Prima Donna

[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!

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]
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 damnation

[Andre/Firmin]
Tears
Oaths
Iunatic demands
Are regular occurrences!

[Meg]
Bliss or damnation?
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!
[Phantom's voice]

So, it is to be war between us! If these demands are not
Met, a disaster beyond your imagination will occur!

[All]
Once more!