|
Prima Donna
|
ANDRE
|
Your public needs you!
|
FIRMIN
|
We need you, too!
|
CARLOTTA (unassuaged)
|
Would you not
|
rather have your
|
precious little
|
ingenue?
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Signora, no!
|
the world wants you!
|
(The MANAGERS adopt their most persuasive attitudes)
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Prima donna
|
first lady of the stage!
|
Your devotees
|
are on their knees
|
to implore you !
|
ANDRE
|
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!
|
ANDRE
|
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!
|
(CARLOTTA registers her acceptance as the
|
MANAGERS continue to cajole and the OTHERS reflect
|
variously on the situation)
|
RAOUL
|
Christine spoke of an angel . . .
|
CARLOTTA (to herself, in triumph)
|
Prima donna
|
your song shall live again!
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)
|
Think of your public!
|
CARLOTTA
|
You took a snub
|
but there's a public
|
who needs you!
|
GIRY (referring to CHRISTINE)
|
She has heard the voice
|
of the angel of music . . .
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)
|
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 . . .?
|
ANDRE (to FIRMlN)
|
We get our opera . . .
|
FIRMIN (to ANDRE)
|
She gets her limelight!
|
CARLOTTA
|
Follow where the limelight
|
leads you!
|
MEG
|
Is this ghost
|
an angel or a madman . . .?
|
RAOUL
|
Angel or madman . . .?
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN (aside)
|
Leading ladies are a trial!
|
GIRY
|
Heaven help you,
|
those who doubt . . .
|
CARLOTTA
|
You'll sing again,
|
and to unending
|
ovation!
|
RAOUL
|
Orders! Warnings!
|
Lunatic demands!
|
GIRY
|
This miscasting
|
will invite damnation . . .
|
ANDRE/FIRMIN
|
Tears . . . oaths . . .
|
Iunatic 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 . . .
|
ANDRE/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!
|
ANDRE/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!
|
ANDRE/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 . . .
|
ANDRE/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 dryest 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'S VOICE
|
So, it is to be war between us! If these demands are not
|
met, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur!
|
ALL
|
Once more!
|
|
|
|
-----------------
|
Prima Donna
|
Phantom Of The Opera |