Opening Night [OPEN]

[shikisha]

Who: Nonon Jakuzure and anyone who's interested in classical music, saw her post, or was invited by her. Feel free to tag around too and meet other people in their beautiful formal wear~!
When: Some Friday after her post.
Where: Opera House
What: Nonon has been working with the opera house's orchestra, and being the controlling girl she is, decided to stage a few concerts. Formal dress is expected. Nui Harime interrupts and kisses Nonon.
Rating/Warning: None likely.



It's opening night, and there's a nice big display board in front of the opera house announcing the first performance of Nonon Jakuzure conducting the house orchestra. Even with a little stylized depiction of Nonon with her signature pink hair and smug grin.

Formal dress is expected, though some people might be able to sneak inside in casual wear, just don't let Nonon catch you. She's going to be in the front of the house though, inside past the ticket booths where people can pick up tickets set aside for them ahead of time, if Nonon had done so. Of course, it's about as analogue as you can imagine, Nonon wasn't about to use the Cerevices to do ticketing, that just isn't classical, it would ruin the entire mood. No, she wants lines and printed tickets.

After greeting any friends or acquaintances the lights in the hall lower once, then twice, signalling the start. She disappears into the back, only to reappear on stage under a bright spotlight with the loud, almost deafening sound of a whistle.

"Entrance March! Under the Double Eagle!" She waves a large pink baton this way then back again. "Now, prepare for a jaunty, thrilling, and mind-blowing performance!"

She's dressed in a flashy conductor's outfit, and proceeds to lead the orchestra into their first song. The rest of more standard affairs of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, music people might have heard if they are from Earth, or somewhere vaguely Earth-like. In general it's not actually that long of a concert, no more than an hour and a half or so, with a short intermission. She wants to hit people with the loudest, most impressive sort of music she can, leaving them wanting more.

Sometime towards the end of the performance, the lights go out completely, only to return with a spotlight on one adorable blonde girl giggling. She invades the stage as if she belongs there, striding right up to Nonon to give her a kiss on the conductor's angry, shocked face, before floating away impossibly. Holding in her anger, Nonon wipes her lips with the back of her hand, blushing furiously, and proceeds with the last song after yelling at Nui Harime, something about getting even with her.

By the end she'll be hanging around the stage, meeting anyone who wishes to speak to her, and then going backstage to change if certain close relations wish to meet her there. She expects flowers to be thrown though of course, maybe even a standing ovation~.


[ ooc: Feel free to run into her whenever! And the date is kinda nebulous, just assume after the latest event. If you have any questions PM me or hit me up on plurk at ashleywr! ]

Comments

[keep_hope_alive]

[Of course he showed up, like he promised, and he made sure to dress for the occasion. It may not be a suit, but at least he looks very presentable as he walks up to Nonon with a simple bouquet of flowers.] Bravissimo. For you. [He offers a warm smile as he presents the flowers.] My name is Trevor. I'm the pianist that was conversing with you before.

[shikisha]

[ Nonon is reveling in the attention after the show, thanking people for their flowers and gifts and congratulations. But she happens to have her hands free at the moment when she's approached by someone she doesn't recognize.

A boy, or man, someone a little older than her, that she obviously has to look up to, given her tiny height. ]

I'm glad you made it then, Mister Pianist. Thank you for coming, I trust you managed to enjoy the performance?

[keep_hope_alive]

It was great, the opening song certainly captured everyone's attention.

[Among other things. He noticed how angry she was when that blondie came and stole a kiss from her so, he'll just avoid going into that.]

Though, towards the end I noticed the piano was a little....off tune.

[Try not to blow a gasket Nonon.]

[shikisha]

It's always been my favorite to open a show with. It really wakes up a room.

[ It's how she came onto the stage when fighting Ryuko, after all. Fond memories, until Ryuko cheated and ripped her clothes off.

Still Nonon is all too happy to accept compliments until he gets to the small nitpick. But glad he didn't bring up Nui. ]

What are you talking about? I didn't hear a thing at all. [ EYES NARROWING. ]

[keep_hope_alive]

[He smiles, walking over to the piano on stage then looks inside. He plucks the strings one at a time in ascending order, or so it was until two strings sounded a like.]

Only a slight difference, not enough to really ruin a song but something your pianist might want check over before the show.

[shikisha]

[ She follows without hesitation, wanting him to be wrong. But when she hears it... she knows he's right, and she missed it. As much of a perfectionist she is, something that minor, very few would ever hear. ]

Is this your way of trying to audition for a seat in the ensemble? Making me look foolish? I can tell you that's not the proper way to treat a girl. [ ...As if Nonon cared about how boys treated her. ]

[keep_hope_alive]

Not my intention, really.

[But yes, one-uping someone is usually his style.]

