A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! There isn't an Erik/Sara interaction in this chapter but as you'll be able to tell from this chapters conclusion it is really soon, next chapter soon. Also we finally have it a chapter all about Erik! As always R/R and above all enjoy!
So they hired a new sewing rat? A trivial matter, but from the looks of her young age she was likely inexperienced. If his assumptions were correct she would ruin meters of material and debauch countless gowns for months. It would hardly ruin a production but obviously the perfection he demanded from an Opera was not the same as the manager's.
He was tempted to wait and see how terrible she actually was but he had more pressing matters to attend to as auditions were being held a short distance away. Perhaps this year there would be talent among the undisciplined squawking and uncoordination. He had to admit his hopes weren't high.
Erik's shoes made no noise as he followed his hidden passages to box five. His box. He made that clear to those fools Debienne and Poligny. It took some, shall we say, convincing but now they didn't dare not follow his word. This was Erik's Opera House and within these walls his word was God.
So it began, late as usual. Dancers. Lord how he loathed them. Ballet was such a pretentious, clumsy art. He had yet to meet a dancer with true passion. They were all so obsessed with how their tutu fell to observe the finer intricacies of art. In truth every performer he had ever seen grace that stage ignored the unwritten aspect to art. The underlying passion and emotion that when lacking made even the most technically accurate performer look like a bumbling calf or squawking bird. It infuriated Erik to that not a single member of the entire Opera staff looked for any of this in any performer. The managers looked for the girls with the thin waists, short skirts and heaving breasts. The maestro and ballet mistress looked for the flashiest, most technical performer. The results amounted to a disgrace.
Erik sat and watched as each dancer gracelessly fumbled across the stage, while the older girls complained about why they had to audition.
"I don't see why we must audition! Even to just be in le corps!" One dancer complained loudly. "I have been dancing with the company for three years!"
"And you have taken that fact for granted!" Shouted the ballet mistress. "We are having auditions for every part as some people have gotten rather lazy with their performance, under the assumption that they are secure in their position. That is why every single dancer, singer and musician, aside from the Prima Ballerina and Prima Donna, will be auditioning! If you have indeed been practicing and performing properly while a member of le corps you should have no problems!"
Erik couldn't help but smirk. At least someone had a sense of discipline. Though he thought that Prima Ballerina and certainly the Prima Donna should audition. If Erik were to be honest with himself he thought that they should be fired, but perhaps an audition would scare up some real talent.
Erik watched the auditions all morning, his mood growing darker the longer they went on. He had made a mental note to write to the managers. This was disgraceful! 3 hours of auditions and what to show for it? A bunch of uncoordinated giraffes, mediocre woodwinds, a soulless brass and a percussion section that couldn't keep time if he lit their sheet music on fire.
The chorus was no better. The only girl worth mentioning had long golden hair and blue eyes. She had potential but she reminded him of a deer. Wide eyed, simple, and frightened of her own shadow. She was a waste of good talent and space.
Erik was fuming, 3 hours wasted! Not to mention he had to look forward to yet another year of barely adequate operas. He stormed back towards his home. He needed a way to vent his frustrations, perhaps it was time the sewing rat got acquainted with the Opera Ghost!
A/N: Uh oh, what's he got planned? Looks like the long awaited meeting is about to take place! Hope you enjoyed, please review! Also I know Erik was a little harsh on Christine, don't worry this is not a "bash Christine" fic. Erik was just in a foul mood and this story is taking place before any E/C developed.