January 12 - Milano - A night at the opera

[robertod]

Later on at night, some 3,000 people eddy in the piazza, at the ticket windows, in the foyers, and in the salons of La Scala, but they make none of the animated chatter and gossip usual to opening night. These Milanese have dressed in black. They speak in hushed tones, and avert their eyes. The tone of the evening is funereal. A few steps from the ticket office is a small bar with small tables. A tailcoat-clad bartender is offering a slew of aperitifs on the balcony. A group of gentlemen, some accompanied by their ladies, sip a drink waiting for the bell to ring. Among them there is also Flavio Conti who chats with two other gentlemen.

[Mr. Handy]

Felicity is wearing black too, but only coincidentally. She has changed into a gorgeous dress desgined by Coco Chanel that she bought in Paris. While she has a matching wrap and coat on over it to keep out the cold weather, she slips them off once she is indoors to reveal that it is sleeveless and has a plunging back. It shows off her figure to good effect and reveals as much of her legs as she dares, which is quite a lot. Fortunately, her silk stockings keep them warm.

"One of those gentlemen with Signore Conti must be the doctor," she says. "Let's go over and introduce ourselves."

[Mephistophilis]

Ignoring the advice about the dress code from the costumiers, Andrew is wearing a dress coat and white bowtie which fits well on his athletic frame. He links arms with Felicity and gives her a nod. 'Well Miss Hayward, we both appear to be looking our best. It is time to put that to good use,' and he escorts her over to Conti and his companions.

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie thanked his lucky stars that he packed formal wear for this trip.

As a season ticket holder at the Royal Opera House, Archie felt like he was in a dream. He kept pinching himself. He'd always wanted to see an opera here in Milano. He kept pinching himself as he made his way down the aisle.

"I'm so sorry," he said, pointing to his cuffs. "Had a deuce of a time with these cuff links."

[Mr. Handy]

"I'd be delighted, Mr. Murray," says Felicity with a smile as she lets him escort her. While she doesn't think his choice of outfits is a good idea considering what they were told, she does appreciate his rebellious streak, and she has enough fashion sense to compensate for his lack.

[aine]

Clarence helps Felicity with her outer garments and flushes when he sees how much skin she is showing,
“Maybe you should put this wrap back on!” But she has gone, floating across the floor with Andrew, leaving Clarence with an armful of fur coat. He finds a staff member to deposit the coats with and, seeing Archie in a rapturous dream, heads straight to the bar to get a stiff drink.

[robertod]

Conti smiles when he sees the group approaching.
He calls the attention of the other gentlemen who were conversing with him. After a short bow to the newcomers, he speaks in English.
"Good evening. I see that this evening the opera will have the privilege of being appreciated by an international audience."

[Mr. Handy]

"Good evening, gentlemen," says Felicity, still smiling. She turns her smile on the two men she hasn't met yet. "I'm Felicity Hayward."

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie laughs. "Oh, Signor Conti, don't be modest. I suspect every single performance has international visitors," he said, nodding surreptitiously in the direction of the at the Yank in the white Stetson cowboy hat. "This theatre is known the world round."

[aine]

“I confess, I am a complete opera novice.” Clarence admits. “I’m hoping someone can take me under their wing and explain the proceedings; if it isn’t too impertinent?”

[Mephistophilis]

Fixing them all with a supercilious smile, Andrew continues, 'Good evening gentlemen, Andrew Murray at your service.' His gaze takes in the whole room, 'I think you have quite the audience already. I can't say I have ever been particular to opera. Too shrill for my tastes. But young Miss Cavollaro had quite the voice. I only hope her sister is up to the challenge now she has...' he looks for a reaction. '...become indisposed.'

[robertod]

Conti introduces a tall, elderly man with a big bushy mustache and a serious, scrupulous look. The man forces a smile and takes a short bow. He is introduced as Arturo Viso, one of the patrons of the theatre.
Conti resumes speaking.
"Yes, La Scala opera attracts people from all over the world, but it is always a pleasure to see the international audience grow. The opera does not require any special skills to be appreciated. When you enter you will be given a brochure with the summary for you to follow the plot. For the rest, you'll just have to appreciate the music and the singing… and the scenography, of course."
Then he pauses and exchanges a look with Face.
"I'm sure Virginia is fine and she will be a good replacement. I met her a little while ago in her dressing rooms. She is anxious and... excited, as to be expected. But I am sure she will do a good job. "
The first bell rings.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm very much looking forward to it," says Felicity. "Do we need to take our seats now?"

