The
story begins with a worn-out opera manager,
Mr. Scruples (The Impresario), who desires
to retreat to the peacefulness of farm life.
However, Mr. Angel, a wealthy businessman,
has other ideas. He is determined to
persuade Scruples to hire a faded prima
donna, Madame Goldentrill, with whom Angel
has had a long-term, amorous relationship.
Mr.
Scruples and his assistant, Mr. Bluff, are
induced into auditioning her. She performs
an impressive aria, displaying her vocal
virtuosity. She agrees on a contract of 500
crowns and descends to her carriage to await
Mr. Angel, while he supposedly completes the
deal. Miss Silverpeal, a lovely, young
protege arrives. She had been waiting
impatiently for Mr. Angel to summon her from
below. He has vowed to secure her a contract
as well. She sings an aria of adoration ,
then demands a contract of 750 crowns.
Angel
interjects before Scruples can disagree.
(Mr. Bluff and Angel may have plotted prior
to this: Bluff wants to sing; Angel is
bankrolling the company just to keep both
ladies happy). Madame Goldentrill returns to
overhear the agreement, is furious, and a
fierce duet begins, each arguing her
position as the true prima donna.
A trio
ensues in which Mr. Angel tries to soothe
them and mediate their dispute by offering
them 1000 crowns a week, star billing, and
their names in print larger than even the
composer's. He insists that criticism of one
artist by another can only degrade art.
Meanwhile,
Scruples is apathetic to the entire
scenario. He states that opera can never be
destroyed by individual ambition, then
promptly assigns Mr. Bluff as the new
impresario and departs. Bluff ecstatically
hires himself as "primo buffo" and names Mr.
Angel to be the next impresario, effective
immediately. The quartet remains to proclaim
that while all artists must always strive
for excellence, self-ambition will destroy
even the finest.
