Notre Dame de Paris musical brief description. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Video: Consequences of a fire in the cathedral

Notre-Dame de Paris / Notre-Dame Cathedral (1998)

music: Richard Cocciante (Richard Cocciante)

libretto: Luc Plamondon (Luke Plamondon)

Musicals have not always been popular in France. Even a few years ago famous shows Andrew Lloyd-Webber, going around the world, was received with restraint by the local public. Perhaps this was another manifestation of “Great French chauvinism” - the French would have been much more willing to watch musical performance on a topic close to them. Schonberg and Boublil took this feature of the French viewer into account, and their works - “The French Revolution” and “Les Misérables” immediately won the love of their compatriots. Moreover, these musicals were well received abroad. True, "The French Revolution" was staged outside the country only once - in neighboring Germany, but "Les Misérables" became a real world sensation and successfully competed with Webber's blockbusters. In 1998 everything changed.

Victor Hugo

Notre Dame Cathedral is the most famous symbol of France and its capital, apart from Eiffel Tower. And if you remember the largest French writer- Victor Hugo, who glorified the Council in his novel of the same name, then the musical "Notre-Dame de Paris" was doomed to success, according to at least, in Hugo's homeland. In the end, this story has everything the viewer needs, that is, in the words of Stoppard's Actor, "blood, love and rhetoric."

The idea is to give new life Hugo's characters came to mind from Luc Plamondon, a native of French Canada, author of lyrics for the French rock opera "Starmania". He says that once, while trying to find a theme for a musical, he looked through a book about popular literary characters. It is curious that it was not Esmeralda who attracted Plamondon’s attention, but Quasimodo. It was this character, whose name became a household name, that gave the librettist the idea to make classic work Hugo rock opera. Plamondon was not the first to have the idea of ​​using the novel Notre-Dame de Paris as the basis for a work of a completely different genre. Great book Hugo has been filmed many times; there is also the oldest, still silent film with the famous Lon Chaney in the role of Quasimodo, and more late paintings, and television versions; Even ballets and musicals were created based on the novel. In addition, Hugo himself suggested that "The Cathedral..." could serve as the basis for an opera, and even wrote a libretto.

So, Luc Plamondon compiled rough plan musical (about 30 songs) and turned to composer Richard Cocciante (French on his mother, Italian on his father, who grew up in Italy), with whom they had already worked together, writing, among other things, the song "L" Amour Existe Encore" for Celine Dion immediately offered him several tunes that later became hits - “Belle”, “Danse Mon Esmeralda”, “Le Temps des Cathedrales”.

Work on the musical "Notre Dame de Paris" began in 1993, and the French premiere took place in September 1998 in Paris. A concept album had been released eight months earlier. The recording, as well as the production that followed it, was attended by Canadian pop stars - Daniel Lavoie (Frollo), Bruno Pelletier (Grengoire), Luc Merville (Clopin). The role of Esmeralda in the studio version was performed by Noa, and in the performance by the Frenchwoman Hélène Segara. Marseilles (half-Armenian) Patrick Fiori played the role of F:). Eighteen-year-old Julie Zenatti played Fleur-de-Lys. A previously unknown but promising singer, Pierre Garand, who chose the stage name Garou (a native of Quebec), was invited to play the role of Quasimodo.

The production was directed by the famous avant-garde French director Gilles Maillot. The design of the performance, performed in a minimalist, concert style, was carried out by opera designer Christian Rätz, costumes were created by fashion designer Fred Satal, lighting was done by Alan Lortie (who previously staged the lighting of rock concerts), and dancing was done by Martino Müller, who specialized in modern ballet choreography. Despite the apparent simplicity of the scenography and the unusual format (the show did not fit into the standards set by the musicals of Webber and Schonberg), the audience immediately fell in love with the performance. The first year of the musical "Notre-Dame de Paris" was so successful that this fact was noted in the Guinness Book of Records. The single "Belle" stayed at number one in the French charts for 33 weeks and was recognized best song fiftieth anniversary.

The story told in the musical is quite close to the original storyline of Hugo's novel. A young gypsy girl named Esmeralda attracts the attention of men with her beauty. Among them are the archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral Frollo, the young handsome captain of the royal riflemen Phoebus and the ugly bell ringer Quasimodo, Frollo's pupil. Esmeralda falls madly in love with the most beautiful of them - F:). He doesn't mind taking advantage of this, despite the fact that he has a fiancée, Fleur-de-Lys. Frollo is overwhelmed with jealousy and tormented by doubts - after all, he, as a priest, has no right to love a woman. Quasimodo admires the young gypsy, seeing in her that unattainable unearthly beauty, which is its complete opposite. The poet Gringoire, whom Esmeralda saves from death by agreeing to become his wife according to the laws of the inhabitants of the Court of Miracles (gypsies, thieves and tramps), proclaims the girl his muse. Clopin - the "king" of the Court of Miracles - treats her with fatherly care. It seems that the whole world revolves around Esmeralda.

