"Please Monsieur, I am trying to rehearse!" The first sounds Adrienne Rocher heard as she entered the auditorium of the Opera Populaire were those of chaos. A rehearsal for that night's gala was interrupted by three men who were walking across the stage, causing great irritation to the Maestro Reyer. "These are the new owners of the Opera Populaire, Andre Moncharmin and Firmin Richard..."
"Ah, so I am not the only one new to the opera house," Adrienne thought to herself as she made her way backstage. She walked through the crowds of dancers, chorus, scene shifters, and myriads of others who worked tirelessly to make sure that for a few brief hours each night the audience would be transported to another world through the stage. Adrienne was quite different from the people she saw as she took in her surroundings. Instead of the pale skin of the dancers, hers was a deep, golden honey. Her eyes were not painted, but large and olive colored with thick dark lashes surrounding them. Her hair was completely straight and a deep chestnut brown, quite a contrast to the blonde ringlets she saw around her. Her body was not as slight as the petite dancers, but very tall with incredibly long arms, legs, and fingers. She was more muscular than the chorus girls and at the same time more plump and rounded. As she made her observations of her new 'family', she heard someone call her name.
"Adrienne! Adrienne!" A scene shifter slid down a rope to the stage level and ran towards the girl.
"Armande!" Adrienne threw her arms around the young man who rushed towards her.
"How is my sweet little sister?" Armande said tauntingly. Adrienne grimaced and punched him in the arm.
"Little? You're five minutes older than me you dolt, and as for 'sweet', I could beat you any day!" The twins pushed each other before embracing again.
"I've missed you, little sparrow." Armande took his sister's hand, ready to show her around the massive theater, when suddenly there was a great crash and a shriek accentuated by outbursts of Italian. A backdrop had fallen on stage, pinning La Carlotta, the Opera Populaire's leading soprano underneath it. After several minutes of curses and accusations, the crowd on stage seemed to come to the consensus that the backdrop was released by the phantom of the opera.
"The phantom of the opera? Armande, are they serious?"
"Quite," said the young man. He took his sister aside and explained the stories of the opera ghost, his tricks, those who had seen him, box five and his salary. The girl burst into laughter.
"A ghost? Why would a ghost need a salary? Honestly Armande, I do believe you all are the butt of a great prank." Armande shook his head as his sister easily dismissed the opera's most controversial resident. He was about to open his mouth to contest the matter further when a gruff voice interrupted him.
"Don't doubt the opera ghost's existence, lass. He's as real as you and me!" Joseph Bouquet, the chief scene shifter began to regale Adrienne with stories of the phantom's horrific appearance right down to his yellow skin and non existent nose, as well as stories of the phantom's tricks and Joseph's own encounters with the specter.
"Are you telling me that this horrifying ghost disappeared into the rafters because you chased it along the catwalk?" Adrienne crossed her arms, her head cocked to one side as she raised her eyebrows in disbelief of Bouquet's story. The older man ran a hand through his greasy hair and was about to begin again when he spun around, holding his head at though he had been struck. Madame Giry stood behind him with her tapping stick raised to her shoulder.
"You will find it is best not to speak of things which you do not know, Joseph Bouquet. Go back to your place, they are ready for the next scene." The young Rochers' smiled their thanks at the ballet mistress as the scraggly scene shifter made his way up to the catwalk above the stage. "You too Armande, back to work."
"Yes, Madame," he said with a wink to his sister. When the men were gone, Madame Giry held out her arms to the young woman in front of her.
"Welcome to the opera house, Adrienne." The girl smiled and embraced the older woman.
"Madame, thank you for arranging for a place for me here. I don't know what I would have done..." Adrienne was interrupted by Madame Giry shaking her head.
"Don't think of it my dear. I could not have you wandering the streets of Marseille like a beggar, now could I?" She placed an arm around Adrienne's shoulders. "I am sorry about your father, Adrienne, and your step mother too for that matter." Adrienne shook her head and wrapped her arms tightly around her voluptuous body.
"My tears for my father have all been spent. As for my step mother, I am as glad to be rid of her as she is to be rid of me." Madame Giry nodded.
"Well, let's have Meg show you to your bed, and then you can begin work tomorrow after the gala is over. Come, child."
"Thank you Madame."
"Don't thank me, Meg. I am simply doing for you what my old school fellow should have done for a step daughter after her father's death. I can hardly believe Madame Rocher's actions. Meg!" A young, blonde dancer ran to her mother.
"Adrienne!" The two girls embraced. "I am so glad you are here, I could hardly wait for your arrival."
"Meg, show Adrienne where she can sleep tonight, and then hurry back here for rehearsal." The dancer curtseyed to her mother and took her friend's hand.
"Come Adrienne, we will put your things away, and then you must meet Christine! You two will be instant friends, I am sure. La Carlotta refuses to sing tonight, so Christine will take her place! It is quite a day for you to come, so much is happening!" Adrienne could do little but smile as Meg Giry pulled her up the stairs towards the dormitories. After finding her bed and safely depositing her things, the two women raced down the stairs like they were children again.
A few hours later, Meg, Christine, and Adrienne were all sitting in the window of the small opera chapel. Much as Meg predicted, her two friends liked each other immediately after discovering that they shared a passionate love of music and more sadly the loss of their fathers.
"You will be brilliant, Christine, your voice is so beautiful," Meg said reassuringly as Adrienne nodded in agreement.
"Indeed you will, I have only heard you sing this afternoon and I have no doubt of your success. Don't be nervous, you will do fabulously." Christine Daae smiled timidly.
"I do hope so..."
"Christine! Meg!" The three girls turned as another dancer stuck her head inside the door. "They're ready for the next rehearsal, you must come quickly!" The dancer and the soprano rose with a sigh.
"Oh well, I suppose we must leave you now, Adrienne," Christine said.
"Yes, but feel free to explore all you like. If nothing else, we shall see you after the performance," Meg added. They hugged the new girl briefly before racing off to join the rest of the company. Adrienne looked around her with resignation.
"It's not the sea, but I do believe I could grow to love it here." She rose, her head high and shoulders thrown back with determination. Adrienne Rocher took a long look at her new home. "Enchante, Opera Populaire."
