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We are attending the rehearsals of Notre-Dame de Paris
with Roberto Bolle
who will make his debut
in the role of Quasimodo on February 10th.
What is your role like? What is your character like?
Well, it's certainly
a very different character from the others
I've played till now, so
it's a very important challenge for me.
My role is the Ugly Guy.
I have performed in Notre-Dame de Paris before
in the role of Phoebus
who is the good-looking one
so this is a novelty for me
a character who's so ugly physically and yet so sensitive
and beautiful inside.
This is his asset, his inner sensitivity
which comes out with Esmeralda. She's the only one
who treats him like a human being
the only one who understands that this deformity
doesn't affect his inner beauty.
She really opens up a world to him!
This comes out especially in the "pas de deux" of the second act
when she puts her hand on his shoulder
and caresses him. She is so sweet with him.
She shows Quasimodo a new perspective that no one
had never show him before.
So there's this really special relationship
between the two main characters.
The role is also very demanding
because the position
the costume doesn't have a hump in
it so you've got to represent it as a posture
all the time.
Then, throughout the ballet, you have to maintain
an unbalanced posture. That makes
it quite a task on both your back and body.
And it's not only during the dancing part either
but also
when we have to stand still, when we have to look on
in the beginnign we are always with Frollo. So
this is a really difficult posture to keep
All this
represents a great challenge for me
it's a really unique and special role
completely different
and I think it's the right time for me to deal with it.
Of course.
What's happening on stage now?
Right now they have just finished the tavern scene.
So
we've got the handsome, blond Phoebus
and Esmeralda, and now the pas de trois is about to start.
Esmeralda dances with Phoebus
under the dark shadow of Frollo, who follows
and spies on them
and eventually jealous of their relationship
treacherously kills
Phoebus. Frollo will then blame Esmeralda for the ***
and will dispatch her to the gallows, and the gypsy,
despite Quasimodo's attemps to save her
will die.
Quasimmodo, will in turn then kill Frollo
to avenge Esmeralda.
So these are the four main characters
Quasimodo, Frollo, Phoebus and Esmeralda
who conduct the whole affair
and are very well defined in Roland Petit's style.
So the bad, the good, the ugly
and Esmeralda, the one who unites them all so
so sensual and seductive
Yes
A beautiful, charismatic gypsy
Of course
Sort of like Carmen!
Yes, like Carmen!
Yes
She's wonderful
very intense character
At first she appears very strong
and sensual, but then she reveals herself to be fragile.
Of course
She understands the whole situation
and suffers the consequences.
And then we've got Quasimodo's dramatic loneliness.
He stands alone in the end.
In the end he is alone, yes.
Everyone dies but him!
Everyone dies but him!
They are all dead in the end!
Apart
from the four main characters
we must also remember
that this ballet, like many others
even more than many others by Petit
is particulary difficult for the corps de ballet.
There are moments
of great difficulty and heaviness
for the corps de ballet.
For instance, in the whole first part,
which I dance with them
the feast of fools
the red blood cells part
the gallows, we have many, many difficult
intense, phisically demanding moments for the corps de ballet
Yes, I always saw them jump.
Yes! A lots of leaps
and many extreme movements, that you have to perform
in a very rhythmic and almost competitive manner.
It's a real challenge for the corps de ballet
So let's say this ballet
is a great test for everyone.
Of course.
For the soloists and for the corps de ballet as well.
So it's an intense challenge for you both from a technical
and interpretative standpoint.
It's definitely
a moment of artistic growth for me
as dealing with a role that has so many different aspects
especially compared to the ones I've performed before
it's a challenge.
You have to search inside yourself
and find some new sides, movements, attitudes
ways of stance
that had never been mine and I never experienced before.
So being credible in this role
is a very hard test for me.
We'll see the result.
Okay. It's only a few days till Febraury 10th.
So the best of luck to you.
Thanks! Bye!