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!
toast to all the city!

FIRMIN
Such a pity
that the Phantom can't
be 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
 [bad word]  a monkey with cymbals, a toy soldier
with a [bad word]  a triangle, bells. Together they play
weirdly throughout)

 [bad word] 
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 . . .
 [bad word] 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! [bad word] and hide -
but a face will
still pursue you!

(The ENSEMBLE activity [bad word] background, as
ANDRE, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA [bad word] 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!

~~~~~~

Why so silent, good Messieurs?
Did you think that I had left you for good?
Have you missed me, good Messieurs?
I have written you an opera.
Here I bring the finished score:
Don Juan Triumphant!
Fondest greetings to you all
few [bad word] just before rehearsal starts
Carlotta must be taught to act
Not her normal trick of [bad word] around the stage
Our Don Juan must lose weight
It's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age
And my managers must learn that their place is in an office
Not the arts
As for our star, Miss Christine Daae...