Beauty Of Music

Chapter 6

As the day went on most of the Opera Company was busy rehearsing for the up and coming production of Faust, which wouldn't occur for another few months. Catherine was kept busy by mending some costumes until the head seamstress approached her and sent her of an errand to deliver a brown cloak to one of the female chorus members waiting in the wings. When she found the woman, who turned about to be one of the women who approached her and her sister upon their arrival yesterday, she placed the cloak over her shoulders and made a few adjustments to the back. As she worked, she glanced up for a moment to watch rehearsals on stage.

"What are they rehearsing?" she asked.

"Gounod's Faust. The story of an ugly old man who sells his soul to the Devil" explained another woman who was standing backstage. In her left hand she held a compact mirror while applying makeup with her other hand.

"Why?" Catherine asked.

"Why do you think? For the love of a woman" scoffed the first woman.

"Hello! Pierre!" said the second woman in an enthusiastic tone as she went to greet a middle-aged man wearing a Devil costume and full makeup.

"Hello" said Pierre in a deep, low tones voice whilst giving the woman a kiss on both cheeks.

He glanced behind the woman and saw Catherine, whom he hadn't met yet, and approached her.

"Who is this little one?" he said with a friendly smile as he gentle touched Catherine's chin.

XXX

In the shadows Erik was watching the exchange whilst wearing a black mask that appeared menacing with an angry expression.

XXX

Meanwhile on stage the actor playing Faust was in the middle of an aria when the stage manager interrupted him.

"No! No! No! This is poison not soup! You are drinking it because you want to kill yourself, not to enjoy a meal! That is because you despair, not happy!" he said in a thick French accent as he came over and sat down beside the actor.

While he spoke the actor sighed with exhaustions and took his wig off, revealing a full head of short raven hair.

"Take it from la, la, la, la" he continued, gesturing towards the Orchestra conductor in the pit.

"From where?" asked 'Faust'.

"LA, LA, LA, LA!" exclaimed the stage manager.

The Orchestra conductor was confused at first by the stage manager's request and turned to the woman sitting at the piano next to him for help.

"I think he wants Mephisto's entre" said the woman.

Christine and the other musicians were nowhere in site because they were in another practise room at the rear of the building.

"Three, four" said the conductor signaling for the actors to get ready. Whilst the woman pianist began playing a fast tune.

As rehearsals continued. Catherine had picked up a few costumes and was about to take them back to the costume room but decided to stop for a moment to watch. She enjoyed watching the actors on stage and couldn't help but let her mind wander to what it would be like for her to perform on stage too but didn't dwell on it for too long and got back to her duties. While walking backstage she saw a stage hand turning on a spot light while looking up and when she looked in the direction he was she saw a woman in a red wig, wearing the exact same dress as Carlotta was earlier in her dressing room sitting on top of a platform with a spinning wheel in front of her.

"Who is she?" she asked.

"Marguerite, the woman Faust desires" said the stagehand as he kept an eye on the girl on the platform.

"Hm, I thought that was Carlotta's role" said Catherine as she walked away.

"Yes, Carlotta doesn't think she needs rehearsal" he said.

XXX

Erik continued to watch the younger Daae sister from the shadows.

XXX

A few hours went by and soon it was time for everyone to leave for the night. In Catherine's case however she decided to check around the Opera house for any costumes left lying around before meeting Christine in their living space. After sweeping through the dressing rooms Catherine checked the stage and as she was placing the costumes into the cart she had been pushing around, a few employees walked past her wishing her a 'Goodnight' and in return she smiled at them as they left.

XXX

Hiding in the shadows on a staircase nearby Erik watched at Catherine pushed the cart around the stage then like a shadow he walked down the stairs and made his way to the Orchestra pit.

The stage lights switched off giving Erik the chance to peek up onto the stage and waited until the last two employees left before making his presents known to Catherine.

XXX

After waving goodbye to the last two employees leaving Catherine went to pick up some costumes from the floor but then stopped in her tracks when she heard a noise coming from the Orchestra pit and when she looked up, she saw Erik standing there.

"Please don't be afraid. I'm a friend as well as an admirer" he said in a soft voice.

Catherine tried to step forward to get a closer look at Erik, but he stopped her.

"No please I would appreciate it greatly if you were to stay exactly where you are" he instructed as he began to make slow movements away from his hiding spot.

"Mademoiselle last night I heard you singing. I know you-you-you thought you were alone, but you were not" he said as he slowed walked pass some of the chairs in the Orchestra pit, all while keeping his eyes on Catherine.

"You have the most astonishing voice. It is like an angel, exquisite in tone and shape, in fact in almost every single detail, except, but forgive me, it is obviously untrained" he commented, Catherine remained silent while he spoke whilst fidgeting with the costume she held in her hands.

"Now without training your voice, beautiful though it is, will never attain the height for which I know it is destined" Erik continued to speak as he stood near the conductor's podium.

"Now if you will allow me, I can help you. I am a musician of sorts" Erik continued as he stepped onto the podium.

Catherine stepped forward and was about to speak but Erik stopped her.

"No, please, there is a condition and this condition is invaluable. I have never taken on any students for until last night I never wanted to, and if others should hear that I am giving lessons well, they will want them, too. Therefore, I must insist that if you allow me to be your guide and I sincerely hope that you will I must insist that I remain anonymous, which is why I am wearing this mask. Please there is no need for an answer now. I will find you. Goodnight" he said and with that Erik walked away and disappeared beneath the Orchestra pit.

Catherine quickly made her way over to the edge of the stage to try and stop him, but he had already gone, and Catherine was left feeling confused and intrigued by his offer.