LA ESMERALDA Comes to the Ballet Theatre of Maryland

Ballet Theatre of Maryland will premiere the ballet La Esmeralda at Maryland Hall on April 24 & 25. Adapted from Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame, the ballet follows the noble-hearted Esmeralda and brave Captain Phoebus as they defy the wicked Archdeacon Frollo and his henchman, Quasimodo. This family-friendly production will conclude BTM’s 2025/2026 mainstage season. 

Says Artistic Director Nicole Kelsch, “One of our programming goals has been presenting not only crowd-favorites productions but also lesser-known works that local audiences might not otherwise get to see. La Esmeralda is one such classic. Although the ballet brings plenty of the drama from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, our audiences will also be charmed by its comedic moments and heartfelt characters. This April, we are thrilled to become one of only a few professional companies to stage La Esmeralda in the U.S.” 

In this uplifting take on Victor Hugo's masterwork, the vivacious Esmeralda’s dancing inadvertently catches the eye of Archdeacon Frollo. He sends Quasimodo to capture Esmeralda, only for Captain Phoebus de Chateaupers to come to her rescue. Esmeralda is grateful, but she intercedes when she sees Phoebus’s men begin to punish Quasimodo. Her act of mercy sparks a romantic story that explores themes of courage, compassion, and the transformative power of love.

La Esmeralda originally premiered in London in 1844 with music by Cesare Pugni and choreography by Jules Perrot. Like many romantic ballets of the era, it gained new life when Marius Petipa revived it for the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre in the late 19th century. Significant scenes include the Grand Pas de fleurs performed by Phoebus and his spiteful fiancé, Fleur-de-Lys; the Pas de Jalousie or Esmeralda pas de six, which reflects Esmeralda’s heartbreak over discovering Phoebus’s engagement; and the devilishly fun Festival of Fools.