#aurelio's happenings in the opera house

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

At some point in his work, now late into the night and while he was taking inventory of the props before he'd go home, Aurelio comes across a sparkly green mask (that was unsurprisingly similar to Erik's current mask, just smaller) on one of the shelves that wasn't there earlier.

With a sigh, he gingerly picks it up with his free hand, then moves over to his desk to sit down and inspect it. Faintly, he could smell the cologne Erik used still on the mask, meaning the man had recently left it behind and could stil be watching.

"I know you're still lurking, Erik." Aurelio tiredly says to the 'empty' room as he sets the mask aside on his desk and looks around from his seat to try and see where Erik will emerge from.

(ooc: @operas-phantom it's TIIIIIIMMMMME!!)

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

"Fifteen soliloquies? How long will this take??" Aurelio asks, then pauses, his brow furrowing. "And just how many new props am I going to have to make?"

I finished my new opera!!

The story follows a mysterious but handsome man called Erique Denester, and after years of being alone he finds a social network where he shares his passions with the world, makes new friends, gets into a scuffle with some mullet-wearing foes who he obviously wins again, and very likely gets the girl, but not after fifteen soliloquies about his inner pain and turmoil! I will make the opera house put it on very soon. I do believe if nobody is up for the challenge of playing the lead I may have to take the reins, but that is okay so long as nobody touches the mask. And as for the female lead, probably Christine..

As you can see, it is clearly not a “self-insert”. For one, I am not handsome. Any other similarities are coincidental.

[wineanddinosaur]

14 Things You Should Know About Herradura

The truism “the more you learn, the less you know” is especially apt with tequila. But lucky for you, focusing on just one brand — Herradura — will teach you plenty about tequila and the tequila-making process, plus a little bit about Mexican geography, certain positive remnants of Spanish colonialism, the boozier benefits of female leadership, and proper lucky horseshoe positioning. Here are a dozen things you need to know about Herradura tequila (plus a couple extra for upcoming cocktail parties).

It’s made near the base of “Tequila Volcano”

Unless it’s carved out of ice and sitting at the center of the bar at your BFF’s bachelorette party, Tequila Volcano refers to an actual volcano in Jalisco (where the town of Tequila, and majority of the world’s tequila production, is located). The agave for Herradura tequila grows around the base of the volcano, or the “lowlands,” and we can thank that volcano for the rich, agave-friendly soil, and then maybe pour one out at its base just in case, since the last eruption was 200,000 years ago and we want to keep things nice and quiet in Jalisco.

It’s produced on (sort of?) holy grounds.

Holy grounds by real-estate association, anyway: Herradura distillery was established in 1870 by Félix López (see below), but a distillery had been operating there for longer. In the early 1800s, recently ordained Roman Catholic priest Jose Feliciano de la Trinidad Romo Escobedo bought the hacienda, where mezcal was already in production, and decided to continue distilling spirits (because why not?). In fact, the place was briefly named the “Hacienda del Padre,” or “Priest House.” Not quite the name we’d give a party spot but there it is.

It’s the only remaining working hacienda.

Hacienda San Jose del Refugio is the “last tequila-producing hacienda on the planet.” So, next question, what is a hacienda? The roots of a hacienda aren’t super wholesome; first showing up in the early 16th century, haciendas were estates doled out to Spanish noblemen for farming or ranching, similar to a plantation. Mexico mostly abolished its hacienda system in the early 20th century with the introduction of the communal “ejido” system (communal land-holding). But the Hacienda San Jose del Refugio persists for a reason: Everything for its tequila is made and produced in-house, and the self-sufficient hacienda system kind of works for them.

Its ownership roster reads like a soap opera cast.

The hacienda where Herradura is made was first owned by a priest, then the three Zalazar sisters (his goddaughters) who ran it for about eight years until they were forced to trade it to a worker in lieu of unpaid wages. Then that worker, Félix López, went on to turn the distillery back into a successful property, which was eventually taken over by his son, then his cousin, then a game-changing powerful female leader (see below), then a massively powerful U.S. corporation (that also owns Southern Comfort and Jack Daniel’s). All of which makes Herradura sound like the important factory trading hands in a soap opera.

