Prologue - The Stage of Paris Opera House, 1905 (Live at the Royal Albert Hall)

Lyrics

[AUCTIONEER, spoken] Sold! Your number, sir? Thank you Lot 663, then. Ladies and gentlemen, a poster for this house's production of "Hannibal" by Chalumeau [PORTER, spoken] Showing here [AUCTIONEER, spoken] Do I have ten francs? Five then. Five, I am bid. Six, six. Do I see seven? Seven! Against you, sir, seven. Eight? Eight. Eight once. Selling twice. Sold! To Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny Lot 664, ladies and gentlemen. A wooden pistol and three human skulls from the 1831 production of "Robert le Diable" by Meyerbeer. Ten francs for this. Ten, thank you. Ten, I am bid. Ten francs, still. Fifteen, thank you, sir. Fifteen, I am bid. Going for fifteen! Your numbеr, sir? Thank you Lot 665, ladies and gentlemеn. A papier-mache musical box in the shape of a barrel organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals. This item, discovered in the vaults of the theatre, still in working order, ladies and gentlemen [PORTER, spoken] Showing here [AUCTIONEER, spoken] May I commence at twenty francs? Oh come, come, ladies and gentlemen! Fifteen, then? Fifteen, I am bid. Thank you very much. Yes, twenty from you, sir, thank you very much indeed [MME. GIRY, spoken] Twenty-five [AUCTIONEER, spoken] Twenty-five on my right. Thank you, madam. Twenty-five, I am bid. Thirty? Thirty. Selling at thirty francs, then. Thirty once! Thirty twice! Sold! For thirty francs, to the Vicomte de Chagny. Thank you very much, sir [RAOUL, spoken] Boy! (sung) A collector's piece indeed Every detail exactly as she said She often spoke of you, my friend Your velvet lining and your figurine of lead Will you still play when all the rest of us are dead? [AUCTIONEER, spoken] Lot 666, then. A chandelier in pieces. Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera, a mystery never fully explained. We are told, ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier that figures in that famous disaster. Our workshops have restored it and fitted up parts of it with wiring for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of how it may look when re-assembled. Perhaps we may even frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination! Gentlemen!