At this point in history, the Paris Op�ra had a permanant staff of 1,500 people, plus two ballet schools and visiting singers. Imagine how many people were bustling about! The Op�ra orchestra encompassed 72 musicians at its smallest, never mind the rehearsal pianists and violinists. There were many, many ballet dancers who were trained in the dance studios as well, and quite a few of them never made it to the stage. Costumi�rs ran about, planning, creating and dressing people in fabulous creations of cloth, transforming them into characters from operas. There was a full stable beneath the Op�ra, in the first basement, with fifteen white horses that needed to be cared for and trained. C�sar, one of those horses, played a r�le in Leroux's original novel. There were stagehands, working in the flys, like Joseph Bouquet. There were beggars in the streets, mothers of the dancers, newspaper reporters, policemen, anyone you can imagine, they would hang about the Op�ra. Couldn't you imagine what a newspaper reporter could do with the story of le F�ntome? Leroux was, originally, a reporter for Le Monde, and that is how he found this mystery at the heart of l'Op�ra. And what about the writers in Paris at the time? Be original, be creative. There are many, many places in the Op�ra for you. If you want to be a star dancer, or another leading lady, by all means, please email me!
Also, a side note, Edward Degas was painting the ballet dancers at the Op�ra at this point in history. If you have an artistic soul, and don't know too much about music, M. Degas might be a good part for you. Who knows what else M. Degas drew at his time at the Op�ra. This a character I'd definitely have to discuss with the potential player, so if you're up for a challenge, let me know.
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