Before the Performance

GUSTAVE:
Ooh...ooh...ooh...ooh...

CHRISTINE:
Gustave, could you hand me those earrings? The diamond ones on the left. There, how do I look?

GUSTAVE:
You look so beautiful
So very beautiful
Like a queen in a book

CHRISTINE:
You too are beautiful
So very beautiful
Once this performance is through
We'll spend some time
Just us two
Won't that be fun?

GUSTAVE:
(Father! Doesn't Mother look lovely tonight?)

RAOUL:
(Indeed she does. As lovely as she looked the very first time I came to her dressing room door.)

CHRISTINE:
(And look at you, Raoul! You look just like that handsome boy in the opera box. The one who would always toss me a single red rose.)

RAOUL:
Please, Gustave, if you don't mind
Would you wait outside a while?

GUSTAVE:
(May I go exploring? By myself?)

CHRISTINE:
Yes, but stay backstage my dear
When I'm finished, meet me here

GUSTAVE:
(I will.)

RAOUL:
Since our wedding day
Things have gone astray

CHRISTINE:
(Raoul...)

RAOUL:
I'm not proud of the way that I've acted

CHRISTINE:
(We've both been...)

RAOUL:
The demands I've made
All the hopes mislaid
I'm aware of the price they've exacted

Though I've no right to ask you to
There's one thing more I'd have you do
If you love me as I love you

CHRISTINE:
(Anything, darling.)

RAOUL:
Don't sing the song, dear

CHRISTINE:
(What? But Raoul...)

RAOUL:
You have to know something's terribly wrong, dear

CHRISTINE:
But I have to do this
It's what we agreed to

RAOUL:
That hell spawn demon
He's had us playing his game all along, dear

CHRISTINE:
Let me just get through this
Listen, please. I need to

RAOUL:
You need so much, it's true
And I've denied you
You need the man you knew
Back here beside you
You'll have him back, I vow
Just ask it of me
But we must leave here now
If you still love me

CHRISTINE:
(Do you mean it, Raoul? Truly?)

RAOUL:
(I've booked a passage for three to Cherbourg on the Atlantic Queen. It leaves in an hour, we'll have just enough time. I beg you. Let's be on it, for both our sakes. And the child's.)
Leave this place behind

PHANTOM:
He knows his love is not enough
He knows he isn't what you need
He knows you're made of finer stuff
I think on that, we're all agreed

It's time to leave him in the dust
It's time to be who you should be
It's time to do now as you must
And set the music in you free

In moments, mere moments
Drums will roll
There you'll stand
Just like before

The crowd will hush
And then in one sweet rush
I will hear you sing once more

And music, our music
Will swell and then unwind
Like two strands of melody
At last entwined

Fulfill us, complete us
Make us full
Seal our bond forever more
Tonight, for me
Embrace your destiny
Let me hear you sing
Once more!

STAGEHAND:
(Miss Daaé, it's time.)

CHRISTINE:
Twisted in every way
What answer can I give?

I know I can't refuse
And yet, I wish I could
Oh, god

RAOUL:
(offstage)
Christine, Christine
Don't think that I don't care

PHANTOM:
But every hope and every prayer
Rests on you now