Volume CXXXIII, Number 7 October 26, 2001 f

Special Halloween Hunchback of Notre Dame
EKA THOMSON
STAFF WRITER

This Halloween, Robert K. Greenlee, Associate Professor of Music, will play the piano to accompany the silent film The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Mr. Greenlee will be playing different pieces of contemporary music varying from classical repertoires to tunes from sitcoms and films to provide background and musical variety for the scenes presented.

Set in 1847, the story takes place in urban Paris. The towering Cathedral is the focal point of the tale, and its sonorous bells are the soul of the city. Quasimodo (which literally means half-formed) and Esmeralda are the main characters in this classic love story written by Victor Hugo.

Throughout the entire film, Mr. Greenlee will transition into different pieces of music, and, according to the tone of conversation, he will adapt his playing to suit the mood. The audience can therefore experience changes in atmosphere while reading the lines of dialogue and listening to the piano.

Greenlee said that "the music will be pieces that people know and recognize and be able to relate the sound of the piece to the scene." Mr. Greenlee, who has performed this type of work before, expressed his enthusiasm for piano accompaniment, "I love to improvise. I love doing it and it's so much fun."

Five years ago, this event was a regular occurrence. Previous performances include The Bat, Dracula, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and were generally well attended. The money made by the ticket sales were put into the choir fund and usually amounted to a maximum of $1,000.

Victor Hugo, the author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame was only twenty eight years old when he wrote this historical romance/psychodrama. The idea originated from a visit he paid to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Hugo discovered a cryptic inscription carved into the stone wall of the cathedral, and while pondering over this inscription, a story took shape in his mind.

Greenlee will be performing at 7 p.m. on October 31. Tickets will be on sale in Smith Union or at the door of the Bowdoin Chapel for $4. Please call 725-3375 for more information.