With clipped wings, still I sing (77)

[littlesongbird]

Lise hummed softly as she began working on cleaning this latest guest room. She closed her eyes and shuddered, wondering how.. Non.. Do not even think about how this mess happened. Some things were best left unthought about. The last time she had seen a mess this bad, is when she had popped into Guilio's room to go over quickly a particular aria.

Well, on the other paw, that room she had been in when Mssr Martin found out she was a singer was pretty bad. One would think that if they could afford to stay in such a quality place, one could afford the manners to actually keep said room clean. Mon Dieu...

She sighed quietly and got down on her knees to hunt the rogue dust bunnies and other.. things.. She chanced a glance under the bed, and wished she had not. So much.. was it moving? She shook herself, her tail swishing as she drew back. Her imagination. Still... Non. She began to hum softly, trying to distract herself from living dust bunnies.

Well... Mssr Martin was no where in sight so.. maybe.. She gave herself a slightly firm nod and mentally debated over which aria to sing. She had decided that O mio babbino caro was not the aria to sing - merely because of her encounter with Mssr Martin. Nor did she feel like that aria from Tosca - not when she could not do the role justice.

Madama Butterfly was pretty, she metally noted, as she fluffed the pillow. Even if it was one of the saddest operas she had ever heard and read. She took a small breath before she started to sing, softly, hoping not to attact too much attention. "Un bel dì, vedremo levarsi un fil di fumo sull'estremo confin del mare. E poi la nave appare. Poi la nave bianca entra nel porto, romba il suo saluto. Vedi? È venuto! Io non gli scendo incontro. Io no. Mi metto là sul ciglio del colle e aspetto, e aspetto gran tempo e non mi pesa, la lunga attesa. E uscito dalla folla cittadina, un uomo, un picciol punto s'avvia per la collina. Chi sarà? chi sarà? E come sarà giunto che dirà? che dirà? Chiamerà Butterfly dalla lontana. Io senza dar risposta me ne starò nascosta un po' per celia e un po' per non morire al primo incontro; ed egli alquanto in pena chiamerà, chiamerà: "Piccina mogliettina, olezzo di verbena" i nomi che mi dava al suo venire. Tutto questo avverrà, te lo prometto. Tienti la tua paura, io con sicura fede l'aspetto."

She froze suddenly, her ears flicking back as she thought she heard someone. Mon Dieu... Not again. Please.. Everlasting Cat.. don't let it be Mssr Martin..


((Why Lise says it's a sad opera: www.youtube.com/watch?v=25qOY9cwz88 - 'tis the ending. Keep tissues handy.))

[victoriousscarf]

Walking through the hallways while waiting for Coricopat to get done with whatever Macavity was talking to him about, Mistoffelees paused at the sound of singing. He was, after all, suddenly expected to know about things like opera and the like. Pausing another moment, he followed the sound of the voice, poking his head in the door of where he heard the singing, thinking if it was a guest he'd compliment them and consider retreating.

[littlesongbird]

Lise stood there before slowly turning to see who had heard her this time. She wasn't quite sure she recognized this tom. She had seen many toms and queens in passing today that they all tended to blur together. Still, it was good manners to greet the other.

"Bonjour, Mssr," she murmured, bobbing her head in greeting.

[victoriousscarf]

"Hello," he greeted brightly. He was actually a great deal more comfortable with servants than he was members of what now could only be called his own class. "I just heard your lovely singing."

[littlesongbird]

That had her blushing shyly. "Merci, Mssr," she said, smiling slightly. She paused, considering the song. "I will confess," she said, ducking her head slightly out of embarrassment. "It was only the second time I tried to sing that aria. It was from Madama Butterfly, act two, if my memory serves."

Mentally, she winced. Why did she have this problem of talking about opera when a maid like her should not know which opera that was or even what act that was or be able to sing said aria? Hopefully he wouldn't call her out on it.

Dieu...

((why do I see Misto snagging her to teach him all about opera since she was an opera singer XD))

[victoriousscarf]

((Because he totally would?))

He smiled, stepping further into the room and offering her a large smile. "Oh, but it was beautiful! I really have no concept of opera I'm sorry to say, but it sounded lovely."

[littlesongbird]

((She'd happily teach - after she gets over the shock first))

She blushed again. "Merci, Mssr," she murmured quietly. "I used to sing.. professionally..." she quietly admitted to the tuxedo'd tom before her.

[victoriousscarf]

He grinned at her. "Really? That's fantastic. But... you don't anymore?" he asked a little cautiously.

[littlesongbird]

"I.. did not see an opera house when I arrived here," she began slowly. "I still practice, though. I was a principle soprano at the Palais in France," she said quietly. "I left just as we were beginning Madama Butterfly," she admitted. "The director and I.. he.." She fell silent for a long moment, her eyes barely glancing in the direction of the bed. "He wanted more of me then I wished to give," she murmured softly.

She shook herself for a moment. "I beg your forgiveness. That is probably more then you had wished to hear."

[victoriousscarf]

((Oh, really tiny quick nit-pick: Misto's fur is all black in this one, since I went back to the original poem rather than the stage production where he's "Black from his ears to the tip of his tail" so, he's not a Tuxedo. Even though I love tuxedo markings. XD Just for future reference.))

"Oh," he said, tail swishing slightly behind him. "Well, I'm not sure we have an opera house up to the standards of Paris, but I'm sure we have something. Or even a club that might like a bit more culture. I mean, if you still wanted to sing. I don't want to press or anything..."

[littlesongbird]

((ah, okay. And it amuses me when you watch the musical and see him as a tux and Tugger keeps the line that "he's black from his ears to the tip of his tail". Uh, Tuggs, you've seen what your buddy looks like, right? XD))

She gave a small nod. "The Palais was pretty but," she paused, struggling to recall the English word she wanted. "Ostentatoire," she said finally, giving up on trying to say the word in English. She considered for a moment. "Is there a place that you would suggest.. should I.. wish to sing?" she asked shyly.


((ostentatoire - ostentatious))

[victoriousscarf]

((Yeah. I mean, they had to change give him some white or he would never been seen under stage lights but yeah.))

He shrugged a bit bashfully. "I really don't, I'm sorry to say. I mean, maybe the Palace? But I don't know the better parts of town that well yet."

[littlesongbird]

((That and the other cats since "Jellicle cats are black and white." [/end song before it gets out of hand XD]))

"Palace?" she repeated, although it came out sounding more like "Palais" then the English word he used. "I must beg your forgiveness for the name does not sound familiar," she admitted quietly, biting her lower lip after a moment.

Well, on the bright side, he hadn't asked any embarrassing questions - like if she was French then did she know /that/ dance? Dieu... What a horrid thought.

[victoriousscarf]

"Oh, sorry, I suppose I assume most people know the town better, but that's probably just my bias. It's a club that's trying to be respectable and all that, so it's entirely likely there may be some chances for an opera singer but..." he shrugged.

[littlesongbird]

"It is more my fault then yours. I have been here for trois," she paused, considered, and corrected herself, "three years. I should know the town better then I do," she admitted. She considered for a moment. "Perhaps I should look into the Palace. If only to listen to music again."

((And I blame Clara's theme song of "Where's the girl" for wanting me to turn the Broadway production of Scarlet Pimpernel into an "opera". And historically, the play came out in 1903, the book in 1905, with the first movie production in 1917 (although the famous version is from '34).))