Its strongest — and longest — leader was female.

Gabriela de la Peña took the helm of Herradura in the late 1950s, not only running but modernizing and enriching the brand over the course of 40 years in charge, most importantly introducing not one but two major new tequila categories.

Herradura invented the “reposado” and “extra añejo” tequila categories.

Another reason to pour one out: Gabriela de la Peña introduced reposado, which effectively bridged the gap between blanco and añejo. She also (maybe more radically) introduced “extra añejo,” a category that dared to even approach the gap between tequila and “brown” spirits like bourbon, rum, and Scotch. Reposado Herradura came out in 1974. Reposado is aged between 60 and 364 days, and in the case of Herradura that aging happens in white oak. And while the brown spirits-proximate “extra añejo” category wasn’t introduced by Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council until 2006, Herradura had actually introduced its Extra Añejo Selección Suprema all the way back in 1995.

Herradura also had the world’s first female master tequila distiller.

Maria Teresa Lara Lopez began working at Herradura in 1987 in the lab (she had a bachelor’s in chemistry — and did quite possibly the coolest thing with it). In 2009 she was named master distiller, finally retiring in 2017; like de la Peña, giving decades to the betterment of tequila, including her Directo de Alambique tequila, which goes right from the distilling tank to the bottle without touching oak, at 55 percent ABV no less — an intentionally pronounced expression of agave and tequila’s terroir.

It’s Herradura and el Jimador, ahem.

Officially speaking, the hacienda and distillery that produce Herradura have been in operation for 150 years. Herradura Tequila was first registered in Mexico in 1928 and is now the eighth best-selling tequila in the world. El Jimador was born in 1994, like a much younger (surprise!) sibling. (A “jimador,” FYI, is the name of someone who harvests the massive agave plants — see below.) Brown-Forman (the company that owns Herradura and El Jimador) is currently working on bridging the divide between authentic tequila production and millennial urbanites, somewhat removed from the lowlands of Jalisco. A recent marketing campaign included some savvy PR rebranding and repackaging of El Jimador in bottles with “pronounced shoulders” and a “stronger silhouette,” which also sounds suspiciously like promises our Pilates teacher made us.

They use 100 percent Blue Weber agave. Not all tequilas do.

Tequila can and should be made with 100 percent Blue Weber agave. That means tequila producers wait roughly eight to 10 (even 12) years for this massive, gorgeous, only slightly threatening-looking succulent to mature before really strong, patient people hack it into submission, extracting the piña, which looks like a monstrous pineapple. Not all tequilas go full agave, however; “mixto” tequilas are made with some agave, with the rest of the alcohol provided by a cheaper, often harsher, neutral spirit (a.k.a. hangover juice).

It’s hand-harvested.

That’s a big deal. Literally. Blue Weber agave (the kind of agave Herradura and really any good tequila is made from) — can grow to be eight feet tall and 10 feet wide. The piña itself easily matures to over 100 pounds. It seems like the kind of plant you’d be glad to sic a robot on, but Herradura’s agave is harvested by jimadores to this day in a super-arduous process that looks something like this. (And we will never complain about weeding again.)

They used the tahona process for a century.

The tahona process is the earliest way tequila was produced in bulk. But considering it involves steadfast (and hopefully well-loved) mules dragging a massive circular stone in endless Sisyphean circles around a pit to crush cooked agave, it’s not really economically viable for most distilleries. It is, however, such an important innovation in the history of commercial tequila production that Herradura preserves its original tahona stone and even throws the occasional #tbt out there for the world to pay its respects. All good news if and when machines break down and we still need booze (especially during the apocalypse).

“Herradura” means horseshoe.

The distillery had been around for over a century longer (see below), but “Herradura Tequila” was first registered with the Mexican government in 1928. Herradura means “horseshoe” in Spanish — Aurelio Lopez, the son of Félix López, supposedly found a glinting horseshoe out among the agave one day — hence the label and horseshoe-themed swag.

