Low male voice repertoire in contemporary musical theatre: a studio and performance guide of selected songs 1996-2020 by

Musical 
Music Lyrics 
Range 
Tessitura 
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 
(2014) 
Alan Menken 
Stephen 
Schwartz 
F
2
– D
4
Verse: M 
Chorus: MH 
Bridge: ML 
Final Verse: MH 
Tag: H 
Musical Theatre Style 
Song Type/Feel 
Tempo 
Legit 
Disney Villain / Dramatic Ballad 
77bpm, quickens at the 
bridge, then returns to 
opening tempo 
Vocalism 
Breathy 
Speech-like 
Character 
Belt 
Legit 
Operatic 
Sources: Data adapted from Patrick Page, “Hellfire,” track 13 on The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Studio Cast 
Recording), Disney, 2016, Amazon Music streaming audio, 
https://music.amazon.com/albums/B074MQ5NN2?trackAsin=B074MQ77P8&ref=dm_sh_1a23-affe-dmcp-82ce-
d450d&musicTerritory=US&marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER; Alan Menken, “Hellfire,” in The Hunchback of 
Notre Dame: Vocal Selections (Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard, 2018): 53-60. 
Plot 
Based on the Disney Film (in turn based on Victor Hugo’s novel), the musical opens with a 
retelling of how Quasimodo came to be under Frollo’s care. Shifting forward in time, Quasimodo as a 
young man yearns to leave his bell tower and join the festivities below. Despite Frollo’s warnings, 
Quasimodo escapes and joins the crowd in the square, only to be discovered, ridiculed, and beaten by a 
frenzied mob. Saved by Esmeralda, the story then follows their burgeoning friendship while Frollo’s lust 
for Esmeralda and hatred of gypsies lays the groundwork for the conflict and conclusion to the tale.
3
Character 
Archdeacon Frollo is the antagonist of this tale, serving as master and father-figure to 
Quasimodo. Many years ago, his brother Jehan died after leaving the church and having a child with a 
gypsy woman. Frollo acquiesces to his brother’s final wish, raising Quasimodo but harboring intense 
3
“Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Music Theatre International, MTI Enterprises Inc., accessed August 20, 
2020, https://www.mtishows.com/the-hunchback-of-notre-dame.

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61 
hatred toward the gypsy way of life. He holds great power in the city of Paris, leading the militaristic arm 
of the church (above Phoebus and the cathedral guard) as he descends into depravity. He has not known 
love since his brother’s death, and his desires for Esmeralda lead him towards his doom.
4
Context 
This piece immediately follows the tender ballad “Heaven’s Light” (sung by Quasimodo) and 
operates in stark contrast to the innocent musings of his ward; Frollo moves from questioning and being 
revolted by his lust to embracing his move towards sin, setting up the Act 1 finale by resolving to capture 
and kill Esmeralda. The power of his station (and thus, the church) is amplified in the short dialogue with 
King Louis XI immediately after, setting up the Gypsy hunt in Paris.
5