"Mystery after gala night," if says, "Mystery
|
of soprano's flight!" "Mystified baffled Surete say,
|
we are mystified - we suspect foul play!"
|
(He lowers the paper) Bad news on
|
|
soprano scene - first Carlotta, now Christine!
|
Still, at least the seats get sold gossip's worth
|
|
its weight in gold . . .
|
What a way to run a business!
|
Spare me these unending trials!
|
Half your cast disappears,
|
but the crowd still cheers!
|
Opera! To hell with Gluck and Handel -
|
It's a scandal that'll pack 'em in the aisles!
|
(ANDRE bursts in, in a temper)
|
|
Damnable! Will they all walk out? This is damnable!
|
|
Andre, please don't shout . . .It's publicity!
|
And the take is vast! Free publicity!
|
|
But we have no cast . . .
|
|
But Andre, have you seen the queue?
|
(He has been sorting mail on his desk.
|
Finding the two letters from the PHANTOM):
|
Oh, it seems you've got one too . . .
|
(He hands the letter to ANDRE,
|
who opens it and reads)
|
|
"Dear Andre
|
what a charming gala!
|
Christine enjoyed a great success!
|
We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left -
|
otherwise the chorus was entrancing,
|
but the dancing was a lamentable mess!"
|
|
"Dear Firmin, just a brief reminder:
|
my salary has not been paid.
|
Send it care of the ghost, by return of post
|
P.T.O.:
|
No-one likes a debtor, so it's better if my
|
orders are obeyed!"
|
|
Who would have the gall to send this?
|
Someone with a puerile brain!
|
|
These are both signed "O.G." . . .
|
|
Who the hell is he?
|
BOTH (immediately realizing) Opera ghost!
|
|
It's really not amusing!
|
|
He's abusing our position!
|
|
In addition he wants money!
|
|
He's a funny sort of spectre . . .
|
|
. . . to expect a large retainer! Nothing plainer -
|
he is clearly quite insane!
|
(They are interrupted by the arrival of RAOUL,
|
who brandishes another of the PHANTOM'S notes)
|
|
Where is she?
|
|
You mean Carlotta?
|
|
I mean Miss Daae - where is she?
|
|
Well, how should we know?
|
|
I want an answer -
|
I take it that you sent me this note?
|
|
What's all this nonsense?
|
|
Of course not!
|
|
Don't look at us!
|
|
She's not with you, then?
|
|
Of course not!
|
|
We're in the dark . . .
|
|
Monsieur, don't argue - Isn't this the
|
letter you wrote?
|
|
And what is it, that we're meant to have wrote?
|
(Realizing his mistake) Written !
|
(RAOUL hands the note to ANDRE, who reads it)
|
|
"Do not fear for Miss Daae. The Angel of Music
|
has her under his wing.
|
Make no attempt to see her again."
|
(The MANAGERS look mystified)
|
|
If you didn't write it, who did?
|
(CARLOTTA bursts in. She too has a letter,
|
which has cheered her no more than the others)
|
|
Where is he?
|
|
Ah, welcome back!
|
|
Your precious patron - where is he?
|
|
What is it now?
|
|
I have your letter - a letter which I rather resent!
|
|
And did you send it?
|
|
Of course not!
|
|
As if he would!
|
|
You didn't send it?
|
|
Of course not!
|
|
What's going on . . .?
|
|
You dare to tell me, that this is not the letter you sent ? !
|
|
And what is it that I'm meant to have sent?
|
(RAOUL takes the letter and reads it)
|
"Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered.
|
Christine Daae will be singing on your behalf tonight.
|
Be prepared for a great misfortune,
|
should you attempt to take her place."
|
(The MANAGERS are beginning lo tire of the intrigue)
|
|
Far too many notes for my taste -
|
and most of them about Christine!
|
All we've heard since we came is Miss Daae's name . . .
|
(GIRY suddenly appears, accompanied by MEG)
|
|
GIRY
|
Miss Daae has returned.
|
|
FIRMIN (drily)
|
I trust her midnight oil is well and truly burned.
|
|
ANDRE
|
Where precisely is she now?
|
|
GIRY
|
I thought it best that she went home . . .
|
|
MEG
|
She needed rest.
|
|
RAOUL
|
May I see her?
|
|
GIRY
|
No, monsieur, she will see no-one.