The horseshoe only gets “lucky” if you drink

At their “luckiest,” horseshoes are supposed to face upward. Not that we’re super superstitious, but Herradura’s bottles have the horseshoe shape facing down. However, there’s an easy way to literally turn your luck around: When you pour tequila out, the Herradura horseshoe faces upward.

Bing Crosby was a fan.

Crosby liked his Christmases white and his alcoholic beverages agave-based. Seriously, Bing liked Herradura so much that he and fellow actor Phil Harris made inroads to bring it to the States for the first time in 1955. If you want to really honor the favor, try some Herradura in your eggnog this year (the extra añejo actually works nicely).

The article 14 Things You Should Know About Herradura appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/herradura-tequila-guide/

[johnboothus]

14 Things You Should Know About Herradura

The truism “the more you learn, the less you know” is especially apt with tequila. But lucky for you, focusing on just one brand — Herradura — will teach you plenty about tequila and the tequila-making process, plus a little bit about Mexican geography, certain positive remnants of Spanish colonialism, the boozier benefits of female leadership, and proper lucky horseshoe positioning. Here are a dozen things you need to know about Herradura tequila (plus a couple extra for upcoming cocktail parties).

It’s made near the base of “Tequila Volcano”

Unless it’s carved out of ice and sitting at the center of the bar at your BFF’s bachelorette party, Tequila Volcano refers to an actual volcano in Jalisco (where the town of Tequila, and majority of the world’s tequila production, is located). The agave for Herradura tequila grows around the base of the volcano, or the “lowlands,” and we can thank that volcano for the rich, agave-friendly soil, and then maybe pour one out at its base just in case, since the last eruption was 200,000 years ago and we want to keep things nice and quiet in Jalisco.

It’s produced on (sort of?) holy grounds.

Holy grounds by real-estate association, anyway: Herradura distillery was established in 1870 by Félix López (see below), but a distillery had been operating there for longer. In the early 1800s, recently ordained Roman Catholic priest Jose Feliciano de la Trinidad Romo Escobedo bought the hacienda, where mezcal was already in production, and decided to continue distilling spirits (because why not?). In fact, the place was briefly named the “Hacienda del Padre,” or “Priest House.” Not quite the name we’d give a party spot but there it is.

It’s the only remaining working hacienda.

Hacienda San Jose del Refugio is the “last tequila-producing hacienda on the planet.” So, next question, what is a hacienda? The roots of a hacienda aren’t super wholesome; first showing up in the early 16th century, haciendas were estates doled out to Spanish noblemen for farming or ranching, similar to a plantation. Mexico mostly abolished its hacienda system in the early 20th century with the introduction of the communal “ejido” system (communal land-holding). But the Hacienda San Jose del Refugio persists for a reason: Everything for its tequila is made and produced in-house, and the self-sufficient hacienda system kind of works for them.

Its ownership roster reads like a soap opera cast.

The hacienda where Herradura is made was first owned by a priest, then the three Zalazar sisters (his goddaughters) who ran it for about eight years until they were forced to trade it to a worker in lieu of unpaid wages. Then that worker, Félix López, went on to turn the distillery back into a successful property, which was eventually taken over by his son, then his cousin, then a game-changing powerful female leader (see below), then a massively powerful U.S. corporation (that also owns Southern Comfort and Jack Daniel’s). All of which makes Herradura sound like the important factory trading hands in a soap opera.

Its strongest — and longest — leader was female.

Gabriela de la Peña took the helm of Herradura in the late 1950s, not only running but modernizing and enriching the brand over the course of 40 years in charge, most importantly introducing not one but two major new tequila categories.

Herradura invented the “reposado” and “extra añejo” tequila categories.

Another reason to pour one out: Gabriela de la Peña introduced reposado, which effectively bridged the gap between blanco and añejo. She also (maybe more radically) introduced “extra añejo,” a category that dared to even approach the gap between tequila and “brown” spirits like bourbon, rum, and Scotch. Reposado Herradura came out in 1974. Reposado is aged between 60 and 364 days, and in the case of Herradura that aging happens in white oak. And while the brown spirits-proximate “extra añejo” category wasn’t introduced by Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council until 2006, Herradura had actually introduced its Extra Añejo Selección Suprema all the way back in 1995.

