SCENE THREE
THE MANAGERS' OFFICE
(The PHANTOM's score lies open on the desk. ANDRÉ is
impatiently flicking through it)
ANDRÉ
Ludicrous!
Have you seen the score?
FIRMIN (entering)
Simply ludicrous!
ANDRÉ
It's the final straw!
FIRMIN
This is lunacy!
Well, you know my views...
ANDRÉ
Utter lunacy!
FIRMIN
But we daren't refuse...
ANDRÉ (groans)
Not another
chandelier...
FIRMIN
Look, my friend, what
we have here...
(He has two notes from the PHANTOM, one of which he hands
to ANDRÉ, who opens it and reads):
ANDRÉ
'Dear André,
Re my orchestrations:
We need another first bassoon.
Get a player with tone -
and that third trombone
has to go!
The man could not be deafer,
so please preferably one
who plays in tune!'
FIRMIN (reading his letter):
'Dear Firmin,
vis à vis my opera:
some chorus-members must be sacked.
If you could, find out which
has a sense of pitch -
wisely, though,
I've managed to assign a
rather minor rôle to those
who cannot act!'
(They are interrupted by the arrival of CARLOTTA and
PIANGI, both furiously brandishing similar notes)
CARLOTTA
Outrage!
FIRMIN
What is it now?
CARLOTTA
This whole affair is
an outrage!
FIRMIN
Signora, please...
ANDRÉ
Now what's the matter?
CARLOTTA
Have you seen
the size of my part?
ANDRÉ
Signora, listen...
PIANGI
It's an insult!
FIRMIN
Not you as well!
PIANGI
Just look at this -
it's an insult!
FIRMIN
Please, understand...
ANDRÉ
Signor! Signora!
CARLOTTA
The things I have
to do for my art!
PIANGI (stabbing a finger at the open score)
If you can call
this gibberish 'art'!
(RAOUL and CHRISTINE enter. CARLOTTA bristles)
CARLOTTA (dryly)
Ah! Here's our little flower!
FIRMIN
Ah, Miss Daaé,
quite the lady
of the hour!
ANDRÉ (explaining)
You have
secured the largest rôle
in this 'Don Juan'.
CARLOTTA (half to herself)
Christine Daaé?
She doesn't have
the voice!
FIRMIN (hearing this, to CARLOTTA)
Signora, please!
RAOUL (to the MANAGERS)
Then I take it
you're agreeing.
CARLOTTA (aside)
She's behind this...
ANDRÉ
It appears we have
no choice.
CARLOTTA (unable to contain herself any longer, points
accusingly)
She's the one
behind this!
Christine Daaé!
CHRISTINE (who has been silent till now, incensed at this)
How dare you!
CARLOTTA
I'm not a fool!
CHRISTINE
You evil woman!
How dare you!
CARLOTTA
You think I'm blind!
CHRISTINE
This isn't my fault!
I don't want any
part in this plot!
FIRMIN
Miss Daaé, surely...
ANDRÉ
But why not?
PIANGI (baffled, to CARLOTTA)
What does she say?
FIRMIN (reasonably)
It's your decision -
(Suddenly rounding on her)
But why not?
CARLOTTA (to PIANGI)
She's backing out!
ANDRÉ
You have a duty!
CHRISTINE
I cannot sing it,
duty or not!
RAOUL (comforting)
Christine...
Christine...
You don't have to...
they can't make you...
(MEG and GIRY arrive, the latter bearing another note from
the PHANTOM)
GIRY
Please, Monsieur:
another note.
(The MANAGERS gesture: 'read it'. As she reads, ALL react
variously, as they are singled out)
GIRY
'Fondest greetings
to you all!
A few instructions,
just before
rehearsal starts:
Carlotta must
be taught to act...'
(The PHANTOM's voice gradually takes over from her)
PHANTOM'S VOICE
...not her normal trick
of strutting round the stage.
Our Don Juan must
lose some weight -
it's not healthy in
a man of Piangi's age.
And my managers
must learn
that their place is in
an office, not the arts.
As for Miss Christine Daaé...
No doubt she'll
do her best - it's
true her voice is
good. She knows, though,
should she wish to excel,
she has much still
to learn, if pride will
let her
return to me, her
teacher,
her teacher...
Your obedient friend...
(The PHANTOM's voice fades out and GIRY takes over)
GIRY
'...and Angel...'
(Attention now focuses on RAOUL, whose eyes are suddenly
bright with a new thought)
RAOUL
We have all been
blind - and yet the
answer is staring us
in the face...
This could be the
chance to ensnare our
clever friend...
ANDRÉ
We're listening...
FIRMIN
Go on...
RAOUL
We shall play his
game - perform his
work - but remember we
hold the ace...
For, if Miss Daaé
sings, he is certain
to attend...
ANDRÉ (carried along by the idea)
We make certain
the doors are barred...
FIRMIN (likewise)
We make certain
our men are there...
RAOUL
We make certain
they're armed...
RAOUL/ANDRÉ/FIRMIN (savouring their victory)
The curtain falls -
his reign will end!
(ALL have been listening intently. GIRY is the first to express a
reaction. CHRISTINE remains silent and withdrawn)
GIRY
Madness!
ANDRÉ
I'm not so sure...
