The Hunchblog – Behind the Scenes

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So I thought I would go a little behind the scenes of the Hunchblog and share some of the names that were suggested to me by a friend for the Blog’s title. (I remember these because they are still on my cell phone) Enjoy

– Rollin’ with Frollo
– Frollo’s Draughts
– Frollo’s Promissory
– Frollo’s Fashion
– The Fashions of Notre Dame
– Dernier Cri de Notre Dame
– Huncnback, Allez
– Notre Dame de Cafe
– C’est la Notre Dame
– The Polish of Notre Dame
– Illuminations de Notre Dame
– Hunchback in Flames
– The Circus of Notre Dame
– Hunchback Spotting
– Assemblage of Notre Dame
– Frollo Files
– Blog of Notre Dame

Two Questions!
Which one of these is your favorite and did I make the right decision with The Hunchblog of Notre Dame?

Das Licht des Himmels & Das Feuer der Hölle- Music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame“ Part 4

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This the fourth part of my review on the music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Das Licht des Himmels

Drew Sarich as Quasimodo in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Drew Sarich as Quasimodo in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Das Licht des Himmels (Heaven’s Light) is identical to the Disney version. The minor difference is that a used piano during the part where Quasimodo calls Esmeralda an angel. That’s it. It’s still sweet and is a good counter to Quasimodo’s bitterness of his unrequited love.

Das Feuer der Hölle

Norbert Lamla as Frollo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Norbert Lamla as Frollo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Here’s a question for all of you, What do like about Hellfire in the original Disney movie? Is it the song itself? Tony Jay’s singing? The Animation? Or the fact that this song about hell and lust was produced under the Mouse?  And when those things like the animation, Tony Jay and the Disney movie context are removed is the song still as awesome?  I would like to say yes but this version is not my favorite, there is something about the way Norbert Lamla sings it that just devoid of the emotional intensity that Jay gave it. I’m not saying Lamla is a not a good singer because he is. I think he maybe trying to mimic Jay’s performance. Maybe this is number is more amazing on stage than it sung.  Though from what I’ve read the stage re-creates the Disney Hellfire sequence. But it just doesn’t compare to the Disney version but it couldn’t have been better in it’s own right.

Next Time – End of Act 1 Esmeralda

Esmeralda saving Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda saving Phoebus Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

More Asian Tour Pictures

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More Pictures of the Asian Tour Cast, Enjoy. (Click to Enjoy them in Full-Size Glory)

Candice Parise as Esmeralda during Belle Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Candice Parise as Esmeralda during Belle Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Dennis Ten Vergert as Gringoire during the Age of The Cathedrals Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Dennis Ten Vergert as Gringoire during the Age of The Cathedrals Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Matt Laurent Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Matt Laurent Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Robert Marien as Frollo during Belle Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Robert Marien as Frollo during Belle Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Bell Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Bell Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Matt Laurent Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Matt Laurent Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Dance my Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Dance my Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Candice Parise as Esmeralda during My Home in the Sky Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Candice Parise as Esmeralda during My Home in the Sky Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Robert Marien and Matt Laurent Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour image picture

Robert Marien and Matt Laurent Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Candice Parise as Esmeralda during Live for the One I Love Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Candice Parise as Esmeralda during Live for the One I Love Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

The Shadow Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

The Shadow Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour image picture

Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

Cast Curtain Call Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour picture image

Cast Curtain Call Notre Dame de Paris 2011-2012 Asian Tour

 

Hilf den Verstoß’nen and Hoch über der Welt “ Music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame“ Part 3

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This is the third part of the music review of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Hilf den Verstoß’nen

Esmeralda singing Hilf den Verstoßenen in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda singing Hilf den Verstoß’nen in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Hilf den Verstoß’nen (God Help the Outcast) is for the most part the same as the Disney version with one exception, Quasimodo sings in it. This add-on makes the song a touch longer. Another minor difference is that unlike the  parishioners in the Disney that sings about wanting wealth, fame, glory together in the stage show the first two lines are sung in solos. A minute difference. Musically the song is identical to the Disney. Seriously, play the songs together and they are the same musically.

It’s a nice version of God Help the Outcast. On the one hand, I rather like the addition of Quasimodo here but on the other it robs Esmeralda of a song to herself. I mean Phoebus gets one but Esmeralda also sings with someone else whereas Quasimodo gets two songs for himself, three is you want to count the Gargoyles as part of his psyche. Considering that I wish they had let Quasimodo out of the song but maybe Menken and Schwartz felt that Esmeralda and Quasimodo should have got one song together but Quasimodo shyness would have prevented him from actively singing with her so him stalking her around Notre Dame and sing along wit her prayer was a logic move to make but still would it have killed them to give her a solo song. Really if they really want to take God Help the Outcast from her they should made Einmal (Once) her solo song but we’ll get to Einmal later.

