Posted at 7:00 a.m.
(New York) There were a few graceful moments Thursday at the big New York premiere of Notre Dame of Paris. Daniel Lavoie, in better shape than ever (!), declaiming his heartbreaking love for Esmeralda, kneeling on the stage; I’Hail Mary both pagan and celestial of the marvelous Hiba Tawaji; the final lament of Quasimodo, moving Angelo Del Vecchi…
At the end of the performance, nearly 2,600 spectators spontaneously rose to a standing ovation as the troupe greeted the audience of the David H. Koch Theatre. Then Gian Marco Schiaretti, the interpreter of Gringoire alternately with Bruno Pelletier (who was not on the trip to New York), presented the creative team, including the director Gilles Maheu, the choreographer Martino Müller, the author Luc Plamondon and composer Richard Cocciante. Second five-minute ovation!
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Stage of the show Notre Dame of Paris
Strategic and symbolic
The production of Notre Dame of Paris had many reasons to celebrate Thursday night at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Because this New York premiere was held symbolically on July 14, the French national holiday.
“We celebrate the French fact in New York, explains to The Press producer Paul Dupont-Hébert, on the sidelines of the performance. It is France, Paris and Quebec that land on Broadway to represent the strength and richness of French-speaking culture. It’s Luc Plamondon, the greatest French-speaking lyricist, the music of Cocciante, the talent of some thirty French-speaking performers, dancers and acrobats, all gathered in the mecca of showbusiness. »
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Daniel Lavoie (left) is in the cast of Notre Dame of Paris
The red carpet evening, organized by producers Nicolas Talar and Adam Blanshay, also marked the relaunch of the North American tour of the musical show, acclaimed for 24 years around the world. After New York, Notre Dame of Paris will be on view during the summer in Montreal, Quebec, Moncton and Ottawa.
Moreover, the show, on display for two weeks in the Big Apple, is presented in the language of Victor Hugo, with English surtitles on the sides of the stage cage. This didn’t seem to bother the mostly American audience. At the party after the show, a couple from Chicago came to congratulate Luc Plamondon for “his French poetry”: “I’ve always said that I write operas with verse and rhyme, not librettos for musicals. Seeing unilingual Americans highlight the poetry of my lyrics is flattering,” Luc Plamondon told us.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante in Times Square
A difficult assembly
In the United States, we do as the Americans do. Mounting the show at Lincoln Center was difficult. In the first numbers on Thursday, we felt that there were still sound adjustments to be made. The American technical team took four times longer to set up the decor than normal. There was no rehearsal or sequence before the first performance in front of an audience. The performers therefore practically “chained” the numbers for the first time in front of 2,600 people, the day before the premiere!
-
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Lincoln Center hosts the show Notre Dame of Paris
-
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
More than 2600 spectators were present to watch the premiere.
-
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Setting up the sets was a challenge for the technical team.
-
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Backstage tour, a few hours before the premiere.
1/4
But the magic of Our Lady operated. In addition to experienced performers, the cast makes room for the next generation. Among Quebec artists, Philippe Tremblay (Quasimodo’s understudy) and Jaime Bono (who alternately takes over the roles of Fleur de Lys and Esmeralda since 2021) are barely 19 years old.
In the case of Jamie Bono, his participation in Notre Dame of Paris comes from a fairy tale. She was discovered by Luc Plamondon by chance, two years ago, on the sidewalk after dinner in a restaurant in Montreal. Bono was at the same restaurant with his family. When Plamondon left, she followed him outside to sing him a tune on the sidewalk, “like Piaf.” “In front of the entrance on Park Avenue, she started to sing I am sick. In the middle of the song, she stopped thinking that I didn’t like her version. I said no ! Keep it up, your voice is beautiful! And Jamie got the final score as well as Lara Fabian, ”says Plamondon. Three weeks later, the 17-year-old singer joined the production in Korea to replace a sick performer. You can not make that up !
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Esmeralda, performed by Lebanese singer Hiba Tawaji.
Conquer America
The production of Notre Dame of Paris has wanted for years to have a showcase on Broadway in order to seduce America and mark the 25e anniversary of creation in 2023. In the early 2000s, Notre Dame of Paris premiered in Las Vegas, in English and in a shortened one-act version. Without success.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Musical comedy Notre Dame of Paris runs from Lincoln Center in New York through July 24.
Luc Plamondon tells us that wealthy theatergoers in New York believe they can finance the project to mount Our Lady on Broadway for good. The creator doesn’t really believe in it. However, Paul Dupont-Hébert always wanted the English-speaking world to recognize the value of the French language and culture. “Maybe America is ready for French!? says Mr. Dupont-Hébert.
While waiting to see if the New York adventure will open the doors to the American market, audiences here can catch the tour in Canada starting July 28. And the preparations for the 25e anniversary will relaunch the success of Notre-Dame on the planet.
Notre Dame of Paris runs from Lincoln Center in New York through July 24. The show will then head to Moncton on July 28, then will be presented in Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa.
Accommodation and travel expenses for this report were paid for by the production.