Notes? / Prima Donna (Film Version)

[FIRMIN]
"Mystery after gala night,"
It says, "Mystery of sopranos flight!"
"Mystified," all the papers say
"We are mystified. We suspect foul play!"

Bad news on soprano scene
First Carlotta, now Christine
Still at least the seats get sold
Gossip's worth its weight in gold

What a way to run a business
Spare me these unending trials
Half your cast disappears
But the crowd still cheers
Opera!

To hell with Gluck and Handel
Have a scandal and you're sure to have a hit!

[ANDRE]
Damnable!

[FIRMIN]
Will they all walk out?
This is damnable!

André, please don't shout
It's publicity, and the take is vast
Free publicity

[ANDRE]
But we have no cast!

[FIRMIN]
André, have you seen the queue?
Ah, it seems you've got one, too

[ANDRE]
"Dear André, what a charming gala
Christine was in a word sublime
We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left
On that note: The diva's a disaster, must you cast her
When she's seasons past her prime?

[FIRMIN]
"Dear Firmin, just a brief reminder
My salary has not been paid
Send it care of the Ghost by return of post
P.T.O. No one likes a debtor
So it's better if my orders are obeyed!"

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Who would have the gall to send this?
Someone with a puerile brain

[FIRMIN]
These are both signed "O.G."

[ANDRE]
Who the hell is he?

[FIRMIN & ANDRE]
Opera Ghost!

[FIRMIN]
It is nothing short of shocking

[ANDRE]

He is mocking our position

[FIRMIN]
In addition he wants money

[ANDRE]

What a funny apparition

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
To expect a large retainer
Nothing plainer
He is clearly quite insane

[ANDRE]
You mean Carlotta?

[FIRMIN]
Well, how should we know?

[RAOUL]
Where is she?

I mean Miss Daaé
Where is she?

I want an answer

[RAOUL]
I take it that you sent me this note

She's not with you then?

Monsieur don't argue
Isn't this the letter you wrote?

[FIRMIN]
What's all this nonsense?

Don't look at us

Of course not!

[ANDRE]
Of course not!

We're in the dark

[FIRMIN]
And what is is that we're meant to have wrote?
...Written

[RAOUL hands the note to ANDRE, who reads it]

[ANDRE]
"Do not fear for Miss Daae
The Angel of Music has her under his wing
Make no attempt to see her again."

[RAOUL]
If you didn't write it, then who did?

[CARLOTTA bursts in. She too has a letter.]

[CARLOTTA]
Where is he?

[CARLOTTA & PIANGI]
Your precious patron
Where is he?

[CARLOTTA]
I have your letter
A letter which I rather resent

[ANDRE]
Ah, welcome back!

[RAOUL]
What is it now?
[FIRMIN]
And did you send it?

[RAOUL]
Of course not!

[ANDRE]
As if he would

[CARLOTTA & PIANGI]
You didn't send it?

[RAOUL]
Of course not!

[FIRMIN]
What going on?

[CARLOTTA]
You dare to tell me

[CARLOTTA]
That this is not the letter you sent?

[RAOUL]
And what is it that I'm meant to have sent?

[RAOUL takes the letter and reads it]

"Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered. Christine Daaé will be singing on your behalf tonight. Be prepared for a great misfortune, should you attempt to take her place."

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Far too many notes for my taste
And most of them about Christine
All we've heard since we came
Is Miss Daaé's name

[MME GIRY]
Miss Daaé has returned

[FIRMIN]
I hope no worse for wear as far as we're concerned

[ANDRE]
Where precisely is she now?

[MMME GIRY]
I thought it best she was alone

[MEG]
She needed rest

[RAOUL]
May I see her?

[MME GIRY]
No monsieur, she will see no one

[CARLOTTA & PIANGI]
Will she sing?
Will she sing?

[MME GIRY]
Here, I have a note

[ALL (except Mme Giry and Meg)]
Let me see it

[FIRMIN, spoken]
Please

"Gentlemen, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature, detailing how my theater is to be run
You have not followed my instructions...

[PHANTOM]
...You have not followed my instructions
I shall give you one last chance
[PHANTOM, sung]
Christine Daaé has returned to you
And I am anxious her career should progress
In the new production of Il Muto
You will therefore cast Carlotta as the pageboy
And put Miss Daaé in the role of Countess
The role which Miss Daaé plays
Calls for charm and appeal
The role of the pageboy is silent which makes
My casting, in a word, ideal

(spoken)
I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in box 5, which will be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur. I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant
O.G

[CARLOTTA]
Christine!

