I’ve been informed by a very big fan of Notre Dame on Squidoo, that Matt Laurent has confirmed he’ll play Quasimodo in the Asian Tour cast of Notre Dame de Paris. To read the comment click here. Comments are at the bottom.
I’m not surpise that Matt Laurent is going to play Quasimodo agian. He was an alternative in teh original cast, and he play Quasimodo in the Asian Tour. And Since he’s Canadian he speaks English. He also a decent singer, so I have no problem with this casting. The rest of the cast we’ll see.
Matt Laurent as Quasimodo in the Asian tour cast of Notre Dame de Paris with Nadia Bel as Esmeralda
Please Note – I’m not 100% sure if this is Nadia Bel or Chiara Di Bari, Looking at pictures of them I think it’s Nadia Bel, however if I’m wrong let me know and I’ll fix it, though I like 98% sure of it.
Edit – Change World to Asian. For more info on casting click here
According to General Entertainment Associates there will be a 2012 Tour of Notre Dame de Paris. The Languge will be in English and it has not been re-translated. The original English Translation that Will Jenning wrote will be used. Personally I wish it was re-translated it. Some of the songs are fine but more than a few are not. Some the lyrics are just down right laughable.
The website goes into specific of show’s history but other than it being a year long touring cast, that will be performed in English there is no news on casting, dates, or location. I’ll try to stay informed.
Confirmed Casting –
Matt Laurent as Quasimodo
Robert Marien as Frollo
Myriam Brousseau as the alternate for Esmeralda and Fleur de Lys
Edit- I’m not sure, but I think it maybe regarding the Asian Tour Cast. For More info on Casting Click Here
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 with shades of an I want Song that has a breaks down into insanity.
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 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.
Esmeralda as a fire demon dancing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
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
For Frollo there are two ways to resolve his problem, either Esmeralda 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’s 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.
Frollo singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
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 and an illusion of Esmeralda during Hellfire
It’s an odd Disney Villain song as Frollo isn’t revealing in his evilness or his brilliant evil plans. Frollo 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 singing Hellfire Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Frollo is singing to himself. It’s reminiscent of another villainous song from a Notre Dame adaptation Notre Dame de Paris’ “La Monture.” In the original staging of “La Monture” (The Mounting,) Fleur de Lys (Phoebus’ fiancee) sings 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 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
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…
“Heaven’s Light” and “Hellfire” are meant to be listened together. Both parts represent the basic nature of The Hunchback of Notre Dame: how feelings can be internalized and twisted according to the individual.
Frollo and an illusion of Esmeralda during Hellfire
However I’m going to look at “Heaven’s Light” and “Hellfire” separately, because of the intensity of “Hellfire” and the simplicity of “Heaven’s Light.”
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
“Heaven’s Light” is the second ballad in the film and is Quasimodo’s final song though it’s reprise later in the movie. It’s the only “romantic” song to make into movie. In this song Quasimodo equivalents love to being heavenly. Since Quasimodo believes himself to be hideous, he thinks he not meant for love. However since Esmeralda gave him a peak on the cheek without fear, he calls her an angel and he’s hopeful that she could love him. He loves the concept of love. This hopefulness is gestalt of song.
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
There is lot going on in this song: Quasimodo explains what love is like, he feel he’s not meant for it but then not a beat goes by and he turns his hopeful-o-meter up to max, as he hopes that Esmeralda could love him because she wasn’t afraid of him. The song seems to do a lot. This is because it’s such a short song and that’s it feels a light all over the place. Quasimodo goes from being emo to sappy. “Anarkia” in Notre Dame de Paris has a similar feel to it.
Victor and Laverne’s drawing of Esmeralda Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hugo draws Djali Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The elements of humor in this song by the gargoylesis actually good. It’s relevant and cute to the song. In the song each gargoyle draws a picture. The pictures reflect their personalities, Laverne and Victor draw Esmeralda and Hugo draws Djali. It’s cute relevant humor. I like Victor’s drawing the best.
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
I have to admit that for me this song gets a little lost because it’s the song that comes right before “Hellfire,” which is for many people is their favorite song in the film as well as many people’s favorite villain songs. However listening to the song in isolation, it’s a sweet, well done song that develops Quaismodo’s character as both hopeful and naive.
The Reprise
Quasimodo reprise Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Phoebus and Esmeralda Kiss Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Quasimodo reprise Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Later when the song is reprised it’s a bittersweet sting to Quasimodo as his heart breaks as he watches Esmeralda and Phoebus kiss.
Quasimodo singing Heaven’s Light Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
All in all it’s a good song, not terrible but not not fanatic. It’s one flaw is being next to Hellfire.