FIRMIN
Not if it works...
GIRY
This is madness!
ANDRÉ
The tide will turn!
GIRY
Monsieur, believe me -
there is no way of
turning the tide!
FIRMIN (to GIRY)
You stick to ballet!
RAOUL (rounding on GIRY)
Then help us!
GIRY
Monsieur, I can't...
RAOUL
Instead of warning us...
RAOUL/ANDRÉ/FIRMIN
Help us!
GIRY
I wish I could...
RAOUL/ANDRÉ/FIRMIN
Don't make excuses!
RAOUL
Or could it be that
you're on his side?
GIRY (to RAOUL)
Monsieur, believe me,
I intend no ill...
(to ANDRÉ and FIRMIN)
But messieurs, be careful -
we have seen him kill...
ANDRÉ/FIRMIN (to GIRY)
We say he'll fall,
and fall he will!
CARLOTTA
She's the one behind this!
Christine!
This is all her doing!
PIANGI
This is the truth!
Christine Daaé!
RAOUL
This is his undoing!
ANDRÉ/FIRMIN (to RAOUL)
If you succeed,
you free us all -
this so-called 'angel'
has to fall!
RAOUL
Angel of Music,
fear my fury -
Here is where you fall!
GIRY (to RAOUL)
Hear my warning!
Fear his fury!
CARLOTTA
What glory can
she hope to gain?
It's clear to all
the girl's insane!
ANDRÉ (to FIRMIN)
If Christine sings
we'll get our man...
CHRISTINE (bursting through the hubbub with a great cry)
I'll go mad!!!
(To RAOUL pleading)
Raoul, I'm frightened -
don't make me do this...
Raoul, it scares me -
don't put me through this
ordeal by fire...
he'll take me, I know...
we'll be parted for ever...
he won't let me go...
What I once used to dream
I now dread...
if he finds me, it won't
ever end...
and he'll always be there,
singing songs in my head...
he'll always be there,
singing songs in my head...
(ALL stare at her)
CARLOTTA
She's mad...
RAOUL (to CHRISTINE)
You said yourself
he was nothing
but a man...
Yet while he lives,
he will haunt us
till we're dead...
(CHRISTINE turns away, unhappily)
CHRISTINE
Twisted every way,
what answer can I give?
Am I to risk my life,
to win the chance to live?
Can I betray the man,
who once inspired my voice?
Do I become his prey?
Do I have any choice?
He kills without a thought,
he murders all that's good...
I know I can't refuse,
and yet, I wish I could...
Oh God - if I agree,
what horrors wait for me
in this, the Phantom's opera...?
RAOUL (to CHRISTINE, very tenderly)
Christine, Christine,
don't think that I don't care -
but every hope
and every prayer
rests on you now...
(CHRISTINE, overcome by her conflicting emotions, turns away
and hurries out. RAOUL strides forward and addresses an
imaginary PHANTOM)
RAOUL
So, it is to be war between us!
But this time, clever friend,
the disaster will be yours!
(As lights fade, ATTENDANTS stretch a red velvet rope across
the downstage area. OTHERS bring on gilt chairs. CARLOTTA,
PIANGI and GIRY move downstage to take their places for the
next scene)
SCENE FOUR
A REHEARSAL FOR
‘DON JUAN TRIUMPHANT'
(REYER supervises the learning of the new piece from the piano.
Present are PIANGI, CHRISTINE, CARLOTTA, GIRY and
CHORUS)
Don Juan, Signor Piangi - here is the phrase.
(He demonstrates it)
'Those who tangle with Don Juan...?
If you please?
PIANGI (still wrong)
Those who tangle with Don Juan...
REYER
No, no. Nearly - but no.
'Those who tan, tan, tan...'
PIANGI (still wrong)
Those who tangle with Don Juan...
CARLOTTA (to the OTHERS)
His way is better. At least he make it sound like music!
GIRY (to CARLOTTA)
Signora - would you speak that way in the presence of the
composer?
CARLOTTA (deaf to the implications of this remark)
The composer is not here. And if he were here, I would...
GIRY (cutting in, ominous)
Are you certain of that, Signora...?
REYER
So once again - after seven.
(He gives the note and counts in)
Five, six, seven...
PIANGI (wrong again)
Those who tangle with Don Juan...
(Gradually EVERYONE starts either to talk or to practise the
phrase simultaneously)
CARLOTTA
Ah, più non posso!
CARLOTTA
No-one will care
CHRISTINE (to PIANGI)
Those who tan... tan...
(REYER thumps the piano keys, then leaves the piano, and
attempts to attract attention using signals. At the height of the
mayhem, the piano suddenly begins to demonstrate the music
unaided. It plays with great force and rhythm. ALL fall silent
and freeze, then suddenly start to sing the piece robotically and
accurately. As they continue to sing, CHRISTINE moves away
from the group)
ALL EXCEPT CHRISTINE
Poor young maiden! For the thrill
on your tongue of stolen sweets
you will have to pay the bill -
tangled in the winding sheets!
(As the ENSEMBLE becomes background, CHRISTINE,
transfixed, sings independently)
CHRISTINE
In sleep
he sang to me,
in dreams
he came...
that voice
which calls to me
and speaks
my name...