The musical Notre-Dame de Paris returns to the Palais des Congrès for its 25th anniversary - Our opinion

Starmania and Notre-Dame de Paris take over again in 2023... Luc Plamondon's shows have never ceased to amaze all generations. For the latter, this year marks the 25th anniversary of the musical inspired by Victor Hugo's novel. To mark the occasion, new performances will take place where it all began, at the Palais des Congrès, from November 15, 2023 to January 7, 2024, before embarking on a tour of the whole of France.

With over 5,000 performances (this threshold was reached on January 5, 2019) in 20 different countries and 9 languages, the show has already attracted over 10 million spectators worldwide. Notre-Dame de Paris has unquestionably become the benchmark for French musicals. The musical has brought the likes of Garou, Hélène Ségara, Patrick Fiori and Julie Zenatti to the fore.

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Our verdict

What a pleasure to see this cult show make a comeback, and above all to realize that even after 25 years, the magic is still there, that Gringoire's arrival with Le Temps des Cathédrales is as effective and powerful as ever, and that the show is as grandiose as ever.

As with the 2017 revival, the staging and songs are the same as in 1998, with only the cast changing. Daniel Lavoie is the only one to reprise his role as Archdeacon Frollo. He is joined by a number of new young artists, including Hiba Tawaji (seen in season 4 of The Voice) as Esmeralda.

Over 2h30 of showtime - including an intermission - more than fifty songs are performed with rhythm and vigor. Some of them are still cult hits, echoing around the Palais des Congrès. How could we forget Belle, which broke numerous sales and top 50 records?

In this 2023 version, the staging has not changed one iota. The cathedral walls are still used by acrobats to perform choreography and acrobatics. The most dynamic songs are beautifully choreographed by a ballet of numerous dancers with various props, such as barriers or beds on wheels. The famous bells are also part of the show, allowing Quasimodo and the dancers to hang onto them and swing.

The only criticism of Notre-Dame de Paris - and this is nothing new - is the absence of a live orchestra.