From BookJive
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| Name: | Christine Daae | |||
| Description: | Christine Daae is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera (1910), the young singer with whom the main character Erik falls in love. | |||
Christine Daae is the main female character in Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera (1910), the young singer with whom the main character Erik falls in love.
Character history
According to the novel by Gaston Leroux, Christine Daae 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 passed away, and left her disconsolate, despite the loving care of her "adopted" mother, the bedridden wife of the late Professor Valérius, Madame Valérius. She enters the Paris Conservatory and trains for four years to become a professional singer to please her father and Mamma Valérius, but has lost all passion for singing.
When Christine 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, because of her lack of passion for singing, as "sounding like a rusty hinge," one person finds the beauty still hidden in her tone. When Erik begins to tutor her, he tells her that he is the Angel of Music of whom her father had spoken. She believes him, and he inspires her soul back into her voice. Christine debuts at a gala at the opera, after the singer Carlotta falls ill and she is asked to take her place, her singing is described as "seraphic".
Christine becomes torn between her love for her mentor Erik, and her love for her childhood friend Viscount Raoul de Chagny.
