Happy Canada Day
Good news, July 9-10 The Original Notre Dame de Pris Troup (Garou, Helene Segara, Daniel Lavoie, Bruno Pelletier, Patrick Fiori, Luck Merville and Julie Zenatti ) will perform in Beirut, Lebanon. For more info co this website; Evention
Notre Dame de Paris Beirut Concerts 2012
While this is great news, I just wonder how long it will take for one the Notre Dame de Paris concerts to be in Canada or for that matter somewhere in the Westren Hemisphere. I mean 4/7 of the original cast members are Canadians. And there is a decent number of past cast members who are from the Western Hemisphere. So when will it happen? I know there was a rumor last year about the Original Troupe performing in Montreal in the summer but Garou was in Cirque du Soleil, so that didn’t happen. But I hope it happens soon.
Today we’re going to look at Anne Meson.
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 Bà n as Phoebus
Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast
Anne Meson as Esmeralda in Morgdor Cast
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.
Helene Segara as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris
I was reading on http://notredamedeparisfans.tumblr.com/ that tumbler user express a dislike for Esmeralda’s green dress from Notre Dame de Paris. You can read the post here (post doesn’t seem to be of NDdp Fan anymore). She finds the dress to be like a sack with no movement and thinks the show should have opted for more traditional gypsy costume designs. Overall she doesn’t care for the design. Now since I don’t have a tumblr account and I made a squidoo lens on this topic, I’m going to offer up a defense with a blog post. However this is not the first person to express a dislike for the costume. So it’s nothing new.
Helene Segara as Esmeralda design by Fred Sathal
I really do like the design I think it’s pretty and has a fashion edge to it. Of course I do not like all the versions of the dress. I tend toward the ones where you can see the texture more and I prefer one that are not floral patterns. I think the reason why the show didn’t opt for the cliche “gypsy” look was the show was trying to go for a “modern” and less of the musical vibe: more like music video as musical in France were not popular in 1998 (they mentioned this in either the featurette or on the frequent star special). This is probably why they got Fred Sathal do the designs. Sathal is a fashion design with costume-like POV but not a costume designer, so all the costumes are not typical musical costumes.
Helene Segara as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris
As for the movement, the dress does have some movement (watch Bohemienne) and while Esmeralda is dancer as part of her character, the actresses are not cast for their dancing, so the movement of the dance factor is mute point. I mean when an Esmeralda does dance she moves her hips, spins, runs around and/or does hand movements, not exactly movements that need a flowy skirt to showoff the quality of movement and lines (well maybe the spin do). Plus she only dances once in two hours, so the play isn’t that interested her dancing.
Lola Ponce as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris
Later in the tumble post it’s mentions that red promotional dress that was used for London cast, French cast and was used in Russian version is prettier. Problem with that dress is the color is red which is Quasimodo’s color so it does really work for the show. Unless the colors are switch ( but I prefer Esmeralda in green, red is too cliche) or the dress was made green the dress. I wonder what that would be like…..
The Red Promotional Notre Dame de Paris in Green, Tina Arena(Esmeralda) and Garou (Quasimodo)
I like the red promotional dress, I just don’t care for the fringe, especially on the sleeves. I kind of like it in green though it’s pretty in red. Also for the record I like the second act dress too (I’m planning a lens on that too ^_~). I like flutter sleeves, cowl necklines and ruffles. Consider that the dress is a prison doesn’t make a ton of sense but when did musical have to be logical.
Helene Segara as Esmeralda in the Prison dress design Fred Sathal Notre Dame de Paris
Maybe another cast versions should change up the costumes a bit variety being the spice of life. But let’s hear from you what are your thoughts, people? Do like the Notre Dame de Paris Costume Style or should it opt for a more traditional musical style (whatever that means)?
Bada as Esmeralda Korean version Notre Dame de Paris
Here is a video of Garou and Tina Arena singing Ma Maison c’est ta Maison with a chior of 2000. Enjoy
Fun Fact – Arena born in Australia and Original Esmeralda in the London Cast is based in Paris and speaks Fluent French.
These videos are from “Chabada” a French Tv Show from Decemeber 4 2011 with the orginal cast of Notre Dame de Paris (except Bruno Pellatier) right before the reunion concerts. The last video is the whole thing, so if you have 50minutes to kill, give it a watch or watch the song clips. I think I got all them. Enjoy!
