A/N: Thanks, as always, to my very loyal reviewers! I do not know if I could continue this story without you! I'm trying my hardest to make my chapters longer, so do not get discouraged!
Alright, I'm making an amendment to the summary. In the beginning I originally planned for Carolina to become the Opera Populaire's set designer. Yet, with the hole I've worked myself into with this chapter; she is going to become a singer. I was originally against this plan because it would be so unoriginal, I girl comes to the Opera and she becomes the lead singer! Though, I figured that if I made her become a singer it would lead to a much more interesting story!
I'm sorry if this change annoys anyone!
Chapter 8
Just a Job
The afternoon of the same day found me up on the grand stage of the Opera. This was the first rehearsal for the Opera Populaire's newest musical, Carmen. I stood off to one side, leaning against the proscenium, watching as the manager's addressed the entire company.
"The opening night will be June 18th, we will be holding a Gala at this time," Firmin explained to the cast. "Hopefully, this season at the Opera Populaire will not be…disrupted," he added darkly, casting a glance up at the silent rafters of the theatre.
The cast nodded, and slowly broke into various different groups. The low sound of chatter broke out backstage as the actors discussed their parts and the costume makers began brainstorming about the types of costumes they would make.
I sighed and turned around, resting the top of my head against the wood. No one bothered to speak to me at the Opera, in fact, most of them avoided my presence. I didn't think that there was anything in particular that made me unfriendly looking, but people naturally avoided me for some reason.
Though, just as quickly as the serene peace had come it was broken again, this time by Carlotta, the Opera's diva, stormed on stage. She looked, at least to me, like an oversized toad. Her strawberry red hair flew in eighty different directions down her back. She was wearing a large lip color pink dress that looked like it had just been taken off of the shelf. She might have been considered pretty by most standards, if her toad-like face hadn't been compressed into a sneer. One arm held the complete script for the play, and that arm was waving in the air.
I bit my tongue to suppress a look at the extremely flustered look on her face.
The managers, spotting their diva, ran over, their faces forcing, what they thought was a cheerful looking smile. "The diva has arrived!" Andre yelled, as the pair scampered over to her.
"Si, si," Carlotta said, her heavily accented voice echoed throughout the large theatre. "I have come to tell you that I vill not be sing-ing in this!" She spat, tossing the book on the stage.
"By, Madame, why? We cast you as Carmen, the leading role!" Firmin said in a vain attempt to regain the diva's attention.
"Si, si, but mon no, because I cannot a sing-a this-a part-a! It goes too low," Carlotta fumed, raising her hand in the air for added drama.
"Our diva…" Andre wailed.
"Si, si, si," Carlotta spat.
"Your public needs you!" Firmin added.
"They can 'ave your precious little…Christine Daae!" Carlotta yelled, turning around and spitting in the manager's face. "Orlando, allons-y, bring my doggie! Get my doggie! Bye, bye! You see, I'm really leaving now!"
With that, the diva stormed down the stage, her personal assistants and maids fumbling to catch up with her. I watched, with a suppressed smile as she threw open the doors that lead into the theatre and then slammed them behind her. As the door slammed, the noise in the theatre died down to mere silence.
"We have lost our star, Andre!" Firmin wailed, as he collapsed onto the stairs leading up to the stage. "What are we to do now?" He cried, throwing his face into his hands.
"Won't she come back?" I asked timidly.
Firmin turned around, "Maybe! Maybe not! I do not know!" He yelled, as I flinched at the harsh tone of his voice.
"Who will fill in for her…?" Andre questioned glumly.
"We could try and convince Christine," Madame Giry said, appearing from around the curtain.
"Daae?" Andre questioned. "She would never come back here if her life depended on it!" He declared. "We have no one!"
"I could sing for you, Monsieur," I said quietly. I had been gathering up all of my courage to say this. Singing had been a talent that I had been gifted with from a young age, back when my parents were alive they had given my regular voice lessons. My instructor had been a kind old man, who had taught me everything. I had been a pure soprano back then, now I did not know. I didn't even know if I could sing.
The look on the manager's and Madame Giry's face was enough to blow me over. The trio looked so surprised that I had to emit a small giggle of laughter. "YOU can sing?" Andre questioned. "Why didn't you tell us that before?"
"I sung when I was with my family, they gave me regular voice lessons as a girl," I said softly. "I haven't taken them in nearly a year though," I said.
