'QUASIMODO The Musical (The Untold Story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame)' is a new and spectacular, Broadway-style, re-imagination of Victor Hugo’s classic story, composed by Samuel Kristy.
It will be the first all-Australian re-imagination of Victor Hugo’s tale. According to Kristy, who has worked on this musical for some 20 years, the style of 'QUASIMODO' is “fairly modern, but at the same time traditional”, with its emphasis on presenting great and memorable ‘singable songs’. The show will be brought to life in a world-first concert version of the musical, performed by the acclaimed Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of award-winning conductor Andrew Wailes, who will lead a stellar cast of some of Australia’s leading music theatre performers who have been assembled for this show.
The cast is headlined by Josh Robson, who recently played the ‘Phantom’ in Opera Australia’s production of 'The Phantom of the Opera' on Sydney Harbour and in Melbourne. Robson will perform the title role of Quasimodo, the tormented bell ringer. He will be joined by Des Flanagan (who recently played Christian to great acclaim in 'Moulin Rouge') as the fiendish Archdeacon Frollo. Seasoned operatic baritone Michael Lampard performs Clopin, the King of Thieves, and popular Enya Angel brings the Gypsy Esmeralda to life.
Ben Clark, former 'The Voice' finalist and former member of 'The Ten Tenors', takes on the role of dashing Captain Phoebus, and popular West End leading lady Fem Belling will be the voice of Sister Gadule. Much-loved local artist Paul Hogan is sure to turn heads as The Lady of the House, and Sean Hutton (Jehan) and Julee Johnson (Fleur De Lis) round out this impressive cast.
So how did a conductor and an orchestra better known for their performances of the great classical masterworks like Handel’s 'Messiah' come to be presenting the world premiere of a new musical theatre show?
Melbourne's Capitol Theatre
“With the Paris Olympics just around the corner [at the time of writing], and the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral imminent, it seemed like the perfect time to share this new work with the world, so here we are,” Conductor Wailes says. He is also Artistic Director of the venerable Royal Melbourne Philharmonic which was founded in 1853 when Melbourne was part of the early Colony of Victoria. He was attracted to the ‘untold story’ of the famous Hunchback – a universal tale of unrequited love, lust and desire, abuse by men of power, deceit, cruel betrayal and even murder. . . Wailes goes on to say that “Sam’s re-telling of the story is a ‘warts and all’ approach to the story, and I liked that. Like in so many classic tales, the darker aspects of a story can often lead to the best songs!”
A large 50-voice chorus and lush 25-piece orchestra will ensure an impressive sonic experience for the audience, and according to Wailes the show will make use of the venue itself – “The Capitol is spectacular and will have a character all of its own. We wanted these concerts to feel like a show and a real musical theatre experience, rather than just another recital in a concert hall.”
Originally built in 1924, and designed by celebrated architects Marion and Walter Burley Griffin, The Capitol has a spectacular architectural interior, and the Chicago-Gothic-style theatre is considered their greatest interior design work, and the first extravagant ‘picture palace’ to be built in Victoria and in 2024 celebrates 100 years of its own history.
'QUASIMODO The Musical (The Untold Story Of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)' plays Capitol Theatre (Melbourne) 20-22 September.
