Notre Dame de Paris
The sung-through musical play Notre Dame de Paris debuted in Paris at the Palais des Congrès on 16 September 1998. The musical play was written by French-Canadian lyricist and music executive Luc Plamondon with music by Richard Cocciante. The play was based on the dark, tragic novel of the same name that Victor Hugo published in 1831 (English translation as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”). The show was eventually performed thousands of times, with diverse staging, casting, translation and choreography, and seen by millions of people. Critical and popular reception seldom reached the level of success achieved in Paris.
Story Summary
The play and novel elevate themes of love, lust, jealousy and social injustice. The Notre Dame Cathedral archdeacon Claude Frollo was guardian of Quasimodo, a deformed hunchback bell-ringer—the ugliest man in town. Despite his priestly commitments, Frollo obsessively lusted after Esmeralda, a beautiful young gypsy dancer and he ordered Quasimodo to kidnap her. Quasimodo was caught and publicly humiliated but Esmeralda earned his love by offering him water.
Esmeralda became smitten with the handsome Captain Phoebus who was betrothed to Fleur-de-Lys but was nevertheless open to the sport of pre-marital promiscuity. This incited Frollo’s insane jealousy so he tried to kill Phoebus and to frame Esmeralda for that crime leaving her subject to blackmail. She declined Frollo's offer and was tried and condemned to hang.
Esmeralda became smitten with the handsome Captain Phoebus who was betrothed to Fleur-de-Lys but was nevertheless open to the sport of pre-marital promiscuity. This incited Frollo’s insane jealousy so he tried to kill Phoebus and to frame Esmeralda for that crime leaving her subject to blackmail. She declined Frollo's offer and was tried and condemned to hang.
Quasimodo rescued her and took her to the cathedral tower in sanctuary. A crowd of vagabonds attacked the tower to liberate her while Frollo graciously offered to save her in return for sexual favors. She refused and as she hung from the gallows Quasimodo defenestrated Frollo from the tower to his death. Quasimodo then vanished, never seen again, until years later a gravedigger stumbled on Esmeralda’s grave revealing two entwined skeletons, one of them deformed.
Music Releases
Four songs were released as singles in a publicity rollout prior to the Paris opening in 1998: “Vivre,” “Le temps des cathédrales,” “Belle” and “Dieu que le monde est injuste.” "Belle" became a huge hit, topped the French chart for 18 successive weeks, was named Song of the Year in France and at the time it was the third most successful song in French history.
The original French concept album (highlights) was released in 1997, 8 months before the stage show. It included 16 songs and featured Israeli singer Achinoam Nini (aka Noa) as Esmeralda. She later withdrew from the project due to other demands. The concept album was followed in 1998 by a live, complete 2-disc cast recording (“version intégral”) of the original Paris cast including Hélène Ségara as Esmeralda. The London performance in 2000-01 lasted 17 months. The original London studio cast album in 2001 featured several original Paris stars, but preserved only a fraction of the score in English. Tina Arena took the role of Esmeralda followed by Danni Minogue.
American lyricist Will Jennings made the English-language adaptation of the French lyrics. Jennings was a noted lyricist and well-known for several very successful original songs. These included the 1997 Oscar-winning Best Original Song “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic” that he co-authored with composer James Horner. Jennings also received awards for “Up Where We Belong” (An Officer and a Gentleman, 1983) and the 1991 “Tears in Heaven” that he wrote with Eric Clapton. His work on Notre Dame de Paris, on the other hand, was widely criticized for prioritizing “singability” over meaning, revealing many important differences between songwriting and the niche of adaptation from another language to fit an existing melody.
Belle (“Beauty”), the Song
In the play, “Belle” is one of 50+ musical numbers that range from operatic to rock, many accompanied by gymnastics and acrobatic dancing of various types. “Belle” is not a character, but an adjective attributed to a beautiful Romani dancer, Esmeralda. This distinction is a reason the song’s title in Will Jenning’s English adaptation became “Belle (is the only word)” instead of just “Belle.” Jennings' adaptation of this song is notably true to the original version in terms of structure, rhyming and meaning. The French version charted at #1 for 18 weeks in France while the English version did not chart in England.
The song’s theme arises in Hugo’s chapter (Book 8, Chapter VI) called "Trois coeurs d'homme faits différemment" (“Three men's hearts made differently”).
The song’s theme arises in Hugo’s chapter (Book 8, Chapter VI) called "Trois coeurs d'homme faits différemment" (“Three men's hearts made differently”).