Watch a Video clip here

Hoch über der Welt

Esmeralda and Quasimodo during Hoch über der Welt in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Quasimodo during Hoch über der Welt in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Hoch über der Welt (High above the World) takes place when Esmeralda and Quasimodo are a top of Notre Dame and it is sung by Esmeralda and the gargoyles. Esmeralda thinks that Paris  is better when viewed from above and the gargoyles encourage Quasimodo to put the moves on her. His move constitutes asking to sit next to her, which she agrees to and in the gargoyle tradition of jumping to conclusions they start planning the wedding.

This song acts as a bonding song between the two and it’s a good example of what works in a musical version wouldn’t work in a movie. A song like this in the movie would have killed the pacing and would have worked against Esmeralda sweeter less experienced nature.

Musically it employs the tactic that  Zuflucht employed which was two melodies that are song together in the third part of the songs. This makes it so the first person(ie Frollo, Esmeralda, Phoebus etc) sing unaware of the gargoyles singing with them. And like Zuflucht the harmonies work well together.

Hoch über der Welt is a nice and sweet on Esmeralda’s end and fun and energetic on the gargoyles’ end. It also works to help establish Quasimodo and Esmeralda’s friendship more than just one the conversation they had in the movie

Watch a a video of being performed  Here

Next Time-
Das Licht des Himmels (Heaven’s Light)
Das Feuer der Hölle (Hellfire)

Der Glockner von notre Dame German Musical of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Der Glockner von notre Dame German Musical of Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Tanz auf dem Seil, Ein bißchen Freude”, Drunter drüber“ Music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame – Part 2

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This is the second part of the music review of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Tanz auf dem Seil

Esmeralda and Clopin Tanz auf dem Seil Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Clopin Tanz auf dem Seil Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Tanz auf dem Seil (Dance on the Rope) is first new song of the show. It introduces Clopin as the Leader of the Gypsies and  to Esmeralda. Clopin starts the song by telling the  audience and the new members of the Court of Miracles what roles they play in Paris as Travelers. Those roles are beggars, artist, and the scapegoats and they must understand them in order to survive. One of the newcomers catches Clopin’s attention and that is Esmeralda, a dancer. Esmeralda had to move to Paris as she can’t keep her opinions to herself and it gets her into trouble but she is determine to try and make Paris her home.

Musically this song is fun. Clopin sings a bit of the from the final number of act one Esmeralda (which is one of my favorite from the show {it got the 8th position in my top ten best hunchback songs list ). But more than that  Tanz auf dem Seil shows the audience how the Court of Miracles functions and what it means to be a Gypsy in Paris under Frollo’s control. It also gives Esmeralda a back story and ironically it seems to take it a bit from the 1939 version where Esmeralda was new in Paris and the Court of Miracles. Plus it’s nice to know that the map amulets were standard issue as you see Clopin give it to Esmeralda.

This song is the first big number of the show so I’m sure the staging was full of dancing. I enjoy this song, it’s interesting, informative, and fun.

To watch a clip of Tanz auf dem Seil performed on stage click here

Ein bißchen Freude

Fredrik Lycke as Phoebus in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Fredrik Lycke as Phoebus in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Ein bißchen Freude (A Bit of Joy) introduces us to Phoebus. Like the movie, Phoebus has been relieved of military duty and has been promoted to Captain of the Guard. Unlike the Disney movie, Phoebus here acts more like he does in the book. He just wants to indulge in vices and have lots of “wine, women and song” you know A bit of Joy. He also flirts with a random girl during the course of the song. It also gives us some basis for character development with Phoebus seeing him start out as more of a member of the “common, weak, licentious” crowd to becoming a more righteous person later at the end of act one.

Musically the song uses the Phoebus’ Lemotif from Disney (you know that march music you hear when Phoebus is first introduced). It’s a good introduction to Phoebus as a combination with Disney and the book. The song has good energy and a  bit of fun and it’s nice to hear Phoebus get a song to himself (spoiler- this is Phoebus’ only solo song).

