Christine Daae

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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.

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[edit] 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 that 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.

[edit] Other Christines

[edit] Christina Nilsson

Leroux took much of Christine Daae'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 Daae, 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.

[edit] Christine in the Musical

In Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical, Christine's character was completely revised. Rather than the young, foolish, romantic-minded girl she is in the novel, she becomes a mature young woman who has reached a difficult and mature situation and has to deal with it as best she can. She becomes the lead character, rather than Raoul.

In the 2004 film, Christine is a naive and innocent 16-year-old girl, in mourning for her father.

[edit] Actresses

[edit] References

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