Short stories: Music
by Donald Hancock
My Night At The OperaOne of the main reasons that I went to the opera that night was to see the person playing Pagliaccio. He had been a real clown before he studied voice and became an opera star. It was his mother that had encouraged him from an early age to make singing a career. She had heard him singing in the children's choir at church and realized that his voice showed signs of being gifted. But Charles Muntz wanted to be a clown in the circus.
From the first time his folks had taken Charles to the circus he had been fascinated by the movements, situations, and the clothes and make-up of these characters. And so, as soon as he graduated from high school he asked for permission to apply to the Circus School in Sarasota, florida.
His parents were reluctant but finally set him free to go with their blessing and with the financial support that they were able to get together from savings. He was there long enough to learn the essentials and those responsible for the clown acts saw talent in the young man. They took him on tour and he learned quickly. He became very popular with children and parents alike.
But one night he went to bed in a very thoughtful mood. He remembered his mother's early expressions of joy when he sang. He thought how much she had loved opera and how much she knew about the singers over the years. it dawned on him that if she really thought he had potential then she probably was not basing that opinion merely on her pride in him as her own child. She really knew talent when she heard it.
And so Charles decided to test the possibilities. He went to a music store, bought sheet music for a semi classical operetta solo and went to his apartment to begin his experiment.He had chosen the Nelson Eddy favorite "Sweet Heart". He sang it every chance he got by himself and for anyone who would listen. He even worked it into his clown act and the people loved it.
When he felt that he had perfected his presentation he sought out the best voice teacher he could find and asked for an audition. He sang his best for the teacher and the teacher was absolutely ecstatic over his prospects and very eagerly took Charles as a student. After teaching his student all that he felt he needed in order to enter the world of opera, he arranged for an audition at a large opera road company in New York.
As you might suspect, Charles won the audition easily and became a member of the traveling troupe. He had already perfected several opera roles with his teacher and began working immediately on the repertoire that he did not already know.
Of course Charles' mother was beside herself with sheer joy that he had finally taken her direction seriously. She could hardly wait for his first appearance and she and his father flew to Milwaukie to see him in "Tosca". His part was not the starring role but he actually received a more enthusiastic reaction from the audience than did the gentleman singing the more important role.
And this was not a 'fluke' for every audience seemed to take to Charles immediately. There was something from his experience as a clown that seemed to allow him to project humor, humility, joy, and pathos through his voice, facial expression, gestures, and physical posture. Even his timing was enhanced.
On the night that I saw him, as Pagliaccio, it all came out as never before. When he did the really sad song he was so convincing that there was not a dry eye in the house. And when he finished, the whole audience arose as one body and the whole cast abandoned their stage identity for a few moments and turned toward him in applause.
I had dated Charles Muntz several times, beginning as a blind date. I enjoyed his company and was very interested in seeing him again but did not know that he could sing. In fact I had no idea what he did for a living. After several dates he asked me if I would go to the opera with him on the next Saturday evening. I had never been asked to go to the opera on a date before but reluctantly said, "yes". I assumed that he would be with me in the audience since I had no idea that he sang professionally.
He arranged for a mutual friend to pick me up and meet him in a small room back stage. It turned out to be a room with a star on the door and he opened the door dressed in costume. I was confused and impressed at one and the same time. He had a security officer escort me and the friend to what must have been the best seats in the house.
I sat with my mouth open the whole evening. I was so very proud of Charles and so very glad to know that we had a relationship. If I was not in love with him before, I certainly fell in love with him that night at the opera. It wasn't just his celebrity. It was the character that radiated so obviously from every word, gesture, and nuance that came from this gentle clown during that performance.
He asked me that night after the show if I would be his bride. I could hardly get the word "yes" out of my mouth quickly enough. His reaction was a combination of clown expressions that spoke surprise, humility, gratitude, and joy. I could not help myself. I cried and clapped just as I had just a few minutes before as the curtain came down at my first night at the opera. Now I have been his biggest fan for 42 years.
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