We share a Greenroom with them.
The 1970's meets 1835.
It's pretty weird.
* * *
So. There they are in the Greenroom shared by 1970's New York City and 1835 Paris.
A coffee machine.
A few dozen puzzles.
A spades game in the corner.
Theatrical posters along the walls from present day to days of yore.
The day was inevitable.
The day was today:
Sophie DePalma meets her idol, soprano Giulia Grissi...in the company of her fellow Puritani Quartet members-- baritone Tamburini, bass LaBlanche and tenor Rubini.
[excited face!!!]
SCENE 1
[Sophie gathers herself as best she can, pulls up her knee socks, and appraoches Grissi, perhaps including herself in Grissi's personal space juuuuuuust a touch...]
Sophie: ...Omygodyour Adalgisa in Maestro Bellini's Norma was leeeeeeeeegendary...
Giulia: Haha! [coy light laughter complete with theatrical head-shaking and hand flicking] ...Yes.
Sophie: May I touch your necklace?
[pause]
Giulia: Um. [she blinks] Certainly...
[she removes it]
Sophie: ...and would you sign my score?!
Grissi: eh?
Tamburini: What's that magic flashing box?
Rubini: [aside] perhaps she will not see me stealing her jewels while the magic box flashes...
* * *
SCENE 2
Sophie: Ooooooooh...
[Giulia's left hand pulls the jewels iiiiimperceptibly away...]
Giulia: Careful Sophie! Careful now my dear! These were given to me by Rossini.
Sophie: they WERE?!
Giulia: Oh yes, after my performance of Semiramide in Paris. Gioachino has wonderful taste in jewels.
Sophie: --what about the one you are wearing?
Giulia: my good luck necklace from my stage debut as Emma in Rossini's Zelmira in Bologna in 1828. From my sisters.
Sophie: and the earrings?
[she moves to touch them]
Giulia: Ah-Ah-AH! No touching! NO. TOUCHING. NO TOUCH! [she gathers herself: a deep breath before,] They were a gift from an admirer in Milan after the premiere of Norma.
Sophie: and what about your tiara...?
[pause. deadpan.]
Giulia: It's mine. We must dress for the job we want my darling-- haven't you ever heard that phrase...?
[she examines Sophie briefly...]
...perhaps you haven't...
FIN.
These Images include:
ReplyDeleteRebecca Brooksher as Grisi,
Marc Kudisch as Tamburini,
Hoon Lee as Lablache,
Christopher Michael McFarland as Rubini