The program promised a stupendous triumph by the most vivacious soprano in town. (stupendous: prodigious, colossal, enormous; triumph: success, victory, achievement; vivacious: lively, animated, vibrant) The sponsor's hyperbolic introduction seemed designed to enthrall a multitude. (hyperbolic: exaggerated, inflated, overstated; enthrall: captivate, fascinate, enchant; multitude: large number, host, throng) A fawning hanger-on added praise so sycophantic that even the singer found it overblown. (fawning: obsequious, sycophantic, servile; hanger-on: tagalong, camp follower, parasitic follower; sycophantic: fawning, obsequious, toadying; overblown: inflated, exaggerated, grandiose) Then she opened her mouth and no sound came.
The accompanist could have tried to regale the crowd with a solo. (regale: entertain, amuse, delight) Instead he played the introduction again, slower. A cleaner in the balcony began to sing. Her voice was unsteady but unmistakably familiar. The advertised singer had been her pupil.
Together they brought the song to its final note. The reporter asked which performance he should laud. (laud: extol, commend, celebrate) The accompanist pointed to the music. The only credit missing from the program was the name of the woman who had taught them both.