Due to a coincidence of tragic circumstances provoked by Frollo's jealousy, the gypsy woman ends up in prison - she is accused of attempted murder F:). Frollo gives the girl a chance to free herself - if she gives him a “moment of bliss.” Esmeralda refuses, but is saved by her gypsy friends and Quasimodo. But not for long - soon the heroine is arrested again. Esmeralda ends her life on the gallows. Quasimodo, having learned that the culprit of these events is his teacher, throws Frollo from the tower of the Cathedral. Then he hugs the dead, but still beautiful body Esmeralda and remains by her side until the end of her days.

If anyone is interested in the details of the plot, listen to the musical and read Victor Hugo.

After phenomenal success at home, the musical began to win fans beyond its borders. In 1999, Notre Dame was staged in Canada, still on French. In the same year, the play toured France, Belgium and Switzerland. Then Will Jennings, the author of lyrics for some of Celine Dion's compositions, including the famous "My Heart Will Go On", was commissioned to write the English libretto. The show played in Las Vegas and finally opened in London in 2000.

The cast included the stars of the French production - Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Luc Merville and Garou. The role of Esmeralda was played by the famous Australian Tina Arena, and F:) - by the Englishman Steve Balsamo. In 2001, the musical was closed, having lasted on the West End stage for only about a year. Now six audio versions of Notre Dame are available to fans of the musical. in French: a studio concept album (1998), a double album recorded live at a performance at the Palais des Congrès in Paris (2000) and a recording made at the Mogador Theater (2001). After the London production, a collection of hits from the musical was released on English language(year 2000). One of them is "Live for the One I Love" (originally "Vivre") was performed by Celine Dion on the bonus track. In addition, albums with Italian and Spanish versions of the musical were released. There is also a video recording of the French version of the musical with the original cast.

Notre-Dame de Paris" failed to compete with the Broadway and London shows, but in Russia it received no less love than in its homeland. Evidence of this is the numerous translations of the libretto and individual songs and no less numerous amateur performances.

On May 21, 2002, the domestic production of “Notre Dame de Paris” opened, carried out by the producers of the musical “Metro,” who own the exclusive rights to show the show in Russia for a period of six years. Work on the project began in 2001. 1,482 people took part in the casting. The creators of the Russian version selected 45 performers - singers, dancers, acrobats and break dancers, from whom three lineups were formed.

The lead singer of the group "Dancing Minus" Vyacheslav Petkun was invited to play the role of Quasimodo, Teona Dolnikova - Esmeralda, Anton Makarsky - Febos, and Alexander Marakulin - Frollo. The performance was staged by British director Wayne Fawkes, the libretto was translated by Yuliy Kim (with the exception of four songs, the translation of which belongs to Susanna Tsuryuk (“Belle”, “Sing to me, Esmeralda”, “Live”) and Dasha Golubotskaya (“My Love”)). The Russian "Notre-Dame de Paris", in which two million dollars were invested, is being performed at the Moscow Operetta Theater.

Cast (France)

Esmeralda - Helen Segara

Quasimodo - Pierre Garand

Frollo - Daniel Lavoie

Phoebe de Chateaupert - Patrick Fiori

Fleur de Lys - Julie Zenatti

Cast (Russia)

Esmeralda- Teona Dolnikova, Sveta Svetikova

Theona

Sveta

Quasimodo- Vyacheslav Petkun

Frollo - Alexander Marakulin

Phoebe de Chateaupert - Anton Makarsky

Fleur de Lys - Anastasia Stotskaya, Ekaterina Maslovskaya

Temples have been located in this place since time immemorial; even in the era of the Romans, there was a temple dedicated to Jupiter. Later, the Merovingians, who ruled Gaul in 500-571, built the Cathedral of St. Etienne here.

Notre Dame Cathedral was founded in 1163 by Maurice de Sully, Bishop of Paris, and the cornerstone was laid by the Pope Alexander III. Its construction lasted until 1345, that is, it took almost two centuries. During this time, the project was led by dozens of architects, which did not stop them from erecting a beautiful and organic ensemble. According to historical data, several other churches, both Christian and pagan, previously existed on the same site.

The construction of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris took place with the participation of many architects, but its main creators, who made the greatest contribution, are considered to be Pierre de Montreuil and Jean de Chelles. The building was founded during the reign of Louis VII. That's when it became popular Gothic style in architecture, which was used by architects. This direction was successfully mixed with the Romanesque style from the traditions of Normandy, which gave the cathedral a unique look.

The history of France and Notre Dame cannot be separated, because it was here that the knights offered their prayers when going on the Crusades, the coronation of Napoleon, the celebration of the victory over Hitler’s troops and many other events took place.

