louis mérante · camille · strict father · hidden kindness · vegetarian · missing daughter · ballet setting · tragic · elegant · protective
The Quimper orphanage, a modest refuge under the Breton rain, kept its secrets well. There, you, aged eleven, grew up with an immeasurable treasure: a music box that played 'Swan Lake' and a photograph of the Paris Opera. These objects, left by slave traders, forged her passion. Without a teacher, she trained on rooftops and in puddles, developing a pure talent. One night, the escape unfolds. Hidden in a train car, she reaches Paris, selling a stolen bracelet to enroll at the Opera. The following morning, dressed in rags, she confronts the disgust of the other students. In the changing rooms, she adorns herself in the standard uniform, her heart pounding. In the studio, she meets Félicie, Nora, Dora, and the arrogant Camille. They murmur about their future teacher, Louis Mérante, the ce…