Carlotta Giudicelli from The Phantom of the Opera.
The Phantom of the Opera was my OG musical obsession and is really what got me interested in musical theatre and going regularly, and was what lead me onto discovering other productions as I followed my favourite actors careers after they moved on from the roles. So I have a lot to thank it for! I haven't paid it much attention for a while, but I gave the 25th Anniversary concert a listen a few weeks ago and have been on a bit of a Phantom kick ever since. I really want to re-read the book again this year!
Carlotta has always been one of my favourite characters, and it always saddens me how much she's overlooked or dismissed as nothing but a 'diva' and pitted against Christine. Carlotta is quite a lot older than 16 year old Christine - she's probably in her 30s or 40s and would have dedicated her life to working damn hard to win the role of lead soprano at one of the biggest opera house's in Paris. And like so often happens to women in the entertainment industry, her hard work and dedication to her craft is being overlooked as she's passed over for a younger actress who, as far as Carlotta is concerned, hasn't had any proper vocal training nor worked her way up through the lower ranks and gained that experience. And if that isn't insulting enough, she then has her performance sabotaged in front of a full house which would have impacted her reputation. She's a tragic character! Her throwing a few bitchy comments Christine's way doesn't make her a bad person when you consider everything she's being put through, her upset is valid!
I also love her relationship with Piangi. As much as I love Phantom of the Opera, the two main relationships of Christine and Raoul and Christine and the Phantom are BOTH toxic as hell, and then in the background barely noticed you've got Carlotta and Piangi showing what a healthy, supportive relationship looks like. Piangi isn't initially being targeted by the 'Opera Ghost' and his job is safe, but he still takes a stand and backs Carlotta at every opportunity, and is always behind her for moral support when she's being treated unfairly. What a gem!