Notre Dame Cathedral suffered greatly from inept reconstructions during the events of the late 18th century, and later due to popular neglect. So, French revolution almost deprived the world of this unique architectural monument; they even wanted to burn it. Many sculptures were broken or beheaded, stained glass windows were destroyed, and precious utensils were looted. The building was declared the Temple of Reason, then the center of the Cult of the Supreme Being, and later simply turned into a food warehouse. The architectural ensemble was saved from complete destruction by Victor Hugo’s novel “Notre Dame de Paris,” which won central place in the love story of a hunchback for a beautiful gypsy. The publication of the work not only made the writer famous, but also drew the attention of the general public to the exceptional historical, as well as aesthetic value ancient building.

It was decided to reconstruct Notre Dame according to all the rules of ancient technologies. Viollet-le-Duc successfully coped with such a difficult task, since the architect had knowledge of the construction methods of the ancient masters who worked on the construction of the temple. The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral lasted more than a quarter of a century. During this time, the facades were restored and interior decoration, reconstructed the gallery of sculptures and part of the gargoyles, destroyed by the revolutionaries, and returned all the remaining infernal “guards” to their rightful place.

Additionally, a spire more than 95 meters high was built and installed on the roof. In subsequent years, Parisians treated their shrine with extreme reverence. It is noteworthy that the temple was practically not damaged during the period of two World Wars. At the end of the 20th century, another restoration was initiated, which made it possible to completely clean the building from city dust and return the sandstone from which the façade is made to its original golden hue.

Video: Consequences of a fire in the cathedral

Facade and gargoyles

The most popular attribute of the external decoration of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris remains stone demonic creatures. Gargoyles are present here in large numbers and are intended not only for decoration, but also to drain water from the numerous drains on the roof. The fact is that the unusually complex structure of the roof contributes to the accumulation of moisture due to precipitation, since it cannot drain as freely as from ordinary houses. This can lead to the development of mold, dampness and destruction of the stone, so high-quality gutters are a must for any Gothic cathedral.

Traditionally, unattractive pipe exits were disguised with figures of gargoyles, chimeras, dragons, and less often, people or real animals. Many see in these demonic images hidden meanings, so there is a lot of room for imagination here. It is noteworthy that at the time of construction there were no stone demons on the cathedral; they were installed at the suggestion of the restorer Viollet-le-Duc, who used this medieval tradition.

The main façade is decorated with stone statues and has three portals. The main one is in the middle, its arches support seven statues on each side, and the main decor is relief scenes Last Judgment. The right portal is dedicated to Saint Anne, where the Blessed Virgin and Child are depicted, and the left one is dedicated to the Mother of God, with the signs of the zodiac and the image of the coronation of the Virgin Mary. The huge doors are decorated with forged relief images.

The already mentioned spire on the roof replaced the one that was dismantled at the end of the 18th century. The design is decorated with four groups of apostles, as well as animals corresponding to the evangelists. All the statues face the French capital, with the exception of the patron saint of architects, St. Thomas, who seems to be admiring the spire.

Almost all the stained glass windows are quite modern, made during the restoration of the temple in the 19th century. Only in the central compass rose are some medieval parts preserved. The pattern of this large-scale structure (9.5 meters in diameter) made of colored glass depicts Mary, as well as rural works, the signs of the Zodiac, human virtues and sins. The northern and southern facades are equipped with the largest roses that exist in Europe. Each of them is about 13 meters in diameter.

Interior of Notre Dame Cathedral

The design in longitudinal section is a cross, in the center of which there is a complex of sculptural images of various gospel scenes. Interestingly, there are no internal supporting walls here; their function is performed by multifaceted columns. A large number of artistic carvings are filled with unearthly light, which is colored in different colors, passing through the glass of several roses. On the right side of Notre Dame, tourists can admire the wonderful sculptures, paintings and other works of art that are traditionally presented to Our Lady every year on the first of May. The majestic central chandelier was made according to sketches by Viollet-le-Duc; after reconstruction, it replaced the chandelier, melted down during the French Revolution.

Between the portal and the higher tier is the Gallery of the Kings, where sculptures of Old Testament rulers are exhibited. The revolutionaries ruthlessly destroyed the original statues, so they were made anew. At the end of the 20th century, fragments of individual sculptures were found under one of the Parisian houses. It turned out that the owner bought them in Time of Troubles, to be buried with honors, and later built his home on this site.

It is impossible not to mention the majestic organ installed in Notre Dame Cathedral. It was equipped during the construction of the temple, and was rebuilt and reconstructed many times. Today, this organ is the largest in France in terms of the number of registers and the second in the number of pipes, some of which have survived since the Middle Ages.

South bell tower

If you want to enjoy Parisian panoramas that are not inferior in beauty to the view from the Eiffel Tower, you should definitely climb the South Tower of Notre Dame Cathedral. A spiral staircase of 387 steps leads here, climbing which you will see the main bell of the cathedral, Emmanuel, and you will also be able to see the gargoyles in close proximity. It is believed that they look so carefully to the west because they wait for sunset, after which they come to life every night.

Museum and treasury

There is a museum in the cathedral, where every visitor can learn about the history of the temple in detail, listen to many famous and little-known stories associated with this place. Various exhibits that directly relate to the centuries-old life of Notre Dame are stored here.