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcasts Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
“God Help The Outcasts” is a very different Disney heroine song. Many of the Female Disney Characters sing about wanting something for themselves. While Esmeralda is singing about wanting something that is not for her. She is being selfless which furthers elevates her into the mature sector.
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcasts Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The song is simple, it’s Esmeralda praying for the welfare of her people. This humble and selfless prayer is shown in contrast to the other parishioners who pray for selfish things like wealth, fame and love. This scene is pretty much lifted from the 1939 version albeit with some differences but the overall scene and content is the same.
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
Unlike in the 1939 version, during the course of the song Esmeralda walks through the sanctuary of Notre Dame. It’s the only time in the Hunchback of Notre Dame where we get to see the interior of Notre Dame other than the bell tower. While it’s nice to see the sanctuary portion of Notre Dame there are more than a few things wrong with how Notre Dame is presented. I’ll go more in depth on that later for now let’s get into the reviewing the song’s content.
Esmeralda singing “God Help the Outcast” Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The song musically is nice and is pleasant. It’s one of two ballads that made it into the film. It’s the prettiest song in the movie and it’s sung well by Heidi Mollenhauer. However there is an air of condescension with this song. As Esmeralda is trying to sound humble she is saying some really condescending lines. She asks for nothing because she is lucky and better off then most of her people and if God doesn’t help no one will help them. She also reminds Gods that everyone is “children of God” and that Mary should relate to her because she thinks Mary was once an outcast like her. This another fault with the song, she’s in Notre Dame de Paris, in any Notre Dame, Mary is the figure of reverence. However she starts praying to Mary and then instantly switches to God. Maybe it’s her “outcast” “pagan” ways that she would do this flippantly but my guess is God is more dramatic and fits song meters better, Even though Mary embodies compassion. Then again Frollo prays to Mary to burn Esmeralda, so what is the movie trying to say about Mary? I mean everyone seems to be trying to get out of Notre Dame.
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcast Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
There is also all her “I” statements that are kind of off putting. Her lines are “I ask for nothing, I can get by, but I know so many less lucky than I” these lyrics just seem to reek with “I’m better than you” mentality.
2026 edit -Maybe a harsher take the statement of Esmeralda being more resourceful than others thus she doesn’t need to pray for herself could have just been a musical short hand to relay the point simply yet dramatically for the song and a general audience to understand. However I will leave the text I originally wrote from 2011 as point of my change of view.
Esmeralda’s Prayer
Esmeralda looking at the Virgin Mary, Maureen O’Hara 1939 Hunchback of Notre Dame
In the spectrum of the “Esmeralda’s Prayer” which isn’t in the book, “God Help the Outcast” is the one of a few. Beside this song there are two other prayers, the fore-mention 1939 version and “Ave Maria Paien” fromNotre Dame de Paris.
In the 1939 version, Esmeralda (Maureen O’Hara) asks “The mother of God” to help her people, she says that Mary can take all that she has but Esmeralda presents Mary with a Method; she asks to speak to the King as he is a authority figure and can help her and her people, which he does as the end. In the 1939 version, Esmeralda is sincere and humble, and as she not insulting anyone by saying she’s better off.
In “Ave Maria Paien” (The Pagan Ave Maria) Esmeralda, pending on which version your listening to, is asking for a few things, protection from the fools who are in control and the joining of all people. The essence of the song is she wants Ave Maria on her side. Is it humble and selfless? Not really, she does come off as humble and sincere though.
Disney Esmeralda is sincere but she seems to have a defeatist attitude, only god can help and no one else can, she’s powerless to do anything. Maybe Esmeralda should have ask God to make Frollo tolerant. At least that would have been proactive.
2026 edit- I originally called “God Help the Outcast” the worst of the Esmeralda’s prayer scenes but that wrong and bad take. I apologize for that one. I was harsh on the Disney version in 2011 and not as so these days. So no this review doesn’t hold much water now.
Esmeralda singing God Help the Outcasts Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
The problem with “God Help the Outcasts” isn’t the music or the singing, it’s the content. While it’s great that Esmeralda is mature and is capable of praying selflessly but in the course of the song she’s pretty much insulting her people, and due to juxtaposition of the her prayer with other parishioners she is making them look bad. So she can’t be selfless and humble without bring others down?
2026 edit- The Disney version wasn’t the first version to showcase the contrast of prayers of Esmeralda and the other parishioners and it’s not exactly the song’s fault it needs to convey Esmeralda’s selfless wishes both in simple terms yet dramatic for the scope of the scene and movie. It’s my own fault for interpreting the lyrics as “condescending.” I still find them a little naive in execution but I get the intent.
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.
