The 19th century suspense - filled terrifying tale of unrequited love, passion and tragedy. Constantly moving through an ever - pervading dark atmosphere of spine - tingling menace in its portrayal of Erik, the grotesque and elusive 'phantom', who conceals himself in the grim labyrinthine depths of the Paris Opera, while his obsessive love burns for the beautiful Christine. ''The Opera ghost really existed. He was not, as was long believed, a creature of the imaginationa ] Yes, he existed in flesh and blood, although he assumed the complete appearance of a real phantoma ]''