Here is this week’s song for a Saturday. Voici ma chanson pour un samedi.
The year was 1998. The musical ‘Notre-Dame de Paris’ had just opened in Paris and this song was among the many taking France by storm. Powerful, dramatic, it seemed to somehow capture the spirit of Victor Hugo’s novel.
With music written by Richard Cocciante and lyrics by Luc Plamandon, the musical had all the ingredients of a major international success. It had the most successful first year of any musical ever according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was translated into 8 languages and went on to have long runs around the world.
There are many more beautiful and deeply moving pieces of classical music being played in honour of Notre-Dame de Paris this week. Yet this is the song that stands out in my memory as that which epitomizes the drama and magic of the place.
Bon weekend!
FranceSays 
I love that song – thank you for reminding me to listen to it again!! 🙂
It seems rather timely, n’est-ce pas? What a soul-stirring song!
Both the musical and the song are new to me, but it /is/ a powerful song. Thanks. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it. The musical was quite the sensation!
I keep meaning to ask this, but…could you speak French before you married a Frenchman and went to live in France?
Not a word! When I decided to come over to Paris for several months before we got married, I took a quick night course at our local community college. Then went to the Alliance Francaise for a few months in Paris. Deeply regretted not having paid attention in high school French! 😜
Wow…that is seriously brave. A huge leap into the unknown, literally, and French is not an easy language to just pick up. Bravo. 🙂
Thank you! I had a good support system in my then to-be husband’s family but it was challenging at times for sure. Probably just as well I did not realize just how hard it would be…but well worth it! 🤗
-grin- Yeah, sometimes ignorance isn’t such a bad thing. I still think you’re brave though!