Patrick Fiori (Phoebus), Garou (Quasimodo), Marc Lavoine (Frollo)
Esmeralda’s beauty entrances three men: the hunchback bellringer Quasimodo (Garou), the cathedral Archdeacan Frollo (Marc Lavoine), and Captain of the Guard Phoebus (Patrick Fiori). In the song, performed as a round, each of them expresses the nature of their heart’s appreciation for Esmeralda which ranges from selfless devotion (Quasimodo) to obsessive lust (Frollo) and superficial pre-marital promiscuity (Phoebus). Each of the men states his case before they blend their voices and obsessions in the final chorus. Esmeralda does not perform in the song.
The song is structured in 4 parts, one for each of the men and a final joint chorus. Each of them has 3 stanzas to make his case. The first 2 stanzas in each part have 4 lines each. The shorter third stanza in each part begins with an invocation of another party’s intervention to support their designs on Esmeralda. Quasimodo asks Lucifer to help run his fingers through her hair. Frollo the priest asks Notre Dame (Our Lady) to help open the door to Esmeralda’s “garden.” Phoebus simply informs his fiancée Fleur-de-Lys that he’s going to “pluck Esmeralda’s love flower.” In the final joint chorus, the three parties combine to request Lucifer’s support, something of a symbol of his primacy over Our Lady in earthly matters. There is rhyming throughout in different combinations.
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FRENCH Bellringer Quasimodo (Garou) Belle C'est un mot qu'on dirait inventé pour elle Quand elle danse et qu'elle met son corps à jour, Tel un oiseau qui étend ses ailes pour s'envoler Alors je sens l'enfer s'ouvrir sous mes pieds J'ai posé mes yeux sous sa robe de gitane A quoi me sert encore de prier Notre-Dame Quel est celui qui lui jettera la première pierre Celui-là ne mérite pas d'être sur terre O Lucifer! Oh! Laisse-moi rien qu'une fois Glisser mes doigts dans les cheveux d'Esméralda Archdeacon Frollo (March Lavoine) Belle Est-ce le diable qui s’est incarné en elle Pour détourner mes yeux du Dieu éternel Qui a mis dans mon être ce désir charnel Pour m'empêcher de regarder vers le Ciel Elle porte en elle le péché originel La désirer fait-il de moi un criminel Celle qu'on prenait pour une fille de joie une fille de rien Semble soudain porter la croix du genre humain O Notre-Dame! Oh! laisse-moi rien qu'une fois Pousser la porte du jardin d'Esméralda Captain Phoebus (Patrick Fiori) Belle Malgré ses grands yeux noirs qui vous ensorcellent La demoiselle serait-elle encore pucelle? Quand ses mouvements me font voir monts et merveilles Sous son jupon aux couleurs de l'arc-en-ciel Ma dulcinée laissez-moi vous être infidèle Avant de vous avoir mené jusqu'à l'autel Quel est l'homme qui détournerait son regard d'elle Sous peine d'être changé en statue de sel O Fleur-de-Lys Je ne suis pas homme de foi J'irai cueillir la fleur d'amour d'Esméralda Quasimodo, Frollo et Phoebus J'ai posé mes yeux sous sa robe de gitane A quoi me sert encore de prier Notre-Dame Quel est celui qui lui jettera la première pierre Celui-là ne mérite pas d'être sur terre O Lucifer! Oh! laisse-moi rien qu'une fois Glisser mes doigts dans les cheveux d'Esméralda Esméralda |
ENGLISH Bellringer Quasimodo (Garou) Beautiful It's a word one could say was invented for her When she dances and reveals her body, Like a bird that spreads its wings to fly away And I feel Hell open beneath my feet I gazed under her Gypsy dress What's the point of praying to Our Lady Who will throw the first stone at her? That one doesn't deserve to be on Earth O, Lucifer! Oh, let me just one time Slide my fingers through Esmeralda's hair Archdeacon Frollo (Marc Lavoine) Beautiful Is it the Devil that inhabits her To turn my eyes away from Eternal God Who put this carnal desire in me To prevent me from looking towards Heaven She carries in her original sin Does wanting her make me a criminal? She who we took for a prostitute, a nobody Suddenly seems to carry the cross of the human race O, Our Lady! Oh, let me just one time Open the door to Esmeralda's garden Captain Phoebus (Patrick Fiori) Beautiful Despite her big black eyes that bewitch you Is the girl still a virgin? When she moves I see mountains and marvels Under her skirt with colors of the rainbow My beloved, let me be unfaithful to you Before leading you to the alter What man would turn his gaze from her Under pain of turning into a statue of salt O, Fleur-de-Lys I'm not a man of faith I'm going to pluck Esmeralda's flower of love Quasimodo, Frollo et Phoebus I gazed under her Gypsy dress What's the point of praying to Our Lady? Who is it who will throw the first stone at her? That one doesn't deserve to be on Earth O, Lucifer! Oh! let me just one time Slide my fingers through Esmeralda's hair Esmeralda |
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