I do admit I prefer the original way this song was done in the original French version opposed to manipulation of the way La Monture is performed now.  I do like Alyzée Lalande as Fleur de Lys. Her voice is very similar to Julie Zenatti in quality and tone. She has just the right amount of allure and venom to her voice which a singer needs for La Monture.

I’m sure I’ll discuss the new Fleur’s costume someday I will just say I do like the way it moves. It’s very pretty to look at.

In most other versions the order of these songs is a little different. It goes Être Prétre et aimer une Femme, Phoebus, then Je te reviens vers toi and finally La Monture. Both orders make a level of sense but I prefer the original, it just always seemed odd to me that Frollo would sings about loving a woman right after he tortured her, but the order made sense to someone.

Phoebus

Esmeralda as Helene Segara Notre Dame de Paris  Phoebus picture image

Helene Segara as Esmeralda singing Phoebus

Phoebus is Esmeralda’s plea to the aforementioned. She bittersweetly asks him to save her and gives some exposition about how the man in black stabbed him. She then begs him to at least remember her.

It’s a pretty yet simple song that has a lovely melody that has wave like quality.

Être Prétre et aimer une Femme (To be a Priest and to love a woman)

Daniel Lavoie as Frollo Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Daniel Lavoie as Frollo singing Etre Pretre et aimer une Femme

Être Prétre et aimer une Femme lifts a lots of its lines from Frollo’s confession to Esmeralda in the jail, so basically I love this song and what is so great about Notre Dame de Paris is that we get two instances of the jail scene, so yay.

This song has a lot of power and moving lines. Frollo is a preist and therefore not free to love a woman but he can’t help it because as he stifled his emotions, he has no power to fight them when they are super strong.

The songs also makes it seem that Frollo’s “love” for Esmeralda is not just lust-based, he seems to love is some weird twisted way. This is in constast to other versions and even some versions of Notre Dame de Paris and it really could just come down to Daniel Lavoie’s acting.

The melody is also great. It has a great off-kilter tone that is still pretty which suits Frollo.

La Monture (The Mounting)

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys singing La Monutre

La Monture is Fleur-de-Lys’ big number. It’s the songs that really drives home her personality which all the versions is the biggest is this musical. Pending on what version of the musical you are watching this songs is vastly differnet because of the order of song and the staging.

In the original, Fleur-de-Lys sings this song to herself/shadow. This looks cool on the DVD but perhaps to an audience it doesn’t have the same effect so they changed the staging. What is nice about her singing to herself is it makes her look desperate and at her limits and it also makes her asking for Esmeralda’s death seem like it has a pathos because she at the end of her rope and can’r cope with Phoebus anymore. There is no doubt that she means it, she wants Esmeralda dead as there is a just spitefulness in her voice.

The other staging has Fleur-de-Lys singing directly to Phoebus after he sings Je te reviens vers toi. She singings in less a desperate, spiteful way and more in a sexual way. Basically she doesn’t believe Phoebus‘ song even though Phoebus says in his song that Esmeralda will die (at least in the French and English version), though in English he asks Fleur-de-Lys what me must to to get back with her. This staging make Fleur-de-Lys more calculating, cruel and cold. She is more in control of herself and Phoebus and she uses her leverage to get what she wants, the competition dealt away with.

I think it comes down to preference. One staging gives Fleur-de-Lys a little more sadness as she in not as in control of herself or her emotions and the other gives her power and control but she uses it to ensure someone’s death.

Now as far as the song its self goes, because I almost forgot to discuss the song, silly me. It’s great. Like some other songs at this point in the show it has that off-kilter prettiness and Fleur-de-Lys‘ sweet voice is a great contrast to the horrors that she is singings. It’s is Fleur-de-Lys‘ best song in the show, which isn’t REALLY saying that much since it like three but it’s great non the less.

Je te reviens vers toi (I return to you)

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys and Patrick Fiori as Phobues performing Je te reviens vers toi Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys and Patrick Fiori as Phobues performing Je te reviens vers toi

I REALLY hate this song. It’s mean. Phoebus sings about how he is returning to Fleur-de-Lys and he is all better now. Since it’s clear that Phoebus is lying it probabdly why they switch the songs around but Esmeralda is going to die and yet Fleur-de-Lys is like, “ok makes she does,” not sure why that would have been hard for Phoebus, but even about the order changes.

I dunno this song just seemed mean but it does showoff Phoebus‘ singing and has a nice powerful beat. It’s the subject matter that is detestable and so is Phoebus.