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Will she sing? Will she sing?
|
|
GIRY
|
Here, I have a note . . .
|
|
RAOUL/CARLOTTA/ANDRE
|
Let me see it!
|
|
FIRMIN (snatching it)
|
Please!
|
|
(Opens the letter and reads. The PHANTOM'S
|
voice gradually lakes over)
|
"Gentlemen, I have now sent you several
|
notes of the most amiable nature,
|
detailing how my theatre is to be run.
|
You have not followed my instructions.
|
I shall give you one last chance . . ."
|
PHANTOM'S VOICE (taking over)
|
Christine Daae has returned to you,
|
and I am anxious her career should progress.
|
In the new production of "Il Muto",
|
you will therefore cast Carlotta as the Pageboy,
|
and put Miss Daae in the role of Countess.
|
The role which Miss Daae plays
|
calls for charm and appeal.
|
The role of the Pageboy is silent -
|
which makes my casting, in a word ideal.
|
I shall watch the performance from my normal
|
seat in Box Five, which will be kept empty for me.
|
Should these commands be ignored,
|
a disaster beyond your imagination will occur.
|
|
FIRMIN (taking over)
|
"I remain, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, O.G."
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Christine!
|
|
ANDRE
|
Whatever next . . .?
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
It's all a ploy to help Christine!
|
|
FIRMIN
|
This is insane . . .
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
I know who sent this:
|
(pointing an accusing finger)
|
The Vicomte - her lover!
|
|
RAOUL (ironical)
|
Indeed? (to the OTHERS)
|
Can you believe this?
|
|
ANDRE (to CARLOTTA, in protest)
|
Signora!
|
|
CARLOTTA (half to the MANAGERS,
|
half to herself) O traditori!
|
|
FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)
|
This is a joke!
|
|
ANDRE
|
This changes nothing!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
O mentitori!
|
|
FIRMIN
|
Signora!
|
|
ANDRE
|
You are our star!
|
|
FIRMIN
|
And always will be!
|
|
ANDRE
|
Signora . . .
|
|
FIRMIN
|
The man is mad!
|
|
ANDRE
|
We don't take orders!
|
|
FIRMIN (announcing it to EVERYONE)
|
Miss Daae will be playing the Pageboy - the silent role . . .
|
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Carlotta will be playing the lead!
|
|
CARLOTTA (waxing melodramatic)
|
It's useless trying to appease me!
|
You're only saying this to please me!
|
Signori, e vero? Non, non, non voglio udire !
|
Lasciatemi morire! O padre mio! Dio!
|
|
GIRY
|
Who scorn his word, beware to those . . .
|
|
CARLOTTA (to MANAGERS)
|
You have reviled me!
|
|
GIRY
|
The angel sees, the angel knows . . .
|
|
RAOUL
|
Why did Christine fly from my arms . . .?
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
You have rebuked me!
|
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Signora, pardon us . . .
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
You have replaced me!
|
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Please, Signora, we beseech you . . .
|
|
GIRY
|
This hour shall see your darkest fears . . .
|
|
MEG/RAOUL
|
I must see her . . .
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Abbandonata! Deseredata! O, sventurata!
|
|
GIRY
|
The angel knows, the angel hears . . .
|
|
RAOUL
|
Where did she go . . .?
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Abbandonata! Disgraziata!
|
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Signora, sing for us! Don't be a martyr . . .
|
|
RAOUL/GIRY/MEG
|
What new surprises lie in store . . .?
|
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Our star . . .!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Non vo' cantar!
|
(ALL look at CARLOTTA,
|
as the MANAGERS approach her lovingly
|
|
-----------------------------------------------
|
|
ANDR'
|
Your public needs you!
|
|
FIRMIN
|
We need you, too!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Would you not
|
rather have your
|
precious little
|
ingenue?
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Signora, no!
|
The world wants you!
