Sorry....I forgot the disclaimer-blah blah not mine blah blah Gaston Leroux
blah blah.
Noon the following day found me just outside the manager's office, listening to a confidential conversation between the managers. The Vicomte was not present. I assumed he was either still absent or he did not feel like showing his face when I was around. I felt sure that the former was true, however, as Christine was not at the Opera this morning either.
"I swear Andre, it's bad enough that Miss Daae has to go unexplainably missing for the second time this year. On top of that, we have to perform this 'Don Juan'. Is it even very good?" Firmin asked from behind his desk.
"Musically or morally?" Andre replied, pacing around the room and flipping through the libretto.
"Whichever will bring in the money," Firmin replied in his usual manner.
"Well, musically it's better than anything I've ever seen. Though I don't want to admit it, this Opera Ghost is a musical genius." I smiled to myself.
"Good enough to bring in money?" Firmin asked, eyeing the libretto curiously.
"Oh yes...if we were just playing the music. The moral background of the story is somewhat lax, and the entire thing may be too intense for some of the ladies that frequent the Opera."
"Damn!" Firmin suddenly yelled, jumping out of his chair and racing over to Andre. "The press has discovered our dilemma!" And indeed, in large black print read the words "Opera Populaire puts on Ghost's new Opera". I had written the press myself, anonymously of course. If Andre and Firmin were fools not to realize the publicity opportunities it was not my fault, but this wasn't any opera. It was my life's work, and people were going to come whether they came of their own free will or not.
"Wait," Andre said, looking at Firmin. "That means that now even the people of Paris that weren't at the Masquerade know about the opera, and know that it was written by our friend O.G."
"Good Lord it's brilliant. The house will be so jammed we'll have to have to turn people down!" Firmin exclaimed, settling slowly back down into his chair.
"What about Box 5? Are we going to sell it?" Andre asked, glancing warily around.
"No!" I said, and watched their faces change as my voice echoed around the room.
"Of course not Andre, what were you thinking?" Firmin asked. I laughed quietly to myself and turned to leave.
"But what of Miss Daae?" Andre asked. "She is still missing. There are no notes, letters, or any form of communication. She must return soon or we will not be able to have this production ready!"
"I daresay she and the young Vicomte are gone together...he hasn't been heard from in just as long. This will complicate things if we are not able to satisfy our phantom's request."
"We shall not start worrying for another two days at least. If she has not returned, we shall hire people to find her. If all else fails, Carlotta will simply have to go on in her place. This production is too big and too publicized to not be performed," Andre replied, sitting behind his desk. I had turned back to listen, and now decided there was no other information I could possibly learn from the manager's. At least they had enough sense to realize a classic when they saw it. I would go down to my house and wait for Christine's arrival. I had no doubt it would be very soon that the young prima donna would walk through those large opera doors.
Noon the following day found me just outside the manager's office, listening to a confidential conversation between the managers. The Vicomte was not present. I assumed he was either still absent or he did not feel like showing his face when I was around. I felt sure that the former was true, however, as Christine was not at the Opera this morning either.
"I swear Andre, it's bad enough that Miss Daae has to go unexplainably missing for the second time this year. On top of that, we have to perform this 'Don Juan'. Is it even very good?" Firmin asked from behind his desk.
"Musically or morally?" Andre replied, pacing around the room and flipping through the libretto.
"Whichever will bring in the money," Firmin replied in his usual manner.
"Well, musically it's better than anything I've ever seen. Though I don't want to admit it, this Opera Ghost is a musical genius." I smiled to myself.
"Good enough to bring in money?" Firmin asked, eyeing the libretto curiously.
"Oh yes...if we were just playing the music. The moral background of the story is somewhat lax, and the entire thing may be too intense for some of the ladies that frequent the Opera."
"Damn!" Firmin suddenly yelled, jumping out of his chair and racing over to Andre. "The press has discovered our dilemma!" And indeed, in large black print read the words "Opera Populaire puts on Ghost's new Opera". I had written the press myself, anonymously of course. If Andre and Firmin were fools not to realize the publicity opportunities it was not my fault, but this wasn't any opera. It was my life's work, and people were going to come whether they came of their own free will or not.
"Wait," Andre said, looking at Firmin. "That means that now even the people of Paris that weren't at the Masquerade know about the opera, and know that it was written by our friend O.G."
"Good Lord it's brilliant. The house will be so jammed we'll have to have to turn people down!" Firmin exclaimed, settling slowly back down into his chair.
"What about Box 5? Are we going to sell it?" Andre asked, glancing warily around.
"No!" I said, and watched their faces change as my voice echoed around the room.
"Of course not Andre, what were you thinking?" Firmin asked. I laughed quietly to myself and turned to leave.
"But what of Miss Daae?" Andre asked. "She is still missing. There are no notes, letters, or any form of communication. She must return soon or we will not be able to have this production ready!"
"I daresay she and the young Vicomte are gone together...he hasn't been heard from in just as long. This will complicate things if we are not able to satisfy our phantom's request."
"We shall not start worrying for another two days at least. If she has not returned, we shall hire people to find her. If all else fails, Carlotta will simply have to go on in her place. This production is too big and too publicized to not be performed," Andre replied, sitting behind his desk. I had turned back to listen, and now decided there was no other information I could possibly learn from the manager's. At least they had enough sense to realize a classic when they saw it. I would go down to my house and wait for Christine's arrival. I had no doubt it would be very soon that the young prima donna would walk through those large opera doors.