Fun Fact – Patrick Fiori once made the mistake of saying “From the Deeps of you, it’s me I still love” instead of ‘From the Deeps of me it’s you I still love,” pardon my bad translation I only took a year of French but it’s a silly mistake that I could see a Phoebus saying.

Je reviens vers toi

Get the whole GLORIOUS ALBUM HERE

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris

So often in adaptations of The Hunchback Notre Dame, Fleur-de-Lys gets shafted. Either she is not there, an extra or just in a few scenes and with in those scenes she is pretty much a rich bitch. The 1956 version had her in one scene were she was soften a touch though still catty. Notre Dame de Paris however took a character that really isn’t a huge character in the book and fleshed her out and gave her some depth.

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys Notre Dame de Paris

Fleur-de-Lys is the smallest role in the musical has she only has three songs, though she appears in more numbers. The minimal songs she get do reveal everything about her character and her arch.

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys Notre Dame de Paris

Unlike the book, Fleur-de-Lys is much younger. I believe in the book she was twenty-four whereas in Notre Dame de Paris she is fourteen. More than likely this change is based on Julie Zenatti’s age at the time she played the role, which was seventeen.

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys with Patrick Fiori as Phoebus, Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys with Patrick Fiori as Phoebus, Notre Dame de Paris

Zenatti said in that Fleur-de-Lys loves Phoebus with a passion, which is true but her love for Phoebus is not as romanticized as Esmeralda. She knows that he is handsome and spouts out romantic lines but he is also a scoundrel and a soldier.

Fleur-de-Lys and Phoebus Julie Zenatti Patrick Fiori Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Fleur-de-Lys and Phoebus

In the Phoebus post, I mentioned that Phoebus was a double minion to both Frollo and Fleur-de-Lys and that is because at some point during the musical Fleur-de-Lys snaps and demands that Phoebus ensures Esmeralda’s death. The manner which she tells this to Phoebus is vastly different between the original version and all the subsequent versions.

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys Notre Dame de Paris

In the original version, Fleur-de-Lys snaps and sings her big number, La Monture, to herself and asks Phoebus to kill Esmeralda. He overhears this and with the next number tells her that he is returning to her and basically agreeing to her request. Very personally, I like the original version of La Monture, it has  a desperation and venom. It also means that Phoebus is taking some agency with the death of Esmeralda.

 

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys with Patrick Fiori as Phoebus, Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys with Patrick Fiori as Phoebus, Notre Dame de Paris

In other versions, Phoebus asks Fleur-de-Lys to take him back as his unfaithful heart is all better. Fleur-de-Lys then very sexually asks him to kill Esmeralda. She honey-potted him. He can’t really refuse her after that. I get why they changed it, as it makes Fleur-de-Lys look more powerful and in- control and second it just make for a better on stage show number. However I do think that someone who desperate and at her wit’s end asking for someone death is more interesting than someone who is forcing someone and using sex to get what they want. Also I’m not sure why Fleur-de-Lys wants Esmeralda to die as much in other versions, it just seems like she testing Phoebus more that she is going out her mind with jealousy, but that is just me.

 

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys with Helene Segara as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys with Helene Segara as Esmeralda Notre Dame de Paris

 

Fleur-de-Lys is also Esmeralda’ s foil. Where Esmeralda is earthy, sensual, innocent and exotic, Fleur-de-Lys is colder, calculating, jaded, polished and has a fairer European beauty. This is in the book but is because Fleur-de-Lys is bigger in Notre Dame de Paris the difference between the two ladies is clearer.

 

Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Julie Zenatti as Fleur-de-Lys Notre Dame de Paris

Despite having the smallest role in Notre Dame de Paris , Fleur-de-Lys is still quite well fleashed out and really compelling.

Next Time – Moving in to the songs

Original Cast Belle NOtre dame de Paris picture image

Original Cast Belle


Now I’m actually not the biggest fan of the most recent Italian cast of Notre Dame de Paris. I’ll get more in that another time when I actully start reviewing Notre Dame de Paris in earnest. However I will say this, while I’m not of fan of how the La Monture (La Cavalcatura) sequence was re-stage to make Fleur de Lys use her sexuality to get Phoebus to ensure the death a girl who is already condemned, I really do enjoy Serena Rizzetto performance. She is probably my favorite Italian Fiodaliso and I think she is better singer than either of the Esmeralda in this cast, but that is just my opinion.

 

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

Sabina Babayeva picture image

Sabina Babayeva

Eurovision 2012 is in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sabina Babayeva will be representing Azerbaijan. In 2010, Babayeva played Fleur de Lys in an Azerbaijani version of Notre Dame de Paris.

