Tragedy produces a sublime musical

Embracing the dead body of Esmeralda, Quasimodo roars with all his strength.

"When the years have all come and gone, they'll find beneath the ground. Our two bodies joined as one, showing how we were bound Dance my Esmeralda, sing my Esmeralda. Please let my poor soul fly free, it is not death to die for you!"

The final song of musical Notre Dame de Paris has ignited theaters in Guangdong's provincial capital Guangzhou and Shanghai since November. Now it is prepared to blow Beijing audiences away from Dec 27 to 30 at the Theater of Beijing Exhibition Center.

"We are very confident of the English version," says Nicolas Talar, producer of the musical. "Audiences who were moved by the show in French nine years ago, or didn't get the chance to see it, shouldn't miss it this time."

Based on the novel Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) by French novelist Victor Hugo (1802-1885), the French-Canadian musical tells of the tragic story between the deformed but kind-hearted hunchback bell-ringer Quasimodo and his love, Esmeralda the Gypsy.

It took 13 years for songwriter Richard Cocciante and lyricist Luc Plamondon to complete, but when the musical debuted in 1998 in Paris it was an instant success.

Since then it has been translated into seven languages and toured the world. More than 4.5 million people have seen the show, and its soundtrack has sold more than 7 million copies.

The English touring version emerged from the full-length London production that premiered in 2000, with the English lyrics written by Will Jennings.

The only change from the original Paris edition is that two songs in Act II are switched for a better continuity of the storyline.

The choreography, for example, remains simple and conceptual, with a few stone pillars and a wall representing the cathedral.

"The overall presentation is very solid and appealing," says Zhong Min, who saw the show at Shanghai Culture Square and still feels energized by it.

Some French words that are already familiar to English-speaking audiences have been retained in the lyrics to preserve the French flavor of the musical.

"We were asked to keep the French accent of these French words," says French-Canadian Candice Parise, who plays Esmeralda.

"Created by Francophones, the musical carries a French spirit," says Matt Laurent, who has played Quasimodo both in English and French more than 400 times and reprises the role once more. "My experience helps me to carry on the emotion we had at the beginning."

As opposed to the orchestral musicals of Broadway and the West End, the music for all 50 songs is pre-recorded. "That's one of the reasons why we can repeat the originality of the musical anywhere and anytime," says Talar, the producer.

"When the characters sing, they have to be intensely involved since the songs are very wide-ranging and powerful," explains Robert Marien, Frollo in the musical, who is also the vocal supervisor. "Similarly, the dancing is extremely physical and technical and requires 100 percent devotion."

The musical also has strong acrobatic performances that require professional acrobats, he adds. "No one can sing and dance at the same time in this musical," Talar continues. "The degree of difficulty requires top artists."

He adds that an international team of artists has been assembled and there are Chinese elements, too, including a male Chinese dancer and wardrobe assistant.

"It's a precious experience to work with such a professional team," says Song Yang, the wardrobe assistant.

Liu Zhengyuan, a hardcore musical fan, contributed translations of the lyrics for the Chinese subtitles. He completed the translation in 2005 and has continuously refined it since then.

"My translation doesn't only convey the meaning but also has a lyrical quality," Liu says. "It helps Chinese audiences appreciate the musical better."

"Compared with nine years ago, when the French version of Notre Dame de Paris premiered in China, Chinese audiences have been more knowledgeable and international," says Zhang Ligang, show manager at Theater of Beijing Exhibition Center. "I'm sure the musical will be a big box office success."

China Daily

(China Daily 12/20/2011 page19)