6 months later

~

It is a brand new year at the Paris Opera House. Tyler and Gerard have been together for 6 months and are now secretly engaged. The Masquerade ball is being celebrated for the new year. There are many people dressed in costumes, including: a peacock, lion, dragon, clown, and a monkey with cymbals.

Eshleman arrives at the Masquerade ball. He is dressed as a skeleton in an opera cape. Almost immediately, Iero arrives. He is also dressed the same way as Eshleman.

The two skeletons see each other and approach nervously.

"Monsieur Iero?" Eshleman called.

"Monsieur Eshleman?" Iero called back.

They each raise their mask and recognize each other.

"Dear Eshleman, what a splendid party!" Iero said.

"The prologue to a bright new year!" Eshleman replied.

"Quite a night, I'm impressed!"

"Well, one does one's best..."

The managers raise their glasses.

"Here's to us!"

"I must say, all the same, that it's a shame that "Phantom" fellow isn't here!" Iero cried.

(Start song)

The gauze lifts fully to reveal the grand staircase of the Paris Opera House. The Masquerade ball begins.

(Chorus)
Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade!
Masquerade!
Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

Masquerade!
Every face a different shade!
Masquerade!
Look around, there's another mask behind you!

Flash of mauve...
Splash of puce...
Fool and king...
Ghoul and goose...

Green and black...
Queen and priest...
Trace of rouge...
Face of beast...

Faces!
Take your turn, take a ride on a merry-go-round in an inhuman race!

Eye of gold...
Thigh of blue...
True is false...
Who is who?

Curl of lip...
Swirl of gown...
Ace of hearts...
Face of clown...

Faces!
Drink it in, drink it up till you've drowned in the light, in the sound!

(Tyler and Gerard)
But who can name the face?

(Chorus)
Masquerade!
Grinning yellows, spinning reds!
Masquerade!
Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you!

Masquerade!
Burning glances, turning heads!
Masquerade!
Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!

Masquerade!
Seething shadows, breathing lies!
Masquerade!
You can fool any friend who ever knew you!

Masquerade!
Leering satyrs, peering eyes!
Masquerade!
Run and hide, but a face will still pursue you!

The opera ensemble activity becomes background, as Eshleman, Iero, Hayley, Madame Jenna, Moody, and Amy Lee come to the fore, with glasses in hand.

(Madame Jenna)
What a night!

(Hayley)
What a crowd!

(Eshleman)
Makes you glad!

(Iero)
Makes you proud!
All the creme, de la creme!

(Amy)
Watching us watching them!

(Hayley and Madame Jenna)
And all our fears are in the past!

(Eshleman)
6 months!

(Moody)
Of relief!

(Amy)
Of delight!

(Eshleman and Iero)
Of Elysian peace!

(Hayley and Madame Jenna)
And we can breathe at last!

(Amy)
No more notes!

(Moody)
No more ghost!

(Madame Jenna)
Here's a health!

(Eshleman)
Here's a toast to a prosperous year!

(Iero)
To the new chandelier!

(Moody and Amy)
And may its splendour never fade!

(Iero)
6 months!

(Madame Jenna)
What a joy!

(Hayley)
What a change!

(Iero and Eshleman)
What a blessed release!

(Eshleman)
And what a masquerade!

The group clink glasses and move off to the side as Gerard and Tyler emerge. Tyler is dressed in moonlight glamour, with an engagement ring from Gerard, which is attached to a chain around his neck.

(Tyler)
Think of it!
A secret engagement!
Look, your future bride!
Just think of it!

(Gerard)
But why is it secret?
What have we to hide?

(Tyler)
Please, let's not fight

(Gerard)
Tyler, you're free!

(Tyler)
What till the time is right!

(Gerard)
When will that be?
It's an engagement, not a crime!
Tyler, what are you afraid of?

(Tyler)
Let's not argue...

(Gerard)
Let's not argue...

(Tyler)
Please pretend...

(Gerard)
I can only hope I'll...

(Tyler)
You will...

(Both)
Understand in time.

The couple begin to dance, in which Tyler goes from man to man, but two many of his dance partners resemble the Phantom. Eventually, Gerard rescues him and holds him tightly. He whirls him back into their dance, as the music heads towards its climax.

(Chorus)
Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade!
Masquerade!
Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

Masquerade!
Every face a different shade!
Masquerade!
Look around, there's another mask behind you!

Masquerade!
Burning glances, turning heads!
Masquerade!
Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!

Masquerade!
Grinning yellows, spinning reds!
Masquerade!
Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you!

At the height of the activity, a grotesque figure appears at the lop of the staircase, dressed all in crimson, with a death's head visible inside the hood of his robe.

The Phantom has returned and has come to the party. With dreadful wooden steps, he descends the stairs and takes the centre of the stage.

(The Phantom)
Why so silent, good messieurs?
Did you think that I had left you for good?
Have you missed me, good messieurs?
I have written you an opera!

He takes from under his robe an enormous bound manuscript.

Here I bring the finished score!
"Don Juan Triumphant!"

The Phantom throws the manuscript to Eshleman.

I advise you to comply
My instructions should be clear
Remember, there are worse things than a shattered chandelier!

Tyler, mesmerized, approaches, as the Phantom beckons him. He reaches out, grasps the chain that holds the secret engagement ring, and rips it from his throat.

Your chains are still mine!
You will sing for me!

~

As chaos ensues around the Opera House, Madame Jenna hurries across the stage. Gerard appears and calls after her.

"Madame Jenna! Madame Jenna!"

"Monsieur, don't ask me!" Madame Jenna cried. "I know no more than anyone else!

She moves off again, but Gerard stops her.

"That's not true!" He shouted. "You've seen something, haven't you?"

"I don't know what I've seen, please don't ask me, monsieur."

"Please, Madame, for all our sakes."

Madame Jenna glances nervously, but agrees to tell the story.

"Very well. It was years ago. There was a traveling fair in the city. Tumblers, conjurors, human oddities.."

"Go on."

"And, there was... I shall never forget him: a man, locked in a cage."

"In a cage?" Gerard asked.

"A prodigy, monsieur!" Madame Jenna said. "Scholar, architect, musician..."

"A composer."

"And an inventor too, monsieur. They boasted he had once built for the Shah of Persia, a maze of mirrors."

"Who was this man?" Gerard asked.

"A freak of nature, more monster than man!" Madame Jenna said; shuddering.

"Deformed?"

"From birth, it seemed."

Gerard is shocked.

"My God..."

"And then, he went missing. He escaped."

"Go on."

"They never found him. It was said he had died."

"But, he didn't die, did he?" Gerard asked.

"The world forgot him, but I never can. For in this darkness, I have seen him again."

"And so, our Phantom's this man?"

Madame Jenna turns to leave again.

"I have said too much, monsieur."

She moves off into the surrounding blackness.

"And, there have been too many accidents!"

"Accidents?!"

"Too many!" Madame Jenna cried.

Before Gerard could question her further, she disappears, but he chases after her.

"Madame Jenna!"