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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtP91fgDRbc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXYOQikZw1Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raIIq1cuCSQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAsat7bxm0U

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q0FJvCD6fY

Thank you to everyone who posted videos from the concerts. Also the venue for the Kiev Concert is much improved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1cG1ZpM4ps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrunzmxsQj4

More Videos coming soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfIyr03BM94

So these concerts have been in happening in Kiev, Moscow, and St Petersburg for the past 3 years. They have only happen outside these cities twice, in Paris and Beirut.  And while is this great, I think it’s unfair they keep occurring in mostly the same three cities. I know it comes down to the person organizing and to get it other locationa mean someone has to make it happen. But still Notre Dame de Paris seem to be popular world-wide and it’s unfair to the fan who can’t make it to those locations. I hope there more concerts in other places,  hopefully in either Montreal or New York City (both are “close” to me ^_~).

But where would like you to see the Notre Dame de Paris Concert Tour?

Notre Dame de Paris original  Alumni  Julie Zenatti and Daniel Lavoie (Fleur de Lys and Frollo) performed together in Kiev on June 1 2012.

Lavoie and Zenatti singing Ils s’aiment

I love this song and I love Zenatti’s addition to it, they show record an offical recording of it.

Zenatti singing La monture

Lavoie singing most of Belle Belle

Lavoie singing Tu vas me détruire

Lavoie sings this with an acoustic guitar

Lavoie singing Etre prêtre et aimer une femme

Last week it was announced that July 9th and 10th the original cast was performing the Notre Dame de Paris Concert in Beirut. Now they have added three more Concerts in March 2013 in Kiev on March 5th, Moscow on the 7th and 8th and  St Petersburg  on March 10th. It was reported on http://jzenatti.forumactif.com/ and has been confirmed on Bruno Pelletier Facebook page.

Notre Dame de Paris Beirut Concerts 2012 picture image

Notre Dame de Paris Beirut Concerts 2012

Does anyone else find it curious that they’re holding the Kiev concert in March next year?The Concerts have been performed for the last two years in Kiev in December and now they’ll be March and no 2012 Kiev performance.  Though more of these concerts are a good thing so I’m happy.

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 image picture

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

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 Concert picture image

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 image picture

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” in 1996 it peaked number 6 in France. In 1998 she was cast as Esmeralda, in 2000 she released her second studio album “Au Nom D’une Femme” which peaked at number 2 in France. Her album “Humaine” top at number 1 as well as “Quand L’Eternité” in 2006. However her 2009 album “Mon Pays C’Est La Terre” peaked at 19. Quite a fall, and it’s not like the album is terrible, I like it, I even used one of the songs in an Anime Music Video to Romeo X Juliet (click to watch). In 2010, Segara and the rest of the Original Troupe performed the show in a concert format in Kiev, St Petersburg and  Moscow. Her latest album “Parmi La Foule” which was released in 2011 peaked at 9 on the French chart.  Coincidence, No, I think the concerts are a way for the Original Troupe to get back in the spotlight. That is not to say that I think the concerts are some sort of ploy to make money. I think the people invovled with them love the show and the music and the original troupe seem to respect the fans and like performing the show.

 

Helene Segara and Garou on Stage in Kiev picture image

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  picture image

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 picture image

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  Image

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 picture image

Patrick Fiori and Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

Bruno Pelletier performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

Bruno Pelletier performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

Luck Mervil performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

Luck Mervil performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c'est Ta Maison in Kiev picture image

Garou and Helene Segara performing Ma Maison c’est Ta Maison in Kiev

Julie Zenatti performing Notre Dame de Paris in Bercy picture image

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 picture image

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 picture image

Helene Segara performing Notre Dame de Paris

 

Original Cast of Notre Dame de Paris in Kiev December 13 2011 picture image

Original Cast of Notre Dame de Paris in Kiev December 13 2011

Just like in 2010 the Original Cast of Notre dame are set to perform another Notre Dame de Paris Concert in Kiev this evening December 2011. That means there are at least two peformance of the show, the Original cast and the Asian Tour Cast, Kind of Neat Huh?Hopefully we’ll get to see some decent video on Youtude ^^