{"id":30387,"date":"2016-01-27T09:52:35","date_gmt":"2016-01-27T16:52:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=30387"},"modified":"2016-01-27T09:52:35","modified_gmt":"2016-01-27T16:52:35","slug":"prima-donald","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2016\/01\/prima-donald.html","title":{"rendered":"Prima Donald"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Maria Callas in \"La Traviata\"<\/a>
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)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mr. Trump\u2019s withdrawal from the last Republican\u00a0debate before the Iowa caucuses has left me thinking of this<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

ANDRE<\/span>
Your public needs you!<\/span>
FIRMIN<\/span>
We need you, too!<\/span>
CARLOTTA (unassuaged)<\/span>
Would you not<\/span>
rather have your<\/span>
precious little<\/span>
ingenue?<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
Signora, no!<\/span>
the world wants you!<\/span>
(The MANAGERS adopt their most persuasive attitudes)<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
Prima donna<\/span>
first lady of the stage!<\/span>
Your devotees<\/span>
are on their knees<\/span>
to implore you !<\/span>
ANDRE<\/span>
Can you bow out<\/span>
when they\u2019re shouting<\/span>
your name?<\/span>
FIRMIN<\/span>
Think of how they all<\/span>
adore you!<\/span>
BOTH<\/span>
Prima donna,<\/span>
enchant us once again!<\/span>
ANDRE<\/span>
Think of your muse . . .<\/span>
FIRMIN<\/span>
And of the queues<\/span>
round the theatre!<\/span>
BOTH<\/span>
Can you deny us the triumph<\/span>
in store?<\/span>
Sing, prima donna, once more!<\/span>
(CARLOTTA registers her acceptance as the<\/span>
MANAGERS continue to cajole and the OTHERS reflect\u00a0<\/span>
variously on the situation)<\/span>
RAOUL<\/span>
Christine spoke of an angel . . .<\/span>
CARLOTTA (to herself, in triumph)<\/span>
Prima donna<\/span>
your song shall live again!<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)<\/span>
Think of your public!<\/span>
CARLOTTA<\/span>
You took a snub<\/span>
but there\u2019s a public<\/span>
who needs you!<\/span>
GIRY (referring to CHRISTINE)<\/span>
She has heard the voice<\/span>
of the angel of music . . .<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN (to CARLOTTA)<\/span>
Those who hear your voice<\/span>
liken you to an angel!<\/span>
CARLOTTA<\/span>
Think of their cry<\/span>
of undying<\/span>
support !<\/span>
ANDRE (to FIRMlN)<\/span>
We get our opera . . .<\/span>
FIRMIN (to ANDRE)<\/span>
She gets her limelight!<\/span>
CARLOTTA<\/span>
Follow where the limelight<\/span>
leads you!<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN (aside)<\/span>
Leading ladies are a trial!<\/span>
CARLOTTA<\/span>
You\u2019ll sing again,<\/span>
and to unending<\/span>
ovation!<\/span>
RAOUL<\/span>
Orders! Warnings!<\/span>
Lunatic demands!<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
Tears . . . oaths . . .<\/span>
Iunatic demands<\/span>
are regular occurrences!<\/span><\/p>\n

CARLOTTA<\/span>
Think how you\u2019ll shine<\/span>
in that final encore!<\/span>
Sing, prima donna,<\/span>
once more!<\/span>
GIRY<\/span>
Oh fools, to have flouted his warnings!<\/span>
RAOUL<\/span>
Surely, for her sake . . .<\/span>
MEG<\/span>
Surely he\u2019ll strike back . . .<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
Surely there\u2019ll be further scenes \u2013<\/span>
worse than this!<\/span>
GIRY<\/span>
Think, before<\/span>
these demands are rejected!<\/span>
RAOUL<\/span>
. . .I must see<\/span>
these demands are rejected!<\/span>
MEG<\/span>
. . . if his threats<\/span>
and demands are rejected!<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
Who\u2019d believe a diva\u00a0<\/span>
happy to relieve a chorus girl,\u00a0<\/span>
who\u2019s gone and slept with the patron?<\/span>
Raoul and the soubrette,\u00a0<\/span>
entwined in love\u2019s duet!<\/span>
Although he may demur,\u00a0<\/span>
he must have been with her!<\/span>
MEG\/RAOUL<\/span>
Christine must be protected!<\/span>
CARLOTTA<\/span>
O, fortunata!<\/span>
Non ancor<\/span>
abbandonata!<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
You\u2019d never get away<\/span>
with all this in a play,<\/span>
but if it\u2019s loudly sung<\/span>
and in a foreign tongue<\/span>
it\u2019s just the sort of story<\/span>
audiences adore,\u00a0<\/span>
in fact a perfect opera!<\/span>
RAOUL<\/span>
His game is over!<\/span>
GIRY<\/span>
This is a game<\/span>
you cannot hope to win!<\/span>
RAOUL<\/span>
And in Box Five<\/span>
a new game will begin . . .<\/span>
GIRY<\/span>
For, if his curse is on this opera . . .<\/span>
MEG<\/span>
But if his curse is on this opera . . .<\/span>
ANDRE\/FIRMIN<\/span>
Prima donna<\/span>
the world is at your feet!<\/span>
A nation waits,<\/span>
and how it hates<\/span>
to be cheated!<\/span>
ALL<\/span>
Light up the stage<\/span>
with that age old<\/span>
rapport!<\/span>
Sing, prima donna,<\/span>
once more!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Mr. Trump\u2019s withdrawal from the last Republican\u00a0debate before the Iowa caucuses has left me thinking of this: \u00a0 ANDREYour public needs you!FIRMINWe need you, too!CARLOTTA (unassuaged)Would you notrather have yourprecious littleingenue?ANDRE\/FIRMINSignora, no!the world wants you!(The MANAGERS adopt their most persuasive attitudes)ANDRE\/FIRMINPrima donnafirst lady of the stage!Your devoteesare on their kneesto implore you !ANDRECan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nPrima Donald<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    Mr. Trump's withdrawal from the last Republican\u00a0debate before the Iowa caucuses has left me thinking of this:   ANDREYour 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