Herradura also had the world’s first female master tequila distiller.

Maria Teresa Lara Lopez began working at Herradura in 1987 in the lab (she had a bachelor’s in chemistry — and did quite possibly the coolest thing with it). In 2009 she was named master distiller, finally retiring in 2017; like de la Peña, giving decades to the betterment of tequila, including her Directo de Alambique tequila, which goes right from the distilling tank to the bottle without touching oak, at 55 percent ABV no less — an intentionally pronounced expression of agave and tequila’s terroir.

It’s Herradura and el Jimador, ahem.

Officially speaking, the hacienda and distillery that produce Herradura have been in operation for 150 years. Herradura Tequila was first registered in Mexico in 1928 and is now the eighth best-selling tequila in the world. El Jimador was born in 1994, like a much younger (surprise!) sibling. (A “jimador,” FYI, is the name of someone who harvests the massive agave plants — see below.) Brown-Forman (the company that owns Herradura and El Jimador) is currently working on bridging the divide between authentic tequila production and millennial urbanites, somewhat removed from the lowlands of Jalisco. A recent marketing campaign included some savvy PR rebranding and repackaging of El Jimador in bottles with “pronounced shoulders” and a “stronger silhouette,” which also sounds suspiciously like promises our Pilates teacher made us.

They use 100 percent Blue Weber agave. Not all tequilas do.

Tequila can and should be made with 100 percent Blue Weber agave. That means tequila producers wait roughly eight to 10 (even 12) years for this massive, gorgeous, only slightly threatening-looking succulent to mature before really strong, patient people hack it into submission, extracting the piña, which looks like a monstrous pineapple. Not all tequilas go full agave, however; “mixto” tequilas are made with some agave, with the rest of the alcohol provided by a cheaper, often harsher, neutral spirit (a.k.a. hangover juice).

It’s hand-harvested.

That’s a big deal. Literally. Blue Weber agave (the kind of agave Herradura and really any good tequila is made from) — can grow to be eight feet tall and 10 feet wide. The piña itself easily matures to over 100 pounds. It seems like the kind of plant you’d be glad to sic a robot on, but Herradura’s agave is harvested by jimadores to this day in a super-arduous process that looks something like this. (And we will never complain about weeding again.)

They used the tahona process for a century.

The tahona process is the earliest way tequila was produced in bulk. But considering it involves steadfast (and hopefully well-loved) mules dragging a massive circular stone in endless Sisyphean circles around a pit to crush cooked agave, it’s not really economically viable for most distilleries. It is, however, such an important innovation in the history of commercial tequila production that Herradura preserves its original tahona stone and even throws the occasional #tbt out there for the world to pay its respects. All good news if and when machines break down and we still need booze (especially during the apocalypse).

“Herradura” means horseshoe.

The distillery had been around for over a century longer (see below), but “Herradura Tequila” was first registered with the Mexican government in 1928. Herradura means “horseshoe” in Spanish — Aurelio Lopez, the son of Félix López, supposedly found a glinting horseshoe out among the agave one day — hence the label and horseshoe-themed swag.

The horseshoe only gets “lucky” if you drink

At their “luckiest,” horseshoes are supposed to face upward. Not that we’re super superstitious, but Herradura’s bottles have the horseshoe shape facing down. However, there’s an easy way to literally turn your luck around: When you pour tequila out, the Herradura horseshoe faces upward.

Bing Crosby was a fan.

Crosby liked his Christmases white and his alcoholic beverages agave-based. Seriously, Bing liked Herradura so much that he and fellow actor Phil Harris made inroads to bring it to the States for the first time in 1955. If you want to really honor the favor, try some Herradura in your eggnog this year (the extra añejo actually works nicely).

