The Phantom of the Opera

Thelittleknown,brilliantoriginaltextbyGastonLerouxhasbeenimmortalizedbyscreenandstageadaptations.Oneofthegreatesthorrorstoriesofalltime,ThePhantomoftheOperamakescompulsivereading.Itaboundswithwonderfuldescriptions,extraordinaryevents,tragedy,horror,pathos,tremendoushumourandagalleryofcharmingminorcharacters.Leroux’sportraitofthehideousmusician,crazedbyhisownextremeugliness,showscompassionateinsightintoacriminallyinsanemind.Musicinfusesthestory,enrichingthemanydimensionsofthenovelwhichissteepedintheglamouroflifeattheParisOpera.Theauthor’sknowledgeofthebuildingitselfandtheextraordinaryhistoryofitsconstructioncreateabasisofrealisminthestory.Incredible,seeminglysupernaturalelementsareartfullyfusedwithrealfacts,withreferencestorealpeop]e,placesandevents,sothatthenovelbecomesadazzlingblendofillusionandreality.Itishardtodistinguishbetweenthem,andtheresultisthateachchillingmomentisintensified.GastonLerouxwasamasterofhisgenre.