Only from February 14 to 17, 2025 on the Sava Center stage.
Serbian viewers will be able to hear the famous "Belle", "Danse mon Esmeralda", "Le temps des cathédrales" in the musical in French. In February 2016, it was announced that the creators were reviving the original version of the musical. The world premiere took place later that year at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, where it enjoyed tremendous success, with performances running for eight consecutive weeks and tickets selling out months in advance.
"Notre Dame de Paris" stands as the quintessential example of the unparalleled success of French musical theater on the global stage. The French version set a record for ticket sales in its first year, earning a place in the Guinness Book of Records. The iconic song "Belle" was celebrated as the best song of the twentieth century in France.
"Notre Dame de Paris" is a legendary French-Canadian musical created by Riccardo Cocciante and Luc Plamondon, inspired by Victor Hugo's classic novel. Since its premiere in Paris in 1998, the production has captivated over 12 million people worldwide. Over its 20-year history, the musical has sold more than 11 million CDs and DVDs and has been performed over 5000 times in 20 countries. The play has been translated into nine languages.
The original production of the musical Notre Dame features 200 tonnes of set pieces, transported across venues in seven megatrailers.
Luc Plamondon is one of the most celebrated French-speaking librettists and songwriters. His passion for musical theatre was ignited in 1969 after seeing the Broadway production of Hair, leading him to pursue this art form as his true calling. In 1978, in collaboration with French composer Michel Berger, Plamondon created his first musical, Starmania, which earned him four Félix Awards. His work on the play Sand and the Romantics was particularly significant, as it marked the birth of the creative partnership between Plamondon and Riccardo Cocciante—a collaboration that would go on to captivate France and the world in 1998 with the musical Notre Dame de Paris. Plamondon continued to compose the lyrics for this groundbreaking work.
In his youth, Riccardo Cocciante developed deep passion for opera and classical music. He soon formed his own band, "The Nations," and began teaching himself piano in his spare time. After several years of experimentation, Cocciante embarked on his first solo album, which he recorded in Italy in 1972. In 1994, he released the album "Greatest Hits," a compilation that reflected more than two decades of his musical journey. The following year, he collaborated with Plamondon on the album "Present Moment." Their partnership reached its zenith with the creation of the musical based on Victor Hugo's novel Notre Dame de Paris.
A multi-disciplinary artist renowned for his work as an actor, stage director, professor, choreographer, and film director, Gilles Maheu has distinguished himself as one of the foremost stage directors in Canada and internationally for four decades. Through his company, Carbon 14, he has brought his visionary productions to over thirty countries and has been honored with more than forty prestigious awards. Notably, he received acclaim for his creation of the play Dead Souls in 1996 and directed the film Skin, Flesh and Bones in 1995, which garnered the esteemed award at the Montreal International Film Festival. For his direction of Notre Dame de Paris, Maheu was awarded the Best Stage Production accolade in both Canada and Italy.
In Amsterdam, where he was already celebrated as a dancer and figure skater, Martino Muller pursued his training as a choreographer. His initial triumph in this new role came through a collaboration with the Karlsruhe Ballet in Germany. Muller has since crafted choreography for esteemed institutions such as the Ballet de l'Opéra de Lyon, the Berlin Opera, the Croatian National Ballet, the Stuttgart Ballet, and the Ballets of Gothenburg, Basel, and Bern, as well as the Theatre of Lucerne and the Opera House of Israel. "Notre Dame de Paris" marks Muller’s debut choreographic work for a musical, earning him the Canadian Theatre Award for Best Choreography for a Musical.
A graduate of the Lyon and Strasbourg Schools of Fine Arts, he has crafted sets for numerous opera houses both in France and internationally. His designs include productions such as A Midsummer Night's Dream, Dialogues of the Carmelites, The Child and the Enchantments and Benvenuto Cellini. At the Lausanne State Opera, he has contributed to Dido and Aeneas, The Story of a Soldier, and Werther. His work at the Mezière Theatre in Switzerland includes The Papal Coronation, Eugene Onegin, and The Magic Flute.
For thirty years, Alain Lortie has passionately devoted himself to his craft. He embarked on his career collaborating with renowned Canadian artists such as Michel Lemieux, Marie Chouinard, and Edouard Locke. Additionally, he has crafted lighting designs for celebrated performers in Quebec and Europe, including Jean-Pierre Ferlan, Diane Dufresne, Robert Charlebois, Peter Gabriel, Francis Cabrel, and Eros Ramazzotti. Alain's exceptional work has earned him numerous accolades, including the title of "Light Score Creator of the Year". He has been honored with the Golden Mask Award for his lighting design in Dead Souls and the prestigious Dora Mavor Moore Award in Toronto for his work on Oedipus Rex.
This eagerly anticipated French version of the musical will grace the Serbian stage, featuring some of the finest artists and dancers from around the globe. Hiba Tawaji, a rising star from Lebanon, was specially invited to portray Esmeralda in the Paris premiere. As a finalist on the French edition of The Voice, Hiba has already achieved notable success with two highly acclaimed solo albums. Angelo Del Vecchio, known for his performances as Quasimodo in both English and Italian, takes on the role of the hunchback once more. The iconic role of Frollo was brought to life by the legendary Daniel Lavoie at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, a Canadian pop sensation renowned for his original portrayal. This updated version of the musical is directed and choreographed by Gilles Maheu, celebrated for his innovative productions both in Canada and internationally.
Angelo is a talented musician and singer whose career began at an early age.In 2006, he got the opportunity of a lifetime when Riccardo Cocciante selected him for the role of Benvolio in the musical "Giulietta e Romeo." This project marked the beginning of his successful theater career. Angelo participated in the Italian tour of this musical from 2007 to 2008, performing in the country's largest theaters, including the famous Arena di Verona.From May 2011 to September 2012, he was also part of the tour for the musical "Notre Dame de Paris," where he played the role of Quasimodo. These tours covered not only Italy but also other countries, such as China, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Russia, Luxembourg, and Turkey.
