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#Elisabeth Sand
motionpicturelover · 2 years
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"Telegrafisten" (1993) - Erik Gustavson
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Films I've watched in 2022 (95/210)
Let's be honest, if you're gonna cast someone to play a man who seduces pretty much every woman he comes into contact with, Bjørn Floberg is pretty perfect casting.
The glint he has in his eye, that smile, there's an energy about him which makes him very dangerous to a girl...
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triforcevillains · 10 months
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Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
Ben Sandersson beschließt nach seiner Realisation, dass er ein Versager ist und er in seinem Leben zu viele Fehler begangen hat, dass er Selbstmord begehen möchte. Jedoch möchte er es nicht kurz und schmerzlos tun: Er verkauft all sein Hab und Gut, um an so viel Geld wie möglich zu kommen. Ben reist nach Las Vegas und kauft so viel Alkohol wie nur möglich. In dem gammeligen Motel, das zu seinem letzten Zuhause wird, beginnt sein sich langsam annähernder Selbstmord durch seinen übermäßigen Alkoholkonsum.
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Eines Nachts trifft er auf die Prostituierte Sera, die sich sofort in den Alkoholiker verliebt. Die beiden verbringen viel Zeit miteinander und reisen durch Vegas. Ben betont jedoch vermehrt, dass es nichts auf dieser Welt gäbe, das ihn am Leben halten könne. (10/10)
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BETH BETH BETH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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staaapler · 3 months
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Everyone’s lullabies
the seven + reyna, nico, calypso and will and the lullabies they’d sing their children
Percy: The Moon Will Sing by the Crane Wives
Annabeth: Hidden In The Sand by Tally Hall
Piper: It’s My Way by Buffy Sainte-Marie
Jason: Star by Mitski
Leo: Hijo de la Luna by Mecano
Hazel: Zombie by The Cranberries
Frank: Talk to Me by Cavetown
Reyna: Algo contigo by Rita Payés and Elisabeth Roma
Nico: Everybody Loves Somebody by Dean Martin
Will: Would That I by Hozier
Calypso: Liar by Paramore
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butchrat · 1 year
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"with you I don't mind any terms because I know you see me well enough to use them all correctly" community, friendship, butch and trans man solidarity
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Jacqueline Woodson
Chloe Liese
Caitlyn Siehl
X
The Mountain Goats
Defiance, Ohio
George Sand
Caravaggio + Elisabeth ohlson wallin
Leslie Feinberg
Rose Mannie
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llovelymoonn · 1 year
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favourite poems of january
tony hoagland note to reality
henri cole middle earth: “myself and cats”
minerva s.m. kamra chronic
stacie cassarino zero at the bone: “in the kitchen”
bonnie jo stufflebeam barking dog nocturnal
ron silliman the alphabet: “you, part i”
sara borjas a heart can only be broken once, like a window
karen an-hwei lee song of the oyamel
louise glück afterword
kai nham follow the moon
elisabeth houston standard american english: “re-peat! re-verse! re-hearse!”
victoria stitt the carolina quarterly: “autumn convalescence”
noor ibn najam you smelled like an animal
ben still concept pest control
ray dipalma obediant laughter: “after midnight”
sasha pimentel cats
thanh-tam nguyen a lit match to burn what your country doesn’t remember
sarah abbas collecting words in attempt to keep them the same
julia wong kcomt (tr. jennifer shyue) woman eaten by cats
lisa jarnot ring of fire: “the bridge”
torrin a. greathouse i am beginning to mistake the locust’s song for silence
siaara freeman when i speak of hunger
vandana khanna train to agra: “evening prayer”
ouyang jianghe (tr. austin woerner) mother, kitchen
kayleb rae candrilli sand & silt
antony hecht an offering for patricia
sara ellen fowler shed project notes, august 30, 2019 - la madera, nm 
vincent hiscock voice in the air: afterthought
margie piercy mars & her children: “the cat’s song”
eva chen how to bleed a ghost
sayuri ayers cordella magazine: “in the season of pink ladies”
buy me a coffee
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vintagestagehotties · 26 days
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Round 1 is officially over!
Congratulations to the actresses who made it to Round 2!
Round 2 will begin on Saturday, May 4th
The winners of Round 1:
Maude Adams
Anna Maria Alberghetti
Julie Andrews
Angela Baddeley
Hermione Baddeley
Lauren Bacall
Olga Baclanova
Pearl Bailey
Josephine Baker
Lucille Ball
Anne Bancroft
Tallulah Bankhead
Theda Bara
Mona Barrie
Jessie Bateman
Polly Bergen
Claire Bloom
Mrs Patrick Campbell
Diahann Carroll
Lina Cavalieri
Helen Chandler
Geraldine Chaplin
Ruth Chatterton
Claudette Colbert
Constance Collier
Gladys Cooper
Katharine Cornell
Phyllis Dare
Zena Dare
Ruby Dee
Judi Dench
Stephanie Deste
Marie Doro
Geraldine Farrar
Maude Fealy
Edwige Feuillère
Susanna Foster
Trixie Friganza
Jane Froman
Eva Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Mary Garden
Greer Garson
Dusolina Giannini
Hermione Gingold
Dorothy Gish
Lillian Gish
Frances Greer
Mata Hari
Dolores Hart
Olivia de Havilland
Jill Haworth
Audrey Hepburn
Libby Holman
Lena Horne
Sally Ann Howes
Ethel Irving
Diane Keaton
Lisa Kirk
Eartha Kitt
Angela Landbury
Carol Lawrence
Vivien Leigh
Lotte Lenya
Beatrice Lillie
Bambi Linn
Gillian Lynne
Heather MacRae
Jayne Mansfield
Mary Martin
Jessie Matthews
Siobhán McKenna
Meng Xiaodong
Helen Menken
Ethel Merman
Cléo de Mérode
Evelyn Millard
Liza Minnelli
Rita Moreno
Odette Myrtil
Pola Negri
Julie Newmar
Nichelle Nichols
Maureen O’Sullivan
Aida Overton Walker
Anna Pavlova
Bernadette Peters
Lily Pons
Rosa Ponselle
Lee Remick
Diana Rigg
Thelma Ritter
Chita Rivera
Ginger Rogers
Lillian Russell
Rosalind Russell
Diana Sands
Lizabeth Scott
Maggie Smith
Emily Stevens
Susan Strasberg
Barbra Streisand
Yma Sumac
Inga Swenson
Laurette Taylor
Hilda Trevelyan
