Think of Me - Andrew Lloyd Webber
(We have reached the great choral scene in which HANNIBAL and his
army
return to save
Carthage from the Roman incasion under Scipio. HANNIBAL is UBALDO
PIANGI;
ELISSA, Queen
of Carthage (his mistress) is CARLOTTA GIUDICELLI. The two leading
SLAVE
GIRLS are played
by MEG GIRY and CHRISTINE DAAE. MME GIRY is the ballet mistress. M.
REYER, the repetiteur,
is in charge, We join the opera towards the end of ELISSA's
(CARLOTTA's)
great aria. She
is alone, holding a present from the approaching HANNIBAL, a
bleeding
severed head)
This trophy from our saviours,
from the enslaving force
of Rome!
With feasting and dancing and song,
tonight in celebration,
we greet the victorious throng,
returned to bring salvation!
The trumpets of Carthage resound!
Hear, Romans, now and tremble!
Hark to our step on the ground!
Hear the drums -
Hannibal comes!
sad to return to find the land we love threatened once more by
Roma's
far-reaching grasp.
Signor ... If you please; 'Rome'. We say 'Rome', not 'Roma'.
Si, si, Rome, not Roma. Is very hard for me. (practicing) Rome...
Rome
...)
Once again, then if you please, Signor: 'Sad to return ...'
This way, gentlemen, this way. Rehearsals, as you see, are under
way,
for a new production
of Chalumeau's 'Hannibal'.
Ladies and geltlemen, some of you may already, perhaps, have met
M.
Andre and M. FIRMIN ...
I'm sorry, M. Lefevre, we are rehearsing. If you wouldn't mind
waiting
for a moment?
My apologies. M. REYER, Proceed, proceed ...
Thank you, monsieur. (turning back to PIANGI). 'Sad to return
...',
Signor ...
M. Reyer, our chief repetiteur, Rather a tyrant, I'm afraid.
Sad to return to find the land we love threatened once more by
Rome's
far-reaching grasp.
Tomorrow we shall break the chains of Rome.
Tonight, rejoice - your army has come home.
Signor Piangi, our pricipal tenor. He does play so well opposite La
Carlotta.
Gentlemen, please! If you would kindly move to one side?
My apologies, Mme. Giry.
Madame Giry, our ballet mistress. I don't mind confessing, M.
FIRMIN, I shan't be sorry to
be rid of the whole blessed business.
I keep asking you, monsieur, why exactly are you retiring?
We take a particular pride here in the excellence of our ballets.
Who's that girl, Lefevre?
Her? Meg Giry, Madame Giry's daughter. Promising dancer. M. Andre,
most
promising.
You! Christine Daae! Concentrate, girl!
Christine ... What's the matter?
Daae? Curious name.
Swedish.
Any relation to the violinist?
His daughter, I believe. Always has her head in the clouds, I'm afraid.
Bid welcome to Hannibal's guests -
the elephants of Carthage!
As guides on our conquering quests,
Dido sends
Hannibals friends!
Once more to my
welcoming arms
my love returns
in splendour!
Once more to those
sweetest of charms
my heart and soul
surrender!
The trumpeting elephants sound -
hear, Romans, now and tremble!
Hark to their step on the ground -
hear the drums!
Hannibal comes!
Ladies and gentlemen - Madame Giry, thank you - may I have your
attention
please?
As you know, for some weeks there have been rumours of my imminent
retirement.
I can now tell you that these were all true, and it is my pleasure
to
introduce
to you the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire, M.
Richard
Firmin and
M. Gilles Andre.
Gentlemen, Signora Carlitta Guidicelli, our leading soprano for
five
seasons now.
Of course, of course. I have experienced all your greatest roles,
Signora.
And Signor Ubaldo Piangi.
An honour, Signor.
If I remember rightly, Elissa has a rather fine aria in Act Three of
'Hannibal'.
I wonder, Signora, if, as a personal favour, you would oblige us
with a
private
rendition? Unless, of course, M. Reyer objects ...
My manager commands ... M. Reyer?
My diva commands. Will two bars be sufficient introduction?
Two bars will be quite sufficient.
Signora?
Maestro.
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 ...
He's here:
the Phantom of the Opera ...
He is with us ...
It's the ghost ...
You idiots!
Cara! Cara! Are you hurt?
Signora! Are you all right? Buquet! Where is Buquet?
Is no one concerned for our prima donna?
Get that man down here!
Chief of the flies. He's responsible for this.
Buquet! For God's sake, man, what's going on up there?
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 ...
He's there: the Phantom of the
Opera ...
Good heavens!
Will you show a little courtesy?
Mademoiselle, please!
These things do happen.
Si! These thing do happen! Well, until you stop these things happening,
this
thing does not happen!
Ubaldo! Andiamo!
Amateurs!
I don't think there's much more to assist you, gentlemen. Good luck. If
you
need me, I shall be in Frankfurt.
La Carlotta will be back.
You think so, messieurs? I have a message, sir, from the Opera
Ghost.
God in heaven, you're all obsessed!
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.
His salary?
Monsieur Lefevre paid him twenty thousand francs a month. Perhaps you
can
afford more,
with the Vicomte de Chagny as your patron.
Madame, I had hoped to have made that announcement myself.
Will the Vicomte be at the performance tonight, monsieur?
In our box.
Madame, who is the understudy for this role?
There is no understudy, monsieur - the production is new.
Christine Daae could sing it, sir.
The chorus girl?
She's been taking lessons from a great teacher.
From whom?
I don't know, sir ...
Oh, not you as well!
Can you believe it? A full house - and we have to cancel!
Let her sing for you, monsieur. She has been well taught.
From the beginning of the aria then, mamselle.
Think of me,
think of me fondly,
when we've said
goodbye.
Remember me
once in a while -
please promise me
you'll try.
Andre, this is doing nothing for my nerves.
Don't fret, Firmin.
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 ...
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 ...
Can it be?
Can it be Christine?
Bravo!
What a change!
You're really
not a bit
the gawkish girl
that once you were ...
She may
not remember
me, but
I remember
her ...
We never said
our love
was evergreen,
or as unchanging
as the sea -
but please
promise me,
that sometimes,
you will think
of me!
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