The room was quiet as an older woman with her hair in short silver curls walked out on the stage, in front of the dark green curtain.
She looked like old money.
She was wearing an elegant silk white shirt with black ribbons tied around the sleeve. Her black pantaloons swung loosely around her ankle as she walked. She held a glass of champagne in one hand and a leather bind in the other hand.
The woman stopped in the center of the stage and gave the crowd a small bow, then smiled.
"Good evening all, and thank you for joining us tonight. My name is Yelcid Kinua, I am the High Curator of Kjat Novelle's High House of Fine Arts and a senior patron at The Boise School of Ballet, or as we like to call it, The Dance Academy."
"I am personally honored to welcome you all here at the 47th performance of Gogh's 'Death at Midnight' put on by Kjat Novelle Ballet."
She smiled as people in the crowd started to applaud.
Ingrid leaned over to explain to Zephyr that Kjat Novelle Ballet was the city's ballet dance company. One couldn't graduate from the Dance Academy until they placed in it, or in one of the other few dance companies around the country. But most applied to join Kjat Novelle Ballet.
For one thing, it was close. But it also had a prestigious reputation around the country and in their region.
Zephyr whispered back that he truly didn't care.
Yelcid Kinua cleared her throat on stage and continued."If you would reach under your chairs, you will find the evening's program."
"In it, you can find the names of the highly talented dancers that will be performing tonight. You will also find the staff involved in putting this show, both from the dance company and the gallery, and our list of tonight's sponsors, for whom we have deep gratitude."
All over the room, there was the sound of people retrieving the pamphlets from underneath their seats.
Ingrid pulled on the ribbon tying the leaves of the program together.
On the front, 'Kjat Novelle Ballet Presents Gogh's Death By Midnight' was printed in golden cursive.
Ingrid read through the list of dancers. Twelve soloists and one principal (the male dancer) from the dance company.
Around them, people were whispering, recognizing some of the more famous names that would be performing.
It occurred to Ingrid as she flipped past the long list of sponsors that many in the crowd were benefactors themselves.
Yelcid Kinua waited for the noise to die down again then smiled once more.
"I also wanted to let you know that half of the proceeds from tonight's show will be going towards the construction of a new wing in the Western section of the gallery."
"So, once again, we want to thank you all for your coming. We wouldn't be able to do this at all without you."
People started to clap again.
"My God," Zephyr said under his breath. 'When does this show actually start?"
As if she had heard him, Yelcid raised her glass to the crowd. "Now, without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Kjat Novelle Ballet."
The room burst into applause as she came down the steps from the stage.
The soft melody of a violin started and the curtain rose slowly. In the silence of the room, the sound was quiet and haunting, to capture the gloom of the sorcerer's castle in the deep woods in the tale.
Ingrid could barely hold her excitement. she tried not to reach out and grip Zephyr's hands.