Monique Van Vooren
Fannie Ward
Ethel Warwick
Elisabeth Welch
Mae West
Anna May Wong
Diana Wynyard
Yoshiko Yamaguchi
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thefirstknife · 1 year
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RE: YOUR TAGS. poukas detect emotion????? cutscene pain increased by one billion thank you (/pos)
Yes! They can also bring back memories of the person they're interacting with. We got some hints of this with Ligthfall preorder stuff. Speed Metal shell:
Her fins coax something into view—a beautiful little mess of ribs and sails, with six bright eyes appraising me. I reach for it—
—And Ana's tiny hands pull me into a hug. Her dress is dirty and she's crying; Grandfather's totally gonna freak, I think as I pet her hair. "It's okay. I'll help."—
This is Elsie experiencing a memory upon touching the pouka. This was expanded on greatly in the Lightfall Collector's Edition in the Elsie section (starting on page 21 in this transcript):
"You were a pet." Elsie gave the shiny carapace a scratch, triggering a wave of... purrs? Pouka's six eyes focused independently up at her and glittered. "Someone taught you those tricks. And then left you—”
—isolation//"Do not mourn your sisters’ abandonment, Elisabeth. They are small minds." I know Grandfather's words make sense, but that doesn't sate the hollowness gnawing inside my chest. I set the stylus down, plant my hands against the desk, and take a long, ragged breath of recycled air to silence the scream I need to unleash. The feeling passes; I retrieve the tool and return to business as usual in the lonely Europan lab. I am in control even though I know that changes nothing—
Elsie gasped and stared. "Did someone teach you that trick too?" Pouka tilted its round eyes clockwise, then counter.
Also they purr. Most importantly.
It always adds the emotion at the start of what it's reaching out for. In this one it's "isolation" but there's also "loneliness," "fondness," "guilt," "rejection" and many more as it interacts with Elsie.
"You're shaping whatever you feel..." she mused, and her mind drifted back to warm beaches with Willa and Alton—their tiny footsteps slowly filling with saline from the warm, wet sand. Nature abhors a vacuum. "...And my heart fills it up."
...
Dread filled her. Her companion tasted it and fed it back, over and over, one loop of memory after another.
Elsie used this to learn stasis by constantly experiencing her memories through pouka to "remember" what she did in other timelines. Elsie also correctly guessed the Pouka's job, so to speak:
"You were trained for this kind of work, weren't you? Some kind of…” She struggled for a clever analogy. "Field therapist? Trained you to soothe, maybe work with exposure therapy?"
And now in Lightfall:
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Cloud Striders routinely use emotional support poukas in training and therapy.
Pretty spot on! Osiris could use one for sure.
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heavenlyyshecomes · 1 year
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recommend me some books that you’re convinced no one has heard of but you. books that don’t seem to have any fan base, or even independent people talking about them. your homegrown, organic, from-the-dirt little books if you please
i always somehow seem to find such books omg so i have a long list but i'm including some i've read recently that i loved!!
briefly, a delicious life, nell stevens (ghost of a teenager falls in love w george sand who's vacationing w her kids and chopin)
snake agent, liz williams (super fun one abt a detective pairing up w a demon from hell to solve crimes)
wylding hall, elizabeth hand (70s band goes to an isolated manor to record their album)
minor detail, adania shibli tr. elisabeth jacquette (read up summary + tws before reading because it's very heavy but amazingly executed)
angels & saints, eliot weinberger (about... angels and saints but surprisingly funny; interspersed with medieval 'grid poems' which are v beautiful too)
a month in siena, hisham matar (sort of a travelogue? or a snapshot of a trip to siena, v nice stuff about art)
one hundred shadows, hwang jungeun tr. jung yewon (strange, lucid, a dream, and one of my favourites)
tell them of battles, kings, and elephants, mathias enard tr. charlotte mandell (michaelangelo's time in constantinople, very decadent)
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fav fact about Elisabeth of Hesse?
Hi anon! My favorite “facts” about Ella are the mentions of her and her cousins in Margaretta Edgar’s book “Six Years At The Russian Court”. These might not be specific facts but they definitely are something about Ella’s personality that I love. Because of her short life, there wasn’t much time to observe Ella so any memoir that mentions her amazing personality is so special.
“My children were delighted to see their cousin Ella once more. This dear child was then between eight and nine years old, and very like her beautiful mother in appearance. But the child's eyes had ever a look of fate in them. Looking at her I used to wonder what those wide grey-blue eyes saw, to bring such a look of sadness to the childish face.”
“In spite of this look of intense sadness in her eyes the little Princess herself was full of life and happiness. I never saw so sunny a nature; never saw the child out of temper, nor cross, and should any little dispute arise amongst my four charges, she would settle it with perfect amiability and justice, making whoever was the most in the wrong give in, and reproving with great gentleness the others. Where Princess Ella was, no angry disputes could exist. She was so sweet and just that the other children always gave in to her arbitration. Looking back on her short life often wonder why we did not see that she was quite too good for this world, her fit companions were the angels. She was a regular little mother, and was never so happy as with the ‘tiny cousin’, as she called Anastasie.”
“She always enjoyed life so much, and she ran and bicycled about the gloomy old park, took the lead in all the games and was like a sunbeam; yet all the time she was stricken with mortal illness, though none suspected it.”
