M'sieur Firmin?
FIRMIN:
M'sieur Andre?
Dear Andre, what a splendid party!
ANDRE:
The prologue to a bright new year!
FIRMIN:
Quite a night! I'm impressed!
ANDRE:
Well, one does one's best...
ANDRE/FIRMIN:
Here's to us!
FIRMIN:
The toast of all the city
Such a pity that the Phantom can’t be here!
CHORUS:
Masquerade! Paper faces on parade...
Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!
Masquerade! Every face a different shade...
Masquerade! Look around-there's another mask behind you!
Flash of mauve, splash of puce...
Fool and king, ghoul and ghost...
Green and black, queen and priest...
Trace of rouge, face of beast...
Faces... take your turn, take a ride
On the merry-go-round... in an inhuman race...
Eye of gold, thigh of blue...
True is false, who is who?
Curl of lip, swirl of gown...
Ace of hearts, face of clown...
Faces... drink it in, drink it up,
Till you've drowned in the light... in the sound...
CHRISTINE:
But who can name the face...
ALL:
Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds...
Masquerade! Take your fill-let the spectacle astound you!
Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads...
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!
Masquerade! Seething shadows, breathing lies...
Masquerade! You can fool and friend who ever knew you!
Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes...
Masquerade! Run and hide-but a face will still pursue you!
GIRY:
What a night!
MEG:
What a crowd!
ANDRE:
Makes you glad!
FIRMIN:
Makes you proud!
All the creme de la creme!
CARLOTTA:
Watching us watching them!
MEG/GIRY:
And all our fears are in the past!
ANDRE:
Six months ...
PIANGI:
Of relief!
CARLOTTA:
Of delight!
ANDRE/FIRMIN:
Of Elysian peace!
MEG/GIRY:
And we can breathe at last!
CARLOTTA:
No more notes!
PIANGI:
No more ghosts!
GIRY:
Here's a health!
ANDRE:
Here's a toast: to a prosperous year!
FIRMIN:
To the new chandelier!
CARLOTTA:
And may its splendour never fade!
FIRMIN:
Six months!
GIRY:
What a joy!
MEG:
What a change!
FIRMIN/ANDRE:
What a blessed release!
ANDRE:
And what a masquerade!
CHRISTINE:
Think of it! A secret engagement!
Look-your future bride! Just think of it!
RAOUL:
But why is it secret? What have we to hide?
CHRISTINE:
Please, let's not fight ...
RAOUL:
Christine, you're free!
CHRISTINE:
Wait till the time is right ...
RAOUL:
When will you that be? It's an engagement, not a crime!
Christine, What are you afraid of?
CHRISTINE:
Let's not argue...
RAOUL:
Let's not argue...
CHRISTINE:
Please pretend...
RAOUL:
I can only hope I'll...
CHRISTINE:
You will...
BOTH:
...understand in time...
ALL:
Masquerade! Paper faces on parade!
Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!
Masquerade! Every face a different shade!
Masquerade! Look around-there's another mask behind you!
Masquerade! Burning glances! turning heads...
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!
Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds...
Masquerade! Take your fill -let the spectacle astound you!
PHANTOM:
Why so silent, good monsieurs?
Did you think that I had left you for good?
Have you missed me, good monsieurs?
I have written you an opera!
Here I bring the finished score! Don Juan Triumphant!
I advise you to comply, my instructions should be clear,
Remember there are worse things than a shattered chandelier ...
Your chains are still mine You will sing for me ... !
RAOUL:
Madame Giry. Madame Giry...
GIRY:
Monsieur, don't ask me-I know no more than anyone else.
RAOUL:
That's not true. You've seen something, haven't you ?
GIRY:
I don't know what I've seen... Please don't ask me, monsieur...
RAOUL:
Madame, for all our sakes ...
GIRY:
Very well. It was years ago. There was a travelling fair in the city.
Tumblers, conjurors, human oddities...
RAOUL:
Go on...
GIRY:
And there was... I shall never forget him: a man, locked in a cage...
RAOUL:
In a cage...?
GIRY:
A prodigy, monsieur! Scholar, architect, musician.
RAOUL:
A composer...
GIRY:
And an inventor too, monsieur.
They boasted he had once built for the Shah of Persia, a maze of mirrors...
RAOUL:
Who was this man...?
GIRY:
A freak of nature... more monster than man...
RAOUL:
Deformed...?
GIRY:
From birth, it seemed...
RAOUL:
My God, Christine!
GIRY:
And then... he went missing. He escaped...
RAOUL:
Go on.
GIRY:
They never found him... it was said he had died...
RAOUL:
But he didn't die, did he?
GIRY:
The world forgot him, but I never can
For in this darkness I have seen him again...
RAOUL:
And so our Phantom's this man ...
GIRY:
I have said too much, monsieur. And there have been too many accidents...
RAOUL:
Accidents?! Madame Giry!