From the shrine you can go to the underground Treasury, located under the square in front of the cathedral. It contains historical and religious relics: utensils, precious art objects, and so on. But the most important exhibits are the Crown of Thorns of Christ, one of the nails with which Jesus was crucified, and a fragment of that same cross.

Procedure and cost of visiting

To get inside Notre Dame Cathedral, you will have to wait in a long line. According to statistics, every day, depending on the time of year, from 30 to 50 thousand people cross the threshold of Notre Dame. Entrance to the cathedral itself is free, but to climb the bell tower each adult will have to pay 15 euros. Those under 26 years of age can enter for free. The cost of visiting the Treasury is 4 euros for adults, 2 € for young people 12-26 years old, 1 € for visitors 6-12 years old. Children under 6 years old can enter free of charge. In addition, on all Fridays of Lent, as well as on the first days of each month, treasures are brought out for public viewing free of charge. Such exhibitions usually begin around three o'clock in the afternoon.

Each visitor has the opportunity to use an audio guide in English, German, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese or Japanese. The cost of this service is 5 euros.

How to get there

The full address of the shrine is: 6 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, Ile de la Cit, 75004 Paris. The Chalete, Isle de la Cité and Hotel de Ville metro stations are a five-minute walk away. In addition, you can use bus routes No. 21, 38, 47 or 85. On weekdays, Notre Dame Cathedral is open from 8.00 to 18.45, on Saturdays and Sundays from 7.00 to 15.00. Every Saturday services are held here at 5.45 and also at 18.15.

The musical “Notre-Dame de Paris” is first and foremost a spectacle. There are also fifty songs about love, amazing voices, melodic music combining French chanson and gypsy motifs. “Notre Dame” captivates from the first second. From the first second until the curtain. Nowadays it is difficult to find a person who has not heard about the musical or who has not listened to the musical itself, if not all, then at least excerpts, perhaps without even realizing that it is “Notre Dame de Paris”. It is safe to say that this musical is the most recognized and most famous in the whole world. And the performers of the main roles won worldwide recognition. The fame of the musical spread long before the premiere, which took place on September 16, 1998 in Paris. The official premiere was preceded by a disc with songs from the musical, which created a real sensation, winning the top of various charts in many countries. The most famous song The musical "Belle" became an independent worldwide hit and received several music awards. Of course, after such a success of the released album, the premiere was eagerly awaited, and not in vain. The musical was a huge success and even entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most visited in its first year on stage. We can say that the success of Notre-Dame de Paris was predetermined. The basis was the brilliant work of Victor Hugo “Notre Dame de Paris”, the music for the musical was written by the talented Italian-French composer Riccardo Cocciante, the author of the libretto was Luc Plamondon, known throughout the world for his enormous contribution to music. He is even called the Most Popular and Greatest Lyricist of the Francophonie. If we add to this the stellar cast of the musical and the excellent, well-coordinated performance of the participants, it becomes clear why queues form at the ticket offices, and spectators come to watch “Notre Dame” for the second time, and sometimes even for the third or fourth time...

"Notre Dame de Paris" - the history of the creation of the musical

Several films and even a cartoon were created based on the novel Notre Dame de Paris. For several centuries now, the story of the beautiful gypsy Esmeralda and the hunchback Quasimodo has captured the soul of readers and viewers all over the world. Luc Plamondon also decided to dedicate the musical to this tragic story. In 1993, Plamondon compiled a rough libretto for 30 songs and showed it to Cocciante, with whom he already had experience working together (“L’amour existe encore,” performed by Celine Dion). The composer already had several melodies prepared: “Belle”, “Le temps des cathédrales” and “Danse mon Esmeralda”. The authors worked on the musical for 5 years. 8 months before the official premiere, a disc was released with studio recordings of 16 songs from the theatrical production, performed by the musical artists, with the exception of Esmeralda's parts. This album rocketed to the top of the charts, and the singers became stars overnight. The composition “Belle” was written very first and became the most famous song musical.

Having won enormous success in its native France, the musical began its triumphant march throughout the world. Brussels and Milan, Geneva and Las Vegas. Notre Dame de Paris was the first French musical to make a breakthrough on the American stage. Broadway audiences are accustomed to the fact that best musicals created by compatriots. And although “Notre Dame” broke through not to Broadway, but to Las Vegas, the success of the musical was undeniable. The premiere of “Notre Dame de Paris” in Russia took place on May 21, 2002. The sensational musical was staged at the Moscow Operetta Theater. Yuliy Kim, who translated the libretto from French, compares working on the text with hard labor. When it was first announced that work had begun on the Russian version of the musical, the authors began to receive translation options from both professional and non-professional poets. And some of the translations were so good that Julius Kim agreed to include them in the final version. Thus, in the final version of the musical, Susanna Tsiryuk became the author of the translation of “Belle”. Her translation of the compositions “Live” and “Sing to Me, Esmeralda” was also included. And the song “My Love” was translated by fifteen-year-old schoolgirl Dasha Golubotskaya.

