"If you really want
to know my view, dear Miss Bracely," said Lucia, "it's just that. You
must be Brunnhilde for the time being. Singing, of course, as you say,
helps it out: you can express so much by singing. You are so lucky
there. I am bound to say I had qualms when Peppino--or was it
Georgie--suggested we should do Brunnhilde-Siegfried. I said it would
be so terribly difficult. Slow: it has to be slow, and to keep gestures
slow when you cannot make them mere illustrations of what you are
singing--well, I am sure, it is very kind of you to be so flattering
about it--but it is difficult to do that."
"And you thought them all out for yourself?" said Olga. "Marvellous!"
"Ah, if I had ever seen you do it," said Lucia, "I am sure I should
have picked up some hints! And King Cophetua! Won't you give me a
little word for our dear King Cophetua? I was so glad after the strain
of Brunnhilde to have my back to the audience. Even then there is the
difficulty of keeping quite still, but I am sure you know that quite as
well as I do, from having played Brunnhilde yourself. Georgie was very
much impressed by your performance of it. And Mary Queen of Scots now!
The shrinking of the flesh, and the resignation of the spirit! That is
what I tried to express. You must come and help me next time I attempt
this sort of thing again. That will not be quite soon, I am afraid, for
Peppino and I am thinking of going to the Riviera for a little
holiday.
Pages:
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325