The phantom is not at the opera, he's at Savannah's First Baptist Church and its organ

Just in time for Halloween, Savannah-area residents will be treated to a showing of the silent movie, “The Phantom of the Opera,” complete with organ music played on a grand 100-year-old organ by a theater organist.

The black-and-white classic film stars Lon Chaney as the deformed phantom who haunts the Paris opera house and will be presented by guest theater organist, Scott Foppiano, Sunday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 223 Bull St. The event is part of the church’s Organ Centennial Concert Series, which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the installation of the E.M. Skinner pipe organ at First Baptist.

The concert series, which began earlier this year, has many goals, one being “to expose the church to the community,” explained Justin Addington, minister of music and organist. The movie will be shown on a large professional movie screen with a rear projector.

More on the organ: E.M. Skinner organ celebrates 100 years of beautiful music at First Baptist Church of Savannah

Filmed in Georgia: Robert Mitchum's history with Chatham County law influenced 'Cape Fear' role

Also: From National Cathedral to Savannah, Christ Church's new organist comes with presidential experience

“We wanted to do something unique that would attract a broader audience,” Addington added. “Knowing that organs were used to accompany films in the 1920s when our organ was installed and knowing that our organ contains some of the same ‘bells and whistles’ as theatre organs of that era, we thought it would be a nice nod to the history of the instrument and an enjoyable addition to the series.”

The unique event is free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door for the ongoing care of the historic organ.

Filmed in Georgia: First major Hollywood production rowed into 'dangerous' Okefenokee Swamp

The guest organist for the showing of the movie is a longtime fan of organ music. In fact, Foppiano fell in love with a 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer organ as a teenager.

His formal education was in organ performance with a double major in voice and concentration in choral conducting. He also studied under the late, Tom Hazleton, who is well known in church music circles. Foppiano has served congregations nationwide and has accompanied choirs to Italy where they sang at the Vatican.

A North Carolina resident, Foppiano is a church organist-choirmaster, a synagogue organist, and sales associate and tonal director for the A.P. Farmer Organ Co., representing the Allen Organ Co. of Pennsylvania. He also owns a mint 1927 Mason & Hamlin model AA grand piano and an Allen Str-4 theatre/concert organ.

The Skinner organ at First Baptist is a part of both the church’s history and an interesting addition to Savannah’s story. In 1920, extensive renovations were made to the interior of the historic church, which faces Chippewa Square.

More: George Dawes Green explores local hidden history in his latest novel, 'Kingdoms of Savannah'

A generous donation came from George Armstrong’s wife, Lucy -- who became Lucy Armstrong Moltz when she remarried several years after George Armstrong’s 1924 death. The donation allowed the awarding of a contract for an instrument “which would be one of the . . . most beautiful organs in the entire Southeast,” according to the book,” Pilgrims Through the Years,” a history of First Baptist.

George Armstrong was a wealthy shipping executive who built a mansion on Bull Street that his widow and daughter later donated to the city of Savannah for an institution of higher learning. (Mrs. Armstrong lived mostly at Lake Toxaway, N.C., but always loved Savannah and is buried alongside her first husband in Bonaventure Cemetery.)

More: In Port Wentworth, a storied 80-year-old church endures as a home for a changing community

The Armstrong mansion became part of Armstrong Junior College, and after the college moved to Savannah’s Southside, served as offices for a law firm. The mansion is now owned by preservationist-hotelier Richard Kessler and is referred to as the Armstrong Kessler Mansion.

The First Baptist organ became known as the Camp Memorial Organ, in honor of Mrs. Armstrong’s parents. Mrs. Armstrong also paid to remodel the sanctuary attic to accommodate the pipe chambers and paid an organist’s salary for a year.

For information about the Organ Centennial Concert Series at First Baptist visit fbc-sav.org/music.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah GA events: Phantom of the Opera at First Baptist Church