He was going to sing the well-known aria from "I Pagliacci". At Miss Geist's request, he borrowed a costume - not a clown's big nose and feet, but a carnival costume. Miss Geist told the class that the opera's characters are taken from Commedia dell'Arte, a form of improvised theatre from the Italian renaissance, and very little to do with today's circus clowns.
Then the famed singer launched into his portrayal of the carnival comedian trying to laugh when he has just found out his wife is cheating on him - "Laugh, Pagliacco!". Elsa, Miss Geist's short blonde assistant, played the piano accompaniment.
The students were thrilled at this private performance, and few of them noticed when Elsa made a mistake in her playing. The singer's eyes flicked towards her for an instant, and so did Miss Geist's, but the performance continued.
Afterwards, the tenor took questions from the class. At the end, they applauded him warmly and filed out. When the auditorium was empty, Miss Geist went to a cupboard in the stage's wings. Elsa didn't need to see what she was fetching. Without hesitation, without being told, she pushed down her slacks and panties, and bent bare-bottomed over the piano. She said softly "I'm sorry, Rannveig".
Miss Geist flexed the cane as she stepped down from the stage with it. Without uttering a word, she brought it down hard across Elsa's unprotected behind. The teacher's sense of absolute pitch told her that the swishing sound it made was an E flat. The 'whap' as it struck bare skin produced a yell from Elsa, which was a C sharp.
Suddenly, they were not unobserved. The tenor, who had taken some time getting out of his costume, walked out onto the stage from the dressing room. His face showed no shock - he stood and watched impassively.
Elsa took her punishment without resentment. She was nearly ten years older than Miss Geist. But whenever she made a mistake, she was so distressed at letting down the great Mistress of Music (whom she alone was allowed to call 'Rannveig') she genuinely wanted to be punished. But this attitude didn't reduce how much the cane hurt. She cried out and sobbed as ten red lines were placed across her behind.
As Elsa pulled up her pants, sniffing and whimpering a little, the famous singer asked Miss Geist if he could have a word with her. Sitting on the edge of the stage, he began to set out his strange request.
"Seeing that little incident reminds me of being your student, Miss Geist" he said. "And it also reminds me of what a disciplined singer I used to be".
"You have gotten lazy?" asked the great teacher. "I suspected so, when I heard you today. You have lost precision and intensity since you were in my class."
"Exactly! Now that I'm so famous, nobody dares correct me. Directors accept whatever performance I give, and critics just gush praise no matter what I do. At this time in my career, I want to be getting better, not worse. You would never have let me get away with such laxity when I was your pupil. I need your discipline again."
Miss Geist's serious expression never changed. "How can I refuse your request when you have just assisted me, and asked nothing for it?" she said. "Remove your belt and hand it to me. You will stand up on the stage, and Elsa will be the audience. Since you saw her punishment, she shall watch yours."
The famed singer (whose name is being withheld for now obvious reasons) passed down his belt. He faced upstage and waited as Miss Geist mounted the steps. Unlike Elsa, he didn't take down his pants right away, but waited to be told to. He wanted to be commanded by Miss Geist, as he had been when he was her student. When the order came, he lowered his trousers and underpants quickly.
Miss Geist wrapped the buckle end around her hand and swung the heavy belt with full force. The tenor grunted as it made a smacking sound, leaving a broad red band across both buttocks. Elsa winced in sympathy. The second stroke was very low, partially onto his thighs, and hurt like hell. "What have I put myself in for?" he thought.
As she continued his thrashing, she told him. "I want you to remember this penalty, and know that if you are lazy in your singing and acting in future, you will have to return to me for a worse punishment". He replied through gritted teeth, "Yes Miss Geist!"
When it was over, the tenor rubbed his sore rear and thought "I needed that, but I sure don't want it too often!" He thanked his former teacher for her ministrations and departed for the opera house. His performance that night was universally praised - and this time it wasn't just 'blowing smoke' towards a famous singer. He truly excelled, giving one of his best performances.
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A version of the aria in this chapter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hxonfpfuTY
However, the tenor in the story above is NOT Placido Domingo!
