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.
Masquerade
Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics
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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
Take your turn, take a ride
On the merry-go-round in an inhuman race
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 'til you've drowned
In the light, in the sound
But who can name the face?
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
What a night, what a crowd
Makes you glad
Makes you proud
All the crème, de la crème
Watching us, watching them
And all our fears are in the past
Three months of relief
Of delight, of elysian peace
And we can breathe at last
No more notes, no more ghost
Here's a health, here's a toast
To a prosperous year, to the new chandelier
And may our splendor never fade (what a joy) (what a change)
What a blessed release
And what a masquerade
Think of it, a secret engagement
Look, your future bride, just think of it
But why is it secret? What have we to hide?
Please, let's not fight (Christine, you're free)
Wait 'til the time is right (when will that be?)
It's an engagement, not a crime
Christine, what are you afraid of?
Let's not argue (let's not argue)
Please pretend (I can only hope)
You will understand in time (I'll understand in time)
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
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
Here, I bring the finished score
Don Juan triumphant
I advise you to comply
My instructions should be clear
Remember, there are worse things than a shattered chandelier
Your chains are still mine, you will sing for me
In "Masquerade," the characters Monsieur Andre and Monsieur Firmin are hosting an elaborate party to ring in the new year. They toast to the city and express their disappointment that the Phantom can't be in attendance. Throughout the song, the party-goers sing about the various masks they are wearing, both literal and figurative. The lyrics suggest that everyone is hiding their true selves, and no one can be trusted. The chorus of "Masquerade! Paper faces on parade. Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you" implies that the attendees are masking their true selves to protect themselves from outside judgment. The song is not just about the party-goers hiding their faces, but also their inner selves. The lyrics seem to be a commentary on the high society culture, where everyone puts on a façade to protect their status.
The song's ending is quite poignant. The characters Raoul and Christine discuss their secret engagement at the party, and Christine expresses her fear. Yet, Raoul reassures her, and they agree to live their life together openly without hiding. This demonstrates that the song is not just about wearing masks, but about the importance of authenticity as well. In the end, the characters Raoul and Christine are the only ones courageous enough to remove their masks and be true to themselves. Overall, "Masquerade" is a complex song that comments on society's issues and the importance of authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
Monsieur Andre! Monsieur Firmin!
Dear Andre and Firmin, what a splendid party!
The prelude to a bright new year
This party is just the beginning of a great new year.
Quite a night, I'm impressed
I am very impressed with this night.
Well, one does one's best
We always try our best.
Here's to us
Let's drink to ourselves and our success.
The toast for the city
Let's drink a toast to the city and its people.
What a pity that the Phantom can't be here
It's a shame that the Phantom is not here to enjoy the party.
Masquerade! Paper faces on parade
This is a masquerade party, with everyone in masks.
Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you
Wear your mask to hide your true identity from the world.
Masquerade! Every face a different shade
Every person wears a different mask with a unique identity.
Masquerade! Look around, there's another mask behind you
Check behind you, there's always another mask that you may not recognize.
Flash of mauve, splash of puce
There are many colors and designs of masks on display.
Fool and king, ghoul and goose
People from all walks of life are at the party, with different roles and personalities.
Green and black, queen and priest
The masks come in many colors and styles, and can represent various societal roles.
Trace of rouge, face of beast, faces
Even though the masks may be different, they all cover and hide the true identity of the people wearing them.
Take your turn, take a ride
Everyone should take a turn and enjoy themselves at the party.
On the merry-go-round in an inhuman race
This party can feel like a never-ending race or game.
Eye of gold, true is false
You can't always trust what you see at this party.
Who is who?
It can be hard to tell who is who at the party because of all the masks.
Curl of lip, swirl of gown
The people at the party are all dressed up, with attention to detail.
Ace of hearts, face of clown, faces
People are showcasing their creativity and personality through their masks.
Drink it in, drink it up till you've drowned
Enjoy this party as much as you can, reveling in the sights and sounds until you're almost overwhelmed.
In the light, in the sound but who can name the face?
The atmosphere at this party is so intense that it's almost impossible to recognize people by their masks.
