Notes?/Prima Donna - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Composed by：Andrew Lloyd Webber/Charles Hart/Richard Stilgoe
Mystery after gala night it says
Mystery of sopranos flight
Mystified baffled Sûreté 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
What a way to run a business
Spare me these unending trials
Half your cast disappears
But the crowd still cheers
Opera
To hell with Gluck and Handel
It's a scandal that'll pack 'em in the aisles
Damnable
Will they all walk out
This is damnable
André please don't shout
It's publicity and the take is vast
Free publicity
But we have no cast
But André have you seen the queue
Oh it seems you've got one too
"Dear André 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 debtor
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 Daaé
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 Daaé
The Angel of Music has her under his wing
Make no attempt to see her again"
If you didn't write it who did
Where is he
Ah welcome back
Your precious patron
Where is he
What is it now
I have your letter
A letter 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's 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 Opéra Populaire are numbered
Christine Daaé 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 Daaé's name
Miss Daaé has returned
I trust her midnight oil
Is well and truly burned
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 amiable nature
Detailing how my theatre is to be run
You have not followed my instructions
I shall give you one last chance
Christine Daaé 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 Miss Daaé in the role of Countess
The role which Miss Daaé 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 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
Whatever next
It's all a ploy to help Christine
This is insane
I know who sent this
The Viscomte her lover
Indeed can you believe this
Signora
O traditori
This is a joke
This changes nothing
O mentitori
Signora
You are our star
And always will be
Signora
The man is mad
We don't take orders
Miss Daaé will be playing the pageboy the silent role
Carlotta will be playing the lead
It's useless trying to appease me
You're only saying this to please me
Signor è vero
Non non non voglio udire
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
Signora 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 knows the angel hears
Where did she go
Abbandonata
Signora sing for us
Disgraziata
Don't be a martyr
What new surprises lie in store
Your public needs you
We need you too
Wouldn't you not rather have your precious little ingénue
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 of 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
Is this her angel of music
We get our Opera
She gets her limelight
Follow where the limelight leads you
Angel or madman
Leading ladies are a trial
Prima donna your song shall never die
Heaven help you those who doubt
This miscasting will invite damnation
You'll sing again and to unending ovation
Orders warnings Lunatic demands
Tears Oaths Lunatic demands are regular occurrences
Think how you'll shine in that final encore
Sing Prima Donna once more
Surely for her sake
Surely there'll be further scenes
Worse than this
Oh fools to have flouted his warnings
I must see these demands are rejected
Think before 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
Christine must be protected
O 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
This is a game you cannot hope to win
It's just the sort of story
And in Box Five a new game will begin
Audiences adore in fact a perfect opera
But 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
Then I fear the outcome
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
Christine plays the Pageboy
Should you dare to
Carlotta plays the Countess
Light up the stage with that age-old rapport
Sing prima donna once more
So it is to be war between us
If these demands are not met
A disaster beyond your imagination will occur
Once more
Gentlemen if you would care to take your seats
I shall be sitting in Box Five
Do you really think that's wise monsieur
My dear André
There would appear to be no seats available other than Box Five
Serafimo away with this pretence
You cannot speak but kiss me in my husband's absence