Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé | |
---|---|
The Phantom of the Opera character | |
Christine Daaé (Mary Philbin) in the 1925 film The Phantom of the Opera, alongside The Phantom (Lon Chaney). | |
Created by | Gaston Leroux |
Portrayed by | See "Actresses" |
Information | |
Gender | Female |
Occupation | Singer |
Family |
Madame Valérius (adoptive mother) Gustave Daaé (father) |
Spouse(s) | Viscount Raoul de Chagny |
Significant other(s) | Erik, the Phantom of the Opera |
Nationality | Swedish |
Christine Daaé is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera. She is a young singer with whom the main character Erik, the Phantom of the Opera falls in love.
Character history
Lifetime
Christine Daaé was born in a town near Uppsala, Sweden.
Her mother dies when she is six. Raised by her father, they are travelling to fairs where he plays the violin and she sings. They are discovered at one of these fairs by Professor Valérius, who takes them to Gothenburg and then to Paris, providing for Christine's education.
Christine is extremely close to her father, who tells her Scandinavian fairy-tales; a tale of the "Angel of Music" is her favourite. Valérius, the bedridden wife of the late Professor. Christine enters the Paris Conservatoire 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 described as 'sounding like a rusty hinge', but one person finds the beauty 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 (Erik tells her this because he has fallen in love with her). 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. Christine's singing is described as "seraphic".
Christine becomes torn between her loyalty for her mentor Erik, and her love for her childhood friend Viscount Raoul de Chagny.
In the Lofficier translation of the novel, it is stated that Christine is 15 years old. However, this is a mistranslation of a passage which says her heart was 'as pure as that of a 15 year old.' The evidence of Christine's childhood friendship with Raoul, and her studies at the Paris Conservatoire, put her age at 20.
Father's name
Christine has a father who loved her very much. In the Sarah Brightman music video version of "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", his name is revealed to be "Charles". In the Andrew Lloyd Webber version, his name is "Gustave"; in the novel Christine refers to him as "Daddy Daaé".
Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical The Phantom of the Opera
Christine Daaé, a chorus girl, becomes the object of obsession, passion, and love for the mysterious Phantom of the Opera, who becomes her mentor. With his help, she is chosen to replace the company's prima donna. When she falls in love with her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, the Phantom kidnaps Christine in a jealous rage, and drags her down to his lair. She is forced to choose between the Phantom and Raoul, but her compassion for the Phantom moves him to free them both and allow them to flee. At the end of the film version of this show, her gravemark says that she was born in 1854 and died in 1917.
2004 Film
Although this character mainly follows the plot of the musical, her age is altered to that of a teenager (most likely 16).
Basis
Several researchers claim the character Christine Daaé was based upon the real-life Swedish-born opera star Christina Nilsson, also known as Kristina Nilsson or Christine Nilsson.[1][2][3][4][5] This claim is unverified by any official source, but it is supported by several biographical similarities between Nilsson and Daaé. The most obvious is that Nilsson, like Daaé, was born in Sweden and trained in Paris.
Actresses
The first actress to portray Christine Daaé was Aud Egede-Nissen in the 1916 German silent version by Ernst Matray, Das Gespenst im Opernhaus or Das Phantom der Oper, also starring Nils Olaf Chrisander.
- Mary Philbin played Christine in the 1925 American silent version by Rupert Julian, The Phantom of the Opera, starring Lon Chaney, Sr.
- Susanna Foster played Christine DuBois in the 1943 Technicolor version, Phantom of the Opera, starring Claude Rains.
- Heather Sears played Christine Charles in the 1962 version of The Phantom of the Opera.
- Jessica Harper took the role in the 1974 rock-musical version, Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise.
- Jane Seymour played Christine in the 1983 TV movie version.
- Christina Collier played her in Ken Hill's camp-classical musical version in 1984.
- Patti Cohenour debuted the role in the 1986 Broadway Production alongside Sarah Brightman. Patti was the first American Christine Daaé. Patti Cohenour went on to reprise the role for the First Canadian National Tour.
- Sarah Brightman debuted the role in the 1986 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
- Glory Crampton played her in Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit's 1990 musical Phantom.
- Jill Schoelen played Christine Day in Dwight H. Little's 1989 film version.
- Rebecca Caine debuted the role in the Canadian production (1989) and featured on the Canadian Cast album.
- Teri Polo took the role in the 1990 television miniseries version.
- American soprano Janet Marie Chvatal[6] performed the role in 1991-1992 in the German version of Das Phantom der Oper in Vienna, Austria.[7]
- Asia Argento played her in the 1998 film by her father Dario Argento.
- Claudia Cota played her twice in the Phantom of the Opera (musical 2000) by Morris Gilbert in Mexico and Player her on Phantom of the Opera (musical 2009) in Argentina by Harold Prince.
- Emmy Rossum played her in the 2004 film version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
- Sierra Boggess first played Christine in the 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Phantom — The Las Vegas Spectacular and the 25th Anniversary production of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. In 2011 she also originated the role in Love Never Dies.
- Gina Beck previously played the role in London.
- Jennifer Hope Wills played Christine on Broadway and on a Canadian tour of the musical.
- Anna 'O Byrne played Christine in The Phantom of the Opera in 2009 and in the Australian production of Love Never Dies.
- Annika Johansson played Christine in The Really Useful Group on tour in 2010.[8]
- Fiona Bell played Christine at Stanwell School, Penarth, Wales in the UK Schools Premier – December 2011
- Katie Hall played the role in the new UK tour, after having been understudy and alternate in the London production.
- Shona Evans played Christine at Treorchy Comprehensive School, in the UK Wales Premier – February 2012
- Kelsey Murphy played Christine in the Walled Lake Western production of The Phantom of the Opera - November 2011
- Jemma Carlin-Wells played Christine in St Cuthbert Mayne's monologue evening- March 2013
References
- ↑ Jussi Björling Museum: Four Great Nordic Singers
- ↑ NYSL Library Notes: Status: In Cataloging (1 October 2008)
- ↑ Linton, Elizabeth Lynn. The Rebel of the Family p. 362, ISBN 1-55111-293-0
- ↑ Hollingsworth, Amy Gifts of Passage: What the Dying Tell Us with the Gifts They Leave Behind p. 38, ISBN 0-8499-1920-7
- ↑ Eriksson, Lill. Förtrollad av Fantomen för snart 100:e gången (Swedish) Eventnews.se
- ↑ http://www.oregonlive.com/performance/index.ssf/2010/10/janet_chvatal_comes_home_with.html
- ↑ Program book for the Vienna Production of Phantom of the Opera (November, 1990 / 2. Publication October, 1991) Programmbuch zur Aufführung des Musicals Das Phantom der Oper
- ↑ Ellen Robertson, Face to Face interview with Annika Johansson on KACV-TV Amarillo Channel 8 (PBS), 11 May 2010 (accessed 1 June 2010).
Catherine played Christine at hope's school for girls at the age of 12 she is the new youngest star performer.
External links
- Leroux, Gaston; Wolf, Leonard (editor) (2004). The Phantom of the Opera. I Books. ISBN 0-7434-9836-4.
- The Phantom of the Opera free e-book, Project Gutenberg
- "Phantom of the Opera FAQ". How old are the Phantom and Christine?. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
- "Phantom Appreciation Society". a history of. Retrieved 13 March 2005.
|