| Der Glöckner von Notre Dame | |
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| Original Cast Recording Cover Art | |
|---|---|
| Music | Alan Menken |
| Lyrics | Stephen Schwartz |
| Book | James Lapine |
| Basis | Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame |
| Productions | 1999 Berlin |
Der Glöckner von Notre Dame (literally translated in English, The Bellringer of Notre Dame) is a musical, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The musical opened at the Musical Theatre Berlin on June 5, 1999 in Berlin, Germany. It was produced by Walt Disney Theatrical, based on the 1996 Disney film, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was inspired by the 1831 Victor Hugo novel of the same name, re-written and directed by James Lapine. After a successful run, it closed in June 2002. The musical was Disney's first musical to premiere outside the U.S., and it became one of Berlin's longest-running musicals to date. As with Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, Der Glöckner Von Notre Dame opened three years after the release of the movie it is based on.
The musical is a darker, more gothic adaptation of the film. An original cast recording was recorded in German.
Contents |
Rumored American revival
In 2008, Stephen Schwartz said, "I think we're starting up Hunchback of Notre Dame, hopefully, next year (2009). Rumor has reached my ear that it's happening."[1] Thomas Schumacher, head of Disney Theatrical, discussed current and future stage productions in an article published by the Columbus Dispatch on September 21, 2008. In the article, a US-version of Hunchback is listed among others as being in development, "Disney's first original foreign-language production, which ran from 1999 to 2002 in Berlin, is being revamped for its U.S. premiere."[2]
Musical numbers
- Act I[3]
- "The Bells of Notre Dame" ("Die Glocken Notre Dames") - Clopin, Frollo, Archdeacon, Latin Chorus
- "Sanctuary" ("Zuflucht") - Frollo, Quasimodo, Antoine, Charles, Loni
- "Out There" ("Draußen") - Quasimodo
- "Rest and Recreation" ("Ein bißchen Freude") - Phoebus
- "Balancing Act" ("Tanz auf dem Seil") - Esmeralda, Clopin, Gypsies
- "Topsy Turvy" ("Drunter drüber") - Clopin, Quasimodo, Parisians
- "God Help the Outcasts" ("Helf den Verstoß'nen") - Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Parisians
- "Top of the World" ("Hoch über der Welt") - Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Antoine, Charles, Loni
- "Heaven's Light" ("Das Licht des Himmels") - Quasimodo
- "Hellfire" ("Das Feuer der Hölle") - Frollo, Latin Chorus
- "Esmeralda" - Clopin, Frollo, Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Phoebus, Parisians, Soldiers
- Act II
- "City Under Siege" ("Trommeln in der Stadt") - Clopin, Parisians
- "A Guy Like You" ("Ein Mann wie du") - Antoine, Charles, Loni, Quasimodo
- "Out of Love" ("Weil du Liebst") - Quasimodo, Phoebus, Antoine, Charles, Loni
- "Dance of the Gypsies" ("Tanz der Zigeuner")
- "Out of Love (Reprise)" ("Weil du liebst (Reprise)") - Phoebus, Esmeralda, Quasimodo
- "Made of Stone" ("Wie aus Stein") - Quasimodo, Loni, Charles, Antoine
- "Someday" ("Einmal") - Esmeralda, Phoebus, Parisians
- "Grand Finale" ("Finale Ultimo") - Frollo, Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Phoebus, Clopin, Antoine, Charles, Loni, Archdeacon, Parisians, Soldiers, Latin Chorus
Original Cast
- Quasimodo: Drew Sarich
- Esmeralda: Judy Weiss
- Phœbus: Fredrik Lycke
- Clopin: Jens Janke
- Frollo: Norbert Lamla
- Charles: Valentin Zahn
- Loni: Yvonne Ritz Andersen
- Antoine: Tamàs Ferkay
- The Archdeacon: Carlo Lauber
Synopsis
- Act I
The show opens in 1482 Paris with Clopin, a crippled old gypsy beggar, who tells the audience the story of a beautiful gypsy girl and the bell ringer of Notre Dame ("The Bells of Notre Dame"): The story begins with three gypsies who attempt to enter Paris but are arrested by the city's Minister of Justice, Frollo. The one gypsy carrying an infant flees to Notre Dame seeking sanctuary. Thinking the bundle is stolen goods, Frollo appears and snatches the child from its mother. He shoves the gypsy down the cahtedral's steps who dies when her head hits the stone stairs. When Frollo finds the baby is deformed he attempts to kill it, but is stopped by the Archdeacon. He tells Frollo to adopt the child as his own on order to save his soul for killing an innocent woman. Frollo agrees, on the condition that the child live in the cathedrals bell tower to keep him away from the outside world. He names the baby Quasimodo, meaning “half-formed”.
