CARLOTTA
Think of me,
think of me fondly,
when we've said
goodbye.
Remember me
once in a while -
please promise me
you'll try.

When you find
that, once
again, you long
to take your heart . . .

(As CARLOTTA is singing a backdrop crashes to the
floor cutting her off from half the cast)

MEG/BALLET GIRLS/CHORUS
He's here:
the Phantom of the Opera . . .
He is with us . . .
It's the ghost . . .

PIANGI (looking up, furiously)
You idiots!

(He rushes over to CARLOTTA)
Cara! Cara! Are you hurt?

LEFEVRE
Signora! Are you all right? Buquet!
Where is Buquet ?

PIANGI
Is no one concerned for our prima donna?

LEFEVRE
Get that man down here !
(to ANDRE and FIRMIN)
Chief of the flies. He's responsible for this.

(The drop is raised high enough to reveal upstage an old
stagehand, JOSEPH BUQUET, holding a length of rope,
which looks almost like a noose)

LEFEVRE
Buquet! For God's sake, man, what's going on up there?

BUQUET
Please monsieur
don't look at me:
as God's my witness,
I was not at my post.

Please monsieur
there's no one there:
and if there is, well
then, it must be a ghost . . .

MEG (looking up)
He's there; the Phantom of the Opera ...

ANDRE
Good heavens!
Will you show a little courtesy?

FIRMIN (to MEG and the OTHERS)
Mademoiselle, please!

ANDRE (to CARLOTTA)
These things do happen.

CARLOTTA
Si! These things do happen! Well, until you stop these
things happening, this thing does not happen!

Ubaldo! Andiamo!
(PIANGI dutifully fetches her furs from the wings)

PIANGI
Amateurs !

LEFEVRE
I don't think there's much more to assist you,
gentlemen. Good luck. If you need me, I shall be in
Frankfurt .

(He leaves. The COMPANY looks anxiously at the NEW
MANAGERS)

ANDRE
La Carlotta will be back.


GIRY
You think so, messieurs? I have a message, sir, from the
Opera Ghost.

(The GIRLS twitter and twirl in fear)

FIRMIN
God in Heaven, you're all obsessed!

GIRY
He merely welcomes you to his opera house and
commands you to continue to leave Box Five empty for
his use and reminds you that his salary is due.

FIRMIN
His salary?

GIRY
Monsieur Lefevre paid him twenty thousand francs a
month. Perhaps you can afford more, with the Vicomte de
Chagny as your patron.

(Reaction to this from the BALLET GIRLS.
CHRISTINE takes hold of MEG nervously)

ANDRE (to GIRY)
Madame, I had hoped to have made that
announcement myself.

GIRY (to FIRMIN)
Will the Vicomte be at the performance tonight,
monsieur?

FIRMIN
In our box.

ANDRE
Madame, who is the understudy for this role?

REYER
There is no understudy, monsieur - the
production is new.

MEG
Christine Daae could sing it, sir.

FlRMIN
The chorus girl ?

MEG (to FIRMIN)
She's been taking lessons from a great teacher

ANDRE
From whom ?

CHRISTINE (uneasily)
I don't know, sir . . .

FIRMIN
Oh, not you as well!
(turning to ANDRE)
Can you believe it? A full house - and we have to cancel !

GIRY
Let her sing for you, monsieur. She has been well taught.

REYER (after a pause)
From the beginning of the aria then, mam'selle.

CHRISTINE
Think of me
think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me
once in a while -
please promise me
you'll try.

FIRMIN
Andre, this is doing nothing for my nerves.

ANDRE
Don't fret, Firmin.

CHRISTINE
When you find
that, once
again, you long
to take your heart back
and be free -
if you
ever find
a moment,
spare a thought
for me

(Transformation to the Gala. CHRISTINE is
revealed in full costume)


We never said
our love
was evergreen,
or as unchanging
as the sea -
but if
you can still
remember
stop and think
of me . . .

Think of all the things
we've shared and seen -
don't think about the things
which might have been . . .

Think of me,
think of me waking,
silent and
resigned.

Imagine me,
trying too hard
to put you
from my mind.

Recall those days
look back
on all those times,
think of the things
we'll never do -
there will
never be
a day, when
I won't think
of you . .

(Applause, bravos. Prominent among the bravos, those
of the young RAOUL in the MANAGERS' box)

RAOUL
Can it be?
Can it be Christine?

Bravo!

(he raises his opera-glasses)

What a change!
You're really
not a bit
the gawkish girl
that once you were...

(lowering his opera-glasses)

She may
not remember
me, but
I remember
her...

CHRISTINE
We never said
our love
was evergreen,
or as unchanging
as the sea -
but please
promise me,
that sometimes
you will think
of