These pictures are from the 2011 Kiev concert of Notre Dame de Paris when Garou and Helene Segara performed Ma Maison c’est ta Maison.
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Tu Maison in Kiev
Such great chemistry ^^
The Original Troupe of Notre Dame de Paris singing at Bercy
In the second week of December 2011 we (the world) were treated to four performances of Notre Dame de Paris by the original cast/troupe in both Paris and in Kiev. The troupe sang the show in a concert style with a full orchestra and a choir. This marks the second year the troupe has done this but the first year they performed in Paris together since 1999. There were talks of a reunion of the original troupe getting together to perform Notre Dame de Paris since May 2009 when Helene Segara mentioned the prospect in an interview (Click HERE to read that interview).
Notre Dame de Paris Concert Poster
So why did it take them so long reunite? Well it actually it’s the some reason why they have been doing the concerts. Notre Dame de Paris made a lot of the original cast’s careers and they enjoyed a fair amount of popularity from the show. However over the years the cast’s popularity has been waning. Let’s just look at Helene Segara’s music career. When Segara recorded her studio album “Coeur De Verre
Helene Segara and Garou on Stage in Kiev
Now how were the concerts this year? I can’t give a full answer as I couldn’t go to either Paris or Kiev and concerts are one those things that you need to be there for. And watching Youtube videos shot/uploaded by fans who were there is not fair to base an assessment on. However watching videos, I must admit I was a little disappointed. It seems to me that with the Kiev performance the Troupe were pushed into a corner of the stage (by the harp) and just stayed in that corner or the didn’t really move around the stage much. The weird part is that you can tell they want to act the show, Daniel Lavoie (Frollo) does his Frollo posture with stiff hands. It’s a little forgivable because watching the video the Kiev Stage looks small and there is a full orchestra on stage.
Helene Segara performing Bohemienne at Bercy Concert
Which brings me another problem I had, the full orchestra. Yes, orchestras are lovely and provide great energy, but I really don’t care for the arrangement of the songs. I hate to use Segara as an example again but let’s look at Bohemienne as an example. Bohemienne is one of the few upbeat songs in the show. The orchestra at the Bercy concert gave Bohemienne a slower tempo and upped the Middle-Eastren vibe, which I liked (even if it only makes sense because Helene Segara is part Armenian). But the slower pace just makes it seem melancholy, the only thing to saves it is Segara puts the energy back into the song with her performance, even if she is not dancing.
Garou, Daniel Lavoie and Patrick Fiori performing Belle in Bercy
Also one more thing, and this a personal thing, I have an issue with Belle (Staging). The point of Belle is that three men sing about a woman but when the Trio sings it where is the “Belle”, why isn’t Segera on stage? She was on stage last year for the concerts. I mean it’s one thing if the trio is performing on a TV show and Segara is not there but she’s there no excuse, she should have been on stage in some capacity.
Notre Dame de Paris Original Troupe Promo Picture
There are other things I can harp on but I confess that I can forgive my disappoints, because had I been there the thrill of it would eclipsed my critical mind and I would have been lost in the spectacle of it all. It’s very easy to be critical when you’re not there. I do think it wonderful that the Original Troupe has done these concerts. I do hope they will perform the concerts on the other side of the Pond as half the cast are Canadians. I know there were rumors about it last summer but Garou was in Cirque Du Soleil in New York, so that didn’t happen. So we’ll if the Troupe does more concerts in the future, I hope they do.
Patrick Fiori and Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy
Bruno Pelletier performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy
Luck Mervil performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy
Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c’est Ta Maison in Kiev
Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy
Garou and Patrick Fiori giving Daniel Lavoie a Kiss in Bercy during the Notre Dame de Paris Concert
Helene Segara performing Notre Dame de Paris
This video is from 2009, The original Notre Dame de Paris Trio performed Belle on the Show “Vive les Comedies Musicales” and they switched out who they were singing to so that they addressed each other. The result, a silly rendition of Belle.
This Video is Garou (oringal Notre Dame de Paris Quasimodo) and Damien Sargue (the original alternate for Phoebus and Gringoire but is most known for playing Romeo in Romeo and Juliette) singing Le Temps des Cathédrales. The song starts at 58 seconds. Garou makes Quasimodo faces and Damien is wearing a Romeo costume.
Enjoy