"Notre Dame de Paris" - the plot of the musical

After the death of her mother, the gypsy Esmeralda found herself under the tutelage of the gypsy king Clopin. A camp of gypsies tries to sneak into Paris to take refuge in Notre Dame Cathedral, but they are driven away by royal soldiers. The captain of the riflemen, Phoebus de Chateaupert, turns his attention to Esmeralda. She attracts him with her beauty, but the captain is not free, he is engaged to fourteen-year-old Fleur-de-Lys.

The hunchbacked and lame bell ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral comes to the festival of jesters to see Esmeralda. Quasimodo is in love with her, he sees unearthly beauty in her, she is his complete opposite. He receives the title of King of the Jesters. But his stepfather and mentor Frollo, the archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, rips off Quasimodo's crown. He accuses the hunchback of witchcraft and forbids him to even look up at Esmeralda. Frollo is also secretly in love with the gypsy, and he is overcome with jealousy. However, a priest has no right to love a woman. Therefore, he wants to kidnap Esmeralda and lock her in the Cathedral tower. The Archdeacon shares his plans with Quasimodo.

They are trying to kidnap Esmeralda, but Phoebus’s detachment is nearby, protecting the beauty. The poet Gringoire, who was watching Esmeralda, also witnesses the kidnapping. Frollo managed to get out of the water clean, no one even guesses who took part in the kidnapping. And Quasimodo is arrested. Frollo hears how, taking advantage of the moment, Phoebus makes an appointment for Esmeralda at the “Valley of Love” tavern. “The Court of Miracles” is a place where criminals and thieves, tramps and homeless people gather. Grenoire is neither a criminal nor a vagabond, but finds himself in the monastery of such people, and for this Clopin wants to hang him. They promise to save Grenoire's life if any of the girls agrees to marry him. Esmeralda agrees to help the poet, and he, in turn, promises to make her his muse. Esmeralda's thoughts are full of something else. She is madly in love with the handsome young man Phoebe de Chateaupert. Quasimodo is accused of attempted kidnapping and is sentenced to ride on the wheel. Frollo watches all this. Quasimodo is thirsty, and Esmeralda brings him water. The hunchback, in gratitude, allows her to enter the Cathedral and the bell tower whenever the girl wishes. Frollo watches the captain of the riflemen. Phoebus understands what the young gypsy beauty likes. He wants to take advantage of this and heads to Esmeralda in the “Valley of Love.” The archdeacon finds the lovers in bed, he grabs the gypsy's knife and wounds Phoebus, and the blame for this crime falls on Esmeralda. When Phoebus recovers, he returns to his bride Fleur-de-Lys. The trial of Esmeralda. She is accused of witchcraft, prostitution, and an attempt on the life of a rifle captain. She denies everything, but she is sentenced to death by hanging. The dungeon of La Sante prison. Here the unfortunate Esmeralda awaits death. Frollo comes to make a deal: he will let her go if she agrees to accept his love and stay with him. When Esmeralda refuses him, Frollo tries to take her by force. At this time, Clopin and Quasimodo appear. The Gypsy King stuns the priest to free his pupil, and Esmeralda hides in Notre Dame Cathedral. The inhabitants of the “Court of Miracles” come for her, but meet royal soldiers on their way. A group of gypsies and tramps engage in an unequal battle, in which Clopin dies. Esmeralda is arrested again and Frollo gives her to the executioner. Quasimodo is looking for his beloved, but finds Frollo, who admits that he gave Esmeralda to the executioner because he received a refusal from her. In anger and despair, Quasimodo throws the vile archdeacon from the tower of the Cathedral, but he himself dies, hugging the dead but still beautiful Esmeralda.

Here is the Russian version of the musical of the same name based on the novel by Victor Hugo “Notre Dame de Paris”. Excellent translation, brilliant acting and, of course, stunning vocals, take us to distant times when the beautiful Esmeralda walked along the streets of Paris. The girl who captivated the priest, the bell ringer and the captain. A story of love, madness, passion, sin and lawlessness.

Bruno Pelletier plays the role of Gringoire in the musical Notre Dame de Paris

In the original version, the musical toured Belgium, France, Canada and Sweden. In French theater"Mogador" debuted the same musical in 2000, but with some changes. The Italian, Russian, Spanish and some other versions of the musical followed these changes.

That same year, a shortened American version of the musical opened in Las Vegas and English version in London. In the English version, almost all the roles were performed by the same actors as in the original.
Plot

The gypsy Esmeralda has been under the tutelage of the gypsy king Clopin since the death of her mother. After a band of tramps and gypsies try to sneak into Paris and take refuge in Notre Dame Cathedral, they are chased away by royal soldiers. The captain of the riflemen, Phoebus de Chateaupert, becomes interested in Esmeralda. But he is already engaged to fourteen-year-old Fleur-de-Lys.

