About the work
The musical retells Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in song and grew out of an idea by lyricist Luc Plamondon, who joined forces with composer Riccardo Cocciante in 1993. The pair wrote the score between 1995 and 1997, working alternately in Paris, Rome and Montreal. It premiered on 16 September 1998 at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, staged by Gilles Maheu.
Plot
In medieval Paris, the bell-ringer Quasimodo, the archdeacon Frollo, the captain Phoebus and the poet Gringoire all desire the dancer Esmeralda; the outcast Quasimodo shields her from the crowd's fury at the pillory. Frollo's obsession and Phoebus's betrayal drive the story toward tragedy, ending with Esmeralda's execution and Quasimodo's death at her side.
Cultural significance
The song "Belle" became the best-selling single of the year in France in 1998, topping the charts for eighteen weeks. The musical is credited with reviving French-language musical theatre and has since been staged in more than twenty countries and eight language versions, passing 4,300 performances.