Wednesday, March 18, 2009

SCÈNE 2 Anastasie


Mesdames et Messieurs, please take your seats for act 2 of La Diva. Curtain is rising!Please make sure that your volume is up so you can hear the sweet sounds of La Diva and click on the photos to see the details. And don't forget to use the sidebar French vocabulary for the theatre so you can keep up! Enjoy!



It was a face that time forgot. Isabeau and Hermione the rose fairy were greeted at the garden gate by Hortense the garden spirit. "Her age is unknown for she has been here since the beginning, pouring forth blue-green waters from her soul to nourish the land" said Hermione. " Isabeau had never seen the likes of such a person or place; an enchanted water garden as blue as her feathers, a face as timeless as eternity, but pale was the landscape on the horizon outside of the gates. Great, still buildings of stone replaced gently swaying trees that loomed over her delicately feathered head as they left the enclosure. The structures appeared as little miniatures from a distance, but their stature suddenly swelled to an unimaginable eminence as they approached. "We have arrived." whispered Hermione.



"I will show you to your chambers" said Hermione. There was a strange beauty about the palace, unlike anything that Isabeau had ever seen in the forest or in the water garden. She was mesmerized with the golden chairs and looking glasses and crystal droplets hanging from the ceilings. These unusual baubles were unlike the gentle tears of rain that fell from the sky in joyous harmony, but rather like dew drops caught in a moment of beautiful silence.


There was a chasm however, between her and this new beauty. Unable to touch the objects with her wings or sit on the sumptuous chairs, a new emotion pierced her heart; she was unable to sing. Hermione led her to another garden of thick grass where lay a beautiful, old box. Hortense appeared and said, "Before you are able to reside in the palace and sing before the world, you must do something very important, Isabeau. You must lay in this sarcophagus and die. You will lay down as a simple creature of nature but rise up from the great waters as the Diva you were meant to be.




After one day and one night, Isabeau arose from a burst of clear water as a beautiful maiden with wheaten hair that reached to the ground. She no longer shimmered in the blue of gossamer dust, but twinkled in the pale, translucent fragility of a spring rain.


She was escorted back to the castle and was given a special place in the residence filled with luxurious furniture worthy of a Diva...



and made her debut on stage accompanied by the most harmonious instruments.



She dazzled her audiences on stage with grand operettas; the more she sang, the more intense the color of her hair became. She was the Diva that the kingdom had been looking for. She was passion itself.





Isabeau was a success. With hair as red as the roses of Hermione's dress and long and endless as Hortense's rivers of water, she was the most beautiful Diva that ever sang in Anastasie. However, when she looked at herself in the looking glass, she had forgotten who she once was for she was overwhelmed by who she had become.



La fin de scène 2


Entr'acte

More champagne and hors d'oeuvres in the lobby! Curtain goes up in one week for act III. Start thinking about how YOU want to end this play in act IV. So come next week with your playwright thinking caps and pens in hand and take notes; someone is going to be the author of act IV and the winner of a give away, to be announced next week. Alors, A votre santé et à la prochaine!

All text and photography (as silly as it is!) is the property of Camille Benoit of Castles Crowns and Cottages!
Paintings by:
Rosetti "Lady Lilith"
John William Waterhouse "Undine", "Invidiosa" and unknown name


23 comments:

stacycakes said...

that was lovely!!! thank you!

The Victorian Parlor said...

Merci beaucoup for another wonderful performance! However, I seemed to have spilled a bit of my champagne so forgive me as I must hurry to get another glass before the next act! Au revoir!

Bonnie said...

Bravo! Thank you for the lovely champagne but I am afraid despite all the excitement of the theatre, well dressed people, sparkling champagne and delightful nibbles, my heart is breaking and tears are falling into my glass. I cannot help myself, I must dash to catch the next act. Excusez-moi.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh dear ladies, we do have hankies available. Just ask one of the ushers and they will be glad to assist you. I must say, you all look smashing. Bonnie, your 5 carat diamond is stunning, Stacy, what delightful velvet mules and la belle dame du Victorian Parlor, your lace gown is just marvelous. Enjoy the show. Anita

The Dutchess said...