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Prima donna,
|
first lady of the stage!
|
Your devotees
|
are on their knees
|
to implore you!
|
|
ANDR'
|
Can you bow out
|
when they're shouting
|
your name?
|
|
FIRMIN
|
Think of how they all
|
adore you!
|
|
BOTH
|
Prima donna,
|
enchant us once again!
|
|
ANDR'
|
Think of your muse...
|
|
FIRMIN
|
And of the queues
|
round the theatre!
|
|
BOTH
|
Can you deny us the triumph
|
in store?
|
Sing, prima donna,
|
once more!
|
|
RAOUL
|
Christine spoke of an angel...
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Prima donna,
|
your song shall live again!
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Think of your public!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
You took a snub,
|
|
but there's a public
|
who needs you!
|
|
GIRY
|
She has heard the voice
|
of the angel of music...
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Those who hear your voice
|
liken you to an angel!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Think of their cry
|
of undying
|
support!
|
|
RAOUL
|
Is this her angel of music...?
|
|
ANDR'
|
We get our opera...
|
|
FIRMIN
|
She gets her limelight!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Follow where the limelight
|
leads you!
|
|
MEG
|
Is this ghost
|
an angel or madman...?
|
|
RAOUL
|
*Angel or madman...?
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Leading ladies are a trial!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Prima donna,
|
your song shall never die!
|
|
MEG
|
Voice of hell, or of heaven...?
|
|
GIRY
|
Heaven help you,
|
those who doubt...
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
You'll sing again,
|
and to an unending
|
ovation!
|
|
RAOUL
|
Orders! Warnings!
|
Lunatic demands!
|
|
GIRY
|
This miscasting
|
will invite damnation...
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Tears...oaths...
|
lunatic demands
|
are regular occurrences!
|
|
MEG
|
Bliss or damnation?
|
|
Which has claimed her...?
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
Think how you'll shine
|
in that final
|
encore!
|
Sing, prima donna,
|
once more!
|
|
GIRY
|
Oh fools,
|
to have flouted his warnings!
|
|
RAOUL
|
Surely, for her sake...
|
|
MEG
|
Surely, he'll strike back...
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Surely, there'll be further scenes -
|
|
worse than this!
|
|
GIRY
|
Think, before
|
these demands are rejected!
|
|
RAOUL
|
...I must see
|
these demands are rejected!
|
|
MEG
|
...if his threats
|
and demands are rejected!
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Who'd believe a diva
|
happy to relieve a
|
chorus girl, who's gone
|
and slept with the patron?
|
Raoul and the soubrette,
|
entwined in love's duet!
|
Although he may demur,
|
he must have been with her!
|
|
MEG/RAOUL
|
Christine must be protected!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
O, fortunata!
|
Non ancor
|
|
abbandonata!
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
You'd never get away
|
with all this in a play,
|
but if it's loudly sung
|
and in a foreign tongue,
|
it's just the sort of story
|
audiences adore, in
|
fact a perfect
|
opera!
|
|
RAOUL
|
His game is over!
|
|
GIRY
|
This is a game
|
you cannot hope to win!
|
|
RAOUL
|
And in Box Five
|
a new game will begin...
|
|
GIRY
|
For, if his curse
|
is on this opera...
|
|
MEG
|
But if his curse
|
|
is on this opera...
|
|
ANDR'/FIRMIN
|
Prima donna,
|
the world is at your feet!
|
A nation waits,
|
and how it hates
|
to be cheated!
|
|
CARLOTTA
|
The stress that falls upon a
|
famous prima donna!
|
Terrible diseases,
|
coughs and colds and sneezes!
|
|
Still, the driest throat
|
will reach the highest note,
|
in search of perfect
|
opera!
|
|
MEG/GIRY
|
...then I fear the outcome...
|
|
RAOUL
|
Christine plays the Pageboy,
|
Carlotta plays the Countess...
|
|
GIRY
|
...should you dare to...
|
|
MEG
|
...when you once again...
|
|
ALL
|
Light up the stage
|
with that age-old
|
rapport!
|
Sing, prima donna,
|
once more!
|
|
PHANTOM
|
(spoken)
|
So, it is to be war between us! If these
|
demands are not met, a disaster beyond
|
your imagination will occur!
|
|
ALL
|
Once more!
|
|
-----------------
|
Notes.../Prima Donna
|
| Andrew Lloyd Webber |
