Notre Dame de Paris

Author's Note

C'est une histoire qui a pour lieu
Paris la belle en l'an de dieu
Mil quatre cent quatre-vingt-deux
Histoire d'amour et de désir...

This is a script of my English adaptation of Riccardo Cocciante's and Luc Plamondon's hit rock musical Notre Dame de Paris (1998). Highlights include "Le temps des cathèdrales," "Belle," "Vivre," and "Danse mon Esméralda." Sorry for the possible confusion with Victor Hugo (fan)fiction; Wattpad has no category for this sort of thing.

Recently there was a weeklong performance of the show in London in January of this year in the original French with English surtitles, which would make this translation rather superfluous, but I still feel a good English translation is possible. For all its operetta and concert-style trappings, the show is still bound by the rock musical's emphasis on lyrical meaning. I gave it a shot, anyway.

This script follows the original French order faithfully for the most part with little deviation, except with additional solo parts for the recitative songs added in the 2003 London version and retained in subsequent productions, particularly the Italian production. As for the translation, similarities with Will Jennings' English translation are inevitable; I tried to go my own way as much as possible.

If anyone wishes to sing or perform these lyrics, you have my permission so long as you provide credit + a link either to this script or to my main blog, www.cto10121.tumblr.com.

Stage directions are in italics, character names in bold, and where speech occurs, it is noted in parenthesis. Relevant clips of each song are included along with the chapters.

Also: Though I began this project before the burning of the real-life cathedral, consider this my little tribute anyway. Enjoy!