The sets and costumes were impressive. The actors did a good job. The songs, while not usually to my taste, were well done. But the story, as I remember it from the book, is still the stupidest tale ever composed.

First of all, if an opera house had a deranged killer living in the 23rd sub-basement, wouldn't the police and/or the army go down and take him out? Would everyone — producers, actors and audience — really just keep on rehearsing and staging and attending operas while waiting for the madman to strike again?

And secondly, why would an opera house HAVE a 23rd sub-basement?

I managed to watch almost all of it without laughing out loud at the silliness — until Raoul sang a line to Christine that went something like "he won't give up until all of us are DEAD!!!"

Why would someone sing that line? I know, I know — it's opera. But it's also why I can never get into opera.