“One day she and Tatiana were wonderfully busy and mysterious, running in and out of the rooms, and exploding into laughter every now and then. In the evening after they were in bed Tatiana took from under her pillow a little box which dear cousin Ella had prepared for her. This contained some little coloured stones which they had picked out of the gravel the day before, some bits of matches, luminous ends, of course, the sand-paper off a matchbox and some tissue paper. This was a toy which they had prepared. After Tatiana was in bed, if she felt lonely she was to sit up in bed, light a match upon the sand-paper, set fire to the tissue paper, and by its light to play with the stones. Well, of course, that could not be allowed, and the poor little Princess was overwhelmed when I explained to her that they might all have been burned in their beds.”
“The little Princess was full of life and fun. never remember to have seen her in higher spirits than she was on Saturday evening. She prepared and carried out an innocent little practical joke on her father and the Empress. She asked me to put her three eldest cousins in her bed, and leave little Anastasie alone in her bedroom. "When auntie Alix and papa come, said the child, "auntie Alix will be looking everywhere for her children, and papa will not know how he has got four." Accordingly it was done, and I stepped into the corridor to ask the Empress and the Grand Duke to be very much surprised. They were, of course, exceedingly surprised, and the Empress pretended to be much frightened, to the child's great delight. You could hear her laughter all through the house, as one by one the cousins were disclosed.”
She was a beautiful and unique soul who will be missed forever! Happy belated birthday dear Ella! 💜
Thank you for asking!
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paperandsong · 11 months
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I present a list of 16 Underappreciated fics with recommendations in the authors’ own words, taken from responses to this post: Unloved Fic Tag Game. Most are Phantom of the Opera fics, but there is one from Rebecca and another from Elisabeth. Take a chance on these hidden gems - many authors say these are their best work. They were written with love. 
Remember that it is never, ever too late to give kudos and leave comments on fics - no matter how old they are!
All Imaginable Pangs by @les-gnossiennes-fantomatiques​: It’s a pre-canon Leroux fic set towards the end of the 1860s, told from the point-of-view of a well-to-do Parisian courtesan. Do you like people talking about art and the nature of creating things? Do you like angst about growing older and not feeling at home in your own skin? Do you like lots of incredibly awkward smut and romance?
Annard Noz by @paperandsong:  Little Christine and Raoul roam around Perros-Guirec collecting stories until a vexed old woman frightens them with the legend of the Laveuses de nuit. I wrote this for the Légendes rustiques project which uses French legends recorded by George Sand and reimagines them as stories Christine and Raoul may have heard as children. If you like folklore you might be interested in this series. 
Beneath the Winter Snow by @pianomanblaine​: I wrote this story for the Advent Calendar a few years back. It was the first fandom event I participated in after picking up writing again a few months before, and the response I got made me feel very welcome here. It’s a simple and very fluffy oneshot, and I had a lot of fun writing it, so I hope people will have fun reading it as well.
The Day My World Crumbled by @nerdywriter36​: It’s a Nadir/Rookheya fic, which is definitely a rarepair only familiar to those who know Susan Kay’s book. It was basically just a way for me to flesh out part of their story that had been plaguing my mind for a while that needed to get let out.
The Dead Are Gone, They Don’t Come Back by @conquerthenight​: (Mind the tags) Normally I cringe when reading my own writing, but I have yet to do so for any of this series. I would recommend this series to: anyone who wants a reason for Ileana to be so unconfident and scared other than “she just is”, anyone who either wants Maxim redeemed or wants any insight into his POV because the fourth work in this series explores his POV, anyone who wants to read from Rebecca’s POV (the second work in the series is from her perspective), anyone who read the novel Lolita who would’ve rather read from Dolores’ POV instead of Humbert’s, and anyone who believes recovery fics help them cope with trauma.
Digging into the Youth that is you by @enigmawritesstuff​: What you get is a dynamic that deals with trauma in a healthy, heartfelt and loving way, that makes you feel seen and touched. It helps me feel that there is hope that one day you'll be understood as you need, or want, to be, and that's okay. To need someone to help you stand sometimes. Which is why this phic is actually quite dear to me.
A Fierce Inequality of Love by @shinyfire-0​: My most underappreciated fic is the first fic I ever wrote. I wrote it in the late 90s or early 2000s, back when fandom was brutal and people gave vicious reviews if they didn't approve of a fic. This was one was castigated because (spoiler!) Christine does not stay with Erik. I love the tragedy of the man, and so I LOVE a tragic ending for him. And maybe, despite the fact that she escapes him, it's a tragic ending for Christine, too.  Anyway, this one came straight from the heart.
Les Flambettes by @textsfromthefifthbasement​: I think it's probably not as popular due to the archive warning and the fact that it sounds like an R/C fic. But it is a horror story involving the trio with a braided structure alternating between past and present. Part of the Légendes rustiques project. 
Mirrorverse Addendums by @sarcasticdolphin: I know it is a bit dense - there’s a lot of history to cover, and I want to do it correctly. Elisabeth das Musical fandom as a whole lends pretty well or being fandom-blind as it is quite close to historical fiction. 
Notre Dame des Lorettes by @catcorsair​: This is a short prequel story centered on Erik that takes place during the paused construction of the Garnier amidst the fall of the Paris Commune of 1871. Just give it a shot! It’s such a short little one shot, and frankly, I think it’s probably my best fic in terms of writing.
Our Love Brings Ruin by @battydings​: For anyone who wants to read a story about the complicated feelings that revolve around validation and being wanted/needed, but don’t mind a bit of death, this story is for you. Because more than being a story about a couple who are complicit in murder together, it’s about a woman who is willing to step over her own personal values in the name of validation.
Phantoms of Paris by @lincolnlogger​: If you're looking for a story where Andre, yes Manager Andre, gets a lot of narrative POV privileges, you've come to the right place. If you want Erik facing his past head-on via therapy sessions, you've come to the right place. If you want Nadir hanging on by a thread, you've come to the right place.
Philia by @brendadaaedestler: One of the main characters featured in the one shot is a character from Susan Kay’s novel, which [you] not many have read, though you don’t need to have read Kay’s novel to understand the one shot. You would probably like [it] if you enjoy reading fluff content.
