Fear can change to love - closed for Mairu and JT

[JayTee69gmx]

Aldo Cicone, the new manager and artistic director was addressing the opera company, introducing himself, and giving details about the upcoming production of La Boheme. Eric watched from the side, scanning the various members of the cast and crew seated in the front rows of the theater. Musicians, stage hands, singers, lighting director, coaches, they all watched with varying degrees of attention. Mostly, Eric did not care who played what. Then Cicone announced that Carlotta would play Mimi. 'That cow?' thought Eric, 'She must be fucking him already. What a disaster. Big over sized blonde playing a thin consumptive waif? With a voice like a lowing jersey cow.' Eric shuddered.

Christine was named understudy to Carlotta. She smiled graciously, holding her boyfriend Raoul's hand in her lap. 'The perfect Mimi' thought Eric, she sings like an angel, so beautiful, young, innocent.

Details were announced for the first rehearsals the next day. Orchestra in the pit, singers in the practice rooms with various piano players from the orchestra, to rehearse their roles. Aldo announced he would coach Carlotta personally. No need for the understudy to attend. She could practice with the others.

Carlotta's ample bosom heaved with excitement, eyes fixed on Aldo. Eric suppressed a retch, and waited for them to disperse so he could sweep up.

 

[Mairu]

Christine was excited about the new production. She wasn't as excited about the new manager though. As she heard him introduce himself her mind wandered until she heard her name and blinked. Did he just say she was the understudy? Well she guessed it was better than nothing and smiled at Raoul. Then she listened to were she would be practicing and was happy she wasn't practicing with Carlotta.

Once they had that done Christine got up with Raoul and took a quick glance around at the people she would be working with. Except she was only an understudy. She would never actually perform on stage. So she just went with Raoul trying not to sigh.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

Eric watched Christine and Raoul leaving, noticing her trim frame, fresh complexion, beautiful hair. Wondered if Raoul knew what a prize he had. Probably not. Raoul had often ogled Carlotta. But Carlotta was out of his reach, she had the new manager twisted around her little finger. It was obvious from the way Aldo looked at her.

Once everyone had gone, Eric swept up the stage, cleaned up between the rows of seats, and turned off almost all the lights. He went downstairs.

About 20 minutes later the sound of the Bach Tocatta for organ echoed in the empty space. The big theater organ had a massive sound. But no one was there to hear it.

 

[Mairu]

Christine went with Raoul as far as the entrance and then stopped. "I think i'm going to stay here a while longer Raoul." Raoul sighed obviously annoyed. "Fine, but don't expect a ride home after too long i'm leaving now." With that Raoul was gone. Christine decided to walk around and check things out.

After 20 minutes of that she was at the entrance and then she heard the organ. Christine whipped around and headed towards the sound curious. It sounded so beautiful. When she reached a space where she could see the organ she looked.

What she saw made her heart flutter and want to run out of her chest. There was a man playing the organ with such a beautiful look on his face. Well the part she could see from where she was standing anyway. She just started staring, captivated by him and the music he was playing. She did remember though she already had someone but this man just captivated her. It was like she already belonged to him. She shook her head at that thought but stayed where she was hidden.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

Eric reveled in the sound of the huge organ. Chest rattling low notes, crystal clear soaring melodies, huge sound of the thrust of the complex open chords Bach chose for resonant cathedrals. As he drew near the finale he caught a glimpse of something fleeting in his peripheral vision. He turned and looked. There was nothing there. But when he turned his head back to the keyboard, there it was again. He turned and looked. Still nothing. 'Must be mice' he thought.

With a long slow inhale he listened to the last chord echoing in the empty theater above. In his reverie, he thought of the new manager, visualized him with Carlotta, the pig. Sighed. Then Christine's face floated in. Pure, young, beautiful, delicate. he wondered if Raoul knew how lucky he was.

With hi right hand he picked out a melody, and quietly sang:

"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
. . . . . . . . that's all I ask of you"

He blew out the candle, and made his way down to his little room. Memories haunting him.

