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The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) by Victor Hugo
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Great classical music inspired by books
18. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) by Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo began writing his famous novel largely to raise awareness of the value of Gothic architecture, which was being neglected and often destroyed. It was turned into an opera, 'Esmeralda' by Louise Bertin with Hugo himself providing the libretto. In 1883, English composer Arthur Goring Thomas also created an opera with the same title, changing Hugo's tragic ending to a happy one.
