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Prologue
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THE STAGE OF THE PARIS OPERA, 1905
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(The contents of the opera house is being
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auctioned off. An AUCTIONEER, PORTERS,
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BIDDERS, and RAOUL, seventy now, but still
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bright of eye. The action commences with a
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blow from the AUCTlONEER's gavel)
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AUCTIONEER
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Sold. Your number, sir? Thank you.
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Lot 663, then, ladies and gentlemen: a poster
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for this house's production of "Hannibal" by
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Chalumeau.
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PORTER
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Showing here.
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AUCTIONEER
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Do I have ten francs? Five then. Five I am bid.
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Six, seven. Against you, sir, seven. Eight.
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Eight once. Selling twice. Sold, to Raoul,
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Vicomte de Chagny.
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Lot 664: a wooden pistol and three human
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skulls from the 1831 production of "Robert le
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Diable" by Meyerbeer. Ten francs for this. Ten,
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thank you. Ten francs still. Fifteen, thank you,
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sir Fifteen I am bid. Going at fifteen. Your
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number, sir?
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665, ladies and gentlemen: a papier-mache
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musical box, in the shape of a barrel-organ.
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Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian
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robes playing the cymbals. This item,
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discovered in the vaults of the theatre, still in
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working order.
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PORTER (holding it up)
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Showing here. (He sets it in motion)
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AUCTIONEER
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My I start at twenty francs? Fifteen, then?
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Fifteen I am bid.
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(the bidding continues. RAOUL. eventually
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buys the box for thirty francs)
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Sold, for thirty francs to the Vicomte de
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Chagny. Thank you, sir.
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(The box is handed across to RAOUL. He studies it, as
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attention focuses on him for a moment)
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RAOUL (quietly, half to himself, half to the
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box)
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A collector's piece indeed . . .
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every detail exactly as she said . . .
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She often spoke of you, my friend ....
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Your velvet lining, and your figurine of lead...
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Will you still play,
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when all the rest of us are dead?
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(Attention returns to the AUCTIONEER, as he
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resumes)
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AUCTIONEER
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Lot 666, then: a chandelier in pieces. Some of
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you may recall the strange affair of the
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Phantom of the Opera: a mystery never fully
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explained. We are told ladies and gentlemen,
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that this is the very chandelier which figures in
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the famous disaster. Our workshops have
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restored it and fitted up parts of it with wiring
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for the new electric light, so that we may get a
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hint of what it may look like when re-
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assembled. Perhaps we may frighten away the
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ghost of so many years ago with a little
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illumination, gentlemen?
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(The AUCTIONEER switches on the chandelier
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There is an enormous flash, and the OVERTURE
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begins. During the overture the opera house is
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restored to its earlier grandeur. The chandelier
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immense and glittering, rises magically from
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the stage, finally hovering high above the
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stalls)
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-----------------
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Prologue
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Phantom Of The Opera |