Masquerade! Grinning yellows, spinning reds
Everyone's masks come in different colors, some that are bright and bold.
Masquerade! Take your fill, let the spectacle astound you
Take this opportunity to fully enjoy and embrace the unique spectacle of this masquerade.
Masquerade! Burning glances, turning heads
People are looking at each other and admiring the creativity of their masks.
Masquerade! Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you
Take a moment to notice and appreciate all of the happy faces around you.
Masquerade! Seething shadows breathing lies
The masks may be hiding lies or secrets, making it hard to trust the people around you.
Masquerade! You can fool any friend who ever knew you
Even your closest friends may not recognize you in your mask.
Masquerade! Leering satyrs, peering eyes
People's masks may be intimidating or strange, and it's hard to know who to trust.
Masquerade! Run and hide, but a face will still pursue you
Even though you may try to hide at this party, someone will always find you or see through your mask.
What a night! What a crowd!
This is an amazing party with a lot of people.
Makes you glad, makes you proud
This party gives you a sense of happiness and pride.
All the crème, de la crème
Only the best of the best are at this party.
Watching us, watching them
People are observing others and monitoring their surroundings.
All our fears are in the past
At this party, all of your worries disappear and you can let yourself fully enjoy the moment.
Three months of relief
This party is a much-needed break from the stress of everyday life.
Of delight, of Elysian peace
This party is a peaceful and joyful experience.
And we can breathe at last
We can finally relax and take a deep breath because we're safe at this party.
No more notes, no more ghost
This party is an escape from reality, with no stress or worries to burden you.
Here's a health, here's a toast
Let's raise a glass and drink to our health and happiness.
To a prosperous year
Here's to a year of success and fortune.
To our friends who are here
Let's remember and appreciate our friends who are celebrating with us tonight.
And may the splendor never fade
I hope this party and its beauty will never end.
Think of it, a secret engagement
Imagine a private, intimate moment between two people.
Look, your future bride, just think of it
Picture your future spouse and how happy you'll be together.
But, why is it secret? What have we to hide?
Why do we need to keep this private? What are we trying to hide?
You promised me, no, Raoul, please don't, they'll see
Please don't reveal our secret, Raoul, or others will find out.
Well then let them see, it's an engagement, not a crime
We have nothing to be ashamed of, it's just an engagement.
Christine, what are you afraid of?
Christine, what is making you so nervous or scared?
Let's not argue
Let's not fight or have tension between us.
(Let's not argue)
This is repeated for emphasis.
Please pretend
Let's act like everything is okay and there's nothing to worry about.
(I can only hope)
I hope that pretending will help us avoid conflict.
You will understand in time
Later on, you'll see that there was nothing to be afraid of or upset about.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@susannajackson137
"it's a secret engagement, Raoul...so lets sing loudly next to people and no one will know!"
@tomasthegreen
I love this song so much, and especially when Madame Giry says "And what a Masquerade!" She has a beautiful voice and I wish she had a longer song than that and "Keep your hand at the level of your eyes"
@Bananianiown
"I hope no one notices this gorgeous engagement ring I've stealthily hidden right around my neck."
@wickedpheonix1995
I love this song. It's my favourite scene/song from the whole musical/film. The choreographers are just amazing. The costumes are beautiful and the dancers are so precise!! This is why I love this scene so much!! :D
@kellypleitez249
I want a party like this....
@mikantangerines
I like this version of Masquerade better than the play, the costumes here are just elegant and eye-friendly because everything blends.
@mikenzieschwalger4244
i wish my school could do a masquerade like this!
@ronnymickle3457
Anyone else notice how everyone is wearing black white or gold and then Christine shows up in pink! Hahaha
@AngelWivABentHalo
The chandelier crash is moved to create a difference between opera production and movie production and probably for dramatic effect when - SPOILERS - the theatre is burned down because of the candlelit chandelier. The phantom also kills in that scene so it makes him appear more menacing and fearsome. They also cut the line "remember there are worse things than a shattered chandelier" from Phantom's speech. Personally, I like the difference so that we can appreciate both interpretations :)
@randwilliams7184
We should get 6000 pple to walk down in the Macy's parade yelling, "MASQUERADE!"