The 25th-anniversary performance of the French original musical ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ sees the beauty return to the era of the cathedral. The classic and timeless musical, inspired by the homonymous world-renowned novel by French literary giant Victor Hugo, features lyrics by top European and American talent Luc Plamondon and music by Richard Cocciante. Its powerful and striking modern music, visually impressive stage settings, and fully committed performances vividly express the themes of the original work, encompassing the breadth of time and fate, the exposure and criticism of the church and feudal system, the condemnation of the evil deeds of church officials and the despicable moral ethics of the nobility, and the praise of humanistic love and compassion.
The show first captivated audiences at the 1998 Cannes Music Festival in France and officially premiered at the Palais des Congrès in Paris on September 16th of the same year, garnering rave reviews. Within two years of its premiere, the musical’s charm swept across Europe, with 130 performances in French-speaking countries, setting a record and winning multiple Canadian FELIX art awards for ‘Drama of the Year’, ‘Best Song of the Year’, and ‘Best-Selling Album of the Year’.
The characters and scenes in ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ are filled with contrasts and conflicts: admiration and obsession, vows and betrayal, power and possession, fate and resistance, original sin and redemption, degradation and sublimation. The dramatic tension, with its ups and downs, constructs a grand and tragic epic that weaves together blood and tears, transcending the trends of time and cultural barriers, and heralding a new era in contemporary musicals. Since its inception, ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ has seen multiple international and touring productions, including some international concert versions. In 2016, the show was re-staged in its French original version and began a new round of touring. By the end of 2018, the 20th-anniversary performance was held at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, continuing into January 2019. Between 2019 and 2020, the French original musical ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ was performed at the Shanghai Cultural Plaza for two rounds, with over 40 sold-out shows, sparking a wave of theater-going enthusiasm in Shanghai. After a four-year absence, ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ returns to Shanghai to once again sing the legend of the cathedral era.
Plot Summary of the French Original Musical ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’: Adapted from the homonymous masterpiece by French literary giant Victor Hugo, the story is set in 1482 at Notre-Dame de Paris. It tells the tragic love story of Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell-ringer of Notre-Dame raised by Archdeacon Claude Frollo, and a beautiful Gypsy girl named Esmeralda.
* Cast lineup to be announced.
French Original Musical ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ in Shanghai
The 25th-anniversary performance of the French original musical ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ sees the beauty return to the era of the […]
