♪♪ ♪♪ APPLAUSE Thank you. Oh, thank you, thank you. Gosh, do sit down, for goodness' sake. I might talk for too long. Gosh, when I was a little boy and I was first brought here by my mother when I was five, I think, to a promenade concert, I think I heard Beethoven's Third Symphony and I don't think I could have ever, ever believed, sitting sort of somewhere up there, that anything like this would ever happen to my music. And I have to thank immediately Cameron Mackintosh. What an extraordinary production he's put together. APPLAUSE Thank you, Cameron. We'll meet him in a moment. But before I go any further, I mean, the one thing about musicals is that something has to happen that brings them all together. I mean, you can have a really, really great musical and one aspect of it could be wrong, whether it be the production, whether it be something to do with how it's staged or anything, it might get buried and then take years to find again. But what happened so extraordinarily with this was that everything came together, with Cameron as producer. And before we go any further, I have to say that it would never have happened without Maria Bjornsson. And, of course... APPLAUSE Maria Bjornsson... ..was, as all of you know, the incredible designer of the show and it was her vision, combined, I think, with everything else, that really brought us along. And she tragically died some years ago. One of the greatest sadnesses is that she's not here tonight, but I hope we've honoured her spirit in every way. So, Maria, thank you. And I ought to say, tonight's rather extraordinary because I know that there are many companies of the Phantom of the Opera that have made such a performance around the world because it's being beamed around the world tonight. And none, I suppose, more important than the director who made it possible, who is in New York at the moment, with the New York Broadway company, Hal Prince. So, hello, Hal. APPLAUSE And thank you for everything, Hal. So, without any kind of overdue, let's bring on the original creative team from London. Here they come, led by Sir Cameron Mackintosh. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Charles Hart, our lyricist, of course. Andy Bridge, our lighting. And above all, Gillian Lynn, who's staged tonight. Thank you, Gillian. And the creative team from the Albert Hall tonight. Here they all are. Lawrence, the director, in the middle. Oh, Gillian. Now, next I have to thank our fantastic company. What a fantastic show. Rami and Sierra, you couldn't have done me more proud. And Anthony Inglis and the fantastic orchestra. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Just before we move on, I am going to introduce you in a second to the original London company, but I just would like you to remember John Aaron, Steve Barton, who of course played Raoul, and Mary Miller, who sadly are no longer with us, but they were wonderful members of our original team, so a small appreciation of them, please. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE And here is our original London company. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE CHEERING AND APPLAUSE We have one other member of the company tonight who's hot-footed it from the London Palladium, Michael Crawford. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE CHEERING AND APPLAUSE CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Finally, and I suppose this is very special for me, it is a great joy for me to welcome tonight my angel of music, Sarah Brightman. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE CHEERING AND APPLAUSE We have come here To the seat of St Music's crown To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music Music We have come here For a purpose and one alone Since the moment you first heard us sing We have given you with us To serve you To sing for his music His music Night-time charm CHEERING AND APPLAUSE Night-time sensation Darkness stares And wakes imagination Silently the senses Abandon their defences Slowly, gently Night unfurls its splendour Cross fit, sense it Tremulous and tender Turn your face to it From the garish light of day Turn your thoughts away From cold, unfeeling night And listen to the music of the night Close your eyes Close your eyes and surrender To the darkest beat Purge your thoughts on the life you knew before Close your eyes Let your spirit start to soar Soar And you'll live As you've never lived before Softly, deftly Music shall caress you Hear it, feel it Secretly possess you Open up your mind Let your fantasies unwind In this darkness that you know you cannot find The darkness of the music of the night Let your mind start a journey To a strange new world Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before Let your soul take you where you long to be Only then can you belong to me Floating, falling Sweet intoxication Touch me, trust me Savor each sensation Let your dream begin Let your darker side give in To the power of the music that I write The power of the music of the night Ooh, ooh You alone can make our song take flight It's over now The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night The music of the night