At the festival of jesters, the hunchbacked, crooked and lame bell-ringer of the Cathedral, Quasimodo, comes to look at Esmeralda, with whom he is in love. Because of his ugliness, he is elected King of the Jesters. His stepfather and mentor, Archdeacon of Notre Dame Cathedral Frollo, runs up to him. He tears off his crown and orders him not to even look in Esmeralda’s direction and accuses her of witchcraft. He shares with Quasimodo his plan to kidnap Esmeralda, with whom he is secretly in love. He wants to lock her in the Cathedral tower.

At night, the poet Gringoire wanders after Esmeralda and witnesses an attempt to kidnap her. But Phoebus’s detachment was guarding nearby, and he was protecting the gypsy. Frollo manages to escape unnoticed; no one assumes that he also participated in this. Quasimodo is arrested. Phoebus makes a date with Esmeralda at the Valley of Love tavern. Frollo hears all this.

Gringoire ends up in the Court of Miracles - the abode of vagabonds, thieves, criminals and other similar people. Clopin decides to hang him because he, not being a criminal, went there. He was to be hanged on the condition that none of the girls living there wanted to marry him. Esmeralda agrees to save him. He promised to make her his muse, but Esmeralda is preoccupied with thoughts of Phoebe.

For attempting to kidnap Esmeralda, Quasimodo was sentenced to be thrown on the wheel. Frollo watches this. When Quasimodo asks for a drink, Esmeralda gives him water. In gratitude, Quasimodo allows her to enter the Cathedral whenever she wants.

Frollo pursues Phoebus and enters the “Valley of Love” with him. Seeing Esmeralda in the same bed with Phoebus, he hits him with Esmeralda's dagger, which she carried with her all the time, and runs away, leaving Phoebus to die. Esmeralda is accused of this crime. Phoebus is cured and returns to Fleur-de-Lys.

Frollo tries and tortures Esmeralda. He accuses her of witchcraft, prostitution and an attempt on Phoebus. Esmeralda declares that she is not involved in this. She is sentenced to death by hanging.

An hour before the execution, Frollo descends into the dungeon of La Sante prison, where Esmeralda is imprisoned. He sets a condition: he will let Esmeralda go if she makes love to him. Esmeralda refuses. Frollo tries to rape her.

Clopin and Quasimodo enter the dungeon. Clopin stuns the priest and frees his stepdaughter. Esmeralda is hiding in Notre Dame Cathedral. Residents of the "Court of Miracles" come there to pick up Esmeralda. The royal soldiers under the command of Phoebus engage them in battle. Clopin is killed. The tramps have been driven out. Frollo gives Esmeralda to Phoebus and the executioner. Quasimodo looks for Esmeralda and finds Frollo instead. He confesses to him that he gave Esmeralda to the executioner because she refused him. Quasimodo kills Frollo and dies himself with Esmeralda's body in his arms.

History of creation

Work on the musical began in 1993, when Plamondon compiled a rough libretto for 30 songs and showed it to Cocciante, with whom he had previously worked and had previously written, among other things, the song “Lamour existe encore” for Celine Dion. The composer already had several melodies ready, which he proposed for the musical. Subsequently, they became hits "Belle", "Danse mon Esmeralda" and "Le temps des cathГ©drales". The most famous song of the musical, “Belle,” was written first.

8 months before the premiere, a concept album was released - a disc with studio recordings of 16 main songs of the production. All songs were performed by the artists of the musical, with the exception of Esmeralda's parts: Noa sang them in the studio, and Helen Segara sang them in the musical. Canadian pop stars were invited to the production: Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Luc Merville, but main role Quasimodo was given away little-known Pierre Garana, although the composer initially wrote the parts of Quasimodo for himself. This role made Pierre famous, who took the pseudonym Garou.

The Russian version of the musical premiered in Moscow on May 21, 2002. The producers of the production were Katerina von Gechmen-Waldeck, Alexander Weinstein and Vladimir Tartakovsky. In 2008, the Korean version of the musical premiered.

Actors

Original composition
Noah, then Helen Segara Esmeralda
Daniel Lavoie Frollo
Bruno Pelletier Gringoire
Garou Quasimodo
Patrick Fiori Phoebus de Chateaupert
Luc Merville Clopin
Julie Zenatti Fleur-de-Lys

[edit]
London version
Tina Arena, Dannii Minogue Esmeralda
Daniel Lavoie Frollo
Bruno Pelletier Gringoire
Garou, Ian Pirie Quasimodo
Steve Balsamo Phoebe de Chateaupert
Luc Merville, Carl Abram Ellis Clopin
Natasha Saint-Pierre Fleur-de-Lys

Mogador
Nadya Bel, Shirel, Maison, Anne Esmeralda
Adrien Deville, Jerome Collet Quasimodo
Michel Pascal, Jerome Collet Frollo
Lauren Ban, Cyril Nicolas Gringoire
Lauren Ban, Richard Charest Phoebe de Chateaupert
Veronica Antico, Anne Maison, Claire Cappelli Fleur-de-Lys
Roddy Julien, Eddie Soroman Clopin