Some Lore. In 2011 I joined Squidoo. Squidoo was ad-sharing writing platform where users could create a single page (a lens) on any topic. I started writing content on the Hunchback to help drive traffic back and forth between the blog and my “lenses.” In 2014 Squidoo shut-down and the content transferred to Hubpages.
Hubpages was the same type of site, a little less cheeky but much the same. Hubpages didn’t exactly shut-down but it cut users off from the revenue earning. So many of the users, myself included, opted to remove their pages from the platform.
Quasimodo of Notre Dame de Paris
So back in the early days of my time at Squdioo, I was obsessed with Notre Dame de Paris. I got the idea to dedicated pages to performers of each role throughout the different casts. Apparently I started with Frollo and then I moved on Quasimodo.
Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris
These pages did transferred over to Hubpages and I did try to keep up with them over the years. They were very time-consuming and hard to maintain. In fact I forgot to do Phoebus’ page entirely till 2022, that’s on me. Apparently at the time I thought the work that went into these articles were worth the effort, how times change. I did enjoy them at the time though so 2011 me was right.
I think my original plan was to have the lenses of all the performers on a different platform and do more in-depth reviews of the performers on the blog but I never did that. I might but it can be very hard to source clips of the performers from over a decade ago and I’m not sure I want to anymore.
However do know that it’s very doubtful I will add these articles to the blog as they were too unwieldily to keep up with. This is due to the fact that show is still going. There are new performers all the time. It’s great for the show but hard to keep up with and update. Plus organizing the page was getting harder since there was gap in French Language casts with the revival and performers like Daniel Lavoie and Garou being in multiple different productions casts and languages. It was a lot in the end.
On the Plus Side
The good news is you don’t even need me to repost these articles because The Notre Dame de Paris Musical Fan Page has you covered. They keep up with better than I ever could and I no shame is admitting I used them as a resource many times.
Bad side is I think at one point they used one of my related Hubpage articles as a source which made me feel special but that article is gone so no more feeling special. I do think it was the Quasimodo one too but I can’t find it now but it’s no matter since the page on Squidoo & Hubpages are gone.
This is a little photoshop image I did. It’s essentially Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame Esmeralda, Quasimodo, and Phoebus in the costumes of their counterparts from Notre Dame de Paris. The costumes are like Digital Textures.
Disney Hunchback characters cosplaying as Notre Dame de Paris Esmeralda, Quasimodo, Phoebus
Here are the pictures I used from Notre Dame de Paris for the fan-art;
Helene Segara as Esmeralda from Notre Dame de Paris
Some Lore. In 2011 I joined Squidoo. Squidoo was ad-sharing writing platform where users could create a single page (a lens) on any topic. I started writing content on the Hunchback to help drive traffic back and forth between the blog and my “lenses.” In 2014 Squidoo shut-down and the content transferred to Hubpages.
Hubpages was the same type of site, a little less cheeky but much the same. Hubpages didn’t exactly shut-down but it cut users off from the revenue earning. So many of the users, myself included, opted to remove their pages from the platform.
Frollo of Notre Dame de Paris
Daniel Lavoie as Frollo Notre Dame de Paris
So back in the early days of my time at Squdioo, I was obsessed with Notre Dame de Paris. I got the idea to dedicated pages to performers of each role throughout the different casts. Frollo was actally the second of this series of articles, I started with Esmeralda but I posted Frollo’s lens and not Esmeralda’s not sure why.
These pages did transferred over to Hubpages and I did try to keep up with them over the years. They were very time-consuming and hard to maintain. In fact I forgot to do Phoebus’ page entirely till 2022, that’s on me.
I think my original plan was to have the lenses of all the performers on a different platform and do more in-depth reviews of the performers on the blog but I never did that. I might but it can be very hard to source clips of the performers from over a decade ago and I’m not sure I want to anymore.
However do know that it’s very doubtful I will add these articles to the blog as they were too unwieldily to keep up with. This is due to the fact that show is still going. There are new performers all the time. It’s great for the show but hard to keep up with and update. Plus organizing the page was getting harder since there was gap in French Language casts with the revival and performers like Daniel Lavoie being in multiple different productions casts and languages. It was a lot in the end.
On the Plus Side
The good news is you don’t even need me to repost these articles because The Notre Dame de Paris Musical Fan Page has you covered. They keep up with better than I ever could and I no shame is admitting I used them as a resource many times.
Bad side is I think at one point they used one of my related Hubpage articles as a source which made me feel special but that article is gone so no more feeling special.
” 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 with shades of an I want Song that has a breaks down into insanity.
is a very different Disney heroine song. Many of the Female Disney Characters sing about wanting something for themselves. While Esmeralda is singing about wanting something that is not for her. She is being selfless which furthers elevates her into the mature sector.
