NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS (DVD)

Inspired by Victor Hugo’s famous novel Notre-Dame de Paris, published in 1831, Roland Petit’s ballet recounts the agonies of a hunchback, cast out of society for his physical difference, a cleric, tormented by his unrequited love for a young gypsy dancer and a proud, handsome soldier. Set in medieval Paris, the story revolves around the conflict between individual ways to happiness and the machinations of a rigidly structured society.

Roland Petit likes to tell stories in which “beings apart”, be they wretched or hideous, fall prey to femmes fatales, the seductive faces of death. Whether it is the Wolf, Don Jose or the Young Man, most of his lead characters have an appointment with death. Petit’s narrative choreography is inventive, with powerful images, like Quasimodo’s use of his whole body to ring the bell and the way in which his hunchback vanishes whenever he feels at peace with himself.

This ballet, created in 1965 at the Paris Opera, has frequently been revived. The story lends itself excellently to dancing with colourful mass scenes, expressive solos, poetic pas de deux and passionate trios. With its clear and incisive language, Roland Petit’s Notre-Dame de Paris has become a modern classic. Together with Yves Saint Laurent, Roland Petit created a “Gesamtkunstwerk”. Costumes in broad colours and black stripes combining medieval touches and French haute couture elegance support the dancing and provide a colourful atmosphere.

TDK presents a live recording of this exciting choreography from a 1996 production at the Opera National de Paris. Nicolas Le Riche, one of the foremost dancers of today, created the main role. Famous all over the world for his elegant strength, the beauty of his expression and the musicality of his movements, he has created leading roles for choreographers such as Rudolf Nureyev, Mats Ek and John Neumeier.
He dances Quasimodo opposite Isabelle Guerin, who takes the role of the gypsy girl Esmeralda, who is desired by all the male protagonists of the story. Until her retirement from the stage at forty in 2001, Isabelle Guerin was one of the brightest stars of the Paris Opera Ballet, admired for her versatility, her dramatic gifts, her passionate, yet subtle portrayals and her effortless technique.

With Manuel Legris as the proud and handsome archer Phoebus, for whom Esmeralda feels love and Laurent Hilaire as the two-faced cleric of Notre-Dame, Frollo, who caringly took on the abandoned Quasimodo when he was a child, but kills Phoebus in a love-induced frenzy, the cast is completed by two eminent members of the outstanding Ballet de l’Opera National de Paris, one of the world’s leading companies.

This powerful staging also owes much to the score of Maurice Jarre, whose music underpins the entire ballet. He created recognisable melodic themes for the various characters and rhythmic dances for the mass scenes that take place around the cathedral. The film music composer, who can count many famous 20th century films, including Doctor Zhivago, Lawrence of Arabia, Ryan’s Daughter, The Tin Drum, A Passage to India, Fatal Attraction and Dead Poet’s Society among his output, provided the original score, which more than thirty years later, still sounds fresh and highly danceable.

The filming for this DVD recreates the atmosphere of a night at the opera house, while providing the viewer with a closer look at the dancers, their interpretation and their artistic endeavours.

Sound Formats: DD5.1/ DTS5.1/ LPCM STEREO
Picture Format: 16:9 anamorphic/ NTSC
Liner Notes: GB, D, F
Region Code: 0 (worldwide)
Disc Format: 1 DVD9
Running Time: 86 min