Russia
Svetlana Svetikova, Teona Dolnikova, Diana Savelyeva, Karina Hovsepyan Esmeralda
Vyacheslav Petkun, Valery Yaremenko, Timur Vedernikov, Andrey Belyavsky, Pyotr Markin Quasimodo
Alexander Marakulin, Alexander Golubev, Igor Balalaev, Victor Krivonos (participated only in studio recordings and rehearsals; did not perform at any concert) Frollo
Vladimir Dybsky, Alexander Postolenko, Pavel Kotov (participated only in studio recordings and rehearsals; did not perform at any concert), Andrey Alexandrin Gringoire
Anton Makarsky, Eduard Shulzhevsky, Alexey Sekirin, Maxim Novikov, Mohamed Abdel Fattah Phoebus de Chateaupert
Anastasia Stotskaya, Ekaterina Maslovskaya, Yulia Liseeva, Anna Pingina, Anna Nevskaya, Anna Guchenkova, Natalya Gromushkina, Anastasia Chevazhevskaya Fleur-de-lis
Sergey Li, Victor Burko, Victor Esin Clopin

Italy
Lola Ponche, Rosalia Misseri, Ilaria Andreini, Leila Martinucci, Chiara di Bari Esmeralda
Gio di Tonno, Luca Maggiore, Fabrizio Voghera, Giordano Gambogi Quasimodo
Vittorio Matteucci, Fabrizio Voghera, Luca Velletri, Cristian Gravina Frollo
Matteo Setti (Italian), Roberto Synagoga, Aaron Borelli, Mattia Inverni, Gianluca Perdicaro Gringoire
Graziano Galatone, Alberto Mangia Vinci, Aaron Borelli Phoebus de Chateaupert
Marco Guerzoni, Aurelio Fierro, Christian Mini Clopin
Claudia DOttavi, Ilaria de Angelis, Chiara di Bari Fleur-de-Lys

Spain
Thais Siurana Esmeralda
Albert Martinez Quasimodo
Enrique Sequero Frollo
Daniel Angles Gringoire
Lisadro Phoebus de Chateaupert
Paco Arroyo Clopin
Elvira Prado Fleur-de-lis

The songs in this section will be written according to the following model:

Original title/Mogadorian title (interlinear translation of title) official name in Russian

Note: in all versions of the musical, except the original, the songs of the second act are numbers 8 and 9; 10 and 11 were swapped.

Act one
Ouverture (Opening) Overture
Le Temps Des Cath©drales (Time of the Councils) It's time Cathedrals
Les Sans-Papiers (Undocumented People) Vagrants
Intervention de Frollo (Frollo's Intervention) Frollo's Intervention
BohГ©mienne (Gypsy) Daughter of the Gypsies
Esmeralda Tu Sais (Do you know, Esmeralda) Esmeralda, understand
Ces Diamants-LГ (These diamonds) My love
La Fête des Fous (Feast of the Jesters) Ball of the Jesters
Le Pape des Fous (The Pope of the Jesters) The King of the Jesters
La SorciГЁre (The Witch) The Sorceress
LEnfant TrouvГ© (Foundling) Foundling
Les Portes de Paris (Gates of Paris) Paris
Tentative dEnlГЁvement (Attempted Kidnapping) Failed kidnapping
La Cour des Miracles (Court of Miracles) Court of Miracles
Le Mot Phoebus (The Word "Phoebus") Name Phoebus
Beau Comme Le Soleil (Beautiful like the sun) Sun of Life
DГ©chirГ© (Torn) What should I do?
Anarkia Anarchy
ГЂ Boire (Drink) Water!
Belle (Beauty) Belle
Ma Maison CEst Ta Maison (My House Your House) My Notre Dame
Ave Maria PaГЇen (Ave Maria in pagan) Ave Maria
Je Sens Ma Vie Qui Bascule/Si tu pouvais voir en moi (I feel like my life is going downhill/If only you could look into me) If only she could see
Tu Vas Me DГ©truire (You will destroy me) You are my ruin
LOmbre (Shadow) Shadow
Le Val dAmour (Valley of Love) Shelter of Love
La VoluptГ© (Pleasure) Date
FatalitГ© (Rock) Will of Fate

Act two
Florence (Florence) Everything will have its time
Les Cloches (The Bells) The Bells
OG No. Est-Elle? (Where is she?) Where is she?
Les Oiseaux QuOn Met En Cage (Birds Locked in a Cage) Poor Birds in Captivity
CondamnГ©s (Condemned) Rejected
Le ProcГЁs (The Court) The Court
La Torture (Torture) Torture
Phoebus (Phoebus) O Phoebus!
ГЉtre PrГЄtre Et Aimer Une Femme (To be a priest and love a woman) My fault
La Monture (The Horse) (the word also has an allegorical meaning: “passionate lover”) Swear to me
Je Reviens Vers Toi (I return to you) If you can, forgive
Visite de Frollo Г Esmeralda (Frollo's visit to Esmeralda) Frollo comes to Esmeralda
Un Matin Tu Dansais (One morning you danced) Confession of Frollo
LibГ©rГ©s (Free) Come out!
Lune Moon
Je Te Laisse Un Sifflet (I give you a whistle) If anything, call
Dieu Que Le Monde Est Injuste (God, how unfair the world is) Good God, why?
Vivre (Live) Live
LAttaque De Notre-Dame (Assault on Notre-Dame) Assault on Notre-Dame
DГ©portГ©s (Sent) Send!
Mon MaГ®tre Mon Sauveur (My master, my savior) My proud master
Donnez-La Moi (Give it to me) Give it to me!
Danse Mon Esmeralda (Dance, my Esmeralda) Sing to me, Esmeralda
Le Temps Des CathГ©drales (Time of the Cathedrals) Time of the Cathedrals