The article 14 Things You Should Know About Herradura appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/herradura-tequila-guide/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/14-things-you-should-know-about-herradura

[isaiahrippinus]

14 Things You Should Know About Herradura

The truism “the more you learn, the less you know” is especially apt with tequila. But lucky for you, focusing on just one brand — Herradura — will teach you plenty about tequila and the tequila-making process, plus a little bit about Mexican geography, certain positive remnants of Spanish colonialism, the boozier benefits of female leadership, and proper lucky horseshoe positioning. Here are a dozen things you need to know about Herradura tequila (plus a couple extra for upcoming cocktail parties).

It’s made near the base of “Tequila Volcano”

Unless it’s carved out of ice and sitting at the center of the bar at your BFF’s bachelorette party, Tequila Volcano refers to an actual volcano in Jalisco (where the town of Tequila, and majority of the world’s tequila production, is located). The agave for Herradura tequila grows around the base of the volcano, or the “lowlands,” and we can thank that volcano for the rich, agave-friendly soil, and then maybe pour one out at its base just in case, since the last eruption was 200,000 years ago and we want to keep things nice and quiet in Jalisco.

It’s produced on (sort of?) holy grounds.

Holy grounds by real-estate association, anyway: Herradura distillery was established in 1870 by Félix López (see below), but a distillery had been operating there for longer. In the early 1800s, recently ordained Roman Catholic priest Jose Feliciano de la Trinidad Romo Escobedo bought the hacienda, where mezcal was already in production, and decided to continue distilling spirits (because why not?). In fact, the place was briefly named the “Hacienda del Padre,” or “Priest House.” Not quite the name we’d give a party spot but there it is.

It’s the only remaining working hacienda.

Hacienda San Jose del Refugio is the “last tequila-producing hacienda on the planet.” So, next question, what is a hacienda? The roots of a hacienda aren’t super wholesome; first showing up in the early 16th century, haciendas were estates doled out to Spanish noblemen for farming or ranching, similar to a plantation. Mexico mostly abolished its hacienda system in the early 20th century with the introduction of the communal “ejido” system (communal land-holding). But the Hacienda San Jose del Refugio persists for a reason: Everything for its tequila is made and produced in-house, and the self-sufficient hacienda system kind of works for them.

Its ownership roster reads like a soap opera cast.

The hacienda where Herradura is made was first owned by a priest, then the three Zalazar sisters (his goddaughters) who ran it for about eight years until they were forced to trade it to a worker in lieu of unpaid wages. Then that worker, Félix López, went on to turn the distillery back into a successful property, which was eventually taken over by his son, then his cousin, then a game-changing powerful female leader (see below), then a massively powerful U.S. corporation (that also owns Southern Comfort and Jack Daniel’s). All of which makes Herradura sound like the important factory trading hands in a soap opera.

Its strongest — and longest — leader was female.

Gabriela de la Peña took the helm of Herradura in the late 1950s, not only running but modernizing and enriching the brand over the course of 40 years in charge, most importantly introducing not one but two major new tequila categories.

Herradura invented the “reposado” and “extra añejo” tequila categories.

Another reason to pour one out: Gabriela de la Peña introduced reposado, which effectively bridged the gap between blanco and añejo. She also (maybe more radically) introduced “extra añejo,” a category that dared to even approach the gap between tequila and “brown” spirits like bourbon, rum, and Scotch. Reposado Herradura came out in 1974. Reposado is aged between 60 and 364 days, and in the case of Herradura that aging happens in white oak. And while the brown spirits-proximate “extra añejo” category wasn’t introduced by Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council until 2006, Herradura had actually introduced its Extra Añejo Selección Suprema all the way back in 1995.

Herradura also had the world’s first female master tequila distiller.

Maria Teresa Lara Lopez began working at Herradura in 1987 in the lab (she had a bachelor’s in chemistry — and did quite possibly the coolest thing with it). In 2009 she was named master distiller, finally retiring in 2017; like de la Peña, giving decades to the betterment of tequila, including her Directo de Alambique tequila, which goes right from the distilling tank to the bottle without touching oak, at 55 percent ABV no less — an intentionally pronounced expression of agave and tequila’s terroir.

