Think of Me Lyrics - Phantom of the Opera, The Soundtrack

(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 ttyrant, 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 these'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!