Mea Culpa Diva

Ante-pros! Seems like a well structured and thought out oxymoron, eh?

Instead it is a short form of ante-proscenium.

Ante-proscenium is a theatre term that often describes a production element that originates off stage. Oh, lets say like a follow spot, or spot light that follows the action of key players on stage. Bored?

Well I guess I was bored too during college rehearsals of Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore. Let's see, that was back in 19*^$. You see I was sitting up in this slit in the ceiling (ante-pros) above the audience. I was operating the follow spot making sure every Diva Gets Her Due.

Okay, now jump up to a week ago.

A week ago is when I was doing my fourth ever piano recital piece. It was "All I Ask of You," from Phantom of the Opera. I really wanted to shine, particularly since it was a duet piece with my Piano Guru, Rosemary Rogers. And I have to say it was going pretty well. And there was good evidence the melody was recognizable. But more on that later. Right now back to Ruddigore folo spot.

Partly because I was bored, and partly because it was just something I always did, I found myself humming along with the airs of Gilbert and Sullivan. And over time during rehearsals? By golly I memorized all the lyrics of all the parts. And guess what? I started singing along during rehearsals. Nobody seemed to notice, and I was having a ball.

Back to my recital. About two thirds of the way through "All I Ask of You?" I hear this humming from somewhere in the first row. It is a resonant, well trained hum and at first I didn't think much about it. It seemed flattering.

I was probably thinking I was flattering the light opera stars during that production of Ruddigore, but I guess not. During technical and dress rehearsals all of us technical people put on our headsets so we could hear each other and get things right on stage. It also meant the director, the stage manager, the props manager, the sound manager, the lighting guru? They were all listening to me enhance Ruddigore. And I guess they didn't like it.

They were going out of their minds trying to figure out who was doing the accompaniment. It was not helpful, they said in harsher words than those. In fact whoever it was, was "screwing up the whole production."

Not being as sensitive as I am today, I just giggled to myself and ultimately shut up. And besides nobody ever said I was flat or sharp. And in case you're wondering? No I never did tell them who that was singing along.

Well back to the recital and that flattering humming coming from the first row. It must have been pretty good humming because I started paying more attention to it than what I was doing. And as I looked at the music in front of me, D's became A's, F's became E's. And then I froze like a Popsicle. Oh, I got through it. But now in retrospect I want to express my sincerest apologies to the cast and crew of the producti0n of Ruddigore at Long Beach State in the year 19*&^%. I hope you all went on to have smashingly successful careers in opera and theatre.

(I'm going to try and not hum at other people's performances from now on. It is not going to be easy. Ye that hum know what I'm talking about.)