Unexpected Variables by @meilas​: Beauty and the Beast 2017. I thought it was funny when I came up with the idea. I actually don't care if anyone else reads it or not.
Vainement, ma bien aimée by @illuminaughti-online​: I think "Vainement" might be my best-written from a technical sense. Also? I genuinely like these kids, as well as the folklore and a nice creepy setting. Give Baby Raoul a chance and you might wind up rooting for him after all as he tries to come to terms with the fact that the world is a terrifying place and that Christine intends to plunge into it headfirst regardless. Part of the Légendes rustiques project. 
You are Music by @apileofpans​: If you like E/C/R getting together in a healthy way with a healthy dose of communication and understanding between the three of them, this is the fic for you! There is a scene between everybody one on one and I just… GAH!!!! It’s like a wonderful hopeful fic with promises to come, it’s just like. Comforting in a way!!!
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photo by @shinyfire-0​
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motionpicturelover · 11 months
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"Herman" (1990) - Erik Gustavson
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Films I've watched in 2023 (59/119)
I love this film so much ❤
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garadinervi · 1 year
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Elisabeth Kley: ‘Minutes of Sand’, Edited by Sarah Braman, Essay by Amelia Stein, Interview with Rachel Adams and Karen Patterson, Designed by Joe Gilmore, Photography by Joe DeNardo, Carlos Avendaño, and Colin Conces, The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA / The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE, 2023 [Exhibitions: The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA, March 5, 2021 – August 15, 2021; The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE, December 8, 2022 – April 16, 2023]
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totowlff · 2 years
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chapter twenty-six — quan estem separats
➝ distance is painful for elisabeth. however, worse than that is the uncertainty about the future.
➝ word count: 5,1k
➝ warnings: slightly smutty talk
➝ author notes: finally, a new chapter for you! I hope you are as excited as I am for the sequel to the story of toto and elisabeth. always remembering that my askbox is open for feedback and requests (btw, I apologize if you sent something and I didn't respond; it means it's on the list to be written).
JUNE, 2016
The gentle breeze made her hair flutter. Sitting on the porch floor, leaning against one of the white pillars, she watched the horizon, deep in thought. The sun was shining brightly, illuminating the lawn stretched across the backyard of the mansion and the trees that covered the hills in front of the white houses scattered along the coast, right up to where the sands dipped and bathed in the deep blue of the Mediterranean.
This was Ibiza. Most of the world knew it for electronic music festivals and parties during the summer. It was one of the most popular destinations in Europe, especially for young people looking for sun, drink, and fun on the lush beaches and nightclubs that dotted the island.
For Elisabeth, though, Ibiza was simply home. 
Her affection for the island was her birthright. Her maternal grandmother, Elena, was a Spanish woman, and she loved it there. She often spent time in Ibiza with her husband, the Impressionist painter Robert Knaus. After the death of Elisabeth's grandfather in 1975, Elena decided to take up permanent residence in Ibiza with her two youngest children, Renate and Tilman, while her eldest daughter, Marlene, was building her modeling career on the mainland.
Shortly after the family moved to the island, Marlene went to visit her mother and siblings, to see how they were faring during those first few months without Robert. It was at that time that the family met Niki, who was a friend of Marlene’s — at least that’s what Marlene said. Of course, her mother did not believe a man who had traveled all the way from Vienna to Ibiza just to see her daughter was merely a friend, but she didn’t question it.
During those days under the Spanish sun, not only did Niki fall even more in love with Marlene, but he also fell in love with the island itself. Life in Ibiza moved at a different pace — everything was slower, more relaxed, warmer, tender. It was a harsh contrast to his normal schedule, driven by long bouts of travel, focusing on results, and the danger of his sport. It was as if Niki had been introduced to a whole new world, where he had found something new. It was normally something he avoided at all costs, for fear of it affecting his racing performance.
Happiness.
He and Marlene got married a few months later, in a registry office in Vienna, practically in the dead of night. A few months after that, they purchased a mansion on the island. It was built in the Balearic style and had a stunning view of the main city, with its white houses dotting the coast. Niki took refuge there after his accident at the Nürburgring. He had his children spend the first few years of each of their lives here as well, away from the spotlight and the media pressure that came with having a famous father.
Out of all of Niki’s children, Elisabeth had spent the least amount of time on the island, due to the fact that Lukas and Mathias were of school age at the time she was born, and their father insisted that they be educated in Vienna. However, this did not stop the youngest Lauda sibling from developing a special fondness for Ibiza, and making her own memories there.
Her childhood had been filled with walks on the beach, playing with Tasso and Luna on the front lawn, and riding lessons with Uncle Tilly on the pony he'd gifted her for her fifth birthday. There were escapades with her father, diving in the Mediterranean when they should’ve been at the market in Santa Eulària, running errands for Marlene. Elisabeth’s happiest memories all took place on that little piece of land, until a particular man stepped into her life and turned everything upside down.
Thinking of Toto gave Elisabeth a strange feeling in her chest, a feeling that she wasn’t used to any more after they’d been dating for nearly two years. It was the feeling of something she was lacking, like someone had stolen a piece of her.
After photos of him surfaced in Austrian tabloids with a “mystery woman”, the two of them agreed that they needed to lay low until the press lost interest in Toto, because he’d been targeted by the paparazzi more often these days. The only solution they could think of was to travel separately and to avoid appearing in public unless they were in the company of another person. 
It would even have worked… But, then they were spotted walking into Toto’s penthouse late in the evening after arriving back in Vienna after the Canadian Grand Prix. It was dumb luck that Elisabeth’s face was obscured in the pictures, covered by the hood of the team jacket she’d stolen when the chill of the Viennese nighttime caught her by surprise. It was dumb luck that shit hadn’t hit the proverbial fan.
Bradley emailed them both the next morning, requesting they consider a response of some kind. They both agreed that the best thing to do would be for them to remain apart for a while, just until the press’ fervor died down. They could do anything they wanted once things calmed down. Since the season was underway, it was agreed that Toto would stay in Oxfordshire, close to the factory, and that Elisabeth would stay in her apartment in Vienna. She was glad she hadn’t sold it yet, like she was considering for a while.
