Masquerade/Why So Silent?

[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.]

[ENSEMBLE]
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

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?

[ENSEMBLE]
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 ANDRÉ, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA come to the fore, glasses in hand]

[GIRY]
What a night

[MEG]
What a crowd

[ANDRÉ]
Makes you glad

[FIRMIN]
Makes you proud
All the crême de la crême

[CARLOTTA]
Watching us
And watching them!

[MEG/GIRY]
And all our fears are in the past!
[ANDRÉ]
Six months

[PIANGI]
Of relief

[CARLOTTA]
Of delight

[ANDRÉ/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

[ANDRÉ]
Here's a toast
To a prosperous year

[FIRMIN]
To the new chandelier

[PIANGI/CARLOTTA]
And may our
​splendour
​never fade!

[FIRMIN]
Six months!

[GIRY]
What a joy!
[MEG]
What a change

[FIRMIN/ANDRÉ]
What a blessed release

[ANDRÉ]
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 secret? What have we to hide?

[CHRISTINE]
Please let's not fight

Wait till the time is right

Let's not argue
Please pretend
You will understand in time
[RAOUL]

Christine, you're free

When will that be?
It is a engagement, not a crime
Christine, what are you afraid of?
Let's not argue
I can only hope
I'll understand in time

[Instrumental interlude]

[ENSEMBLE]
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

[At the height of the activity a grotesque figure suddenly appears at the top of the staircase. Dressed all in crimson, with a death's head visible inside the hood of his robe, the PHANTOM has come 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*!
I advise you to comply
My instructions should be clear
Remember there are worse things than a shattered chandelier

[To CHRISTINE]

Your chains are still mine
You will sing for me!