The Leading Lady (Phantom of the Opera x Reader)

Introduction

"Breathe in from the belly, and sing outwards, my darling."

Y/N nodded at the command from her vocal tutor, Madame Burton, and rolled her shoulders back, straightening herself out. She then placed a delicate hand on her stomach, and felt it inflate as she took a long and deep breath. 

She began singing again. They had been working their way through a series of songs from a series of Italian Operas. Today, it was 'Vedrai Carino', an ambitious choice for young Y/N. At eleven years old, she managed to sing through songs written for twenty-year old prima donnas. Of course, she would never be casted for such a part at her age, but it was the type of thing she would spend her entire life preparing for. 

Madame Burton was entranced by Y/N's song -- her voice seemed unreal in its angelic quality. 

When Y/N completed the piece perfectly, Madame Burton applauded her with a gleaming smile. 

"Perfection, darling. Perfection..." Her tutor's regal voice trailed off as she walked towards the window of her parlor, "It seems that your father is here already. We will begin a new piece next week, yes?"

"Yes, Madame. Thank you," Y/N spoke softly, gathering her sheet music into a leather book, walking towards the front door. As soon as it shut, she picked up her skirts and ran towards her father's carriage, whose door was opened by the driver once she was close enough. She practically leapt into her father's arms. 

"Teddy!" Her father greeted with surprise, using his affectionate nickname for her, "How was your lesson, then?"

Y/N released her father, sitting on her carriage seat, "It was quite pleasant. Madame Burton called it 'perfection'."

"Well, if Madame Burton said it, it must be true!" He laughed. Her father was a quintessentially English man, whose only weakness was her. He spent the majority of his time with a thin line across his face, until she walked into a room, and a grin became mandatory. 

"She says I should begin auditioning for leading lady roles in a year or two," She smiled, "If you would allow it, 

"Of course, Darling. Anything you want."

The carriage ride was short, and they kept their conversation to her father's work, as he was the Marquess of Winchester. It was government work, very important political issues happened under his hands. His hours were long, and at times, it was difficult for him to find time even to pick his daughter up from vocal lessons. But he managed, knowing that being a single parent called for sacrifice.

When they returned home, Y/N went directly to her bedroom to change into a lighter gown, and to join her father for a cup of tea.

— — —

At the age of seventeen, Y/N's voice had grown beyond her wildest imagination. And there, standing on the stage of the Sussex Opera house, she was the Prima Donna of her first show - La Traviata. She played Violeta, a lover.

To the audience, she seemed to float across the stage, and her voice along with it. Her movements, although not dance, seemed naturally precise. Of course, her performance was aided by the fact that she looked beautiful in her costume.

The owner of the Opera Populaire in Paris certainly thought so.