She hadn’t expected their period of separation to be so difficult, though. The first few days were easy. Her flat hadn’t been inhabited in a while, and things needed to be organized. Work took up a lot of her time as well. But after a few days, she became keenly aware of Toto’s absence, and started feeling lonely… almost empty inside. Elisabeth realized, while she was away from him, how important he’d become to her. He was an essential part of her life now. 
It wasn't like they didn't communicate via text and phone calls. Truthfully, they spent far too much time on the phone with each other, giving each other the most mundane updates about things that were going on. They even saw each other at the Azerbaijan GP in Baku, but they limited their contact to conversations in the garage, so other people would be around and nothing would look too suspicious. Being so close to him and so far away from him at the same time felt like torture to Elisabeth. Worst of all, there was no end to it in sight.
Niki seemed to notice Elisabeth's restlessness and suggested that his daughter come with him and Marlene to Ibiza for a chance to relax before July’s packed race schedule. It sounded wonderful, and Elisabeth would have jumped at the chance… If it weren't for the fact that her parents had invited her brothers as well.
The prospect of seeing Mathias again after everything that happened at Lenny’s birthday party gave Elisabeth pause. Since she and Toto had been kicked out of his apartment, she hadn't been in contact with her brother or sister-in-law. Even the news of the birth of her new nephew, Ellison, arrived through third parties, as Mathias did not make a point of even reading the WhatsApp messages she’d sent asking about the children. The idea of sharing a house with Mathias, even for a few days, seemed like it would be impossible.
After some jostling around a few dates and snide comments from her brother, it was agreed that Elisabeth would spend a few days on the island in June, and Mathias would come in July. That way, they could avoid any friction or fights, considering that their last argument had ended with her slapping her brother in the face.
Elisabeth’s first few days in Ibiza were filled with re-discovery. It had been almost two years since she had visited because of the frenetic routine of travel and meetings that her life had become. Visiting the places that were part of her childhood were special to her, and felt even more special when she imagined what it would be like to have Toto, Ben and Rosi there with her, exploring the island with her. It would be fun, she thought, to show them Ibiza through her eyes, telling them stories about spending time there during her youth. 
The sound of something buzzing pulled her out of her thoughts. Elisabeth glanced to the table next to her and realized that her phone was ringing. She picked it up and looked at the screen, smiling when she realized who was calling her.
— Hi, honey — she said softly.
— Hola, guapa — Toto greeted, in slurred Spanish, which made Elisabeth laugh — Como estás?
— You know that they don’t really speak Spanish here in Ibiza, right?
— But isn't it part of Spain?
— Yes, but they speak Catalan here, dear, not Spanish.
— Then correct me, Professor Lauda.
— You should have said “Hola bonica, com estàs?”.
He repeated the phrase carefully, pulling out some vowels in an exaggerated way, making her laugh again.
— We’ll work on it, dear.
— What matters is that you understood my question, and I'm waiting for your answer.
— I'm fine, Toto — Elisabeth replied — I would be better if you were here, of course. What about you?
— I'm fine too, baby. Lots of meetings, trying to solve some problems that popped up here that would have been fixed in five minutes if you were here.
Elisabeth smiled.
— Are things that chaotic in my absence?
— You know, trouble seems to respect you, Liesl. It's actually very funny — Toto laughed.
— Sounds like I'm going to have to fly straight over there to help you, Toto.
— Nothing would make me happier than that, baby. I miss you here.
— At the factory?
— No — he replied, in a low voice — Well, yes, that too, but I miss you here with me. I miss you being close to me. I miss having you by my side at meetings, supporting me. I miss having you at home, laughing while sipping your coffee in the kitchen. I miss you in bed, lying on my chest, your fingertips caressing my skin.
— I miss you too, dear — Elisabeth murmured.
— I miss your kisses. I miss the way you like to nibble on my neck and ears. I miss the way you sigh and moan. I miss your body. I miss you the way you twitch all over while I make you come in every way possible — Toto continued, his voice gaining a mischievous edge to it. It caused Elisabeth to press her legs together involuntarily as a wave of heat rose through her body.
— Toto — she sighed, feeling her cheeks heat up.
— Do you miss that too, Liesl? Do you miss me making you come?
She pursed her lips the memory of the last time they'd had sex coming to the forefront of memories. The way he'd taken all the time in the world to bring her to orgasm more times than she could keep track of had etched itself in her mind, and she missed it so much.
— Yes, dear.
— What do you miss? Tell me baby. I want to hear you say it.
Elisabeth took a deep breath, trying to ignore the tingling feeling low in her belly — an impossible feat, considering that Toto Wolff was muttering obscenities on the other end of the line. She quickly looked around to make sure that nobody was nearby, and brought the phone closer to her face.
— I miss your eyes locked on me, watching me. I miss you telling me that I’m your pretty little girl. I miss your hands squeezing my breasts, your kisses between them as you move inside me. I miss you pinning my arms above my head to gain leverage. I miss the way you leave me completely at your mercy. I miss the weight of your body on top of mine after you come inside me, the way you breathe, and the way your sweat mixes with mine — Elisabeth said. She could feel her heart start to pound as the memories of those moments were making her more and more excited. 
On the other end of the line, Toto sounded like he was out of breath.
— Did I go too far, dear?
— I'm seriously considering taking a flight to Ibiza right now.
— My father would say that you're crazy to show up for no reason.
— But… I have a good reason.
— You do?
— Yes. To hear you whisper in Spanish that you want me inside you.
She laughed, rolled her eyes. 
— It's Catalan, honey.
— Could you tell me the difference? — he asked, his tone teasing and malicious.
— No puc esperar per sentir-te dins meu, amor meu — Elisabeth spoke, pronouncing the words carefully. However, before she even heard Toto's answer, the sound of someone clearing their throat made her whip her head around, her eyes going wide.
