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by Chris Vesci staff writer

From the stirring overture to the touching final scene, "The Phantom of the Opera" is a masterwork of gothic melodrama. Playing at the Forrest Theatre at 1114 Walnut St., the show runs through Dec. 12.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's megamusical, based loosely on the novel by Gaston Leroux, combines sweeping yet tender music with grand spectacle. It is a guaranteed success with such hits as ''The Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You." The viewer carries these beautiful melodies out of the theater.

However, the spectacle of the show provides its own entertainment. Balls of fire, a falling chandelier and split-second scene changes all produce gasps from the audience. It is a highly intense