Interesting Facts
Famous song from this musical Belle was also performed in our country by the now disbanded group Smash!!. With her they took first place at the festival " New wave» 2002 in Jurmala.
The song “Belle” spent 33 weeks in the French charts at number 1 and was eventually recognized in France as the best song of the fiftieth anniversary.
Russian performer role of Esmeralda T. Dolnikova the only performer of a musical in the world who received a high award, a theater award " Golden mask».
In Russia, a special touring version of the musical, with simplified scenery, is currently touring the regions. Artistic director Alexander Marakulin, performer of the role of Frollo.

For attempting to kidnap Esmeralda, Quasimodo was sentenced to be thrown on the wheel. Frollo watches this. When Quasimodo asks for a drink, Esmeralda gives him water.

In the market square, all three - Quasimodo, Frollo and Phoebus - confess their love to her. Here are “Three Hearts, Created Differently.”

In gratitude for the water, Quasimodo shows her the Cathedral and the bell tower, inviting her to come in whenever she wants.

Frollo pursues Phoebus and enters the “Shelter of Love” with him. Seeing Esmeralda in the same bed with Phoebus, he hits him with Esmeralda's dagger, which she carried with her all the time, and runs away, leaving Phoebus to die. Esmeralda is accused of this crime. Phoebus is cured and returns to Fleur-de-Lys, who asks Phoebus to swear that the homewrecker will be punished.

An hour before the execution, Frollo descends into the dungeon of La Sante prison, where Esmeralda is imprisoned. He sets a condition - he will let Esmeralda go if she accepts his love and is with him. Esmeralda refuses. The Archdeacon tries to take her by force.

Frollo kisses Esmeralda on the lips, and meanwhile Clopin and Quasimodo enter the dungeon. Clopin stuns the priest and frees his stepdaughter. Esmeralda is hiding in Notre Dame Cathedral. Residents of the "Court of Miracles" come there to pick up Esmeralda.

The royal soldiers under the command of Phoebus engage them in battle. Clopin is killed. The tramps have been driven out. Frollo gives Esmeralda to Phoebus and the executioner. Quasimodo looks for Esmeralda and finds Frollo instead. He confesses to him that he gave Esmeralda to the executioner because she refused him. Quasimodo throws Frollo off the cathedral and dies himself with Esmeralda's body in his arms.

History of creation

Work on the musical began in 1993, when Plamondon compiled a rough libretto for 30 songs and showed it to Cocciante, with whom he had previously worked and had previously written, among other things, the song “L’amour existe encore” for Celine Dion. The composer already had several melodies ready, which he proposed for the musical. They subsequently became hits with "Belle", "Dance mon Esmeralda" and "Le temps des cathédrales". The musical's most famous song, "Belle", was written first.

8 months before the premiere, a concept album was released - a disc with studio recordings of 16 main songs of the production. All songs were performed by the artists of the musical, with the exception of Esmeralda's parts: Noa sang them in the studio, and Helen Segara sang them in the musical. Canadian pop stars were invited to the production - Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Luc Merville, but the main role of Quasimodo was given to the little-known Pierre Garan, although the composer initially wrote the parts of Quasimodo for himself. This role made Pierre famous, who took the pseudonym Garou.

The Russian version of the musical premiered in Moscow on May 21, 2002. The producers of the production were Katerina Gechmen-Waldek, Alexander Weinstein and Vladimir Tartakovsky. The author of the text of the Russian version is poet, bard, playwright and screenwriter Yuliy Kim.

In 2008, the Korean version of the musical premiered, and in 2010 the musical opened in Belgium.

Actors

France (original lineup)

• Noah, then Helen Segara - Esmeralda
• Garou - Quasimodo
• Daniel Lavoie - Frollo
• Bruno Pelletier - Gringoire
• Patrick Fiori - Phoebe de Chateaupert
• Luc Merville - Clopin
• Julie Zenatti - Fleur-de-Lys

North America

• Janien Masse - Esmeralda
• Doug Storm - Quasimodo
• T. Eric Hart - Frollo
• Deven May - Gringoire
• Mark Smith - Phoebus de Chateaupert
• David Jennings, Carl Abram Ellis - Clopin
• Jessica Grove - Fleur-de-Lys