Leaning against the doorway behind her, arms crossed, Lukas was staring at his sister with a raised eyebrow. Considering the way his expression was now twisting into an impish, gleeful smile, he had definitely heard what Elisabeth had just said. “Fuck”, she thought, not realizing that Toto was muttering something on the other end of the line. It was probably some equally dirty phrase in one of the five languages he could speak.
— I'll have to hang up, I'll talk to you later — she said quickly, her tone cold and businesslike. She didn’t wait for a response before she pressed the “end call” button on her screen.
Lukas walked over to Elisabeth slowly, sitting down beside her on the porch. Then, after a few seconds of silence, he looked at his sister.
— I really didn't expect you to have such a foul mouth, Elschen.
Elisabeth felt her cheeks burn, her mind searching for some good excuse as to why she was saying those things that didn't require her to mention Toto's name.
— It's not what you're thinking, Lukas — she said softly. She was a little nervous. Mathias' reaction to her relationship had been bad enough that she had prevented anyone else from finding out at all costs.
Lukas chuckled.
— Do you read minds now, Elisabeth? — he asked, the corner of his lips curled into a mischievous smile.
— No, I just know you well enough to know that you must be thinking the worst of me right now.
— Not the worst, Elschen. I was just thinking about who could possibly be on the other end of the line.
Elisabeth took out her cell phone and looked at the screen, making sure the call had ended.
— It was nobody — she muttered — Nobody important, I mean.
— He seemed important to you, considering you told him you wanted him inside you.
She clenched her jaw, casting her eyes to the ground. Her brother sighed.
— I thought you trusted me — he muttered.
Something tightened inside Elisabeth's chest. Despite Lukas being seven years older than her, and having the same rebellious tendencies as their father and Mathias, it hadn’t prevented the two of them from cultivating a deep affection for each other. It was reflected in the fact that whenever somebody asked who their best friends were, they’d each give each other’s names without hesitation. They each had the same personality and the same blue eyes, and they shared a lot of life with each other. Whenever either of them had a problem, they would turn to the other for advice, to vent, or to get comfort or encouragement as needed. Lukas was the first person Elisabeth told about her first boyfriend, and Lukas sought out Elisabeth to ask about how best to surprise the girl he liked when he was in university. Even after 30 years, that bond was still strong, even if the conversations weren't as frequent as either of them would have liked because of their maddening routines, with Lukas helping Mathias in his racing career, and her helping father manage the family business and his interests at Mercedes. Elisabeth wanted to keep their relationship close, above all else, even if it meant not telling him how happy and fulfilled she was with the man of her dreams.
She didn't want to lose another brother.
— And I do, Lukas — Elisabeth murmured.
— It doesn't seem like it, Elschen.
— I know, but I trust you — she said, looking at him for the first time since he sat down next to her.
— So tell me, who's the guy?
Elisabeth raised an eyebrow.
— How do you know it's a guy?
— You've only told me about guys before now.
— I could be bisexual.
— I think you would have told me that, Elschen — he countered, giving her a wink.
Elisabeth smiled a little, looking at the horizon. As much as she tried, she could never hide her feelings from her brother. Lukas could read her like no one else.
— Is it Toto? — he asked, after a few seconds of silence.
— What makes you think it would be him?
— You didn’t answer my question.
— You didn’t answer mine.
— I asked first.
— But your answer is important to mine — Elisabeth said, looking at her brother. Lukas smiled wanly at her. 
— Well, if you're so keen to know, I assumed it was him because I was with him and dad when you and Mathias were arguing in his office during Lenny’s party. As soon as we heard Mathias raise his voice, I noticed that Toto's posture changed completely. He looked worried and angry at the same time. As the two of you got louder and louder, he looked more and more irritated. His jaw got really tight, and he was gripping his glass of juice so tightly that I thought he was going to break it.
Elisabeth looked at her hands. She still didn’t say anything. She fiddled nervously with the ring Toto had given her after the Amira Air deal, the diamonds glittering in the Ibiza sun.
— Lenny started crying a few minutes later, because he got scared by the shouting. Claire asked mom to stay with him while she went to see what was going on. While all of that was happening, we heard something that sounded like a slap, and Toto dropped his glass on the table and marched straight into the office.
— I understand…
— But, I think the most obvious giveaway was when mom asked me to help her with Lenny. He was inconsolable. I tried talking to him a bit, trying to cheer him up, you know, so I took him over to the pile of his birthday presents and asked him which one he wanted to play with, and he asked for Onkel Toto’s red car book.
Elisabeth swallowed hard.
— I even asked him to repeat who the gift was from, because I didn’t think I heard him right. But, he said that Onkel Toto had given a book with a red car and that’s what he wanted.
— Did mom hear? — Elisabeth asked in a low voice.
— Did she… Hear Lenny?
— Yeah.
— No, she didn't.
She sighed, twirling the platinum circle on her right ring finger.
— So, Elschen, is it him?
— Yes.
Silence stretched for a few seconds between them as they looked at each other.
— If I said I was surprised, I'd be lying — Lukas muttered, causing Elisabeth to look at him, one eyebrow raised.
— What do you mean by that?
— When dad introduced me to Toto, during the New Year's party at his house, we talked for a while. I remember thinking that he seemed a lot like you, and that I would get along with him for that reason.
— Are we really that much alike?
— You both are focused, stubborn, and intelligent. You both have a similar sense of humor and a way of dominating an environment just by being in it — he replied, looking at the horizon — You make quite the striking pair.
— Thanks, I think — Elisabeth said, a shy smile on her lips.
— Is this a recent development?
— Not really.
— How long?
— Almost two years.
Lukas looked at his sister with wide eyes.
— Almost two years?
— Yes.
— And nobody knows?
— Very few people know.
— Who?
— His kids, his mother and sister, Bradley Lord at Mercedes… You. Mathias…
Lukas looked outraged at the mention of their brother.
— You told Mathias before you told me? I thought I was your best friend!
— I didn't tell him.
— But…
— He caught us in a… Compromising position in Toto's office last year in Spa.
Her brother was quiet for a few seconds.