Drunter drüber

Esmeralda, Quasimodo and Clopin Drunter drüber Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda, Quasimodo and Clopin Drunter drüber Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Drunter drüber (Topsy Turvy) is similar to the Disney version but there are a lot of big little differences.   A quick staccato introduces the song and seems like people running to get there in time for the start. Then it follows the songs  with the crowds and Clopin. Quasimodo get some lines here to the tune of Out There (Draußen {His Leitmotif}).  Also the music of Esmeralda’s dance is different. It’s slower and sounds more like what is typically considered “Travelers Music.” So you can imagine her dance is  not the pole dance of the Disney movie, but you couldn’t really have a stage actress performing the moves Esmeralda did in the movie plus in book I don’t think Esmeralda would have done the those moves either. So the slow tempo dance music is a nice mitigation

Drunter drüber is akin to the Disney version but the difference make it fun and interesting and fun in its own right.

To watch a video of Drunter drüber performed on stage Click here

Next Time –
Hilf den Verstoß’nen (God Help the Outcast)
Hoch über der Weltt (High above the World)

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame image picture

Esmeralda and Quasimodo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Die Glocken Notre Dames, Zuflucht, Draußen- Music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame -Part 1

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For the Music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame I have decided to do a few songs at a time (with the two exceptions).  I’m also going to try to not compare the singers between the Disney Cast and the Original Berlin Cast and I’m going to try not to discusss staging too much.

Die Glocken Notre Dames

Frollo (Norbert Lamla) with Baby Quasimodo and the Archdeacon Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Frollo (Norbert Lamla) with Baby Quasimodo and the Archdeacon Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Die Glocken Notre Dames (The Bells of Notre Dame) is the show’s opening number and it is pretty much exactly the same as it is in the movie but there are some differences. First off, no Puppet. Yeah, I know tragic. Clopin appears as a beggar and not as a performer, so any humor that the Disney version had is gone. Giving us a a clear tone. Also Clopin is not telling the story of Quasimodo and Frollo to children he instead tells it to  the audience which makes him more clearly a narrator.

Another difference is Quasimodo’s mother talks back to Frollo. Now, I don’t speak much German and I don’t have access to a script (I looked and couldn’t find one so if you know what she saying or know of a script let me know) so I have no idea what she is saying, I could guess. Probably goes along the lines of something like this:

Frollo- Hey, you there what are you hiding?
Quasimodo’s Mother – Who me? It’s just my Baby 
Frollo – You Lie, give me what you are concealing, I wants it! 
Or something like that or I’m way off.

Another difference is there is some instruments. The difference can really be heard when the Archdeacon is singing. There is a Piano and a lower brass opposed to the original which seems to be woodwinds, bells and a high brass. Also the usage of bells at the end is different whereas the movie uses what sounds like low octave bells that play a few notes the musical opts for scales of higher octave bells and I swear I hear a xylophone in there.

Also the attitude of Frollo and Archdeacon are different. In the movie Frollo is cool  and calm and the Archdeacon has a sad yet kind of soft tone till he get firm about the eyes. In the stage show Frollo is flustered and Archdeacon is forceful from the get go.

Also a staging difference, there are videos that you can be see on youtube (if Youtube isn’t killed by SOPA and PIPA) that shows this number performed on stage and when Quasimodo’s Mother is push by Frollo she doesn’t die right away. As she is dying she reaches for Quasimodo. So I guess she died of blood loss and not of head trauma or a broken neck like the movie but I’m no doctor. Watch Video Here

Zuflucht

Frollo and Quasimodo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Frollo and Quasimodo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Zuflucht  or Refuge is a song  that is extended from Frollo’s part of the movie  version of Out There. This song is where you learn that Frollo was a Priest  but he thought that Paris was sick and needed to be save and so he changed his career to a judge. Quasimodo still sings in it with the addition of the Gargoyles Antoine (Hugo), Charles (Victor) and Loni (Laverne). The Gargoyles here sing against Frollo and encourage Quasimodo to go out side to see the world for himself.

Musically the first part is the same as the movie, so where Out There starts properly (Quasimodo’s part) the music changes and the last part with Gargoyles is like a composite of the new movement and the old one and it works well. I actually like the gargoyles here, their harmony together and with Frollo is nice. The harmony is like the Angel and Devil on each shoulder troupe. And having the Gargoyle sing with Frollo solidifies the gargoyles as imaginary. The Gargoyles part makes it clear that they are not as cheerful or upbeat as their movie counterparts. There is a combination of hope and confusion in their lines, because as they sing about what the outside world is like they can’t complete their thoughts because as aspects of Quasimodo they too have no idea what the outside world is like.

