Luyện nghe bài hát Masquerade

Dear Andre a splendid party!

The prologue to a new year!

a night! I'm impressed!

Well, one one's best . . .

(raising their glasses) to us!

I must say, all the same, that it's a shame 'Phantom' fellow isn't here!

(The gauze lifts fully to reveal the staircase of the house. The opera ball begins. Among the

are four carrying strange percussion a monkey with cymbals, a toy soldier with a drum, a triangle, bells. Together they play weirdly throughout)

Masquerade! Paper on parade . . .
Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never you!

Masquerade! Every face a different . . .
Masquerade! Look around - another mask behind you!

of mauve . . .
Splash of . . .
Fool and . . .
Ghoul and . . .
and black . . .
Queen and . . .
of rouge . . .
Face of . . .

. . .
Take your turn, a ride on the merry-go-round . . .
in an race . . .

Eye of . . .
of blue . . .
True is . . .
Who is who . . .? of lip . . .
of gown . . .
Ace of . . .
of clown . . .

. . .
Drink it in, drink it up, you've drowned in the light . . .
in the . . .

But who can the face . . .?

Masquerade! Grinning yellows, reds . . .
Masquerade! Take your fill - let the astound you!

Masquerade! Burning glances, turning . . .
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of around you!

Masquerade! shadows breathing lies . . .
Masquerade! You can fool any friend who ever you!

Masquerade! satyrs, peering eyes . . .
Masquerade! Run and - but a face will still pursue you!

(The ENSEMBLE activity becomes background, as ANDRE, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA come to the fore, in hand)

What a

a crowd!

you glad!

Makes you proud! All the de la creme!

Watching us them!

And all our are in the past!

Six months...

Of relief!

Of delight!

Of peace!

And we can at last!

No notes!

No ghost!

a health!

Here's a toast: to a year!

To the new chandelier!

And may its splendour fade!

Six months!

a joy!

a change!

What a release!

And a masquerade!

(They clink glasses and off RAOUL and

emerge. She is admiring a new acquisition: an engagement ring from RAOUL, which she has attached to a gold around her neck.)

Think of it! A secret engagement! Look - your future bride! Just of it!

But why is it secret? What have we to

Please, not fight . . .

Christine, free!

Wait till the is right . . .

When that be? It's an engagement, not a crime!

Christine, are you afraid of?

Let's not . . .

Let's not . . .

Please . . .

I can only hope . . .

You . . .

. . . understand in . . .

(Dance section, in which CHRISTINE, almost coquettish almost jittery, goes from man to man. But too many of her partners seem to be replicas of the PHANTOM, and spins her with increasing force. Eventually RAOUL rescues her and holds her tightly. He whirls her back into the dance, as the music heads towards its climax.)

Masquerade! Paper faces on parade! Masquerade! Hide your face, so the will never find you!

Masquerade! Every face a different shade! Masquerade! Look around - There's another behind you!

Masquerade! Burning glances, heads . . .
Masquerade! Stop and at the sea of smiles around you!

Masquerade! yellows, spinning reds . . .
Masquerade! Take your fill - let the spectacle you!

(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 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)