Joel Schumacher

Sing once again with me our strange duet. / My power over you grows stronger yet. / And though you turn from me to glance behind, / The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind.

You have come here, in pursuit of your deepest urge. In pursuit of that wish which 'til now has been silent… SILENT! I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge. In your mind you've already sucummed to me. Dropped all defenses, completely sucummed to me. Now you are here with me. No second thoughts. You've decided… DECIDED! Past the point of no return. No backward glances… our games of make-believe are at an end! Past all thought of if or when. No use resisting… abandon thought and let the dream descend! What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desires unlock its door? What sweet seductions lie before us? Past the point of no return. The final threshold… what warm unspoken secrets will we learn? Beyond the point of no… return!

But Christine - fear can turn to love. You'll learn to see, to find the man behind the monster, this… repulsive carcass who seems a beast but secretly dreams of beauty secretly… secretly. Oh, Christine.

That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood has also denied me the joys of the flesh. This face - the infection which poisons our love. This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing, a mask: my first unfeeling scrap of clothing. Pity comes too late, turn around and face your fate, an eternity of this before your eyes!

Seal my fate tonight. I hate to have to cut the fun short, but the joke's wearing thin. Let the audience in. Let my opera BEGIN!

Why so silent, good monsieurs? Did you think that I had left you for good? Have you missed me, good monsieurs? I have written you an opera! Here I bring the finished score - Don Juan Triumphant! Fondest greetings to you all. A few instructions now before rehearsals start: Carlotta must be taught to act, 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 our star, Miss Christine Daae... 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.

Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as Hell! Why, you ask, was I bound and chained in this cold and dismal place? Not for any mortal sin, but the wickedness of my abhorrent face!

Christine Daae has returned to you, and I am anxious her career should progress. In the new production of "Il Muto", you will therefore cast Carlotta... as the Pageboy, and put Ms. Daae in the role of Countess. The role which Ms. Daae plays calls for charm and appeal. The role of the Pageboy is silent, which makes my casting- in a word... ideal.

I shall watch the performance from my normal seat in Box Five, which *will* be kept empty for me. Should these commands be ignored, a disaster beyond your imaginations will occur. I remain, gentlemen, you obedient servant. O. G.

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude. Say you'll want me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go too. Christine, that's all I ask of…

I gave you my music... made your song take wing... and now, how you've repaid me: denied me and betrayed me. He was bound to love you when he heard you sing... Christine... Christine...

That fate which condemns me to wallow in blood has also denied me the joys of the flesh this face-the infection which poisons our love. This face which earned a mother's fear and loathing, a mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing. Pity comes too late, turn around and face your fate, an eternity of this before your eyes!