Notre Dame - Opera Musical in Cortona

Franz Schmidt's romantic opera *Notre Dame*, based on Victor Hugo's *The Hunchback of Notre-Dame*, comes to Cortona for a special performance. The work, composed between 1904 and 1906, is best known for its orchestral Intermezzo, described by composer Karl Goldmark as "the most beautiful of Gypsy music." Attendees can expect a powerful evening of music and drama, featuring the tragic story of Quasimodo and Esmeralda.

The opera's world premiere took place in Vienna in 1914, with Marie Gutheil-Schoder creating the role of Esmeralda. Though it faded from view after the early 1920s, *Notre Dame* has seen revivals in Vienna and Dresden, and has been recorded at least twice. This performance in Cortona offers a rare chance to experience Schmidt's lush, orchestral-rich score in a live setting.