Olusegun Obasanjo hall had been commission by the former president of the country during the course of his many interventions in secondary education in Delta state. It was a one thousand capacity multipurpose theater in which many a gathering has been held: The last five Anioma youth forum annual convention, inaugural lectures in the nearby private university, many weddings, birthdays and school proms had been held here.
Madame Rosalind was more than contented with the look of the hall, she was impressed with what the designers had done. Miss Halimat had told her of the starry night theme after the famous Van Gogh painting and she had decided to roll with that. The stage tapestry was ink black ornately designed with silver works and sprayed with small twinkle light. A large crepe crecent moon was hanging above the stage, and the floor was covered with matching rug and a Rosco Adagio vinyl on the center stage for the ballet dancers.
SANTA MARIA HIGH HALLOWEN MUSICAL (STARRY NIGHT) was shown on the several large LCDs (against a backdrop of a reproduction of the theme painting) for audience view. The theme color, black and silver, black drapes for the windows, silver crepes and CD plates she’s supplied from some of her old albums. Andy did a good job with the flowers all things considered, she made a mental note to commend him personally and maybe discuss a raise. Everywhere she turned she was visited with the sight of potted hibiscus, peonies, gypsophila, orchid, tulips, carnation… even this might as well be the carnival of flowers (both flowering and non, no pun intended).
It all began as planned, hitch free. It felt like part of her dream came true that night as it does feel in every musical she’s coordinated, like she’s did something she was made to do. She brought Opera Sydney down to Delta State in Nigeria and the audience loved it nonetheless. It was hard for people of any creed to hate classical. Hope’s performance both as a lead female soloist and a violinist in a string quartet earned her applause.
She made a fine duet performing phantom of the opera with Anthony Laurence, lighting up the stage with Halloween fervor. The air of mystery!
The ballet stunts were amazing, Mrs. Halima had taken the lead role, the girls who mostly had experienced ballet outside school walls did the major performances, the boys mostly help as carriages and struts—no bad considering the ishy sentiment about masculinity vs ballet. But it was beautiful performing to the bohemian rhapsody, though the orchestra made it sounded more on the bland side of Meh-emian rhapsody, it was nice, in its own way.
And the student did like the performance too, some with perverse interest no doubt, but there was an echoing applause for every performance.
I’ll be damned if this doesn’t land us some recognition. She thought as she scanned the guests, the state commissioner of interior and tourism was in attendance, two house of rep members were represented, the pianist she invited from Abia state university came with some dignitaries too, one of which is the Dean faculty of performing art. The media was well represented, with reporters from NTA and AIT given free reign of journalism.
The performance ended with a closing remark by the principal who promised to introduce ballet into school curriculum when the time is right, and appreciated the performers mostly, the guests, and students… the rest as you can guess were banalities, sheer formalities. It yet was a night to be remembered.
Pa Jacob was around, she’s heard of his accident and had gone to visit him just yesterday. She remembered the old man, she grew up knowing him, he was like a big brother back then when his father worked the plantation. Then he left for the army, before the biafran war—nasty business. When she retired from the army—after she was back in control of the affairs of the manor—she was more than pleased to welcome him back here. She was sure that to Pa Jacob, the manor was always home.
That was the last time, Madame Rosalind saw Pa Jacob. Alive.
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SANTA MARIA HIGH (COMPLETED)
Paranormal...are you afraid of the dark? When Hope Mark lost her foster mother to cancer and had to move to a new school, she never thought much of SANTA MARIA HIGH. Other than the fact that the fact that the school was in the most beautiful Manor, with tall...
