For over 130 years, spanning several generations and countless performances, one enduring tale has been passed from actor to actor in Melbourne’s Princess Theatre. It’s the story of the theatre’s ghost, a former actor named Frederick Federici. In 1888, Frederick Baker, famously known as Frederick Federici, was performing on stage in an opera titled ‘Faust’. The score called for his character, Mephistopheles, to descend dramatically into hell. As Federici made his descent through a trapdoor, he suffered a heart attack and died almost immediately. Despite the calamity backstage, the actor never missed a cue, and the show carried on. His death was kept a secret until the final curtain to avoid spreading panic among the audience. A week later, the cast reported seeing Federici’s spectre, complete with his Mephistopheles costume, taking a bow with them on stage. Since then, any sightings of Frederick have been regarded as a good omen, and he’s treated as the theatre’s guardian spirit. His presence even made such an impression that a tradition was established where a seat is left open for him on opening nights. Over the years, many distinguished actors, including Dame Nellie Melba, have claimed to have encountered Federici’s spectre, lending credibility to the tale and perpetuating it as one of Melbourne’s most well-known pieces of theatre folklore.