Daniel Lavoie, born in the Manitoba plains, is a renowned author, composer, performer, and actor. Over the course of more than 40 years in Quebec, he has established himself as a poet-pianist. Lavoie is celebrated for his significant contributions to projects like Notre-Dame de Paris, Human Rights Now, Le Petit Prince, the TV series Félix Leclerc, Douze hommes rapaillés, La licorne captive, and more recently, Piaf à 100 ans. Vive la Môme! and Fortitudes.With a dozen Félix Awards in Quebec, four Victoires de la Musique in France, and a World Music Award for his participation in Belle from Notre-Dame de Paris, Lavoie has achieved widespread recognition.
Elhaida Dani, a passionate singer since the age of 4, gained recognition when she won Star Academy in Albania in 2009. In 2012, she triumphed at Top Fest, earning the title of Best New Artist. In 2013, she moved to Italy and won The Voice Italia as a member of Richard Cocciante’s team, performing an original song by him. Between 2013-2014, she toured Italy with artists like Patti Smith, Elisa, and Fausto Leali. In 2015, she represented Albania at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna with I’m Alive, reaching the Top 20.
Gian Marco Schiaretti, born in Parma in 1986, is a singer and actor. His career began at 18 in Giulietta e Romeo by Riccardo Cocciante. He played Tarzan in Tarzan (Phil Collins) from 2013, with over 1,000 shows in Hamburg and Stuttgart. In 2016, he performed as Che in Evita (A.L. Webber) in London and Turin. He also starred in West Side Story at the Royal Albert Hall (2018) and as AJ Golden in Paramour (Cirque du Soleil, 2019), while touring internationally in Notre-Dame de Paris as Phoebus.
Alyzée Lalande, passionate about music, theater, and dance, trained at the Massy Conservatory and under Raymond Acquaviva. In 2014, she starred in Peau d'Âne at the Théâtre de la Madeleine. The following year, she joined Le Bal des Vampires by Roman Polanski at the Mogador Theater and performed in Le Voyage Extraordinaire de Jules Verne. In 2016, Alyzée played Fleur-de-Lys in Notre-Dame de Paris at the Palais des Congrès, and in 2017, she portrayed Sandy in Grease at Mogador.
Jay, raised in a gospel-loving family, was a member of the French R&B group Poetic Lover (1997-2000), achieving chart success with several singles and albums. After the group's breakup, he joined Class Vegas in 2001 and released the single Les Femmes. In 2002, Jay appeared in the musical Cindy with Luc Plamondon, and his duet Je l’aime en secret with Lââm went gold. In 2003, he recorded Je te retrouve un peu with Tina Arena for her live album Vous êtes toujours là. Since 2013, Jay has been part of the soul group Vigon Bamy Jay. Their debut album Les Soul Men (2013) reached #7 on the French charts and was certified gold, with the song Feelings also charting.
Flo Carli, born in Porto Vecchio, started performing early in his family's restaurant. At 16, he gained recognition on The Voice with a Corsican song. He joined the international group Zerotwenty and later studied at the École du Spectacle in Paris. Flo performed in Notre-Dame de Paris, first as Phoebus, then as Gringoire, touring worldwide.
Jaime Bono is a Canadian-Italian singer with a 5-octave range, discovered by Luc Plamondon at 18. She was cast in Notre-Dame de Paris, alternating between Esmeralda and Fleur-de-Lys, touring globally. A musical theater graduate, she has also played Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Cosette in Les Misérables. Known for her versatility, her voice spans pop to rock opera, with a special skill in whistle notes. Grateful for her success, she credits Plamondon and looks forward to what’s to come.
Solal began his singing career at 12 and moved to Paris at 18 after meeting James Brown. Discovered by Michel Sardou, he signed his first record deal at 21. In 2008, he portrayed Leopold Mozart in Mozart, l’Opéra Rock. In 2012, he played Solus in Adam et Ève. Solal’s dream role has always been Frollo in Notre-Dame de Paris, which he now performs on international tours after 40 years in the industry.
Philippe, a singer-songwriter from Charlevoix, Quebec, gained public attention in 2020 on La Voix 8, where he reached the semi-finals. He now plays Quasimodo in Notre-Dame de Paris. At 20, he’s already made a name for himself with his unique voice. In 2022, he released his debut single 100 ans and his EP Premier Arrêt in 2023. His hit Voir le monde topped the Quebec charts for over 30 weeks. A 12-song album is set for 2024, with collaborations from artists like Lynda Lemay and Marc Dupré.
Éric, originally from Normandy, is a talented singer and actor with a passion for music from a young age. He trained in music and acting at the Music School of Coutances and the Centre des Arts Vivants. Éric has performed internationally in productions like Cabaret, Naked Boys Singing, The Ride, and Mamma Mia in Paris. He has also been involved in various musicals, including Fame and Chance!.He gained recognition with Disney, portraying characters like Jack Sparrow and Star Lord. Éric appeared on The Voice and Together Tous Avec Moi and has been part of Notre Dame de Paris since 2022, performing as Gringoire and Phoebus.
Jean-Michel, a versatile singer, dancer, and actor, began his career in café-theaters before joining the Club Med World stage in Paris. He performed in various musicals such as Swinging Fantasy, FAME, Avenue Q, and Gospel sur la Colline. Known for his voice work in TV, cinema, and animation, he was also a semi-finalist on La France a un incroyable talent in 2016 with his group Les Garçons.