[CARLOTTA & PIANGI]
It's all a ploy to help Christine

[CARLOTTA]
I know who sent this
The Vicomte, her lover

[ANDRE]
What ever next?

[FIRMIN]
This is insane

[RAOUL]
Indeed?
Can you believe this?

[FIRMIN]
Signora

[CARLOTTA]
O traditori!

O mentitori!

[ANDRE]
This is a joke
This changes nothing

Signora!
[ANDRE]
You are our star

[FIRMIN]
And always will be

[ANDRE]
Signora

[FIRMIN]
The man is mad

[ANDRE]
We don't take orders

[FIRMIN]
Miss Daaé will be playing the pageboy
The silent role

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Carlotta will be playing the lead

[CARLOTTA]
It's useless trying to appease me!
You're only saying this to please me
Signor, è vero?
Non, non, non voglio udire!
Lasciatemi morire!
O padre mio!
Dio!

[PIANGI]
Appease her!

Please her!

Non, non, non voglio udire!
Lasciatemi morire!
O padre mio!
Dio!

[MME GIRY]
Who scorn his
​word
Beware to those
The angel sees, the angel knows

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Signora, pardon us

Please Signora we beseech you

[CARLOTTA]
You have reviled me!

You have rebuked me!

You have replaced
​me!

[MME GIRY]
This hour shall see your darkest fears
The angel sees, the angel hears
[CARLOTTA & PIANGI]
Abbandonata!
Deseredata!
[?]
[RAOUL]
I must see her
Where did she go?

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Signora, sing for us
Don't be a matyr

Our star!

O, sventurata!
Disgraziata!

[?]

[RAOUL, GIRY, MEG]
What new surprises
Lie in store?

[FANS, spoken]
Could you please give this to Miss Daaé?
Miss Daaé?

[ANDRE]
Your public needs you

[FIRMIN]
We need you too

[CARLOTTA]
Wouldn't you rather have your precious little ingénue?

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Signora, no! The world wants you

Prima Donna, first lady of the stage
Your devotees are on their knees to implore you

[ANDRE]
Can you bow out when they're shouting your name?

[FIRMIN]
Think of how they all adore you

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Prima Donna, enchant us once again

[ANDRE]
Think of your muse

[FIRMIN]
And of the queues 'round the theatre!

[ANDRE, FIRMIN & PIANGI]
Can you deny us the triumph in store?

[ANDRE, FIRMIN
& PIANGI]
Sing, Prima Donna, once more

Think of your public

Those who hear you liken you to an angel

[ANDRE]
We get our Opera

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Leading ladies are a trial

Tears...
Oaths...
Lunatic demands are regular occurrences

Surely there'll be further scenes—
Worse than this!

[CARLOTTA]
Prima Donna
Your song shall live again
You took a snub
But there's a public who needs you

Think of the cry of undying support

Follow
​where the
​limelight
​leads you

Prima Donna
Your song shall never die

You'll sing again
And to unending ovation

Think how you'll shine in that final encore

Sing Prima Donna once more

[RAOUL]
Christine spoke of an angel

[MME GIRY]
She has heard the voice of the Angel of Music

[FIRMIN]
She gets her limelight

[PIANGI]
When she sings, we see heaven

[RAOUL]
Orders! Warnings!
Lunatic demands!

I must see these demands are rejected!

[ANDRE & FIRMIN]
Who'd believe a diva
Happy to relieve a
Chorus girl whose gone
And slept with the patron?
Raoul and the soubrette,​
Entwined in love's duet!
Although he may demur
He must have been with her!
You'd never get away
With all this in a play
But if it's loudly sung
And in a foreign tongue
It's just the sort of story
Audiences adore
In fact, a perfect opera!

[CARLOTTA]
O!
[?]
Fortunata!
Non ancor
Abbandonata

[MEG & GIRY]
For if his curse
​is on this Opera...
[ALL]
Prima Donna the world is at your feet
A nation waits, and how it hates to be cheated!
Light up the stage with that age-old rapport
Sing Prima Donna
Once more!