"You don't have the voice for an Opera Diva, Mademoiselle," Firmin stated shortly. "Now…who else could we cast?" He said, making it clear that the possibility of me singing was zero to none.
"Please, Monsieur, let me sing for you!" I begged nervously.
Firmin turned around and studied me intently. "Perhaps if we fattened you up you could make a good Opera figure. Sing for us, then Mademoiselle," he said shortly.
I nodded once weakly, my stomach fluttering as I moved to the center of the stage. The trio stood up and surveyed my with a critical eye, I looked at our Maestro who nodded once; he struck up a tune, one from Carmen. I held in my hands, Carlotta's discarded script and sung the words:
"The bird you caught by surprise
Beats its wing, and off it flies.
Love ignores you, you wait and mope,
Then there it is-when you give up hope.
Love's all around you. Quick, quick!
You have no man, or you have your pick.
Think you've found love?
It turns you down cold.
Think you've escaped it?
It has you in its hold.
L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre
Battit de l'aile et s'envola-
L'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre;
Tu ne l'attends plus- il est la.
Tout autour de toi, vite, vite,
Il vient, s'en va, puis il revient-
Tu crois le tenir, il t'evite,
Tu veux l'eviter; il te tient "
I waited until the music was finished before I looked up hesitantly at the Maestro. He was giving me a most peculiar look and I frowned, feeling my heart drop. I had been horrible; my voice was still much untrained. Though just as I thought this I became aware that there was more clapping, and I turned around to see that most of the people at the Opera had gathered.
"Brava! Brava!" Andre yelled, coming over to me and clapping a hand on my shoulder. "Stupenda!" He yelled, a smile evident on his face
."That was wonderful, mademoiselle!" Firmin said approvingly.
"I think we found our new Carmen!" Andre said excitedly to Firmin.
I stood there, a wide grin evident on my face as everyone flocked around me, exclamations of, "You can sing?" "You have the voice of a diva!" "Carlotta is surely out of business now!" flew around me. I felt like I was floating in a dream, as I could not believe that this was happening at all! I felt so strange, for now I had suddenly became the center of attention of everyone!
"Where did you learn to sing so fluently in Spanish? With your pronunciation, I would almost have to think that perhaps you are from Spain!" Firmin exclaimed.
"I grew up in Spain, Monsieur," I said quietly.
"Really? And, where in the world did you learn to sing like that? If I'm not mistaken you honestly have the voice of an angel! I'd say that you just out sang Christine Daae!" Andre said with a smile broad on his face.
I stuttered for a moment in my reply, not only had the question about my music teacher caught me off guard but the sudden comparison to Christine Daae! I had heard the stories, the rumors, about her incredible voice. I knew her teacher, I knew about her sudden rise to fame. Though what troubled me the most was the comment about me having the voice of an angel! Me! The whore who lived on the streets for half of her life, suddenly having the voice of an angel!
I suddenly felt weak in the legs, and crumbled to a sad mess of skirts and slips on the stage. The manager's were beside me in an instant, making sure that their precious new diva wasn't going to die on them. They swarmed on me, asking me questions, making sure that I was healthy.
"Monsieurs, please, allow the girl some room!" I recognized that voice to belong only to Madame Giry.
The manger's immediately back away from me, apologizing rapidly. Madame Giry meanwhile helped me to my feet. I stood up unsteadily, my mind still in a fog from the events that had taken place in the past twenty minutes. I vaguely heard Madame Giry tell the mangers that I had had a long, trying day and that I needed rest.
Madame Giry then led me off of the stage; all the while the members of the cast clapped me on the back and smiled broadly at me as I walked past. I smiled, suddenly feeling for the first time in my life like a Prima Donna. I guessed that this was how Carlotta felt everyday!
Pausing outside of my room, Madame Giry handed me my script and bade me good night. "Thank you for everything Madame," I said, smiling in the dim light of the candle that she had been holding.
"I'm always more than happy to help you whenever you need it, Carolina! Never hesitate to ask!" She said, putting an assuring hand on my arm.
"Good night," I said, turning the lock on my door and carefully pushing it open.
"Good night, Carolina, and congratulations!" She said, before turning away and disappearing down the dark hall.
I smiled and sighed once before turning around already beginning to unbutton my shirt. It was then that I felt a presence behind me and I heard the rich voice say, "Where in the world did you learn to sing like that?"
More Erik in the next chapter (I promise!)
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