[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! 
(At the height of the activity a grotesque figure suddenly appears at the lop of the staircase. Dressed all in crimson, with a death's head visible inside the hood of his robe, the PHANTOM [bad word] to the party. With dreadful wooden steps he descends the stairs and takes the 
centre of the stage) 

PHANTOM: 
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! 
(He takes from under his robe an enormous bound manuscript) 
Here I bring the finished score - 
"Don Juan Triumphant" ! 
(He throws it to ANDRE) 
I advise youto [bad word] - 
My [bad word] should be clear - 
Remember, 
There are worse things, 
Than a shattered chandelier . . . 
(CHRISTlNE, mesmerized, 
approaches as the PHANTOM beckons her. He reaches out, grasps the 
chain that holds the secret engagement ring, and rips it 
from her throat) 
Your chains are still mine - 
you will sing for me! 
(ALL cower in suspense as the music crescendos, until 
suddenly, his figure evaporates) 
(BACKSTAGE) 

RAOUL: 
Madame Giry, madame Giry... 

GIRY: 
Monsieur, don't ask me - I know no more, than 
anyone else. 
(She moves off again. 
He stops her) 

RAOUL: 
That's not [bad word]