Herbert Kretzmer, lyricist of Les Miserables, dead at 95
LONDON – Herbert Kretzmer, the journalist and lyricist best known for his English-language adaptation of the musical Les Miserables, has died. Tributes poured in from giants of the London stage, including theatrical producer Cameron Mackintosh, singer Elaine Paige and lyricist Tim Rice. Les Miserables producer Mackintosh said Kretzmer was instrumental in bringing Victor Hugo's classic tale of defiance and redemption in early 19th century France to the stage in English in October 1985, five years after it had opened in Paris. Until a young British producer by the name of Cameron Mackintosh invited Kretzmer to tea in June 1984 and his life changed. Though the expanded English version of Les Miserables — it was never Les Mis for Kretzmer — had mixed reviews at the start, it would soon become one of the biggest successes of 20th century theater.
Crypt reopens, honors 2 figures key to Notre Dame Cathedral
People wearing protective face masks as precaution against the conoravirus walk out of the archaeological crypt underneath the parvis of Notre-Dame cathedral which reopens today in in Paris, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. The archaeological crypt was shut down after the cathedral caught fire in April 2019, and it returns with a exhibition called Notre-Dame de Paris from Victor Hugo to Eugene Viollet-le-Duc . Actually, this exhibition was ready one year ago.The crypt contains remains from archaeological digs discovered underneath the Ile de la Cite, taking visitors back in time. But it is Hugos novel that helped grow the global reputation of the cathedral, de Moudenard said. It contributes to making this cathedral a national monument, she said in an interview.