His awards include seven Tonys, three Grammys including Best Contemporary Classical Composition for Requiem, seven Oliviers, a Golden Globe, an Oscar, two International Emmys, the Praemium Imperiale, the Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre, a BASCA Fellowship and the Kennedy Center Honor.
He currently owns six London theatres, including the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the London Palladium.
I Remember... / Stranger Than You Dreamt It...
Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics
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I remember there was mist
Swirling mist upon a vast, glossy lake
There were candles all around
And on the lake there was a boat
And in the boat there was a man
Who was that shape in the shadows?
(She takes of his mask)
PHANTOM
Damn you!
You little plying pandora!
You little demon!
Is this what you wanted to see?!
Curse you!
You little lying Delilah!
You little viper!
Now you cannot ever be free!
Damn you!
Curse you!
Stranger than you dreamt it
Can you even dare to look?
Or bear to think of me
This lonesome gargoyle
Who burns in hell, but secretly
Yearns for heaven, secretly...but Christine...
Fear can turn to love
You'll learn to see, to find the man
Behind the monster, this
Repulsive carcass who seems a beast
But secretly dreams of beauty, secretly, secretly
oh...Christine
Come we must return
Those two fools who run my theater
Will be missing you.
The song "I Remember... / Stranger Than You Dreamt It" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is a pivotal moment in the story. It begins with Christine reminiscing about an encounter she had with the Phantom on a lake, where he was wearing a mask. She remembers feeling a sense of mystery and intrigue, but now that she has taken off his mask, she sees that he is a disfigured man. The Phantom then becomes enraged, calling Christine a demon and Delilah, the Biblical figure who betrayed Samson for his enemies. He feels that Christine has betrayed him by seeing him without his mask, and that she can never be free from her knowledge of his true appearance.
The Phantoms sings the rest of the song, reflecting on his own feelings of isolation and longing. He describes himself as a "lonesome gargoyle who burns in hell", but secretly yearns for heaven and beauty. He believes that fear can turn to love and that Christine will eventually learn to see the man behind the monster. The song ends on a somber note, with the Phantom acknowledging that he and Christine must return to the theater and that the two fools who run it will be missing her.
Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of the themes of appearance versus reality, love, and longing. It shows the complexity of the Phantom's character and how he struggles with his own desires and insecurities. At the same time, it reveals the inner strength and resilience of Christine, who is able to see beyond the Phantom's physical appearance and connect with him on a deeper level.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember there was mist
The memory I have is of mist surrounding a large, glossy body of water.
Swirling mist upon a vast, glossy lake
The mist was swirling around a vast, glossy lake.
There were candles all around
The area was surrounded by candles.
And on the lake, there was a boat and in the boat, there was a man
A man was on a boat on the lake.
Who was that shape in the shadows?
Who was the figure in the shadows?
Whose is the face in the mask?
Who does the face behind the mask belong to?
Damn you! You little plying pandora! You little demon! Is this what you wanted to see?! Curse you! You little lying Delilah! You little viper! Now you cannot ever be free! Damn you! Curse you!
I am angry with Christine for removing my mask and seeing my disfigurement. I feel like she tricked me into it and I curse her, calling her names and saying she can never leave me now.
Stranger than you dreamt it, can you even dare to look?
My situation and appearance are more unusual than someone could imagine. Are you able to face the reality?
Or bear to think of me, this lonesome gargoyle who burns in hell, but secretly yearns for heaven, secretly...but Christine...
Or even contemplate the thought of me. I feel like a lonely monster stuck in an undesirable position that no-one understands, longing for something more. But you are different, Christine...
Fear can turn to love, You'll learn to see, to find the man behind the monster
Fear can turn into love as you get to know the real me behind my monster-like appearance.
This repulsive carcass who seems a beast, but secretly dreams of beauty, secretly, secretly...oh...Christine
I see my appearance as being dreadful like a dead animal, but secretly I dream of becoming attractive like a human-being. I keep this to myself, especially when it concerns Christine.
Come, we must return Those two fools who run my theater Will be missing you.
We must leave now. The people in charge of the theater will soon be looking for you and I cannot allow you to be discovered alone.
Contributed by Taylor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.