Christine Daaé
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Christine Daaé is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera (1910), the young singer with whom the Phantom falls in love.
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[edit] Character history
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According to the novel by Gaston Leroux, Christine Daaé was born just outside of Uppsala, Sweden. Her mother died when she was six years old, and she was brought up by her father, traveling to fairs where he played the violin and she sang. They were discovered there by Professor Valérius, who took them to Gothenburg and then to Paris, providing for Christine's education.
Christine was extremely close to her father, who told her Scandinavian fairy tales; a tale of the "Angel of Music" was her favorite. Christine's father passes away, and leaves her disconsolate, despite the loving care of her "adopted" mother, wife of the late Professor Valérius, Madame Valérius (who is now bed-ridden). She enters the Paris Conservatory and trains for 4 years to become a professional singer, to please her father and Mamma Valérius, but she has lost all passion for singing. When she arrives at the Opera Garnier, she is 18 years of age, one of the numerous singers at the Palais de Garnier. Although considered by many, naturally because of her lack of passion and will for singing, as "sounding like a rusty hinge" - one person finds the beauty still hidden in her tone. When Erik (the Phantom) begins to tutor her, she believes that he is the Angel of Music her father had spoken of, and he inspires her soul back into her voice. When she debuts at a Gala at the opera, after the main prima donna La Carlotta falls ill and she is asked to take her place, her singing is described as "seraphic".
Christine becomes torn between Erik, the Phantom of the Opera's love for her and hold over her, and her love for Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, her childhood sweetheart from a summer spent in Brittany.
[edit] Other Christines
[edit] Christina Nilsson
Leroux took much of Christine Daaé's childhood background from the opera singer Christina Nilsson. Nilsson was born Kristina Jonasdotter in 1843, in a small village in Sweden. She sang at fairs, where she came to the attention of Madame Adelaide Valerius-Leuhusen, who provided for her education. When she began singing lessons in Paris she changed her name to Christina Nilsson, and went on to become an internationally acclaimed opera star, said to have sung like a goddess[citation needed]. Her second husband was a Count.
[edit] Alternate fictional representations
In the film Phantom of the Paradise, Christine is replaced by a young woman known as Phoenix. While serving virtually the same purpose in the plot as Christine, Phoenix is more sexually aware and strong-willed.
In Terry Pratchett's parody of Phantom, Maskerade, there is a character named Christine who is vain and not very bright. It is not known if her poor singing could have been improved by the Opera Ghost, because Agnes Nitt (who has more in common with the original Christine) takes her place. However, as it is not described as a lack of passion, but of ability, it seems unlikely.
In "Angels of Music" by Kim Newman, published in Tales of the Shadowmen Vol. 2 (2006), Erik gathers his own Charlie's Angels-like team of female agents, the so-called Angels of Music, consisting of Christine Daaé, Irene Adler and Trilby O'Ferrall.
In a two-part episode of Night Court, Dan Fielding took the part of the Phantom to Markie Post's Christine.she was
[edit] Actresses
- Mary Philbin in the 1925 silent version, The Phantom of the Opera.
- Susanna Foster in the 1943 Technicolor version, Phantom of the Opera, starring Claude Rains.
- Heather Sears in the 1962 version of The Phantom of the Opera.
- Jessica Harper in the 1974 rock-musical version of The Phantom of the Opera, Brian DePalma's Phantom of the Paradise.
- Jane Seymour in the 1983 TV movie version.
- Christina Collier in Ken Hill's camp-classical musical version in 1984.
- Sarah Brightman in the 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; The Phantom of the Opera (musical)
- Glory Crampton in Yeston/Kopit's musical version.
- Teri Polo in the 1990 television miniseries version.
- Anna Maria Kaufmann in the 1990 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical play; The Phantom of the Opera (musical) Hamburg, Germany, Neue Flora Theater
- Colby Thomas in the 2000 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; The Phantom of the Opera (musical) Hamburg, Germany, Neue Flora Theater
- Janine Kitzen in the 2003 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; The Phantom of the Opera (musical) Stuttgart, Germany, Palladium Theater
- Kristin Hölck in the 2003 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; The Phantom of the Opera (musical) Stuttgart, Germany, Palladium Theater
- Emmy Rossum in the 2004 musical version, directed by Joel Schumacher; The Phantom of the Opera (2004 film)
- Sandra Danyella in the 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; The Phantom of the Opera (musical) Essen, Germany, Colosseum Theater
- Anne Görner in the 2007 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical; The Phantom of the Opera (musical) Essen, Germany, Colosseum Theater
[edit] References
- Leroux, Gaston; Wolf, Leonard (editor) (2004). The Phantom of the Opera. I Books. 0743498364.
- The Phantom of the Opera free e-book.
- Christine Nilsson. comparison to Christine Daaé. Retrieved on March 13, 2005.
- Phantom Appreciation Society. a history of. Retrieved on March 13, 2005.
- The Phantom of the Opera Another version of the book can be found for free.
