The Music Teacher (French: Le Maître de musique) is a 1988 Belgian musical drama film directed by Gérard Corbiau, starring José van Dam, Anne Roussel, Philippe Volter and Patrick Bauchau.
At the end of a concert, Joachim Dallayrac (van Dam), an opera singer, announces that he is leaving the stage. Actually, Dallayrac decided to dedicate himself to training a young singer, Sophie Maurier (Roussel). He meets by chance Jean Nilson (Volter), a shoplifter, and notices that he has an exceptional voice, so he decides to train him too.
The Music Teacher provides examples of:
- The Apprentice: Sophie and Jean are trained by Dallayrac to become opera singers.
- The Big Damn Kiss: Between Dallayrac and Sophie in lashing rain.
- Concert Climax: The climax of the film is the singing competition where Sophie, Jean and Arcas perform in front of a large audience.
- Depraved Homosexual: Prince Scotti, Dallayrac's rival, is gay. He gets inside the bedroom of Jean Nilson who is bare-chested, caresses him, and then apologises for making him feel uncomfortable.
- The Edwardian Era: The story is set in this period. Horse-drawn coaches are ubiquitous, but François owns an automobile. François also gives Dallayrac a phonograph.
- Foreshadowing: In the beginning, a member of the audience tells how Prince Scotti broke his voice in a singing duel. This foreshadows the final duel between Jean and Arcas, where Arcas breaks his voice.
- The Hero Dies: Dallayrac dies at home during the singing competition.
- May–December Romance: Dallayrac and Sophie fall in love with each other. Dallayrac is a retired opera singer played by José van Dam who was in his late fourties, while Sophie is 18 (Anne Roussel, the actress who impersonates her, was about 10 years older).
- Mentor Occupational Hazard: Dallayrac, who trained Jean and Sophie, dies in the end.
- Protagonist Title: The title refers to Dallayrac, the protagonist, who teaches music.
- Rage Against the Mentor: Dallayrac criticizes his pupil Jean, who gets mad, gets out of the castle and starts cutting wood.
- Recruited from the Gutter: Dallayrac, a famous opera singer, notices that a shoplifter has a beautiful voice, so he helps him to run from the law and trains him as a singer.
- The Rival: Prince Scotti was an opera singer like Dallayrac. In a singing duel against Dallayrac, he broke his voice. Now he trains Arcas, while Dallayrac trains Sophie and Jean.
- Romantic Rain: Dallayrac and Sophie are together in a coach when it starts pouring. Sophie confesses that she loves Dallayrac and they kiss each other.
- Sissy Villain: The villains, Prince Scotti and his protégé Arcas, are gay and wear make-up.
- Teacher/Student Romance: Dallayrac and his pupil Sophie fall in love with each other. Even if he is in love, Dallayrac refuses to start a relationship because he thinks that it will not last.
- Training from Hell: As part of his training as a singer, Dallayrac forces Jean to swim in a lake and to keep his head underwater for long periods.