— How compromising?
— Compromising enough that there was no hiding what we were actually doing.
His blue eyes widened. The impish smile returned to his face.
— Were you fucking in the motorhome?! — he asked. He was louder than Elisabeth would have liked to have been, so she slapped him on the arm.
— Lukas! — she exclaimed.
— What?
— Don't say that out loud — she scolded under her breath.
— Well, were you?
Elisabeth nodded, pressing her mouth into a thin line. Lukas laughed.
— I honestly didn't expect you to be that kind of girl, Elschen.
— Neither did Mathias, I guess — she muttered.
— Well… The thing about Mathias is that he’s completely oblivious to anything that’s not racing, Elisabeth. A few days ago he told me that Freddie Hunt asked him about you, and he didn’t understand why he would have.
— I guess you didn't tell him that Freddie and I…
— Nope.
— I’m glad. His reaction would be worse than it was when he caught me with Toto.
— What did he do when he walked in on you?
— Well, after practically dragging me by my hair to another room, he started lecturing me about how wrong it was, how I was crazy to have an affair with him, that I should be ashamed of myself for it. Oddly enough, it wasn't the worst thing he said that day.
— What else did he say?
— He threatened to tell dad about our relationship.
Lukas' jaw clenched.
— He did… What?
— Yes. He said that someone had to take dad’s side and that someone was him.
— And what did you do?
— I reminded him of when we helped him get back into karting and didn’t tell mom and dad, and that we gave him the money to do it. He couldn’t argue with that.
— So... Did he tell dad?
— I had to threaten him with his sponsors to keep him quiet.
Lukas chuckled.
— Oh, that makes sense…
— What makes sense?
— At the end of last season, he asked me to look for new sponsors and asked me to not tell you about it. I asked him why, and he said you were too busy with Mercedes things to handle it with the attention he thought it needed.
— That son of a bitch — Elisabeth muttered — Did you help him?
— I looked some things up, but you know, I don't understand finances like you do. I would have asked for your help whether he wanted me to or not.
She sighed. Things couldn’t go on like this - Elisabeth needed to find a solution to the situation she had gotten herself into with Toto.
— So, dad doesn't know? — Lukas asked after a few seconds of silence.
— No — she muttered.
— When are you going to tell him?
Elisabeth was about to respond when a female voice interrupted her.
— Tell what to whom?
Elisabeth turned her head and realized Marlene was standing behind them. Dressed in a crisp cotton summer dress, with her hair tied back in her iconic bun, she was standing in the doorway of the house, her face frozen in a serious expression. “Fuck”, Elisabeth thought.
— Nothing, mom — Lukas replied quickly when Elisabeth didn’t, realizing that his sister was completely frozen. However, the eldest son's words only served to make their mother even more suspicious.
— Nothing at all, Elisabeth? — Marlene looked at her. When her daughter didn’t answer she slowly approached where they were sitting — Lukas, could you give us a moment?
Elisabeth's brother looked at her with pity in his eyes, as if he knew that a difficult situation was about to get worse. Giving her shoulder an affectionate squeeze, as if to say “good luck”, Lukas got up and walked back into the house. Marlene sat down in the spot recently vacated by her son.
— Elschen, you know you can trust me, don't you?
— Yes, mom — she murmured.
— So are you going to tell me?
— Tell you what?
— What are you hiding from me.
Elisabeth sighed.
— I’m… Dating someone.
Marlene smiled.
— That’s nice, dear. Is it someone I know, by chance?
— Yes.
Her mother gazed thoughtfully at the horizon.
— Would this person be a coworker of your father's?
— Yes.
Marlene looked at her daughter seriously.
— It's Toto, isn't it?
Elisabeth's eyes met her mother's.
— Yes.
Elisabeth fixed her gaze on the distance.
— Look, mom, I know it's not right, but I tried to avoid it, I swear I tried to avoid it — Elisabeth started talking quickly, trying to justify herself — I wanted to keep him away as much as I wanted to be with him, but he said he wanted me and I couldn't resist...
— Elschen…
— I know he's friends with dad, I know he's older, I know he has two kids, I know all of that, but I couldn't help but fall in love with him...
— Dear…
— And I'm willing to fight for what I feel for him. I love him, I want to be with him. And I'll fight for it because I'm tired...
— Elisabeth…
— I'm tired of pretending I don't love Toto. I'm tired of not being able to hold his hand, not being able to walk with him on the street, not even being able to take a boat ride without being afraid of getting caught with him...
— Elisabeth Renate Lauda, would you be quiet and listen to me? — Marlene snapped, her voice sharp. 
Elisabeth stopped mid-sentence, looking at her mother, her eyes filled with tears.
— A long time before you were born, I had come to Ibiza to help my mother and siblings settle here after your grandfather died. Then, one afternoon, I got a call from your father saying that he was leaving Vienna right then, and he was on his way here. I asked him why, and he said he would tell me when he got to the airport.
Elisabeth swallowed hard.
— He came in a Cessna 421 from Vienna to Ibiza. He got here at midnight. When he got off the plane, I walked over to greet him, and he kissed me — Marlene smiled — So I asked him why he'd come and he just said he missed me. My heart melted right away.
— I can imagine — Elisabeth muttered.
— I took him to your grandmother's house and introduced him as a friend I'd met at a party at Curd's house. She didn't question me, but I could tell that she was suspicious of both of us. The next day, I took him to see the island. After all, I grew up here. Of course, we didn't just walk around, we also hugged, kissed, even had sex once or twice on a deserted beach near Caló de s'Illa…
— Mother!
— What?
— I don't need details!
Marlene raised an eyebrow.
— You’re acting like you don't have sex, Elisabeth.
— That doesn't mean I need… Or want, for that matter, to know about your sex life with dad.
Her mother rolled her eyes.
— The point is, that night after dinner, your dad and I went out to sit on the porch, and we ended up kissing. Your grandma saw us. I will never forget the way she looked at me as she said that she knew the moment I arrived on the island that I was in love with someone.
