Viktor Hugo’s famous novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Notre-Dame de Paris), has inspired countless striking works of art spanning a range of genres. The public was able to experience the story in ballet form for the first time at the 1844 production of La Esmeralda, presented by the Ballet of her Majesty's Theatre in London under Jules Perrot’s choreography.
In 1939, produced by the ballet master Osvalds Lēmanis, it was performed for the first time by the Latvian National Ballet. Aivars Leimanis’s production of La Esmeralda will be the fourth staging of this romantic story in the history of Latvian ballet. Mārtiņš Vilkārsis’s scenography and Ilze Vītoliņa’s costumes will further evoke the medieval atmosphere.
The archdeacon of Notre Dame, Claude Frollo, desires the beautiful Esmeralda. However, the girl’s attention is caught by the dexterous captain Phoebus. The bellringer of the church, Quasimodo, also harbours warm feelings towards Esmeralda. Overcome by a jealous rage, Frollo wounds Phoebus though Esmeralda gets the blame, wrongfully subjected to a death penalty. Only the unfortunate Quasimodo continues to love Esmeralda with a pure heart until the end of his days.