Chapter XVII: The Rake's Progress
The following morning, I was exhausted and my leg was swollen and aching. I could barely stand on my feet, much less run to arrive in school on time, but Christine was kind enough to offer her shoulder to lean on, and with her help, I managed to walk slowly. We made it to the choir rehearsal only ten minutes late.
"There you are!" Little Jammes whispered when we sneaked in. "You didn't miss anything, M. Reyer was just about to start talking about this spring's opera project!"
It was a tradition at the music college to stage an ambitious opera production in May each year. The college choir always participated, and the best voice majors were cast in leading roles. M. Reyer would be conducting the whole thing, and Mlle Popeau had initially volunteered as a director, since she had some experience teaching drama in elementary school. Luckily, this had been successfully averted and a professional director had been hired. (However, it later became a standing joke during rehearsals for music education majors to speculate how Mlle Popeau would have done it.)
This year, the opera being produced would be Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. I was very glad to hear it, since it was one of my favorites and I had seen it multiple times with my mother when I was a child. The plot is basically a variation on the Faust theme. Tom Rakewell, the main character, is engaged to Anne Truelove and they are happy together in the country. Along comes the devil in disguise, Nick Shadow, to tell Tom that he has inherited a fortune, and must travel to town immediately to see to his estate. Nick will come with him as his servant. When Tom arrives in the big city and faces its temptations, he gradually loses both his morals and his money, encouraged by Shadow. In the end, Nick Shadow reveals his true self and demands Tom's soul, but thanks to Anne's love, the devil loses his prey and only manages to take Tom's reason with him back to Hell. Tom is saved, but ultimately goes insane. The music is a wonderful mix between the classical and the modern, and the libretto is remarkably witty.
M. Reyer had already, in his apologetic fashion, tried to start announcing who had been selected for the main roles. At last, there was a sharp helpful whistle from someone in the choir, and finally the room was quiet.
"In collaboration with the singing professor, Signor Piangi, I have decided on the following cast", M. Reyer began.
"That is to say Signor Piangi has decided everything", commented Little Jammes under her breath.
"Nick Shadow will be played by Marcel here", said M. Reyer, pointing towards the baritone, "and you, Pauline, will play Baba, the bearded lady."
"Ah, well, better stop shaving then", said Pauline with mock melancholy, but I could see that she was thrilled to get the part.
"Now, as for the leading couple", said M. Reyer significantly, clearing his throat, "Anne Truelove will be played by Carlotta Piangi, and the role of Tom Rakewell will be played by... well, as it seems, there weren't any sufficiently advanced tenors, so it will actually be played by Professor Piangi himself."
This last piece of information caused a stunned silence among the students. Of course, it could only be expected that Signor Piangi would have favored his own daughter over Christine, even though Christine was clearly better suited for the role. But for him to cast himself in the lead was a little too much, and I don't think I was the only one who thought so. Besides, there was something unsettling about a father playing his daughter's fiancé on stage. The atmosphere in the room had suddenly turned rather awkward, and nobody knew quite what to do.
Only Carlotta looked her usual smug self. Her pride had suffered when Christine had won that scholarship last autumn, and now she glanced maliciously at Christine to see her reaction. My cousin was, however, graceful and didn't display any sign of the disappointment she must be feeling. I could hear other people in the room mentioning her name, though, as if they believed the part should rightfully have been hers. One particularly daring student called out to Carlotta:
"Won't you feel strange acting as if you are in love with your own dad on stage?"
"No", Carlotta said, indifferently. "I don't act. I sing."
That was probably the best summary of Carlotta's musicianship anyone could have given.
As for me, being in the choir suited me just fine. I was happy just to be part of the project, and I had no ambition to be a soloist. It did seem very strange, though, that Christine would be standing next to me in the soprano section instead of center stage. I think Signor Piangi deliberately chose an opera where there was only one large soprano role, since any opera where Carlotta and Christine both had solo arias would inevitably reveal Christine as the superior singer.
"That was very unfair!" Little Jammes exclaimed to Christine as we left the choir rehearsal.
"I agree", I said hotly. "What is worse, there was not even an attempt to conceal it! It was like some kind of power display for Carlotta and her father. I can't believe they got away with it!"
"It is true that I would very much have liked to play the part of Anne Truelove", said Christine in her timid way, "but I don't see that there is anything to do about that now. Piangi is the professor, so he has the final word. I already knew he can't stand me."
"I think we should boycot the whole thing!" cried Little Jammes with the thoughtless frankness which was so typical of her. "Or maybe sabotage it..."
"Don't give up, Christine", I said. "It's early days. Anything could happen. Maybe someone will see this vendetta for what it is and override Piangi's decision. Or suppose Carlotta gets a sore throat?"
As I said these last words, I could have sworn I heard a soft, melodic laugh in my ear. But when I turned around to look, there was nobody there.
