1
"Lise! Please, go to bed now. There's time to sing in the morning."
The call came from Christine Daaé, France's former prima donna, and the mother of a girl who would most likely be the world's next. Christine had been a stunning woman in her earlier days, and still was remarkable; but back then, she had been the star of every show. And most knew- though no-one dared to admit it aloud- that it was all due to the secret training of the mysterious and terrifying Phantom of the Opera.
But the moment Christine's daughter, Lise, had learned to speak- and sing- her voice very clearly outshone her mother's. And so imagine how much more wonderful it could become with the proper instruction!
However, though Christine and her husband Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, searched everywhere imaginable for an adequate instructor, none was competent enough, good enough, learned enough to instruct Lise. There was none that could match her voice and level of talent who could teach her more than she already knew without instruction.
And, though years had passed, Christine still remembered far back to the days when she had been in her prime, the days spent practicing at the Paris opera, and, most clearly of all, the nights spent being coached by an invisible angel of music from behind a mirror.
And so Christine could think of only one suitable teacher for her daughter.
The Phantom of the Opera.
Lise stood at the window, frowning in deep concentration at the sheets of music in her hand. She had been trying to teach herself for some time a tune from a libretto she had found in her mother's old valise from her opera days. And Lise, though she enjoyed singing solely for pleasure, knew two things: one, as there was no teacher knowledgeable enough to teach her, she would have to teach herself. And two, she knew (modestly enough, of course) that her great talent could not be wasted- and it was time she introduced herself to the world of the opera- or rather, the opera should prepare to meet her.
Lise had, indeed, incredible talent for an untrained girl of seventeen. She had waited long enough: she wanted now to go into the real world and use her great gift to its very best.
She read the last short verse of a hauntingly eerie song near the end of the libretto: "...The final threshold, the bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn.we've past the point of no return..." She shivered. Aside from being a great singer, she was a bit of a bookworm, and words used in the right way really thrilled her. Lise then softly sang the words along to the tune.
Somehow, it made her feel scared. Who could possibly write such a powerful piece? Most operas were based on something from real life- a historical event, a personal experience...who could have possibly experienced these feelings so strongly? Who had the opera been intended for?
Lise checked again the title of the opera: "Don Juan Triumphant". It couldn't have been a very famous play, since she had never heard of it. Lise knew at lest the titles of the most famous operas.
Suddenly excited, Lise's restless, wild mind set to work on a plan. I'll meet this genius, she thought. I'll receive instruction from this angel of talent, worthy of mine. I'll find this angel of music...
"Lise! Please, go to bed now. There's time to sing in the morning."
The call came from Christine Daaé, France's former prima donna, and the mother of a girl who would most likely be the world's next. Christine had been a stunning woman in her earlier days, and still was remarkable; but back then, she had been the star of every show. And most knew- though no-one dared to admit it aloud- that it was all due to the secret training of the mysterious and terrifying Phantom of the Opera.
But the moment Christine's daughter, Lise, had learned to speak- and sing- her voice very clearly outshone her mother's. And so imagine how much more wonderful it could become with the proper instruction!
However, though Christine and her husband Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny, searched everywhere imaginable for an adequate instructor, none was competent enough, good enough, learned enough to instruct Lise. There was none that could match her voice and level of talent who could teach her more than she already knew without instruction.
And, though years had passed, Christine still remembered far back to the days when she had been in her prime, the days spent practicing at the Paris opera, and, most clearly of all, the nights spent being coached by an invisible angel of music from behind a mirror.
And so Christine could think of only one suitable teacher for her daughter.
The Phantom of the Opera.
Lise stood at the window, frowning in deep concentration at the sheets of music in her hand. She had been trying to teach herself for some time a tune from a libretto she had found in her mother's old valise from her opera days. And Lise, though she enjoyed singing solely for pleasure, knew two things: one, as there was no teacher knowledgeable enough to teach her, she would have to teach herself. And two, she knew (modestly enough, of course) that her great talent could not be wasted- and it was time she introduced herself to the world of the opera- or rather, the opera should prepare to meet her.
Lise had, indeed, incredible talent for an untrained girl of seventeen. She had waited long enough: she wanted now to go into the real world and use her great gift to its very best.
She read the last short verse of a hauntingly eerie song near the end of the libretto: "...The final threshold, the bridge is crossed so stand and watch it burn.we've past the point of no return..." She shivered. Aside from being a great singer, she was a bit of a bookworm, and words used in the right way really thrilled her. Lise then softly sang the words along to the tune.
Somehow, it made her feel scared. Who could possibly write such a powerful piece? Most operas were based on something from real life- a historical event, a personal experience...who could have possibly experienced these feelings so strongly? Who had the opera been intended for?
Lise checked again the title of the opera: "Don Juan Triumphant". It couldn't have been a very famous play, since she had never heard of it. Lise knew at lest the titles of the most famous operas.
Suddenly excited, Lise's restless, wild mind set to work on a plan. I'll meet this genius, she thought. I'll receive instruction from this angel of talent, worthy of mine. I'll find this angel of music...