[Mephistophilis]

'I think we should,' agrees Andrew. He shakes the men's hands again, looking for any signs of recent surgery or illness. 'A pleasure to meet you gentlemen. I'm sure you have very fine seats...' He checks his tickets for an indication as to where they will be sitting.

OOC:   Andrew is going to see if he can find a way to sneak backstage during the performance. He's got some points in Disguise if he needs to try and look like a member of the cast/crew.

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie managed a smile. "Thank you for your time, Signor."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Archie smiles excitedly as he also checks his ticket and heads for the seats.

[Mr. Handy]

Felicity checks her own ticket and links arms with Andrew again. "We must talk again during the interval."

[aine]

Clarence follows. In a low voice he says to Archie, “Did you hear how he emphasised ‘scenography’? I’ll bet my last shilling there’s something in it.”

[robertod]

Finally, the third bell ring and the somber crowd moves to seats and boxes. The investigators remain on the ground floor, front row center.
From the central chandelier, in which a dinner party could be comfortably held, to the six tiers of boxes which soar up to the shallow domed roof, to the sixty feet of crimson curtain that veils the stage, everything is of epic proportions. It is impossible not to feel dwarfed, and a little awed, by this place. The investigators feel very small, indeed of the wrong scale.
It takes a full five minutes to get to the front row. The seats are central and immediately before the orchestra, who by means of squeaks and strums and blurts are tuning their instruments. At eight sharp, the conductor taps the podium with his baton, a thin sharp sound that finds every corner of the hall. The music begins, a melody familiar to the investigators from Cavollaro’s impromptu recital aboard the Orient Express. Over the central sit Arturo Faccia and Flavio Conti. On either side of them are two uncomfortable looking, well-dressed, middle-aged men, four in all.

The curtain bunches up and up, and up, to reveal on stage a great hall of ancient Egypt. Priests sacrifice plaster lambs at the feet of a statue of Isis, whom they petition to choose a new Egyptian leader. Young warrior Radamès sings of his hope to be chosen, and also that, upon his return from the fight against the Ethiopians, he may ask Aida (a captured Ethiopian slave, handmaiden to the Egyptian King’s daughter) to marry him. Little does he know that Aida is a princess herself, the daughter of the Ethiopian king and leader. Radamès is chosen as the new Egyptian leader and the priests take him away to be presented with his armor.
Aida’s tortured aria “Ritorna Vincitor”, the one that the investigators by now know so well, begins. Virgilia Cavollaro, a charming lady with wavy black hair and with a proud and passionate air, starts singing with the very same vocal power and presence of Caterina. From the lady´s mouth spill the perfect notes of a soprano in her prime, exactly as the investigators have heard them twice before. Everybody´s attention is caught by the impressive voice. The whole opera house begins to hum with the resonance of the song and tha audience seems to be singing the piece themselves. Everybody tonight seems to have had a secret wish satisfied.

The aria finished, a new backdrop unfurls. The new scene is inside the temple of Phtah. Incense billows out into the audience as Radamès strides in, followed by a group of priests, who present him with his sword, his sandals, his helmet and then a spotlight comes up on Radamès’ armor.
Radamès’ suit of armor is arranged on a large dressmaker’s dummy. The priests lift the amour off, for a second the bare torso swims under the spotlight. It has the look of opalescent marble. The Torso has the sheen and color appropriate to that of the Left Arm.

Arturo Faccia stands up and looks at the stage with an umprobable expression of ecstasy, as if something had just overpowered all his reason and restraint. There is a moment of commotion and astonishment as Faccia’s voice shouts orders in Italian to a group of men sitting nearby. Three men hurriedly leave their seats.

[Mr. Handy]

Felicity enjoys the performance, the romantic plotline appealing to her, but she returns to the real world when she sees the torso. "I think those men are going to make a play for the chest," she whispers to the others. "We should follow them."

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie is enraptured by the performance and the scenery. It's a dream come true in so many ways. He reluctantly agrees with Felicity. "You're right," he murmurs. "We should." He can't his luck. He finally gets to La Scala and he has to bail before it's over. His arm tingles ominously as he prepares to follow."