Don Giovanni"-defined presently as a "ballet"-produced in Vienna 1761, ie early in Gluck's reformation period (1761-67), ie Leroux expresses a wish for his triumphant return . The phantom's persian companion-guard points furthermore to the "Gullistan" (Persia) history of the family, including our hero's Nikita "K" ancestor, himself as well as his grandson (Stroganov) who spent sometime in Persia.
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