A/N: it's all slightly cliche, I know that but I think it may have potential. Here is my basic plot summary:
The Opera Populaire is reopened after the fire with a new spanish prima donna. The orchestra however lacks violinsts. When scatter-brained but bright Désirée Dupont, an orpahn and previously a maid at the opera house joins the orchestra, her talent does not go unnoticed by the infamous phantom of the opera. What happens when their personalities clash too much. Can they ever get long?
Do review!
A Juxtaposition of Shadow and Radiance: Chapter one
I was a mere maid and that was all my identity was: a uniform, and apron and a rag to clean with. My job required no or limited intelligence and my co-workers were women who gossiped and laughed about petty things all day as they complained and did their menial tasks. It was a simple form of work and paid me enough to comfortably live my modest life. But I wanted more! My parents did not provide me with a good education so I could dust seats in an opera house! I Marie Désirée Eugénie Dupont (although I much prefer to be called Desiree) could no longer stand an occupation that was almost an insult to my intelligence. How disappointed my parents would be if they could see me. My father, bless his soul, always told me to follow my dreams and it is what I shall do. Yes, I may have been a maid but the stage was my goal. I am also a very determined young woman. My goals become my life. The stage was my life and love and this…this is my story.
Just some months ago, I walked confidently into the Opera Populaire for the first time without my maid's uniform. Instead I carried my violin, the essence of my new identity. I had been receiving violin lessons from my mother since I was old enough to hold one and at the age of three and twenty I could confidently sight-read and play almost anything smoothly. I thought that perhaps the stage was too high for me to reach (no pun intended there for I really am quite short). The Orchestra pit seemed like a good alternative.
I knew who the maestro was. Many were surprised that he had lived though the fire, so many people did not make it. Of course I was not there, we maids do not stay when an Opera is being performed.
"Monsieur Reyer?" I said when I stood directly behind him.
The rather comical maestro turned around, slightly stunned and looked sternly at me, "And what may I do for you, mademoiselle?" he asked, his tone was impatient.
I smiled at him, "My name is Désirée Dupont," I curtsied the best I could, "I would like to join your orchestra, I understand that you have been short of violinists since the fire." I could see that he was almost frowning.
"I would be a mad man to turn down another violinist, but you are a maid! A maid in my orchestra?" he was using his arms in an animated way but then let them fall to his sides and shook his head, "Show me what you can do, and perhaps I will consider you."
He took out Bach's 'Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden', a personal favourite of mine and placed it one of the music stands in the orchestra pit. He stepped back as I began to take out my violin from its red-velvet lined case. I had already tuned my violin that morning so I continued on to tightening my bowstrings and rubbing on some rosin. Just to make playing for long hours more comfortable, I had designed my own shoulder-rest for the violin. I fixed it on as well and used my left arm to bring the violin to my shoulder and then picked up the bow and approached the sheet music. I scanned over the sheet music; I could play it without looking. Music had been my only passion for too long. I rested my bow on the string and began to play the melody but as I played, I imagined and entire string orchestra and choir, imagining always made things easier for me.
About seven minutes later, with Monsieur Reyer as my bewildered page-turner, I had finished.
"Brava mademoiselle Dupont! Brava!" he clapped, smiling widely. "Forgive me, but I must ask your age, mademoiselle! You cannot possibly be more than eighteen!" he said.
"I am three and twenty, Monsieur." I said, putting my violin in its case. I have been told that I look younger than I am because of my babyish curls and large mischievous eyes. I have a naturally slender figure, which many women admire but I wish it were fuller.
He looked stunned, "And not married?"
I looked down; nobody in France wanted a moderately pretty face like mine. I smiled sadly and told him the real reason, "I had no dowry, monsieur and I am no real beauty."
Monsieur Reyer being a kind empathetic man sensed my discomfort and said: "Well, mademoiselle Dupont, I think that you should look for Madame Giry so that she may give you appropriate quarters." He smiled, "I shall expect to see you at rehearsal tomorrow."
Happily, I thanked him and walked to the ballet dormitories with my violin. I knew my way well around the opera house. I had never been lost. But overcome by sheer joy, I began to singing. Singing always diverted me from what I was doing; I forgot where I was going as I began singing in German, my mother tongue:
"Ave Maria!
Jungfrau mild,
Erhöre einer Jungfrau Flehen,
Aus diesem Felsen starr und wild"
I paused as I reached an unfamiliar part of the opera house that I had not seen before. It was too dark to see clearly but I could hear shuffling directly behind me. I turned around and groped the wall to see if there was a door there, I continued singing uncertainly at the same time:
"Soll mein Gebet zu dir hin wehen,
Zu dir hin wehen."
I did not find a door handle but I had managed to push the panel so it swung like a door, mistaking it to be one in the dark, I entered, still singing:
"Wir schlafen sicher bis zum Morgen,
Ob Menschen noch so grausam sind.
O Jungfrau, sieh der Jungfrau So-"
I seemed to have bumped into something that I could not see in the darkness but heard silent breathing. I looked up to see a mask of stark white in the darkness, "Oh!" I said and nothing more. For once in my life, I was at a loss for words.
A/N: Well go on, review! I need feedback! Just nothing that's too hurtful please.
You humble and devoted author,
Pirate'sDream (aka Treasure)