Time passes and Quasimodo, now age twenty, is the bell ringer of Notre Dame. As he rings the bells, he notices the citizens below preparing for the annual Festival of Fools. He begins to debate among his imaginary gargoyle friends, Antoine, Loni and Charles, whether or not he should attend the festival having never ventured outside Notre Dame. When Frollo arrives, he reviews the Latin alphabet with Quasimodo. Quasimodo accidentally blurts out “Festival”. Frollo forbids him to leave the bell tower while the gargoyles urge to disobey and attend the festival ("Sanctuary"). After Frollo leaves, Quasimodo expresses his longing to be out in the world ("Out There").
Clopin appears again. This time as the handsome, young king of the gypsies. He introduces the audience to the gypsies underground hide out, the Court of Miracles ("Balancing Act"). He later introduces Esmeralda, a beautiful gypsy girl whose arrived from Frankfurt, to the gypsy clan. Meanwhile, Captain Phoebus arrives at Paris ("Rest and Recreation"). As he attempts to seduce a young girl, he is interrupted by a fleeing gypsy accused of theft. The gypsy pleas innocence until Frollo and his men arrive. After Phœbus introduces himself to Frollo, Frollo has the gypsy arrested. He explains to Phœbus that Paris has become over run by gypsies. Phoebus offers to help in anyway he can.
Finally, the Festival of Fools begins with Clopin as the MC ("Topsy Turvy"). Quasimodo arrives disguised as a jester. He feels confused and frightened by the crowds strange behavior. Later on, Clopin introduces Esmeralda to the crowd. Her spellbinding and seductive dance captivates the crowd, even Frollo. Afterwards, it is time for the crowd to choose the ugliest person to be their King of Fools. Thinking Quasimodo is in costume, Esmeralda talks him into auditioning. The crowd applauds and Quasimodo is crowned King of Fools. When Esmeralda attempts to reveal Quasimodo’s identity, everyone sees he’s not in costume and the he’s really the monstrous bell ringer of Notre Dame. Quasimodo attempts to escape but the crowd turns ugly and hog ties him to the stage. Despite Quasimodo’s cries for help, Frollo does nothing. Esmeralda races onto the stage and sets him free. Enraged, Frollo orders Phoebus to arrest her. Clopin helps her escape. As the soldiers search for Esmeralda, Frollo sends Quasimodo back to the bell tower. As Quasimodo returns, Frollo notices Esmeralda scarf lying on the stage floor. With no one around, Frollo hides it in his sleeve.
Esmeralda escapes to Notre Dame. She soon discovers that she has been followed by Phoebus and attempts to flee. Phoebus cuts her off and tells her he means no harm. Frollo arrives and sends Phoebus out. As he interrogates Esmeralda, the Archdeacon arrives and orders Frollo to leave. The archdeacon offers her comfort and tells her to find peace inside the safety of the cathedral. Esmeralda prays for her people and the other less fortunate who are looked down upon by society ("God Help the Outcast"). She notices Quasimodo who runs away from her. Meanwhile, Frollo orders Phoebus to post a guard at every door to ensure Esmeralda does not escape.
Esmeralda follows Quasimodo to the bell tower. Quasimodo shys away from her. Antoine, Loni and Charles continuously push him and encourage him to say something romantic. He shows Esmeralda the view and she becomes captivated by the view ("On Top of the World"). After showing her the bells, he repays Esmeralda’s kindness by showing her a secret tunnel way out of Notre Dame. Before she leaves, she offers him an amulet leading to the Court of Miracles if he ever would need sanctuary and gives him a kiss. As Esmeralda disappears into the night, Quasimodo wonders if Esmeralda could really love him for who he really is ("Heaven’s Light"). Meanwhile Frollo struggles with his carnal lust for Esmeralda. Thinking he is under some black spell, he believes Esmeralda must be executed in order to save his soul from eternal damnation ("Hellfire").
