"It is the debut," he answered with a nod, taking another small plate from the concessions table and popping a few of the miniature quiches onto it. Since they were still standing here, he might as well. "I'm acquainted with the conductor, who's been practicing it all week. He speaks quite highly of the piece." Or Emrys assumed he would, anyway. He was acquainted with the conductor, because he'd previously slept with him, but they hadn't actually spoken in the past two months, so they certainly hadn't exchanged opinions on Sonata #7. Actually, come to think of it, how had they left things off? Emrys had no particular intention of renewing the relationship prior to this evening, which was why he hadn't spoken to him at all during the lead-up to this event, but after tonight he might be in desperate need of a chance to blow off some steam. The conductor might not have been the best partner Emrys ever had, but at least he was discreet.

But he probably shouldn't run about sleeping with men until he'd gotten the potential rumor situation under control, since that had been the entire impetus for this endeavor.

Maybe there was another way to address things, rather than marrying. Would people stop talking about him if he got caught in the act with a woman, maybe? There were plenty of opportune places in a theater like this, though he wasn't sure who a good target might be. The woman in question would be ruined forever, of course, so any of his recurring affair partners were off the table. And presumably anyone new would take a little more convincing than he could manage in one conversation.

"I thought their costumes were quite striking," Emrys commented, turning his eyes to survey the rest of the crowd around them as his thoughts continued to wander. "But I had the benefit of seeing them in motion. Dancers can really only be observed in motion, I think; they look silly otherwise. It's just not the way they were designed to be."