It’s Herradura and el Jimador, ahem.

Officially speaking, the hacienda and distillery that produce Herradura have been in operation for 150 years. Herradura Tequila was first registered in Mexico in 1928 and is now the eighth best-selling tequila in the world. El Jimador was born in 1994, like a much younger (surprise!) sibling. (A “jimador,” FYI, is the name of someone who harvests the massive agave plants — see below.) Brown-Forman (the company that owns Herradura and El Jimador) is currently working on bridging the divide between authentic tequila production and millennial urbanites, somewhat removed from the lowlands of Jalisco. A recent marketing campaign included some savvy PR rebranding and repackaging of El Jimador in bottles with “pronounced shoulders” and a “stronger silhouette,” which also sounds suspiciously like promises our Pilates teacher made us.

They use 100 percent Blue Weber agave. Not all tequilas do.

Tequila can and should be made with 100 percent Blue Weber agave. That means tequila producers wait roughly eight to 10 (even 12) years for this massive, gorgeous, only slightly threatening-looking succulent to mature before really strong, patient people hack it into submission, extracting the piña, which looks like a monstrous pineapple. Not all tequilas go full agave, however; “mixto” tequilas are made with some agave, with the rest of the alcohol provided by a cheaper, often harsher, neutral spirit (a.k.a. hangover juice).

It’s hand-harvested.

That’s a big deal. Literally. Blue Weber agave (the kind of agave Herradura and really any good tequila is made from) — can grow to be eight feet tall and 10 feet wide. The piña itself easily matures to over 100 pounds. It seems like the kind of plant you’d be glad to sic a robot on, but Herradura’s agave is harvested by jimadores to this day in a super-arduous process that looks something like this. (And we will never complain about weeding again.)

They used the tahona process for a century.

The tahona process is the earliest way tequila was produced in bulk. But considering it involves steadfast (and hopefully well-loved) mules dragging a massive circular stone in endless Sisyphean circles around a pit to crush cooked agave, it’s not really economically viable for most distilleries. It is, however, such an important innovation in the history of commercial tequila production that Herradura preserves its original tahona stone and even throws the occasional #tbt out there for the world to pay its respects. All good news if and when machines break down and we still need booze (especially during the apocalypse).

“Herradura” means horseshoe.

The distillery had been around for over a century longer (see below), but “Herradura Tequila” was first registered with the Mexican government in 1928. Herradura means “horseshoe” in Spanish — Aurelio Lopez, the son of Félix López, supposedly found a glinting horseshoe out among the agave one day — hence the label and horseshoe-themed swag.

The horseshoe only gets “lucky” if you drink

At their “luckiest,” horseshoes are supposed to face upward. Not that we’re super superstitious, but Herradura’s bottles have the horseshoe shape facing down. However, there’s an easy way to literally turn your luck around: When you pour tequila out, the Herradura horseshoe faces upward.

Bing Crosby was a fan.

Crosby liked his Christmases white and his alcoholic beverages agave-based. Seriously, Bing liked Herradura so much that he and fellow actor Phil Harris made inroads to bring it to the States for the first time in 1955. If you want to really honor the favor, try some Herradura in your eggnog this year (the extra añejo actually works nicely).

The article 14 Things You Should Know About Herradura appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/herradura-tequila-guide/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/612480123352023040

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

Aurelio looks at him with narrowed eyes for a moment as he analyzes him, before nodding.

"Thank you. That is much appreciated. I just hope more aren't stolen, and that whomever is responsible owns up to it."

He then turns to leave, to go back to the prop room.

[A small man with shaggy, lopsided blond hair walks into the office, disgruntled.] "Monsieurs, can you do something about the missing props? I have had at least four things stolen this past week, and everyone and their mother seems to think a ghost stole them." [Sigh] "I need to know who's actually stealing them, instead of blaming it all on a nonexistent 'ghost'."

(@aurelio-the-propmaster)

[André seems awfully uncomfortable, like just the topic of the ghost gets to him.]

I-I can certainly look into it! Though, i-if it's who I fear it is, you might not get them back. But I'd be happy to compensate you for them in your next paycheck!

