The Hunchcast of Notre Dame

On this special episode of the definitive podcast about “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (“Notre-Dame de Paris”), we sit down with musicologist Dr. Denise Boneau, the world’s leading expert on composer Louise Bertin, for an exclusive interview about the opera “La Esmeralda” (1836), the subject of our previous episode.A graduate of the University of Chicago, Dr. Boneau’s doctoral dissertation revived academic interest in Louise Bertin, who by that point had faded from public memory. Her passion for Bertin’s work has taken to France to see the first productions of Bertin’s operas in nearly 200 years, none of which would have been possible if Dr. Boneau hadn’t brought Bertin’s work back into public view.We’d like to express our sincerest thanks to Dr. Boneau for generously offering her time and expertise!LISTEN TO “LA ESMERALDA” WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tEP6_VCwyIRING THAT NOTIFICATION BELL to be automatically updated when new episodes are released!GET FREE BONUS CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: @TheHunchcast (https://www.instagram.com/thehunchcast/)Tumblr: @TheHunchcast (https://www.tumblr.com/thehunchcast)TikTok: @TheHunchcast (https://www.tiktok.com/@thehunchcast)GET IN TOUCH: [email protected] FOR THIS EPISODE:(00:00) Introduction(01:01) Denise Boneau and Her Dissertation(09:51) Who Was Louise Bertin?(15:28) Louise’s Operas(24:32) La Esmeralda’s Tumultuous Production(35:20) Louise’s Disability + Upbringing(42:41) Louise’s Legacy(45:55) Louise and Hugo’s friendship(56:45) La Esmeralda’s 21st-Century Revival(01:01:26) Hector Berlioz’s Involvement(01:05:18) Quasimodo’s Aria(01:09:08) OutroSOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE:“Louise Bertin and Opera in Paris in the 1820s and 1830s,” a dissertation by Dr. Denise Boneau“Victor Hugo By A Witness Of His Life” by Adèle Hugo“Mémoires de Hector Berlioz” (1870)Podcast logo by Ryan Grimm (Instagram: @grimmstar2002).Episode cover art by Victor-Louis Mottez.“The Hunchcast of Notre Dame” is a production of 1482 Media. All rights reserved.