Draußen

Quasimodo with the Gargoyles Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Quasimodo with the Gargoyles Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Draußen or Outside is exactly the same as the movie version of Out There with one wonderful difference; there is no more wobbly vibrato. Another than that there are no further differences I can ascertain.

Watch Video clip here

Next Time – Part 2 of the Music of Der Glöckner von Notre Dame with;

Tanz auf dem Seil (Dance on the Rope)
Ein bißchen Freude (A Bit of Joy)
Drunter drüber (Topsy Turvy)

Esmeralda and Clopin during Drunter Drüber" (Topsy Turvy) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Esmeralda and Clopin during Drunter drübe” (Topsy Turvy) Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Der Glöckner von Notre Dame Characters

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Pictures are of the Original cast of Der Gloeckner Von Notre Dame

Drew Sarich as Quasimodo in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Drew Sarich as Quasimodo in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Quasimodo in this version is not deaf but he has trouble expressing himself in verbal communication. He is however able to express himself when he sings. He seems to have a more of a morose attitude than he had in the Disney version but he is still pretty much the same.

Judy Weiss as Esmeralda in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Judy Weiss as Esmeralda in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Esmeralda is a young dancer who is a newcomer to the Court of Miracles. She gets very frustrated with inequality. She a has a difficulty keeping her thoughts to herself which is why she had to move to Paris and why she gets in trouble with Frollo. She is not a sassy  or as sexual aware as she in the movie but she does come off sweeter and naive, which is more like the book.

Norbert Lamla as Frollo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Norbert Lamla as Frollo Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Frollo was a priest in his youth and decided that Paris needed to be save so he became a became a Judge. He hates Gypsy and believes that they are sole the problem with Paris. He takes care of Quasimodo  as a act of contrition for killing Quasimodo’s mother. He hopes Quasimodo will think like him and his emotional abuse is something that he is unaware of. Frollo becomes consumed with lust for Esmeralda which drives him insane. He thinks the cure is  either to possess her or destroy her. He seems to have  intensity than he has in movie. I would also point out that Frollo being a former priest  is only mention once. (Then again I can’t find the copy of the script I found ages go and I didn’t  read the whole thing, so it could have been mention several time in the dialogue  portion {that’s the problem with not have a public DVD recording of the show}).

Fredrik Lycke as Phoebus in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Fredrik Lycke as Phoebus in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Phoebus is the newly promoted Captain of the Guards. He hopes the job will offer him some rest and relaxation. He also enjoys flirting with girls. After meeting Esmeralda he decides that he rather be good than obey Frollo’s insane orders and becomes a criminal. I rather like that Phoebus starts off similar to the book more or less a playboy type and then betters himself.

Jens Janke as Clopin in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Jens Janke as Clopin in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Clopin is the story teller, leader of the Court of Miracles and the Festival of Fools. Clopin does very little for the plot but he seems to enjoy regaling the tale to the audince and providing exposition. In his storyteller role he dresses like an old begger which further separates his character into two distinct characters unlike the movie where he does as pretty the same person.

Tamas Ferkay as Antoine in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Tamas Ferkay as Antoine in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Valentin Zahn as Charles in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Valentin Zahn as Charles in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

Yvonne Ritz Andersen as Loni in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Yvonne Ritz Andersen as Loni in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

The Gargoyles are Quasimodo’s imaginary friends. They try to encourage Quasimodo to leave Notre Dame and recuses Esmeralda. They also try to comfort him after Esmeralda dies. They don’t have the over the top personalities that their Disney counterparts have nor do the make pop culture references or fart jokes. Their levity is light-hearted and subtle. I don’t think the production could really take these character away nor could they make them akin to Disney movie characters if they wanted to achieve a dark tone. So making them subtle and completely imaginary was a good way to handle them, though they are still a bit annoying but no where near the level they are in the movie.

*Trivia – Gargoyles names are taking from Famous actors who played Quasimodo:
Loni- Lon Chaney (1923)
Charles – Charles Laughton (1939)
Antoine – Anthony Hopkins (1982)

Carlo Lauber as the Archdeacon in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame picture image

Carlo Lauber as the Archdeacon in Der Glöckner von Notre Dame

The Archdeacon guilts Frollo into taking care of Quasimodo. He also orders Frollo to leave Notre Dame when he tries to arrest Esmeralda. He is also the one who asks Quasimodo to hide Phoebus after he is shot. Like the Disney movie he does have that much personality. He does seem to do a bit more in the play than the movie but not much.