[Continued from Part 1]

The program got started with a few words by von Teese, welcoming everyone to the Chateau Marmont; thanking her co-Host, Danielle, for her help; thanking everyone at Chateau; and introducing Armen.  Ra, for his part, thanked Dita and Danielle; welcomed the assembled guests and the hovering spirits of Old Hollywood; and informed us of his set list: “Tonight I’ll be performing Over the Rainbow, Ave Maria, Dido’s Lament, and The Pearl Fishers; before concluding with an out-of-this-world surprise.”  Then, without any further ado, the music spilt forth from the Theremin, and everyone there watched and listened and felt, with rapt attention.

As promised, Ra began with an a cappella rendition of Judy Garland’s signature song, “Over the Rainbow” – from the film The Wizard of Oz (Arlen & Harburg, 1939).  It was both appropriately Hollywood-y, and, thanks to the Theremin, suitably spooky.  This was followed by Ra’s achingly beautiful take on “Ellens dritter Gesang/Opus 52” – more commonly known as “Ave Maria” – from Liederzyklus vom Fräulein vom See (Schubert, 1825).

Next was the aria “When I am laid in earth” – better known as “Dido’s Lament” – from the opera Dido and Aeneas (Purcell, 1688).  Now, I know what you’re thinking…  “This is one somber set list, Shulman.”  And you’d be correct.  And that sadness would reach its zenith with Ra’s spellbinding version of “Je Crois Entendre Encore” – from the opera Les Pêcheurs de Perles (Bizet, 1863).

But what about that “out of this world surprise” with which Ra had promised to conclude his program?  After the applause following The Pearl Fishers had subsided, Ra dove right into a cleverly kitschy version of the “Theme from Star Trek” – originally scored as “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (Courage, 1966); and for the only time, that night, the audience broke from propriety, briefly cheering during a song, and not after.

Little known factoid: while most people assume the “Theme from Star Trek” utilized a Theremin in its recording, it was actually sung (yes, that was a human voice!) by soprano Loulie Jean Norman, accompanied by flute and organ, over an orchestral arrangement.  But this night, it was performed with precision by the Thierry Mugler-clad Armen Ra, and the crowd loved it.

The convergence of personalities, location, time of year, instrument, and audience, all came together to create a truly magical happening, at the Chateau Marmont, that night.  Granted, magical things happen at the Chateau, all the time.  But this – this was something special; and nobody who was there is likely to forget it. 

Haunted Hollywood | hosted by Dita von Teese & Danielle Motor | starring Armen Ra
Chateau Marmont | West Hollywood
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