Frollo’s soldiers catch Esmeralda escaping and bring her to Phoebus. Phoebus orders the soldiers to leave and lets her escape. The next morning, Frollo interrogates Quasimodo asking where Esmeralda is. Quasimodo lies to his master saying he hasn’t seen her. Frollo orders Phoebus and his men to search the city and arrest every gypsy they can find. During the search, they come across a gypsy amulet on the property of a miller. Frollo interrogates the miller to tell him where the gypsies are but the miller denies any association with them. Frollo orders Phoebus to burn the miller's house with him and his family inside. Phoebus defies his orders and Frollo dismisses him from duty and orders his execution. With the help of Esmeralda, Phoebus escapes. Frollo and his men begin the hunt for Esmeralda and Phoebus. Meanwhile, Quasimodo fears for Esmeralda ("Esmeralda"). While crossing a bridge, Phoebus is shot in the arm with an arrow and tumbles into the river below. Esmeralda dives in after him.
- Act II
The second act opens with Frollo’s soldiers heavily policing the streets of Paris and arresting anyone who gets in their way ("City Under Siege"). Esmeralda rescues Phœbus from drowning and tells him to go to Notre Dame where he will be safe.
Meanwhile, Quasimodo fears that he will never see Esmeralda again. Antoine, Loni and Charles lighten things up and assure him that she will return because “she likes him” ("A Guy Like You"). The Archdeacon arrives with Phoebus and introduces him to Quasimodo. Phoebus explains that Esmeralda sent him to the bell tower. The Archdeacon notices that Frollo is coming. Quasimodo hides Phoebus just as Frollo enters. After the Archdeacon leaves, Frollo pulls out his Bible and reads his favorite quote from the Book of Psalms, “The wicked shall not go unpunished”. Noticing that Quasimodo is acting strange, Frollo coaxes a confession from him that he helped Esmeralda escape. Furious with Quasimodo, Frollo tells him that he knows where Esmeralda and the other gypsies are hiding. After Frollo leaves, Phoebus emerges and asks Quasimodo to help him find and warn Esmeralda. Quasimodo refuses to help. After gentle convincing from Phoebus and the gargoyles ("Out of Love"), Quasimodo agrees to help. As they leave the cathedral, Quasimodo notices the streets being patrolled. Phoebus explains that they are after Esmeralda. As they wait for the streets to clear, Phoebus confesses his love for Esmeralda. He also mentions Esmeralda’s feelings for Quasimodo. Overjoyed with this news, Quasimodo happily presses forward with Phoebus.
When Phoebus and Quasimodo reach the Court of Miracles, they notice the gypsies joyfully dancing (Dance of the Gypsies). They are taken captive by the gypsies who think they are Frollo’s spies. Esmeralda comes to their rescue saying that they are friends. Phoebus and Quasimodo tell the gypsies that Frollo plans to attack. Clopin orders the gypsies to prepare to leave. He then tells Esmeralda to flee the city. Phoebus offers to go with her. As the two confess their love for each other, Quasimodo is heartbroken as he watches them ("Out of Love (Reprise)"). Frollo arrives with his men and arrests Esmeralda and Phoebus and has Quasimodo sent back to the bell tower.
Later, Frollo visits Esmeralda in the dungeon. He confesses his love for her, but she resents him. Before he leaves, he offers Esmeralda a choice: to succumb to him in exchange for her freedom and Phoebus, or be put to death by fire. Meanwhile, Antoine, Loni and Charles notice Frollo’s men in the square building a pyre. They try to convince Quasimodo, who is in shackles, to save Esmeralda. In his anger, Quasimodo rages back at them saying that everything they tell him to do leads to trouble. His final words to them are to leave him alone. The gargoyles obey and turn back into stone ("Made of Stone").
Phoebus is imprisoned with Esmeralda. She tells him of Frollo’s offer and that she’d consider it in order to save him. When Phoebus tells her to do it to save herself, she says she’d rather die than be a coward. As dawn approaches, the two lovers hold out hope that someday society will change for the better ("Someday"). As a solemn crowd gathers, Esmeralda and Phoebus are marched to the square where the pyre awaits Esmeralda.