 

[Mairu]

Christine was entranced but when he turned his head she hid heart pounding in her chest. After the second time she decided to leave. Then she heard him sing. It was maybe even more beautiful than the music he played, but it also had an air of loneliness. She felt like she would cry. It ended though and she raced out going home.

Christine had dreams about that mans voice again. How beautiful it had sounded. She woke up breathing hard and shook her head and got ready for the day as it was rehearsal day. She was excited as she went meeting Raoul there who chatised her for not being here earlier. She again wondered why he got so upset. "I'll try to be here earlier next time." Raoul turned away going to his rehearsal spot as did Christine. She just hoped she was ready so if Carlotta did have an accident., though she highly doubted that, she would be ready.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

The next day Eric pushed his broom down the hall of the practice rooms, listening to the various singers practicing with a few of the orchestra members playing simplified transcriptions for piano. The more junior members of the orchestra were rehearsing under the concert master, working out some difficult passages at slow tempos, and learning the cues for entrances. One room was quiet, and he never heard Carlotta's voice at all. Perhaps her mouth is too busy to sing, he thought.

In the morning break Carlotta appeared with Aldo, both looking somewhat flushed. Aldo gulped an expresso after softening a biscotti in it. Munching he wandered off. As soon as Aldo had gone Carlotta flashed her eyes at Raoul, who was sitting with Christine. Eric was sure he caught Raoul winking at Carlotta. Then he excused himself, leaving Christine alone at their table. Moments later Carlotta vanished down the same hall Raoul had taken.

Eric watched Christine as she studied her parts, singing to herself. The others went back to their rehearsals, but Christine stayed in the room, studying. He swept the area close to her, listening to her hushed tones of 'mi chiamano Mimi' Voice like an angel he thought.

 

[Mairu]

Christine made sure to memorize the song. She wanted to make sure she didn't forget if they needed her. She sighed and thought back to that man. She wondered what it would be like to be his and sighed happily. She then shook her head meeting Raoul at the morning break. While with him though she fantasized about that man with a dreamy look on her face.

Then Raoul left and shortly after that Carlotta. Christine decided since she memorized it now it was time to practice the actual singing. Even as the other people left she kept singing. After a bit she sighed again then noticed the person sweeping. "Oh i'm sorry. I can move if you want to sweep here." Christine stood up ready to move if he said he needed her to.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

"I'm sorry, you have such a sweet voice, I was just listening to you. I don't want to intrude. You go ahead." Eric kept his head down and swept down another aisle and left the room. He knew that no one ever saw a janitor. No one ever really looked at him. It was the perfect way to hide in plain sight, and suited him perfectly. Leaving his broom, he climbed the stairs to the lighting lofts above the stage, and sat down to make himself a cup of tea. He loved to listen to the rehearsals, more than the performances, because here he could sense the craft behind the art the audience saw. The orchestra was working through the difficult places where the singers came in, practicing the timings. A couple of the understudies were helping, singing the entrances. Then he heard "Sì, mi chiamano Mimì . . ." Sung by Christine. His heart melted. But there were places it could be . . stronger. She sang it softly, delicately, but a hesitantly. She needed, confidence.

Then just as she started to sing the aria, a somewhat disheveled Raoul snuck into the third violin section, and moments later Carlotta appeared and shouldered Christine away. Her interpretation was crass and crude. There was no delicacy at all. Sighing, Eric finished his tea and made his way down to the cellars to his room.

 

[Mairu]

"Alright then." Christine sat down again but got up after a bit going to the rehersal room with everyone else. When she got there Raoul wasn't there and Christine wondered where he could be and sighed. She sung delicately but didn't have a lot of confidence. She was thankful that she was only an understudy because of that.

After a while Raoul came in and suspiciously only a few minutes after so did Carlotta. She shouldered Christine out of the way but Christine caught herself from falling. After rehearsal Christine went up to Raoul watching his behavior closely but tried to act normal with it.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

That evening, after the theater had cleared, the organ resonated to the Albinoni Adagio. The ground bass had a rich velvet like texture, the violin part soared in the smaller pipes. Over and over again, each time with subtle changes and nuances blending over the driving bass line.

