Luyện nghe bài hát Masquerade

Dear Andre what a party!

The to a bright new year!

a night! I'm impressed!

Well, one does best . . .

(raising their glasses) to us!

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

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

are four carrying strange percussion instruments: a 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! around - there's another mask behind you!

of mauve . . .
Splash of . . .
and king . . .
Ghoul and . . .
and black . . .
Queen and . . .
Trace of . . .
of beast . . .

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

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

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

But who can name the . . .?

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

Masquerade! glances, turning heads . . .
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles you!

Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing . . .
Masquerade! You can fool any friend who knew you!

Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering . . .
Masquerade! Run and hide - but a face still pursue you!

(The ENSEMBLE activity background, as ANDRE, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA come to the fore, glasses 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 never fade!

Six months!

a joy!

a change!

What a release!

And a masquerade!

(They clink glasses and move off and

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

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

But why is it secret? What have we to

Please, let's not . . .

Christine, free!

Wait the time 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 hope I'll . . .

You . . .

. . . in time . . .

(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 each spins her with 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 world will find you!

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

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

Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning . . .
Masquerade! your fill - let the spectacle astound 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 inside the hood of his robe, the PHANTOM has come to the party. With dreadful wooden he descends the stairs and takes the centre of the stage)