The power of Andrew Lloyd Webber's  "Phantom of the Opera," lies not so much in it's ability to tap into genuine human emotions as in its often mesmerizing celebration of pure theatricality.

If eye-popping spectacle is the measure by which theater is judged, the touring production of "Phantom" which has taken up a five-week residence at the Music Hall is an unqualified success.

Even after years on the road, the show remains a well-oiled machine that serves up visual splendor at every turn.

But those seeking substance or insights beyond the facile Freudianism of Lloyd Webber and Richard Stilgoe's libretto will find that there's little behind this "Phantom's" mask.

Freely derived from Gaston Leroux's melodramatic potboiler, the show unfolds as a flashback of the mishaps befalling the Opera Populaire company in turn-of-the-century Paris.

A ghostly figure (Brad Little) emerges from his subterranean lair beneath the opera house to champion the cause of the budding soprano Chrisitne Daee (Kimilee Bryant).

Trouble ensues when the Phantom's protégé emerges from the shadow of his tutelage and becomes involved in  a romantic liaison with the Vicomte de Chagny (Jason Pebworth).

Sensing that Christine is slipping from his grasp, the Phantom lures his pupil and her lover into a trap.  But the transforming power of love dissolves the pent-up rage of the tortured figure, who sacrifices his own happiness and returns to the shadows of his solitary existence.

This production finds its center in Little's  seductively tragic Phantom.  Little is a gifted singer whose lithe movements effectively capture the mystery and intrigue of the title character.  Like Christine, we are both drawn to and repelled by this enigmatic figure.

Bryant is equally good as the the naive ingenue who finds  herself caught between the lure of romantic love and the security of her mentor's guidance.  Her powerful singing voice is electric in its intensity.

Less satisfactory is Pebworth's stiff and one-dimensional performance as the Viacomte.  Though his singing voice more than passable, Pebworth leaves a lot to be desired in the acting department.  His second-act heroics are unconvincing, and his wooden portrayal makes Christine's rejection of the charismatic Phantom seem all the more puzzling.

In some shadowy secondary roles, Julie Schmidt, David Cryer and Richard Reardon emerge with memorable characterizations in which the unbridled ego of an opera prima donna is matched only by the effusive toadying of the company's business managers.

Director Harold Prince's staging retains its cinematic fluidity, and it is executed here with style and precision.

Choreographer Gillian Lynne's musical staging is faithfully re-created throughout.  Her staging of the "Masquerade" number that opens the second act is one of the evening's highlights, providing a visual metaphor for the public and private faces of "Phantom's" colorful cast of characters.

It is impossible to overstate the contribution of Maria Bjornson's production design, which is bathed in shimmering, purposeful shadows of Andrew Bridge's lighting.  Bjornson and Bridge's skillfull designs hover in a  netherworld between light and shadow, creating the perfect backdrop for this tale of secrets unmasked and love unfulfilled.