ANDRE
Your public needs you!

FIRMIN
We need you, too!

CARLOTTA
Would you not
rather have your
precious little
ingenue?

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Signora, no!
the world wants you!

ANDRE/FIRMIN
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!

BOTH
Prima donna,
enchant us once again!

ANDRE
Think of your muse . . .

FIRMIN
And of the queues
round the theatre!

BOTH
Can you deny us the triumph
in store?
Sing, prima donna, once more!

RAOUL
Christine spoke of an angel . . .

CARLOTTA
Prima donna
your song shall live again!

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Think of your public!
CARLOTTA

You took a snub
but there's a public
who needs you!

GIRY
She has heard the voice
of the angel of music . . .

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Those who hear your voice
liken you to an angel!

CARLOTTA
Think of their cry
of undying
support !

RAOUL
Is this her angel of music . . .?
ANDRE
We get our opera . . .
FIRMIN
She gets her limelight!

CARLOTTA
Follow where the limelight
leads you!

MEG
Is this ghost
an angel or a madman . . .?

RAOUL
Angel or madman . . .?

ANDRE/FIRMIN (aside)
Leading ladies are a trial!

GIRY
Heaven help you,
those who doubt . . .

CARLOTTA
You'll sing again,
and to unending
ovation!

RAOUL
Orders! Warnings!
Lunatic demands!

GIRY
This miscasting
will invite d___ation . . .

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Tears . . . oaths . . .
Iunatic demands
are regular occurrences!

MEG
Bliss or d___ation?
Which has claimed her . . .?

CARLOTTA
Think how you'll shine
in that final encore!
Sing, prima donna,
once more!

GIRY
Oh fools, to have flouted his warnings!

RAOUL
Surely, for her sake . . .

MEG
Surely he'll strike back . . .

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Surely there'll be further scenes -
worse than this!

GIRY
Think, before
these demands are rejected!

RAOUL
. . .I must see
these demands are rejected!

MEG
. . . if his threats
and demands are rejected!

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Who'd believe a diva
happy to relieve a chorus girl,
who's 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!

MEG/RAOUL
Christine must be protected!

CARLOTTA
O, fortunata!
Non ancor
abbandonata!

ANDRE/FIRMIN
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!

RAOUL
His game is over!

GIRY
This is a game
you cannot hope to win!

RAOUL
And in Box Five
a new game will begin . . .

GIRY
For, if his curse is on this opera . . .

MEG
But if his curse is on this opera . . .

ANDRE/FIRMIN
Prima donna
the world is at your feet!
A nation waits,
and how it hates
to be cheated!

CARLOTTA
The stress that falls upon a
famous prima donna!
Terrible diseases,
coughs and colds and sneezes!
Still, the dryest throat
will reach the highest note,
in search of perfect
opera!

MEG/GIRY
. . . then I fear the outcome . . .

RAOUL
Christine plays the Pageboy,
Carlotta plays the Countess . . .

GIRY
. . . should you dare to . .

MEG
. . . when you once again . . .

ALL
Light up the stage
with that age old
rapport!
Sing, prima donna,
once more!

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