Phantom as Frollo

by

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJCkYF7qQKY

As fan of Hellfire and the Phantom of the Opera this video fills me with joy. I also think that the Phantom is more like Frollo than Quasimodo but that is an article for another day.

Bohemienne in Japanese

by

I’ve studied Japanese and while I’m by no means fluent I think this is a decent rendering of the song into Japanese. I like that for the word for “fate” is Sadame  which man fate but it has a sad connotation to it. Not sure what I think of the singing though.

I one time timed to tried to translate Belle into Japanese but not to fit the measure. I do think it would be cool if Notre Dame played to Japan, it’s played a lot in Asia but not in Japan.

 

Matt Laurent from Russia with Love for Esmeralda

by

A Video of Matt Laurent (who has played Quausimodo over 400 times) sings Dance my Esmeralda on a Russian TV show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBegUUnCdF0

I think he does a great job. He really does make some of the more awkward lines work. The arrangement is a bit more of a pop sound than in the show.  I find it cute that he does that head tilt back move that you see Garou do a lot ( at 0.48). Maybe now it’s just a Quasimodo gesture to get the right tone of voice, but I alway associate that head tilt with Garou.

Les Misérables Movie Pictures and Trailers

by

Pictures and Trailer from the upcoming 2012 Les Misérables  movies. I’m still not sure on the casting and the production values seem a bit to  much like “Notice Me Academy”.

 

(Please Note –  I’m not as familiar with Les Mis so I may have misidentified  characters or actors)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7_pOyPYGUQ

How do you think Notre Dame de Paris would translate to a movie format? I think a cinematic treatment could be cool but the musical doesn’t have the best “narrative.”

Anne Meson in Notre Dame de Paris

by

Today we’re going to look at Anne Meson.

Anne Meson as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Anne Meson as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris

Meson has played both Esmeralda and Fleur de Lys. Other Actresses who shares this distinction are Julie Zenatti, Chiara di Bari and Jessica Grove. She is one of 10 actors that have been in two casts that are in different languages (Garou, Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Luck Merville, Natasha St.Pier, Matt Laurent, Robert Marien, Chiara Di Bari, Dennis Ten Vergert and Tim Driesen)

Meson when she was younger was the  French Disney ambassador and sang songs for Oliver, Little Mermaid and Chip and Dale, Rescue Rangers. She sang Part of that World on the Little Mermiad 1990 sound track

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FZdkvzguus

Recently I found her website and I wanted to share the Notre Dame bits;

Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast with Cyril Niccolaï as Gringoire & Laurent Bàn as Phoebus Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast with Cyril Niccolaï as Gringoire & Laurent Bà n as Phoebus

Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast

 

Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast Notre Dame de Paris

Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast

 

Anne Meson as Fleur de Lys in the Las Vegas Cast Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Anne Meson as Fleur de Lys in the Las Vegas Cast Notre Dame de Paris

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVorTyvVzmA&list=FLCmjM77B5AUW7TzpJKcHnYg&index=1&feature=plpp_video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAC2Wb8bDWY&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rgUEigAu0Q&feature=plcp&context=C3469516UDOEgsToPDskL21ee98ty58pY_5zh9yd5P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCnu-Oyk0tw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6F8wB6YI88

I wish I could have seen more of her performances.

 

Watch the 1923 version of Hunchback on youtube

by

watch the 1923 on youtube in one handy long video, no but serious it’s very nice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dm09QfKsOQ

Or you could buy the DVD from amazon and listen to former make-up artist Michael Blake  praise Lon Chaney and butcher the character’s name for an hour and forty minute i(namely Quasimodo, Esmeralda and Phoebus). Though I have to admit it was funny because it was kind of obvious that he had never read the book. Because in the book Frollo tries to force himself on Esmeralda and Quasimodo saves her, in the movie Frollo, be it Jehan in this case, does this and Quasimodo save her butBlake this scene is just the product of silent movies tropes and praise the movie for having Qausimodo save her and not Phoebus, :facepalms:

Video of Zingara performed 4/13/2012

by

This video from the 10th anniversary Italian cast of Notre Dame de Paris from April 13th, 2012. I beilieve it’s Federica Callori as Esmeralda singing Zingara (Bohemienne).

I’m just going to say this I find a lot of casts of Notre Dame de Paris to have rather mechanical performances and it’s very noticeable in this song with Esmeralda.  You can see it in run toward up stage at 0:58 and her interaction with other people. It’s not just Callori many of the Esmeraldas don’t have that ease of motion that Esmeralda should have.

Helene Segara performing Bohemienne as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Helene Segara performing Bohemienne as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris

Say what you want about Helene Segara’s over-all performance, at least her movements felt natural and not forced.

 

Lola Ponce as Esmeralda Original Italian Cast Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Lola Ponce as Esmeralda Original Italian Cast Notre Dame de Paris

Lola Ponce was probadly one the best Esmeraldas to combine the choreography and her own natural moments.

What do you think? Do you find some of the Esmeralda’s moments mechanical and overly pre-planned, I mean I know they are but it shouldn’t feel that way. Or do you disagree with me and find the moments natural and fluid? Or do you have an opinion of Callori’s performance?  Your thoughts/opinions are very welcome ^_^