Notes .../Prima Donna

"Mystery after gala night " It says "mystery of sopranos flight" "Mystified " all the papers say "We are mystified We suspect foul play " Bad news on soprano scene First Carlotta now Christine Still at least the seats get sold Gossip's worth its weight in gold Diva tenders resignation Cover does a moonlight flit Half your cast disappears But the crowd still cheers Opera To hell with Gluck and Handel Have a scandal and you're sure to have a hit Damnable Will they all walk out This is damnable Andre please don't shout It's publicity and the take is vast Free publicity But we have no cast Andre have you seen the queue Ah it seems you've got one too "Dear Andre what a charming gala Christine enjoyed a great success We were hardly bereft when Carlotta left Otherwise the chorus was entrancing But the dancing was a lamentable mess " "Dear Firmin just a brief reminder; My salary has not been paid Send it care of the ghost By return of post P T O No one likes a debter So it's better if my orders are obeyed " Who would have the gall to send this Someone with a puerile brain These are both signed O G Who the hell is he Opera Ghost It's really not amusing He's abusing our position In addition he wants money He's a funny sort of spectre To expect a large retainer Nothing plainer He is clearly quite insane Where is she You mean Carlotta I mean Miss Daae Where is she Well how should we know I want an answer I take it that you sent me this note What all this nonsense Of course not Don't look at us She's not with you then Of course not We're in the dark Monsieur don't argue Isn't this the letter you wrote And what is is that we're meant to have wrote Written Do not fear for Miss Daae The Angel of Music has her under his wing Make no attempt to see her again " If you didn't write it then who did Where is he Ah welcome back Your precious patron Where is he What is it now I have your letter A letter that which I rather resent And did you send it Of course not As if he would You didn't send it Of course not What going on You dare to tell me That this is not the letter you sent And what is it that I'm meant to have sent "Your days at the Opera Populaire are numbered Christine Daae will be singing on your behalf tonight Be prepared for a great misfortune Should you attempt to take her place " Far too many notes for my taste And most of them about Christine All we've heard since we came Is Miss Daae's name Miss Daae has returned In which case I think our meeting is adjourned Where precisely is she now I thought it best that she went home She needed rest May I see her No monsieur she will see no one Will she sing Will she sing Here I have a note Let me see it Please "Gentlemen I have now sent you Several notes of the most aimnable nature Detailing how my theatre is to be run You have not followed my instructions I shall give you one last chance 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 page boy And put Miss Daae in the role of Countess The role which Miss Daae plays calls for charm and appeal The role of the page boy is silent Which makes my casting in a word ideal I shall watch the performance From my normal seat in box 5 which will be kept empty for me Should these commands be ignored a disaster Beyond your imagination will occur I remain gentlemen your obedient servant O G Christine Christine Christine What ever next It's all a ploy to help Christine This is insane I know who sent this The Viscount her lover Indeed can you believe this Signora How can you do this I am unwanted This is a joke This changes nothing O mentitori Signora You are our star And always will be Signora The man is made We don't take orders Miss Daae will be playing the page boy The silent role Carlotta will be playing the lead You don't deserve her It's useless trying to appease me Appease her You're only saying this to please me Please her Lasciatemi morire O padre mio Dio Who scorn his word beware to those You have reviled me The angel sees the angel knows Why did Christine fly from my arms You have rebuked me Sinora pardon us You have replaced me Please Signora we beseech you This hour shall see your darkest fears I must see her Abbandonata Deseredata O sventurata The angel sees the angel hears Where did she go Abbandonata Senora sing for us Disgraziata Don't be a matyr What new suprises lie in store Your public needs you We need you too Would you not rather have your precious little ingenue Signora no The World wants you Prima Donna first lady of the stage Your devotees are on their knees to implore you Can you bow out when they're shouting your name Think of how they all adore you Prima donna enchant us once again Think of your muse And all your queues 'round the theatre Can you deny us the triumph in store Sing Prima Donna once more Christine spoke of an angel Prima Donna your song shall live again Think of your public You took a snub but there's a public who needs you She has heard the voice of the Angel of Music Those who hear you liken you to an angel Think of the cry of undying support We get her Opera She gets her limelight Follow where the lime light leads you Leading ladies are a trial Prima Donna your song shall never die You'll sing again and to unending ovation Order warnings lunatic This misacating will invite damnation Lunatic demands are regular occurences Think how you'll sing in that final encore Sing Prima Donna once more I must see these demands are rejected Who'd believe a diva happy to relieve A chorus girl whose 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 Fortunata Non ancor abbandonata 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 For if his curse is on this Opera Prima Donna the world is at your feet A nation waits and how it hates to be cheated Light Up the stage with that age-old rapport Sing Prima Donna Once more Once more