Prima Donald

Last updated on: January 27, 2016 at 9:52 am by Dan Peterson

Prima Donald 2016-01-27T09:52:35-07:00 Dan Peterson

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Maria Callas was one of the greatest prima donnas or divas of the twentieth century, and with a temperament to match.
(Wikimedia Commons public domain)

Mr. Trump’s withdrawal from the last Republican debate before the Iowa caucuses has left me thinking of this:

ANDRE
Your public needs you!
FIRMIN
We need you, too!
CARLOTTA (unassuaged)
Would you not
rather have your
precious little
ingenue?
ANDRE/FIRMIN
Signora, no!
the world wants you!
(The MANAGERS adopt their most persuasive attitudes)
ANDRE/FIRMIN
Prima donna
first lady of the stage!
Your devotees
are on their knees
to implore you !
ANDRE
Can you bow out
when they’re shouting
your name?
FIRMIN
Think of how they all
adore you!
BOTH
Prima donna,
enchant us once again!
ANDRE
Think of your muse . . .
FIRMIN
And of the queues
round the theatre!
BOTH
Can you deny us the triumph
in store?
Sing, prima donna, once more!
(CARLOTTA registers her acceptance as the
MANAGERS continue to cajole and the OTHERS reflect
variously on the situation)
RAOUL
Christine spoke of an angel . . .
CARLOTTA (to herself, in triumph)
Prima donna
your song shall live again!
ANDRE/FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)
Think of your public!
CARLOTTA
You took a snub
but there’s a public
who needs you!
GIRY (referring to CHRISTINE)
She has heard the voice
of the angel of music . . .
ANDRE/FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)
Those who hear your voice
liken you to an angel!
CARLOTTA
Think of their cry
of undying
support !
ANDRE (to FIRMlN)
We get our opera . . .
FIRMIN (to ANDRE)
She gets her limelight!
CARLOTTA
Follow where the limelight
leads you!
ANDRE/FIRMIN (aside)
Leading ladies are a trial!
CARLOTTA
You’ll sing again,
and to unending
ovation!
RAOUL
Orders! Warnings!
Lunatic demands!
ANDRE/FIRMIN
Tears . . . oaths . . .
Iunatic demands
are regular occurrences!

CARLOTTA
Think how you’ll shine
in that final encore!
Sing, prima donna,
once more!
GIRY
Oh fools, to have flouted his warnings!
RAOUL
Surely, for her sake . . .
MEG
Surely he’ll strike back . . .
ANDRE/FIRMIN
Surely there’ll be further scenes –
worse than this!
GIRY
Think, before
these demands are rejected!
RAOUL
. . .I must see
these demands are rejected!
MEG
. . . if his threats
and demands are rejected!
ANDRE/FIRMIN
Who’d believe a diva
happy to relieve a chorus girl,
who’s gone and slept with the patron?
Raoul and the soubrette,
entwined in love’s duet!
Although he may demur,
he must have been with her!
MEG/RAOUL
Christine must be protected!
CARLOTTA
O, fortunata!
Non ancor
abbandonata!
ANDRE/FIRMIN
You’d never get away
with all this in a play,
but if it’s loudly sung
and in a foreign tongue
it’s just the sort of story
audiences adore,
in fact a perfect opera!
RAOUL
His game is over!
GIRY
This is a game
you cannot hope to win!
RAOUL
And in Box Five
a new game will begin . . .
GIRY
For, if his curse is on this opera . . .
MEG
But if his curse is on this opera . . .
ANDRE/FIRMIN
Prima donna
the world is at your feet!
A nation waits,
and how it hates
to be cheated!
ALL
Light up the stage
with that age old
rapport!
Sing, prima donna,
once more!

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