Testi Soundtracks :: F

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 the 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 . . .



RAOUL/CHRISTINE

But who can name the face . . .?



ALL

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 ENSEMBLE activity becomes background, as

ANDRE, FIRMIN, MEG, GIRY, PIANGI and CARLOTTA

come to the fore, glasses in hand)



GIRY

What a night



MEG

What a crowd!



ANDRE

Makes you glad!



FIRMIN

Makes you proud!

All the creme

de la creme!



CARLOTTA

Watching us watching them!



MEG/GlRY

And all our fears

are in the past!



ANDRE

Six months...



PIANGI

Of relief!



CARLOTTA

Of delight!



ANDRE/FIRMIN

Of Elysian peace!



MEG/GIRY

And we can breathe at last!



CARLOTTA

No more notes!



PIANGI

No more ghost!



GIRY

Here's a health!



ANDRE

Here's a toast:

to a prosperous year!



FIRMIN

To the new chandelier!



PIANGI/CARLOTTA

And may its

splendour never fade!



FIRMIN

Six months!



GIRY

What a joy!



MEG

What a change!



FIRMIN/ANDRE

What a blessed release!



ANDRE

And what a masquerade!