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

Aurelio arrives to the opera house quieter than usual, his expression dark and eyes with slightly darker eye bags than usual. After last night's reveal that one of the Eriks had been courting both himself and the granddaughter of Christine, he had got drunk at home and cried himself to sleep.

He sets about maintaining props per usual, but not speaking to anyone.

@operas-phantom ooc: you know what time it is!

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

Aurelio steps through a portal with a tall, gangly man clad in leather, belts, and a strange bird-like helmet, finally back at his prop studio instead of the future.

"Well, here we are. 1881. One of the Eriks should be around here somewhere." Aurelio comments, walking over to a desk and sitting down. "Feel free to look around the room. One of them is sure to show up. Or.. one of my coworkers."

@winslowleachthecomposer

@operas-phantom

@erikaskblog (OOC: CMEEERRRREEEE)

[operas-phantom]

They gave me a phone.

So this is Tumblr. Cool. Can people see this? If you’re seeing this, hi, come by my opera house, yes it is mine, I’ve lived there longer than everyone else so it is mine. It honestly got a bit boring listening to Carlotta What’s-Her-Name continue to absolutely murder any type of operatic symphony with her harsh voice, so I’m on here now after extensive Google searching on what I can do on this bad boy.

Uh I’m he/him. My name’s Erik but nobody really calls me that anymore, and the only reason I’m letting people here say it is because I honestly think that like 2 people will see this post anyway, or at least that’s what I originally thought.

𝔄𝔫𝔡 𝔩𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔲𝔰𝔦𝔠 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔫𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱..

This will be a learning experience for me anyhow, and perhaps I can get new ideas for the things I write on here. The Internet is a crazy place (and so are my adventures; I’ve found out through this that there are many versions of me, including @erikaskblog. I am down to interact with anyone, but no NSFW please— also, I am bisexual. My other friends include Christine, naturally, @eddiekaspbrak-official and his Losers Club from an apparent “other world”, as well as my best friends, @totally-penelope-and-not-a-siren—that’s Calliope, a siren with a sense of humor who keeps me on my toes, and a former would-be love of mine who I sometimes mentor, @maggiemelodies09. Maggie does have a boyfriend now— she bears such a strong resemblance to dear Christine and I will cheer for anyone who supports her kindness, so said boyfriend shall one day be my friend as well. @daydreamingofafairytale is my third best friend— oh, I am so lucky to have even dreamt of this! You’ll like Nour; everyone does. I give out music lessons to a few people now, attempting to make it less romantically exclusive, including Nour. However, we usually use those lessons to make each other laugh— friends bring light to my darkness and I finally feel like a man now, not a monster. Then there is my muse and a non-singing angel who I suppose might be called a “boyfriend”, @aurelio-the-propmaster. I would go on.. but if I risk becoming “obsessive” again, woe to the opera house, and my other friends have warned against it. Know if you see this, Aurelio— your angel loves you dearly. Also my other friend, @an-american-songbird-in-paris who knows Aurelio and who also composes. Him and I should one day collaborate.) No, I will not list all my “frenemies” or enemies, but I have them too. They are not welcome in my opera house.

If people do end up commenting on this, please do not go wild in the comments or bully each other. I’ve had enough of hearing people insult each other and call each other names for one lifetime, unless I have to do what I have to do. However, I have been made aware that some people are shockingly enough fans of me, even after seeing my face— I normally hate people seeing it, I attempt to shun it from my very being after all —and I will likely post pictures of myself on here in order to share the happenings of the opera house with the world. I would place the screen names of all said “phangirls” here, but hope instead they find this nonetheless. I appreciate you all caring for me. PLEASE come to my opera house, you all.

I am now over the fact that I cannot have Christine— the one of her versions that still talks to me, @angeliquedaae who is my dear friend and tutee— still, thanks to her undying kindness to me. Occasionally we (hilariously) reenact scenes from our shared past, and I find it a form of recreation. I endeavor to focus my attention on other loves (not just Aurelio but for my other friends here) instead but cannot help caring for her if only in a strictly platonic yet protective manner— I care too much about my friends, hence why I have placed their usernames here. They are wonderful people.