Ooh..so overwhelmed..what a beautiful singing voice..I keep hearing it..I will be dreaming about it I'm sure..We where all mesmerized like Isabeau in the palace. You know Gustave still is ..his eyes are staring in the distance and he is whispering..A water garden ..a water garden..how magical.
I realy liked the looking glasses, and ofcourse the crystal..." like glass caught in a moment of beautiful silence."Lovely..
This was again a wonderful evening...We wandered back home along a dark path trough the forest..no fear ,Mozes was there to protect and guide us.I was sitting on his Top Hat and Gustave on his shoulder..Mozes is a real gentlemen so he gave our dear dutchess his strong arm to hold on to..
We whispered,because thats what you do when you are in a dark place,giggled..thats what you do when you drink some..(realy an itsy bitsy tiny sip).. champagne..and now.. Alors,its of to bed..
Dreaming of songbirds..

Merci Merci Merci...Miss Moussie and friends..

Fete et Fleur said...

La Diva sings with the dulcet tones of an angel! I am captivated and cannot wait for the next act.

A bientôt
Nancy

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Bravo! Bravo! Magnifique Madame Benoit! What music! What script! What a delightful play Madame! The musical score for the play was perfect.

Please reserve my seats again for next weeks performance!

A la prochaine mon chere, Madame Sherry

savvycityfarmer said...

I will be gome all day today, but will catch up with you tonight...I wanna play along with your writing game, but I need to re-read act one!!!


silly me...I don't have a photographic memory

Anonymous said...

I am entranced by the stage sets, how dainty and beautiful! And we loved the music, and well the whole event was a success!!!!! Encore!!!!!

Chrissy...The Apothecary Shop said...

That was a treat, and I thank you!!!

stacycakes said...

dear anita, thank you for the kind words,things are getting better everyday!!! you have no idea how your post brightened my day!!! you are wonderfully talented! hope you had a splendid weekend!!! xox,stacy

Rosemary said...

How great is that!
I need more champagne now!!
Have a wonderful day!
Rosemary

A Bit of the Blarney said...

OH! my!!! I nearly missed the second act! Had to be gone on retreat,but again was able to get to the matinee. Truly lovely! In great anticipation! Cathy

Rosemary said...

Hi again Anita,
Yes this will be my first grandbaby!
I know, I will need to make a crown. Very fun!
Rosemary

Valarie said...

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I love your blog. Valarie

Cheryl said...

I just found your lovely blog and am really enjoying your play. I look forward to reading more.

Tracy M. said...

Yay I found your blog again! I had lost it some where along the way. Love your Theatre and the story so far.
Have a great day,
Tracy M.

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

Bravo, Bravo!!!Love it ,More than love it.The stage for each scene is Magnificent.The story line is fantastic.
Thanks for stoping by.I just got off the phone with Sherry,We both adore you.She said you are teaching her French.You are a wonderful friend.She is so excited about that.Hugs Marie Antionette

savvycityfarmer said...

we all became really busy didn't we....my how the weeks fly.

Today is a clean the whole house day...company coming next week and then for Resurrection
Sunday, too!

Unknown said...

Oh Anita,
This is truly beautiful. I love the story and the theaters are absolutely charming. Oh, and how I love the music. This performance is even better than Act 1.

I seem to be having some difficulty with that new widget Follow This Blog, so I removed it and I think the comments are working better now. Hopefully. Thank you for telling me.

Have a lovely day lost in dreams of Act Three

Barb said...

Hi dear Anita,

I am a little late but I am so glad you held a seat for me. Truly amazing! You have such a wonderful spirit and imagination- a true gift.

Have a blessed weekend.

xoxox,
Barb

Paula said...

Gorgeous selection of images. Love the pre-Raphaelites against the miniature scenes... it's quite breathtaking ... well for me anyway.

Woolytales Miniatures said...

I am actualy glad that I am reading it now , because I can enjoy the entired *treat*. Oh how fun, you are so clever!*grin* Love your illustrations as well and the ones that you added from your home, made my heart smile. More to go...yeahhhh