Elisabeth immediately understood what she meant.
— Elschen, mothers know. They always know. I knew that Christmas Eve when you left the table to take a call. You, always disciplined, always toeing the line, breaking a rule? It needed to be someone very important. Someone you would drop everything for. Someone you love.
— Mom…
— Of course, I didn't immediately assume it was Toto. You know a lot of people, it could’ve been any one of them. But, you were very interested in going to the Prize Giving Gala in Qatar, and that made me realize who you were in love with. Hopelessly in love, judging by the photos I saw.
Elisabeth fixed her gaze on the trees, which were swaying slightly in the breeze.
— I will admit, I had reservations about him. I knew that he was a polite man who respected you deeply, but I wasn’t sure if he liked you as much as you liked him. But watching him run into that office after hearing you yell at your brother convinced me that he really does love you.
Elisabeth was silent, her throat tight.
— I just can't understand why you didn't say anything before, Elschen.
— I was afraid of your reaction. I was afraid you'd get mad.
— Why would I be mad, Elisabeth?
— Mathias did.
— And since when do you care about what your big-headed brother thinks?
— And there's the whole dad thing — Elisabeth replied, her fingers fiddling with the ring on her right hand — Toto is his friend, his only friend. And… I just fell in love with him. Falling in love with your dad’s only friend sort of feels off-limits.
— Do you remember how I met your father, Elschen?
— At Curd Jürgens' party —  she said.
— I was Curd's girlfriend at the time. When I met your father, I fell in love with him, even though I shouldn't have. When I realized it, I was on the edge of the cliff, with him by my side. Attraction is the path to the precipice that is love. And the moment you jump with someone, it's because the two of you trust each other enough to know you're going to fly. Your dad and I jumped. And you and your brothers are the results of this leap we've taken.
Elisabeth looked at her mother with tears in her eyes.
— I would never be mad at you for following your heart, my love —  Marlene said, putting an arm around her daughter’s shoulders — You are my daughter. My daughter, as well as your father’s. In the end, you are here because you father and I followed our hearts.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she leaned her head on her mother's shoulder. Elisabeth realized how exhausted she was from fighting the whole world to keep her relationship with Toto hidden. It was all too much — too much effort, too many lies, too many secrets, too much time. What they had was too beautiful to remain hidden within the walls of their Oxfordshire home.
— Mom — she sobbed.
— Yes, darling?
— Does dad know?
— If he does, he’s never said anything to me. I’ve never said anything to him, not least because I wasn't sure of anything, despite you two being very… Obvious, at least in my opinion.
— Do you think he'll be mad at me?
Marlene sighed.
— You won't know until you tell him, Elschen.
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pompadourpink · 2 years
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French things even I don't understand
A bilingual French person with a good accent is still expected to pronounce things with a horrible French accent, otherwise, it sounds like you're bragging and people will laugh at you "honlala excuse-nous Elisabeth II"
Saying Bonjour after 6 can get people either mad or moved by your stupidity and you will feel a need to apologize and blame your long day
Men pee outside a lot
We are in school from 8/9 to 5, with usually just 1h of lunch break and two 15mn breaks at 10 and 3 from age 6 to 17 - no idea how I did it
How mean we are to each other
Paperwork. We still have to write physical letters to cancel contracts; applying for something will require you to print out twelve things including your mother's preschool teacher's birth certificate.
Royals used to have to do a lot of private things in public (Louis the XIV had his first meeting of the day on the potty), notably having to be dressed by the person with the highest title in the room; if someone fancier showed up, they had to strip and start over (as shown in Marie-Antoinette).
The way we treat the DOM-TOM
After WWII, people got so ashamed of Pétain's Collaboration that schools started teaching that most people were resistants; former president Chirac gave a speech in 1995 recognizing our responsibility in the tragedy of the Vel' d'hiv roundup (which led to 13k Jewish people getting arrested) but then in 2007 Sarkozy who was a schoolboy in the 60s/70s took a step back and instrumentalized the letter that resistant Guy Mocquet wrote to his family the day before his execution, making it mandatory for all high school history teachers to read in class (mine was a union leader and told the head to pound sand)
We somehow take the pain au chocolat/chocolatine debate very seriously
The language, sometimes - a lot of weird exceptions are a heritage from Medieval peasants who didn't go to school and couldn't speak proper Latin, turning it into French (ex: we count funny because we use to count cattle by groups of 20 units - although most of us don't even realise we count funny)
Haiti's independence debt
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operafish · 1 year
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Open back up for musical trades!
Hello! Some of you may remember when I was very active in the trading world from about 2013 to 2016-ish. Life ended up getting very busy and I sort of fell out of it. Well, after the recent closure of Phantom on Broadway and getting nostalgic for my old collection, I’ve decided to get back into it!
Now, unfortunately, I was not the best about preserving everything. All of my files were stored on an old laptop that hasn’t worked for years, several hard drives that have corrupted, and free MEGA accounts that haven’t been logged into for quite a while. These factors have all culminated in much of my collection being lost to the sands of time and MEGA’s deletion policies. However, I haven’t been left with nothing: luckily I have managed to recover a fair chunk of it! It just isn’t what it was at the height of my trading days.
It’s taken several weeks, but now that everything is re-downloaded, backed up, and re-catalogued, I am back open for trades! Just as before, my main interests are Phantom (ALW and any other versions), Les Mis, Elisabeth, Rebecca, Tanz der Vampire, Notre Dame de Paris, and Romeo et Juliette. I have other shows I’m interested in as well, but those are my favorites.
My new list can be found here (currently only in Google Doc form, but I am hoping to make a new site soon): audios and videos. My main wants at the moment would be anything new (post 2015 lol) from the aforementioned shows, and anything you see on my old site that you don’t see on my new list. Right now, I would particularly be interested in getting the missing fifth VOB from the 2012 Phantom UK Tour video with Katie Hall and the Belgian proshot of Elisabeth (that was always one of my favorites!). Feel free to check out my list and don’t hesitate to reach out if anything catches your eye!
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