Saturday, January 23, 2010
ACT 2:
-----
THE STAIRCASE OF THE OPERA HOUSE
(A gauze half conceals the tableau of guests at the
opera ball. The guests (whom we cannot yet see
clearly) are in fancy dress a peacock, a lion, a dragon,
Mephistopheles, a highwayman, a clown,
knights, ladies, an executioner. M. ANDRE enters.
He is dressed as a skeleton in an opera cape. Almost
immediately M. FIRMIN arrives.He is also dressed
as a skeleton in an opera cape. The two skeletons see
each other and approach nervously)
ANDRE
M'sieur Firmin?
FIRMIN
M'sieur Andre?
(Each raises his mask to the other. They recognise each
other.)
FIRMIN
Dear Andre
what a splendid party!
ANDRE
The prologue
to a bright new year!
FIRMIN
Quite a night!
I'm impressed!
FIRMIN
Well, one does
one's best . . .
ANDRE/FIRMIN (raising their glasses)
Here's to us!
FIRMIN
I must say, all the same, that
it's a shame that 'Phantom'
fellow isn't here!
(The gauze lifts fully to reveal the staircase of the
opera house. The opera ball begins. Among the
GUESTS are four carrying strange percussion
instruments: a monkey with cymbals, a toy soldier
with a drum, a triangle, bells. Together they play
weirdly throughout)
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 goose . . .
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 . . .
RAOUL/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
any friend who
ever knew you!
Masquerade!
Leering satyrs,
peering eyes . . .
Masquerade!
Run and hide -
but a face will
still pursue you!
(The ENSEMBLE activity becomes background, as
ANDRE, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA
come to the fore, glasses in hand)
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/GlRY
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 ghost!
GIRY
Here's a health!
ANDRE
Here's a toast:
to a prosperous year!
FIRMIN
To the new chandelier!
PIANGI/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!
(They clink glasses and move off RAOUL and
CHRISTINE emerge. She is admiring a new acquisition:
an engagement ring from RAOUL, which she has
attached to a gold chain around her neck.)
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?
You promised me.
CHRISTINE
Please, let's not fight . . .
RAOUL
Christine, you're free!
CHRISTINE
Wait till the time is right . . .
RAOUL
When will 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 . . .
(Dance section, in which CHRISTINE, almost
coquettish almost jittery, goes from man to man. But too
many of her partners seem to be replicas of the
PHANTOM, and each spins her with increasing force.
Eventually RAOUL rescues her and holds her tightly. He
whirls her back into the dance, as the music heads
towards its climax.)
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!
