Notre-Dame de Paris (ballet)

Notre-Dame de Paris is a ballet in two acts and four scenes, with choreography by Roland Petit, music by Maurice Jarre, and libretto by Roland Petit inspired by Victor Hugo's novel Notre-Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame).

The ballet premiered on November 11, 1965, at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, performed by the Ballet de Paris. The original cast included Roland Petit as Quasimodo, Claire Motte as Esmeralda, Jean-Pierre Bonnefous as Phoebus, and Luigi Bonino as Frollo.

Notre-Dame de Paris tells the story of Esmeralda, a beautiful Romani girl, and the tragic love and obsession surrounding her. Key characters include Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell-ringer of Notre-Dame, deeply devoted to Esmeralda; Phoebus, a handsome captain of the guard who captures Esmeralda's affections; and Frollo, the archdeacon of Notre-Dame, consumed by a destructive lust for Esmeralda. The ballet explores themes of beauty, ugliness, love, lust, prejudice, and societal injustice.

The ballet is known for its dramatic narrative, expressive choreography, and evocative score. Petit's choreography often emphasizes the contrasting characters and their emotional states, using stylized movements and gestures to convey the story's depth. Jarre's music contributes to the ballet's atmosphere, combining dramatic orchestral passages with more lyrical and romantic themes.

Notre-Dame de Paris has been revived by various ballet companies around the world and remains a popular work in the ballet repertoire. It is often praised for its powerful storytelling and its ability to translate Hugo's complex novel into a compelling dance performance.