Frollo arrives and announces the charges against Esmeralda. The Archdeacon orders Frollo to let her go. Frollo agrees to if she recants of her wrongs. Rather than give in, Esmeralda defies Frollo and spits in his face. Frollo orders the execution to be carried out and the pyre is lite. Quasimodo breaks free, swings down to the square and rescues Esmeralda. As Phoebus and Clopin fight off the soldiers, Quasimodo escapes with Esmeralda to the bell tower crying “Sanctuary” at the top. Frollo orders his men to break down the door and storm the cathederal. Phoebus fires up the crowd and tells them to fight back. As a battle rages below, Quasimodo and the gargoyles bring a cascade of molton iron down upon the crowd below. Afterwards, Quasimodo arrives to tell Esmeralda of the victory and that she is now safe. But she soon passes away. Her last words to Quasimodo is thanking him for being a good friend. As Quasimodo sobs over Esmeralda’s dead body, Frollo arrives. He comforts Quasimodo and then tries to kill him with a dagger, but is thrown off the cathedral heights by an angered Quasimodo. As the sun breaks through the clouds, the gargoyles offer Quasimodo bitter sweet comfort. Quasimodo, heartbroken carries Esmeralda’s body, with Phoebus by his side, through the crowd of mourning Parisians. Clopin appears again and concludes the story by asking, what makes a monster and what makes a man? ("Grand Finale").
Differences from the original 1996 film
- The gargoyles names have been changed from Victor, Hugo and Laverne to Charles, Antoine and Loni. The gargoyles' comedy in the musical is greatly toned down, and they are also firmly established as figments of Quasimodo's imagination.
- Neither Esmeralda's goat Djali nor Phoebus' horse Achilles appear in the stage musical.
- Esmeralda is shown a way out of Notre Dame rather than Quasimodo climbing her down.
- When narrating, Clopin appears as a crippled old beggar and no longer uses puppets.
- The song from the film "The Court of Miracles" is replaced by a dance number called "Dance of the Gypsies".
- Frollo's past is expanded to note that he was once a priest, harking back to his position as the archdeacon in the original novel.
- Esmeralda dies at the end.
- Frollo is thrown off the cathedral by Quasimodo, instead of falling from the crumbling gargoyle fixture.
Design features
- Set
The set for the original production utilized many large hydraulically controlled boxes that can be placed at every conceivable height and level, and the usage of highly detailed photographic images make for one of the most stunning productions one can hope to see. Particularly effective in usage is the finale of act one showing Phoebus' plummet from a bridge over the Seine after being shot by an arrow.[3]
- Sound
Notre Dame wouldn't be Notre Dame without its famous bells, an effect that is produced live in the pit with both chimes and at times electric keyboards and routed through the console, a Cadac J-Type with motorized faders. Michel Weber is the head sound operator who runs the sound for the show. [4] Tony Meola noted that the Berlin theatre was "really quite good acoustically for a large musical. It's not too reverberant, yet reverberant enough to make the orchestra sound good and you can hear the words of the songs."[5]
- Projections
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is set in medieval Paris with the cathedral of Notre Dame as a central location. "I try to draw from elements of the period," says Sirlin, who spent a few days in Paris taking photographs of the Seine and of Notre Dame and the breathtaking views from the cathedral. "The pictures served as source material," he explains, noting that he used versions of the cathedral's gargoyles and other architectural elements to capture the essence of Notre Dame. "You can create a lot of movement with the projections. The audience believes what you tell them if you do it right."[4]
There are projections used in every scene of the show. "Sometimes they are more for scenery or an effect, a texture or an image," continues Sirlin. "There are a variety of ways of working with the large-format projectors and defining your gobos a little differently." An incredibly beautiful use of the projections is a scene that takes place on a bridge above, and then in, the Seine."[4]
- Original crew[6].==
- German translation: Michael Kunze
- Choreography: Lar Lubovitch
- Set designer: Heidi Ettinger
- Costume designer: Sue Blane
- Lighting: Rick Fisher
- Sound: Tony Meola
- Projections: Jerome Sirlin
References
- ^ Playbill.com Interview
- ^ Columbus Dispatch Article by Michael Grossberg
- ^ a b Disney "The Hunchback of Notre Dame Stage production recording", at the musicalschwartz website
- ^ a b c Bells Are Ringing
- ^ http://livedesignonline.com/mag/show_business_bells_ringing/ Bells are ringing
- ^ "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Find Articles at BNET.com, Variety
External links
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