Inviting Christine to supper
Jul. 16th, 2018 03:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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vicomte_de_chagnyOne of the standard things Raoul gets bashed for, when people are trying to justify why they resent his existence, is that he is apparently disrespectful/condescending for not taking 'No' for an answer when he invites Christine out to supper after their reunion -- she says she doesn't want to go, and he doesn't listen but rushes off to get his outdoor clothes while leaving her to get into hers. (As an aside, it occurs to me here for the first time that "I must get my hat" effectively acts as a tactful way of removing himself from the room so that Christine can get changed in privacy!)
While I think that (contrary to the scenario I chose to explore for the purposes of There is No Phantom of the Opera) Raoul does come to the dressing-room powerfully attracted to Christine rather than as a platonic reunion of old friends, I don't think the invitation to dinner is intended as a message of seduction; I'd read his motives as being genuinely those represented in that story, a desire to take her out to celebrate and for the chance to catch up on old news. After all, the management aren't exactly laying on a party for her, and she richly deserves one -- at least in his eyes!
I think he's entitled (and indeed quite right) to assume that Christine is as happy to see him as he is to see her; after all, her response is not, as in Leroux, "Monsieur, who are you? Please go away", but "Oh Raoul, so it is you!" followed by flinging her arms around his neck ;-)
And I think he's entitled to assume, when she says that "her Angel of Music is very strict" as a reason for not going out to celebrate, that she is speaking metaphorically about her need to stay in training as a singer, and to respond with reassurances that they won't stay out late and that she is perfectly entitled to let her hair down occasionally -- rather than jumping to the conclusion that the "Angel of Music" is a voice behind the walls whom she has never seen but who forbids her on principle from resuming relations with friends from her former life :-(
(It's a pity that Steve Barton's original line about the Angel of Music, "No doubt -- nobody could have sung as you did tonight without a little help from Heaven", was cut, leaving Raoul with rather disjointed dialogue at this point; the prior version makes it clear that Raoul is (a) genuinely agreeing with Christine and not dismissing what she says and (b) under the impression that she is speaking of a metaphorical gift rather than a physical entity. I have no idea why the line got removed from the West End production -- presumably as part of a general tightening of running-time -- but it seems a loss in this case to be regretted.)
So far as we can tell, Christine actually does want to go out with Raoul; when he rushes off she runs after him to try to call him back, and, presumably, explain. She has to apologise to the Angel afterwards for being tempted ("my soul was weak, forgive me"). So I don't see it as a terrible crime for Raoul to sweep aside her worries about breaking her strict training schedule and assure her that she is allowed to have fun for once; he has no idea just how irrational and jealous the prohibition can be :-(
While I think that (contrary to the scenario I chose to explore for the purposes of There is No Phantom of the Opera) Raoul does come to the dressing-room powerfully attracted to Christine rather than as a platonic reunion of old friends, I don't think the invitation to dinner is intended as a message of seduction; I'd read his motives as being genuinely those represented in that story, a desire to take her out to celebrate and for the chance to catch up on old news. After all, the management aren't exactly laying on a party for her, and she richly deserves one -- at least in his eyes!
I think he's entitled (and indeed quite right) to assume that Christine is as happy to see him as he is to see her; after all, her response is not, as in Leroux, "Monsieur, who are you? Please go away", but "Oh Raoul, so it is you!" followed by flinging her arms around his neck ;-)
And I think he's entitled to assume, when she says that "her Angel of Music is very strict" as a reason for not going out to celebrate, that she is speaking metaphorically about her need to stay in training as a singer, and to respond with reassurances that they won't stay out late and that she is perfectly entitled to let her hair down occasionally -- rather than jumping to the conclusion that the "Angel of Music" is a voice behind the walls whom she has never seen but who forbids her on principle from resuming relations with friends from her former life :-(
(It's a pity that Steve Barton's original line about the Angel of Music, "No doubt -- nobody could have sung as you did tonight without a little help from Heaven", was cut, leaving Raoul with rather disjointed dialogue at this point; the prior version makes it clear that Raoul is (a) genuinely agreeing with Christine and not dismissing what she says and (b) under the impression that she is speaking of a metaphorical gift rather than a physical entity. I have no idea why the line got removed from the West End production -- presumably as part of a general tightening of running-time -- but it seems a loss in this case to be regretted.)
So far as we can tell, Christine actually does want to go out with Raoul; when he rushes off she runs after him to try to call him back, and, presumably, explain. She has to apologise to the Angel afterwards for being tempted ("my soul was weak, forgive me"). So I don't see it as a terrible crime for Raoul to sweep aside her worries about breaking her strict training schedule and assure her that she is allowed to have fun for once; he has no idea just how irrational and jealous the prohibition can be :-(
