At the time of the auction, in 1919, Raoul is 70 years old and Madame Giry is 85. The Phantom is 82. Unfortunately, Christine only lives until age 63.

The Comte de Chagny pays a relatively fair price for the music box at the auction. 30 francs in 1919 would be equivalent to about $40.00 U.S. Dollars in 2005. 

48 years transpires between the time of the opera fire and the when the rose appears at the cemetery. Christine, at that point in time, has been dead for 2 years.

The "present day" movie takes place in 1919. The actual story takes place from 1870-1871 with the Masquerade Ball being celebrated on New Year's Eve, 1870.

Madame Giry is 15 years older than Raoul.

Christine was born in 1854, making the year she arrives at the opera house 1861. She is 16 years old when she sings "Aria for Elissa" and the story begins. The Phantom is 33 and Raoul is 21.

The Phantom is rescued from his "Devil's Child" cage when he was 9 years old.

Madame Giry is approximately 3 years older than the Phantom.

The auction number for the chandelier (in pieces) is "666".

The Phantom's requested  salary of 20,000 francs per month was exorbitant. As a reference, the following data is offered here:

The secretary to new owner Fermin Richard  is paid an annual salary of 2,400 francs. A bottle of Margaux or Sauterne wine cost 4 francs and a horse-drawn carriage ride was 2 francs per hour. The average yearly salary for a common workingman was 1,825 year.

Tony Pratt, who designed most of the sets for The Phantom of the Opera, wanted to recreate the top of the Paris Opera House as best he could, yet still infuse his own interpretation of design elements. The statue that the Phantom rises up on to issue his passionate threat was inspired by the actual statue "L' Harmonie" which sits atop the Paris Opera House.

Statues and Rooftop Link