Just take it as critique from one musician to another.

[shikisha]

[ She waves her hand a little, showing she's not offended much. Which is a surprise given her usual attitude. ]

Well from one musician to another why don't you show me what you know.

[ A slight challenge, she motions to the empty seat at the piano. ]

[keep_hope_alive]

[And there is it. The smile that says 'challenge accepted'. He takes a seat at the piano as his fingers lightly gliding over the keys before a soft melody trickles from the piano, and though his attire betrays it, the solemn air around him more than masks it. Once the song ends, he takes a breath and turns to her.] Well?

[shikisha]

[ Nonon leans against the piano, watching him as he plays, at one point closer her eyes to listen deeper, tapping her finger along on the wood.

When he's done, she has a slightly satisfied smile. ]

Schumann, huh? Did you already know my favorite composers are from that part of Europe or was it a lucky guess? And you weren't half bad either.

Sorry for the late reply!

[keep_hope_alive]

[He smiles at that. Of course he's figured it out, as if the concert didn't give it away.]

I just happen to really like that piece, that's all. And thank you, I'm glad my years in the industry paid off.

np np

[shikisha]

Years? Just how old are you?

[ Nonon herself is still obviously an amateur.... or was until she gained this job here at the opera house. She was a student up until then, and wasn't sure she would actually ever end up a musician, when her family needed her to run the company. ]

[keep_hope_alive]

[Oh boy. Age.]

I just turned twenty five about three or so weeks ago, and I've been in the music scene for about.....let's see....

[He pauses as he remember his career, mumbling things to himself.]

...Well, I started playing in a band at fifteen so that means I've been a musician for....ten years. Give or take.

[shikisha]

Hmph. I didn't think you were that old. Are you already out of college?

[ She just assumes he had to have gone to college, to have that sort of skill. Not everyone is a teenage prodigy like she is, of course. ]

It's been almost ten years for me as well, I took up the flute at first when I was in Elementary school, but I didn't like it that much. I ended up trying all the instruments in the orchestra until I found my place.

[keep_hope_alive]

I-ah-I actually never went to school.

[Ever. In his whole life.]

[shikisha]

What? So you were homeschooled?

If you tell me you never even learned to read I'm going to be severely disappointed.

[keep_hope_alive]

[Homeschooled is a word for it.]

I can read. If anyone expects to survive in this industry, one would have to be able to after all. And seeing as how I'm not a mule for the mob, then I say I'm doing pretty well for myself.

[shikisha]

[ She just shakes her head, so very disappointed. ]

What the hell has the mob got to do with anything?!

[keep_hope_alive]

Hmm, well, not every place is like where I grew up.

[Except maybe NYC and Vegas.]

Well, in my hometown most, if not all, the good local musicians are in the pocket of the mafia because of the agency they're contracted with. The mob owns the agency, they own the talent, and the talent is their...[She did say she was 18.]...their bitch.

They play wherever they want, when they want. Usually their rock or jazz musicians, like myself but desperate for money or fame. I dunno if it's the same for the classical genre but good live music makes a lot of money, and where there's money, the mob will follow.

Again, at least where I grew up.

[And he shrugs.]

[shikisha]

[ She's been to both~. Probably, she's a rich girl with a love for Western things, going to America likely happened. ]

So what are you saying, that you were owned by the mafia? You couldn't play music unless they let you?

[ So confused. ]

[keep_hope_alive]

Well, I wasn't owned by them, not that they didn't try mind you. I just read the fine print in the contract and did a little research.

[And then found the dirty gangster and beat the snot out of them, and turn them in to the police.]

And it's not that you can't play if you're not signed with them, it just made making a living harder is all.

[shikisha]

Organized crime is so last century. Nowadays you can make enough money even running a textiles company to run a private army bigger than most European states'. If a mafia like that had tried to take control of where I grew up, they never would have survived.

[ And that's the truth, Satsuki would never allow a group like that on her domain. ]

So that's what you've been doing before you got here? Playing for your supper on street corners?

[keep_hope_alive]

Well, organized crime is the thing where I'm from.

[He shrugs.]

Well, I used to struggle with getting food, but thanks to someone doing something about the mob the music scene and everything else has gotten much safer.

[He shrugs again, feeling a little proud of that last bit.]

[shikisha]

So you're from Italy then? Or America? I guess Trevor is more of an American name, isn't it?

[ He could not even be from Earth though, that would just be even stranger. ]

Oh, and who is that? Some kind of masked crusader? [ She snickers at her own joke. ]

[keep_hope_alive]

Yup. Born and raised in the U.S of A.

[Another Earth, if he could ever really make sense of what happened to it since he got here. At the mention of a masked crusader though...]

Actually.....yeah. Because of a masked crusader.

[Totally serious about that, seeing how he is said masked man.]