Erik, the Phantom of the Opera, has escaped the hangman's noose and fled Paris for Italy with his bride, Meg. But the Phantom cannot so easily escape the demons that haunt him. Self-doubt and despair lead to a quarrel with Meg, who injures herself running from him. Despite his tender ministrations, when she comes to, Meg screams upon seeing the Phantom unmasked. Erik flees. The Phantom's journey takes him back to the sordid carnival-and the trauma-of...