Then quiet.

Eric sat very still at the keyboard, looking straight ahead. But focusing on his peripheral vision. Last night he had caught just a fleeting glimpse. Tonight he was certain. A slight movement in the shadows. It looked as if it could be the Mimi understudy.

Delicately, tenderly, he picked out the melody of Si, mi chiamano Mimi with a flute stop, listening.

 

[Mairu]

Christine had to be daring or stupid or both. She was back watching that man play again. His music was so lovely. Then he stopped what he was playing but Christine stood still, breathing a sigh of relief when he played again. Then she noticed the song. On instinct and unknown to her own mind she began singing along softly and closed her eyes lost in the music.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

He played softer and softer, until he was certain he heard her voice. It gave him a little thrill, totally unexpected. It had been years since he played for anyone. In he middle of a phrase he stopped, suddenly. Her voice sounded clear as a mountain stream.

Softly he said, "Come here, let me see you, do not be afraid. Come, let me see you."

He switched to a soft melody from the slow movement of a Mozart piano sonata. Just the melody, with his right hand, single notes.

He kept his gaze averted, but he could hear her steps approaching.

 

[Mairu]

When the man stopped playing Christine hardly noticed but then he spoke. Christine shrank back a bit but couldn't resist the urge to go to him. She approached cautiously and gulped.

"I'm sorry. Your music was just so beautiful I came down." Christine hoped the man wasn't mad at her but didn't really blame him if he was. He was handsome though she could only see part of his face. She stood there as he played becoming entranced once more by his music.

 

[JayTee69gmx]

He continued to play, still not looking directly at her. Then picked out the first few notes of her aria, and asked "Please, don't be afraid, sing that phrase."

Her voice was hesitant, but clear with perfect intonation.

"Mmm, beautiful."

Quickly and smoothly he stood and moved behind her.

"Try to relax, breathe in as deep as you can."

"Here, may I?" He wrapped his arm around her without touching, and lightly placed his fingertips on her tummy. He felt her flinch but said, "Inhale again, expand so you press on my fingers."

"Yes"

He moved back to the keyboard, still never facing her. He played a single note, "Listen"

As the sound died away, he said, "Inhale like that, sing that first note as loud as you can, and then listen to it echo."

 

[Mairu]

When he asked her to sing she did softly and hesitantly as she always did not really being confident enough to sing loudly. Her eyes widened when he got behind her and quivered. Her quiver could have actually been taken for flinching as it was quick but she steeled herself doing as he asked not daring to look behind her as she did.

Christine almost felt sad at the loss of his touch when he went back to the keyboard for the organ. When she did what he said she noticed it sounded more confident and was a lot louder than her previous singing and was amazed. "I've never sung that loud. Thank you, but why help me? I'm only an understudy who intruded on your space. You would get more good helping Carlotta. Then maybe the cast's ears would get some relief. Including mine though I'm never actually going to get to perform. Nothing bad ever happens to Carlotta."

 

[JayTee69gmx]

"Perfect."

Again he stood and moved behind her.

"Now move your feet apart a little, one foot in front of the other. Find a good strong balance."

Then he pressed at the bas of her spine, forwards. She teetered a bit and repositioned her feet quickly. He places his hands on either side of her chest, on her ribs, just under her arms.

"Now breathe in again, pretend you are shoving against my fingers on your tummy, but also shove against my fingers on your ribs."

She breathed in deeply, expanding her lungs with air.

He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Now sing that again, but quietly."

Gorgeous, full rounded tones came from deep within her, yet quiet and powerful.

He kissed her cheek lightly, "Beautiful."

"Now go and practice your scales, standing like that, breathing like that, both loud and soft. But always with full breath support."

Gently he turned her away, pressing forward on her chest at the back, then letting his hands drift down over her hips as soft as a breeze. He turned and walked away.

"Come back tomorrow night."