Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Inside the Rentato Royal Grand Theater, the nobles and sorcerers who appreciated the intermezzo whispered to each other about the opera form that was entirely different from the past.
Ever since opera became popular, the number opera had always been the unquestionable mainstream. Even though somebody had modified it, no one ever had the courage to abandon the exceptionally successful pattern. The nobles and civilians of Holm were also used to the opera. They were fond of the touching aria. As for the plot that the opera intended to represent, they generally did no more than enough for them to perceive the feelings behind the music.
As for the more detailed storyline and the specific dialogs, they often learned and picked it up by appreciating same-title plays later.
That was not a problem in the past when the plot was relatively simple. They could appreciate the music, the singing, and the basic story when they watched an opera. However, as the playwrights like Oliver created stories that were more captivating, people often had the feeling that singing was independent of the plot when they listened to opera. Music and story were separated.
However, the conflicts had not reached the tipping point for a change yet. Therefore, after listening to the first act of “Valkyrie” created by Lucien Evans, they were rather unused to it and had a heated discussion, forgetting the manners of opera appreciation.
“The whole act is just a huge number?” Stephine, Duke James’ wife, talked to Jane, her daughter next to her.
Jane’s black hair was naturally curled on her shoulder, just like the feeling that she gave. Among the nobles, she had been known as the “quiet doll”.
“It’s more like a symphony than a number for me. The theme is exactly the content in the prelude. Besides, the boundary between the recitative and the aria seems blurred…” Jane introduced it to Stephine in a low voice.
In the previous opera, she felt that the plot and the melody were so integrated that she was devoted to the atmosphere that they built despite the strangeness. She was worried about the princess, hated the brutal new king and the shrewd prime minister, and sympathized with the loyal maids. Every sentence and every melody seemed to be echoing inside her heart.
It was not until the intermezzo echoed that Jane finally recalled the opera just now. Part of the recitative had the features of singing, and the aria sounded somewhat like recitation, too…
Stephine said in amusement. “One act equals a symphony? As expected of Master Evans from Aalto.”
In Aalto, the brilliance of symphony eclipsed everything else, and they preferred to call Lucien master when they discussed music.
After a heated discussion, the nobles had their own opinions. Most of them believed that the first act of Valkyrie was above average despite the alienness.
A master was truly a master!
Inside the box, faced with Oliver’s doubt, Lucien told him his idea of creation with a smile, feeling quite proud of it. Although the modification was based on Mr. Wagner’s reform of opera on Earth, the plot, melody, songs, and structural design of the opera had all been created by himself independently.
Hearing Lucien’s reply, Oliver was briefly stunned. He then said with a smile, “I like the idea. Music and singing should serve the plot. The musicians who adopted my plays into opera did not understand the simple reason. That’s why they couldn’t create an opera that everybody liked. If only I had cooperated with you sooner.”
Lucien had thought that Oliver would be conservative about the reform. Not expecting him to accept it so easily, he was surprised at first but then relieved. As a playwright, Oliver certainly attached more importance to the plot.
Natasha whistled the monologue of the princess just now, and Fernando knocked the rail, as if he were looking for the next scene.
……
In the square in the small city Samara…
The citizens were silenced by such a disruptive form. They were completely moved by the story, the characters, the melody, and the singing just now during the first act, but they somehow felt weird and thought that opera should be like that.
“This must be the new trend in opera. Mr. Atom Controller is a music master. He is certainly much more visionary than us!” a passionate symphony fan suddenly shouted.
Her voice broke the temporary silence. The citizens echoed with him.
“Yes, the master musician certainly knows better than us!”
“The opera just now truly sounded better than the past. Well, it looked much better, too!”
“So, that’s what the top singer and actor are like. Those things we listened to in the past were incomparable to them!”
“The money they earn in one performance is your wages for an entire year!”
…
Looking at the splendid theater on the “curtain”, Banus said thoughtfully, “Until today, I never thought that I could watch and listen to the best opera performance, but everything seems so easy right now. We can see an opera in the Royal Grand Theater in Samara. Magic is too marvelous!”
“Yes, I’m looking more and more forward to the ‘magic civilization’ that Arcana Voice introduced. Perhaps we will be able to see Rentato without going outdoors…” Ali was fascinated by the ever-changing images and sounds on the “curtain”. That was the power of gods that the Church preached in the past!
Thinking about the changes that happened to his life, Ali felt more or less depressed. Everything was moving fast, but what about him? Staying in the town and growing old, like his father and grandfather?
