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Darkness. Silence but for dripping water. A grey light reveals the edge of a sodden black cloak. Pan back to reveal a dark cloaked figure with his back to us. He is kneeling in the shallow waters at the edge of a lake. Beyond him is only more grey-lit water and a cave-like darkness.
I'm trying to hold my breath
The whisper of song comes from the kneeling figure. The sound escapes him in something of a gasp.
Let it stay this way
The shoulders shudder and the figure drops its head.
Can't let this moment end
Pan slowly around beside the kneeling figure and we see he has his face in his hands. Wisps of sparse, grey hair stand out from his head.
You set off a dream in me
The water begins to recede slowly, revealing the boards of a stage. Pan to face the kneeling figure, huddled, face in hands, draped in the flaring, black cloak.
Getting louder now
Stage lights brighten the boards as the camera pans past the other side of the man - the lights briefly, blindingly flare. We are behind the kneeling figure again.
Can you hear it echoing?
The theater is revealed - red velvet seats surrounded by dark, private boxes. A huge, glittering chandelier crowns the scene. The figure straightens and stands, tall and proud in the lights.
Take my hand
The figure extends his hand, encased in dark gloves, to an unseen person off-stage.
Will you share this with me?
A beautiful young woman with fawn colored, flowing hair studded with jewels appears from offstage. It is Emmy Rossum playing Christine. She wears an opulent ballgown made of layers of white silk and twinkling tulle.
'Cause darling, without you
She moves, almost hesitantly, to take the singers' hand. He raises his head to look at her and we see his face is shrouded in a white mask from chin to forehead, his dark hair sweeping back in an elegant coiffure.
All the shine of a thousand spotlights
He draws her along the front of the stage at arms length, the lights making her whole being shine with an ethereal quality.
All the stars we steal from the night sky
The jewels in her hair catch the light and shimmer like the stars.
Will never be enough
At the end of her promenade, he finally draws her close and puts an arm around her waist.
Never be enough
She puts both her hands on his face, cupping the edges of the mask.
Towers of gold are still too little
These hands could hold the world but it'll
Never be enough
His voice thunders out powerfully, movingly. He grips her hands in his.
Never be enough
For me
With that, he flings her away from him only to catch her hands and move with her into a close, cloak swirling dance around the stage.
Never, never
Never, never
Never, for me
He stops suddenly. Their faces are close together despite the strength of his song.
For me
They are nearly kissing despite the mask.
Never enough
Never enough
His thumb traces adoringly over her lips.
Never enough
For me
He suddenly, forcefully pushes her away and clasps his chest as if in pain.
For me
For me
As he sings the next line with closed eyes and deep feeling, he throws his arms wide to the empty auditorium.
All the shine of a thousand spotlights
The lights dance over his tall figure, emphasizing the white mask.
All the stars we steal from the night sky
He clasps his hands into fists as if grabbing hold of something and jerks his arms back close to his body, hunching forward slightly so the back cloak falls forward as if to hide what he has taken.
Will never be enough
Never be enough
Now he reaches beseechingly out to an invisible audience and images from the 2004 movie "Phantom of the Opera" are superimposed on the darkness behind and above the red velvet seats.
Towers of gold are still to little
We see the Palais Garnier rising in splendor above the streets of Paris. Erik, for this masked singer must be the Phantom, hooks his fingers into claws and brings them close to his face.
These hands could hold the world but it'll
Never be enough
Over the montage of images from the movie, text in a scrolling hand writes: "He had a heart that could have held the entire empire of the world; and, in the end, he had to content himself with a cellar.” - Gaston Leroux
Never be enough
For me
Scenes of Erik gloriously decked out as Red Death play out as he sings the next to lines
Never, never
Never, never
In the montage, we see Christine kiss Raoul.
Never for me
Erik is drawing in now as if in pain, the words of the song reflect his turmoil.
For me
The lights begin to grow dim as Erik drops to one knee.
Never enough
Never, never
Water floods in around him as he full kneels on the boards of the stage.
Never enough
Never, never
Never enough
The darkness returns. We are behind Erik again as he sings - his voice sounding as though he is desperately trying to keep strong.
For me
For me
For me
Sudden silence. The water drips once more. A close up of Erik, his hands in his lap in the shallow water. His face is mostly in dark shadow, but we get a glimpse of the disfigured visage he hides behind the mask. His last line echos mournfully in the darkness.
For me