Character guide
Lancelot du Lac
from Camelot
Lancelot du Lac is the French knight whose love for Guenevere threatens Camelot in Lerner and Loewe's 1960 musical.
- Show
- Camelot
- Broadway premiere
- 1960
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Frederick Loewe
Lancelot du Lac on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1967 film
The Lancelot of the 1967 film does not sing with his own voice. Italian actor Franco Nero was cast on the recommendation of Richard Harris and John Huston, and director Joshua Logan let him sing at first, but after filming C'est Moi, the first scene shot, Logan decided Nero's voice did not suit the arrangement and had him dubbed by Gene Merlino.
Robert Goulet originated Lancelot in 1960 in his first Broadway role and later returned to Camelot as Arthur in a 1993 Broadway revival. Lancelot's ballad If Ever I Would Leave You won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for the film, and Jordan Donica played Lancelot in the 2023 Broadway revival.
Who is Lancelot du Lac?
Lancelot arrives at Arthur's court as a proud, almost comically self righteous knight convinced of his own perfection, determined to join the Round Table and prove himself the greatest knight alive. Despite his arrogance, Arthur is drawn to his sincerity and genuine belief in the Round Table's ideals, making him a trusted friend as well as a knight.
That friendship becomes the source of the show's central tragedy once Lancelot and Guenevere fall in love, a bond neither of them wanted or can fully resist, and their guilt over betraying Arthur haunts the rest of the story.
Lancelot du Lac's role in Camelot
Lancelot is a lead role that requires a powerful tenor voice, introduced with the boastful C'est Moi and later softened in the tender If Ever I Would Leave You. The role's arc from self satisfied knight to genuinely humbled man gives a strong singer plenty of dramatic range to work with.
Robert Goulet originated the role in 1960, a performance that launched his career, and the part has continued to be a breakout role for younger leading men in subsequent productions.
Lancelot du Lac: frequently asked questions
What show is Lancelot du Lac from?
Lancelot du Lac is a lead character in Camelot, which opened in 1960.
Is Lancelot du Lac a lead or supporting role?
Lancelot is a lead role, forming the third point of the show's central love triangle.
Who wrote the music for Camelot?
Frederick Loewe wrote the music, with Alan Jay Lerner writing the lyrics and book.
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