The prelude of the second act of Valkyrie echoed, giving an intense and agitating feeling that was mixed with warmth.
In this scene, Princess Amansa encountered many dangers in the forest and gradually grew into a real knight. Then, in a one-sided battle, she fell off from a cliff and almost died, but she was eventually saved by a strong knight who passed by.
The knight was a young, handsome man. He stayed out of sympathy for the princess and dealt with the king’s hounds together with her. Their hearts approached, and the sparks of love burst out. The audience seemed to have found momentum and support, and they were starting to look forward to a beautiful future.
In a love song, the second act reached the end.
Ali listened to the opera and looked at the nobles in the hall of the theater that were partly revealed in the live stream. In a smile, he wondered whether or not she was also listening to the opera and taking comfort in the love story between the princess and the knight…
He fantasized about so many things that he whispered the song just now even after the second act was over.
The third act began in a prelude that was exciting but carried a dangerous air. The princess and the knight embarked on the quest to reclaim her country. On their journey, they met new partners and found knights who were still loyal to the late king. Naturally, dangers were inevitable. During the journey, another gold-haired knight fell in love with the princess. His left arm was also broken for her.
“Love makes me lose control of myself…” The gold-haired knight confessed his love with a touching aria.
When the audience was worried that her love would turn sour, the princess replied with an aria, “You are as perfect as the sun, but you are not what I like and look forward to…”
After the test of love, the princess seemed more mature. She led her knights to attack the new king and the prime minister with her lover. Growing more and more determined, the princess crushed her enemies and sent the bad guys whom the audience had hated for three scenes to guillotines in the melody of triumph.
Right then, the hidden storm arrived. The curse before the new king died revealed the real identity of the princess’ love. He was actually the prince of her neighboring country, who was trying to occupy the country with the princess’ restoration!
However, love was uncontrollable. He fell in love with the princess. However, he chose his country in the end. In the rumbling, drumming, and the horns simulated by trumpets, they drew their weapons.
“Why is this happening…”
“Their love was so sweet…”
The audience felt the heartbreaking pain when the third act reached the end. Ali was in such a trance that he looked at the theater with a pale face. He could almost feel what the princess felt; the chasm that couldn’t be crossed, and the bond that had to be cut off in person.
The prelude of the fourth act burst out intense power in the depression and gloom, as if it were foretelling the princess’ relentless attack.
The music was the most classic part since Valkyrie was played. The passion and enthusiasm of the audience were raised.
“This opera can be called classic just by the music in this section…” Oliver nodded approvingly.
The battle between the princess and the prince was over. The prince collapsed and sang a miserable monologue, and the princess raised her longsword.
“Is she going to kill him?”
“She wouldn’t be so cruel, would she?”
In the whispers of discussion, Natasha, sitting inside the box, suddenly heaved a long sigh.
The sword fell, and the prince died. Under the sorrowful and loud melody, the princess sang a heartbreaking aria.
After witnessing the attack and hearing the melody, Ali was as pale as a dead man. That seemed to be the ending of the fantasy in his heart. The distance between him and her was even longer than that between the prince and the princess. The story had ended before it even began. Also, she did not even have to draw the sword herself, because he did not even have the chance to go to the battlefield…
A love tragedy was always most devastating, but the princess left a deep impression on everyone when she waved her sword in the end. At this moment, the following knights of the neighboring country had arrived. As it turned out, they had been captured by darkness and became servants of a vicious dragon. They wanted to occupy the princess’ country just to steal treasures for the dragon!
Holding back her grief, the princess led the knights to counterattack. Right when they were about to win, the wind simulated by instruments began to blow, and an enormous monster descended on the stage.
It had a lizard-like head and a strong body that was covered in transparent scales. A pair of equally beautiful wings were opened on its back. Under the light, they were all emitting the cold and dreamy brilliance.
The unimaginable intimidation from the dragon caused the legs of all the opera performers to tremble. Their singing became intermittent as if it were a real scene.
“A real… real dragon?” The nobles in the theater felt that their eyes were popping out.
Banus and Ali could barely close their eyes in their shock. Was the dragon part of the performance?
The dragon’s fingers and toes were wearing different gem rings. There were also a crown on its head and a gold cape on its back. It seemed that the dragon had just ransacked a treasury.
“Hand over your treasures!” the dragon said as if it were singing.
Inside the box, Lucien smiled. “I paid a huge fortune for Little Crystal to join the performance. He must be the most expensive opera actor in history…”