𝔏𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔦𝔣𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔴 𝔟𝔢𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢..

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

Backstage, the prop master and adoptive cousin of Carlotta, Aurelio, runs around and makes sure the props and stage materials are in order, often staying up late to make sure everything is in tip-top shape. But, Meg (bless her) suggested he make a Tumblr blog so that way he can interact with people more than a simple exchange. He is friends with one of the painters, Julien, and is fiercely protective of the staff here. He also has a short fuse and is somewhat confrontational, and he's lucky to have not been killed by the Phantom himself, though that could be connected to being something of a friend of Erik's. ... He may or may not be yearning for @operas-phantom and @juliendeauclair. Just normal, friendly feelings towards them. Definitely. (Though, he entertains the thoughts and feelings towards Erik more than he does Julien, for reasons he will take to the grave.)

Tag list:

#aurelio's ramblings

#aurelio's visitors and messages

#aurelio's happenings in the opera house

#aurelio's crossover timeline stuff Ooc from the person who runs this, @cecil-87: Hi! Any versions of the Phantom of the Opera work for this OC of mine, but the book, 2004 movie, 25th anniversary, 1990 miniseries, and Yeston & Kopit musical are things I know by heart (as well as Phantom of the Paradise), so keep that in mind.

Here's the link to the first chapter of the fanfiction he's in!

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

"That's what I was saying! At least it wasn't much of value compared to jewelry." He mutters, relieved that none of the ballet girls stole the props.

"And thank you for checking!" Aurelio calls behind her as she walks off, and he stays where he's at with his hands in his pockets to wait for her.

[A very tired and small man with lopsided and messy blond hair approaches from one of the rooms backstage.] "La Sorelli, some of the props have gone missing - a bouquet of dried roses, some goblets, and that bowl of wax fruits. Do you or any of the other girls know what happened to them?" [he asks, before pausing to sigh.] "And don't say it was the so-called ghost." (@aurelio-the-propmaster)

[Sorelli turns around and frowns]

Props missing? No, me and the rats haven't heard of anything...

Odd things to take, no? Why the wax fruits. How queer. I can ask the other dancers if they have seen anything, but I do not believe it was that ghost.

[She smiles softly and turns on her heel to go ask the other dancers]

[operas-phantom]

”WHAT ON EARTH!” The other Erik pokes his head in. “Technically we’d be bisexual, but— OH WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON!” He’s very confused, and throws up his cape, nearly banging his head into the wall.

I wanted to show you this photo I made

[He says this a bit mockingly.]

It's flattering that you fantasize about kissing me, Monsieur!

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

"Erik, no." Aurelio says from around the corner as he approaches, grumpy as ever.

*I was walking around the opera house till I bumped into you* “Oof! Oh I’m sorry sir..! I didn’t mean to bump into you..”

"It's fine!

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

"How is this a gold mine, exactly..?" Aurelio responds as he looks over at the more talkative of the two Eriks.

am am I gay?

"Erik, I don't care who becomes the object of your.. affections, so long as you don't hurt more poeple like when you were in love with Christine." Aurelio sighs, not really knowing how to discuss this, given his own complex feelings.

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

Aurelio jumps a bit at the sudden intrusion in his thoughts, but masks it with his usual grumpy face as he looks over at her.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just have some of those carols that are sung in the streets stuck in my head." Aurelio dismisses with a wave, then gets back to work without explaining the aversion to Shakespeare.

Humming under his breath for a bit as he works, then pauses as he comes to a realization.

"Oh, damn it all, I have those ridiculous carols in my head now," Aurelio grumbles as he continues working. "Though, I suppose it's better than something from one of Shakespeare's plays..."

[aurelio-the-propmaster]

"Do not. Do yourealize how expensive that damn thing is?!" Aurelio butts in, having heard the Eriks chatting in the walls from where he's at backstage.

What a nice chandelier you have there.

Would be a shame if someone

broke it

or knocked it over.