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Masquerade
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THE STAIRCASE OF THE OPERA HOUSE
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(A gauze half conceals the tableau of guests at the
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opera ball. The guests (whom we cannot yet see
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clearly) are in fancy dress a peacock, a lion, a
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dragon, Mephistopheles, a highwayman, a clown,
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knights, ladies, an executioner. M. ANDRE enters.
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He is dressed as a skeleton in an opera cape. Almost
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immediately M. FIRMIN arrives.He is also dressed
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as a skeleton in an opera cape. The two skeletons see
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each other and approach nervously)
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ANDRE
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M'sieur Firmin?
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FIRMIN
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M'sieur Andre?
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(Each raises his mask to the other. They recognise each
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other.)
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FIRMIN
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Dear Andre
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what a splendid party!
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ANDRE
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The prologue
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to a bright new year!
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FIRMIN
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Quite a night!
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I'm impressed!
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FIRMIN
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Well, one does
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one's best . . .
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ANDRE/FIRMIN (raising their glasses)
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Here's to us!
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FIRMIN
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I must say, all the same, that
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it's a shame that 'Phantom'
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fellow isn't here!
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(The gauze lifts fully to reveal the staircase of the
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opera house. The opera ball begins. Among the
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GUESTS are four carrying strange percussion
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instruments: a monkey with cymbals, a toy soldier
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with a drum, a triangle, bells. Together they play
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weirdly throughout)
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CHORUS
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Masquerade!
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Paper faces on parade . . .
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Masquerade!
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Hide your face,
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so the world will
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never find you!
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Masquerade!
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Every face a different shade . . .
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Masquerade!
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Look around -
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there's another
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mask behind you!
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Flash of mauve . . .
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Splash of puce . . .
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Fool and king . . .
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Ghoul and goose . . .
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Green and black . . .
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Queen and priest . . .
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Trace of rouge . . .
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Face of beast . . .
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Faces . . .
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Take your turn, take a ride
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on the merry-go-round . . .
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in an inhuman race . . .
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Eye of gold . . .
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Thigh of blue . . .
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True is false . . .
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Who is who . . .?
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Curl of lip . . .
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Swirl of gown . . .
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Ace of hearts . . .
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Face of clown . . .
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Faces . . .
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Drink it in, drink it up,
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till you've drowned
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in the light . . .
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in the sound . . .
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RAOUL/CHRISTINE
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But who can name the face . . .?
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ALL
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Masquerade!
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Grinning yellows,
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spinning reds . . .
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Masquerade!
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Take your fill -
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let the spectacle
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astound you!
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Masquerade!
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Burning glances,
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turning heads . . .
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Masquerade!
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Stop and stare
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at the sea of smiles
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around you!
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Masquerade!
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Seething shadows
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breathing lies . . .
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Masquerade!
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You can fool
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any friend who
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ever knew you!
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Masquerade!
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Leering satyrs,
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peering eyes . . .
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Masquerade!
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Run and hide -
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but a face will
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still pursue you!
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(The ENSEMBLE activity becomes background, as
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ANDRE, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA
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come to the fore, glasses in hand)
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GIRY
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What a night
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MEG
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What a crowd!
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ANDRE
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Makes you glad!
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FIRMIN
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Makes you proud!
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All the creme
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de la creme!
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CARLOTTA
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Watching us watching them!
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MEG/GlRY
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And all our fears
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are in the past!
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ANDRE
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Six months...
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PIANGI
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Of relief!
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CARLOTTA
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Of delight!
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ANDRE/FIRMIN
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Of Elysian peace!
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MEG/GIRY
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And we can breathe at last!
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CARLOTTA
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No more notes!
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PIANGI
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No more ghost!
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GIRY
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Here's a health!
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ANDRE
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Here's a toast:
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to a prosperous year!
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FIRMIN
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To the new chandelier!
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PIANGI/CARLOTTA
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And may its
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splendour never fade!
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FIRMIN
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Six months!
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GIRY
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What a joy!
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MEG
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What a change!
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FIRMIN/ANDRE
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What a blessed release!
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ANDRE
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And what a masquerade!
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(They clink glasses and move off RAOUL and
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CHRISTINE emerge. She is admiring a new acquisition:
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an engagement ring from RAOUL, which she has
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attached to a gold chain around her neck.)
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CHRISTINE
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Think of it!
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A secret engagement!
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Look - your future bride!
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Just think of it!
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RAOUL
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But why is it secret?
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What have we to hide?
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CHRISTINE
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Please, let's not fight . . .
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RAOUL
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Christine, you're free!
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CHRISTINE
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Wait till the time is right . . .
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RAOUL
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When will that be?
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It's an engagement,
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not a crime!
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Christine,
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What are you
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afraid of?
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CHRISTINE
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Let's not argue . . .
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RAOUL
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Let's not argue . . .
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CHRISTINE
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Please pretend . . .
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RAOUL
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I can only hope I'll . . .
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CHRISTINE
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You will . . .
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BOTH
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. . . understand
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in time . . .
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(Dance section, in which CHRISTINE, almost
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coquettish almost jittery, goes from man to man. But too
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many of her partners seem to be replicas of the
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PHANTOM, and each spins her with increasing force.
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Eventually RAOUL rescues her and holds her tightly. He
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whirls her back into the dance, as the music heads
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towards its climax.)
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ALL
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Masquerade!
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Paper faces on parade!
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Masquerade!
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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!
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Take your fill -
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let the spectacle
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astound you!
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|
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-----------------
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Masquerade
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| Phantom Of The Opera |