Sabina Babayeva as Fleur de Lys  2010 Azerbajani  Notre Dame de Paris picture image

Sabina Babayeva as Fleur de Lys 2010 Azerbajani Notre Dame de Paris

I hate to say this but I had no idea this version existed and I would also add that I’m very fixated  on the costumes. The production opts for Renaissance costumes, different staging, and different musical arrangement. It seem that production lacked budget of the other version so there is less spectacle. Honestly, I have no idea what I think of it.  I don’t hate it but I don’t really like it either. I’m incline to thinking it’ not that good. Though I think Babayeva is a decent singer.

Sabina Babayeva as Fleur de Lys
La Monture

Ces Diamants-la

 

For those interested, the first half an hour of the show. ( They cut the La  Fete de Fous and Le Cour des Miracles, not if show did this or just the video (I think it’s the show))

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!

 

 

I’ve been on a Princess Tutu kick of late (it’s a wonderful anime by the way) and thought why not post a Princess Tutu Notre Dame de Paris AMV (Anime Music Video). It’s to La Monture and it uses the original French Cast with Julie Zenatti.


 

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hellfire is Heaven’s Light’s  foil in every possible way. Heaven’s Light is a sweet hopeful ballad with some subtle humor in the visualization but Hellfire is an intense villain song that has a breaks down into insanity.

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Damee picture image

Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hellfire is a villain song, but it’s not just any villain song, it’s “THE” villain song. Many people consider it the best and one of the darkest  Disney villain songs. So what makes this song so good and dark?

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Damepicture image

Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

The song starts with Frollo singing to Notre Dame both  figuratively and actually ( The building and the Virgin). He claims that he’s purer than the common people and still as pure as he is, he can’t understand his obsession for Esmeralda and why she is invading his mind. For Frollo this lust is not in conflict with ethics or his own deep religious convictions; it’s all about pride and fearing losing control within himself.  You can see him visually losing of control: he starts calm and become more and more crazy  as the song progresses.

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Frollo there are two ways to resolve his problem, either Esmerlada must die or she must be his. Hellfire has a very similar vibe to Frollo in the book. Victor Hugo’s Frollo was very proud of his purity. But much like Disney Frollo Hugo’s Frollo felt that Esmeralda was sent by hell to take him away. Unlike Disney Frollo, Hugo’s Frollo is more of a stalker who is hopelessly seeking out Esmeralda. He doesn’t really want her to die but doesn’t want her to be with anyway else. Disney’s Frollo is more black and white, either she is his or she dies, he only going to ask once.  Frollo in Hellfire does have a twinge of gray (which you’ll never seen again), he asks for God to have mercy on both him and Esmeralda. If as he knows he’s wrong but he won’t do anything about it because he too far gone. The Latin chanted “Mea Culpa” (Through my fault) also drives that point too.

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame pitcure image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo and an illusion of Esmeralda during Hellfire

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s an odd Disney Villain song as Frollo isn’t revealing in his evilness or what his brilliant evil plans are, he is simply singing out his desperation which ultimately gets worse. Unlike other songs, Frollo is not singing to anyone, usually a villain is rubbing something in the hero’s face, being a demagogue, or exposing their master plan of evil to minions. Frollo is singing to himself. It reminds me of La Monture. In the original staging in Notre Dame de Paris, where Fleur de Lys (Phoebus’ fiancee) is singing about her desperation for Esmeralda to be hanged. In the original staging, she singing to her shadow. In singing alone Frollo’s feelings come off more intense, power, and frantic while he sings to the fireplace while seeing illusions and the becomes engulfed in specters.

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame Hellfire Disney picture image

Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

 

 

 

 

 

The song is perfectly sung by Tony Jay, he showcases control and then goes intense. The Latin chanting  is  great mood enhancer. The music is intense and the Hellfire melody makes up a lot of the Hunchback of Notre Dame’s score. The Music was inspired by Mozart’s Requiem Mass which completes the dark presentation of the song.

Frollo at the end Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame picture image

Frollo at the end Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

The music, the singing, the lyrics, and visuals  with the intensity, insanity, sexuality, and  religious overtones  create a great piece of moviedom.  I wish Disney would explore their darker side more, because when they do it’s better than some of their more saccharine fair. I mean Disney enjoys going dark, it’s part of their history (Night of Bald Mountain). So Disney embrace the darkness more often! Please…

 

Next Time- A Guy Like you

Victor, Hugo and Laverne singing A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre dame picture image

Victor, Hugo and Laverne singing A Guy like you Disney Hunchback of Notre dame