Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert
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Free Music Notes for Les Miserables 10th Anniversary Concert
Free Music Review: Great that Ruffelle wasn't around to ruin this recording!
Hit: 5 Stars
The TAC version is undoubtedly the best Les Miserables recording available! It's live, the orchestra is full, and best of all, the casting is great. It's a great relief that the production hired Miss Saigon's Salonga to do Eponine -- we have FINALLY have someone who not only emotes Eponine well, but can actually sing her lines -- the first two recordings (London and Broadway) treated us to a poor excuse of a musical theater actor who couldn't deliver lines clearly and who could barely stay in tune. Salonga, along with the other actors here, shows what the term Dream Cast means.
Bravo to everyone in this production!
Free Music Review: Les Mis is Les Magnifique
Hit: 5 Stars
I encountered Les Miserables through this particular performance. I bought the movie with the live performance and at first thought ewwwww. I was not big into musicals and my closest things to musical knowledge was listening to Phantom of the Opera and Jekyll And Hyde. Of course I bought the DVD of (David)Hasselhoff's performance. Point being, this version of Les Miserables changed my outlook on musicals.
Colm Wilkinson, Ruthie Henshall, Michael Ball, and the Disney duo of Lea Salonga and Judy Kuhn(both respectively from Aladdin and Pocahontas) and two young performers, children, opened my eyes to the world of Jean Valjean and his fight for redemption. The search of Javere for Valjean only to commit suicide after a conflict of ideals. The death of Fantine and the love triangle of Marius, Cosette, and Eponine. I was totally blown away.
I've since performed in two musicals. Little Shop and Footloose, but only because I was so attracted to the genre after watching and listening to this performance of Les Miserables. This truly was the dream cast and I am greatful to be able to enjoy it now.
The best part for me was the performances of the songs Do You Hear the People Sing, and One Day More, both which share a reprise at the very end. I put those songs on repeat and imagine I am right there singing in the background. The emotional gathering of the many Valjeans from worldwide performances is the pinacle I believe as they sing a multilingual version of Do You Hear the People Sing, and finalize it with a powerful last chorus of One Day More.
Buy the DVD, buy this CD set. Hear these talented artists sing a story of redemption, compassion, love, war. Let the story of Jean Valjean lift your heart and spirit. Allow it to change your life as it has mine.
Free Music Review: Pretty good, actually
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a fantastic recording with just a few faults. It's not a complete recording of the musical, a few cast members are under par, and there are a few moments where the sound is inadequate (Jenny Galloway's microphone malfunctions during "Master of the House," a crash from backstage startles Hannah Chick as she performs "Castle on a Cloud," and so on), but overall it's an excellent version of the celebrated musical. Instead of detailing only the major high and low points of the recording, I'll discuss the actors one by one.
Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean - Wilkinson, who originated the role of Valjean in London and on Broadway, is pretty much the best actor to play the role. His voice is a bit uneven sometimes, and he does tend to whisper, but when he does, it adds only intimacy to his performance. His performance in "Fantine's Death" is breathtaking, but of course his high point is "Bring Him Home." It's a beautiful song, and his powerful, emotionally charged vocals do it admirable justice.
Philip Quast as Javert - Quast is, in my opinion, the definitive Javert. His powerful, deep voice is totally enthralling, and his rendition of "Stars" is enough to leave one breathless. He's such a talented actor, and while his performance on the CSR is a bit more perfected, the live aspect of his performance here makes it too good to miss.
Ruthie Henshall as Fantine - While Henshall injects a great volume of raw emotion into her performance, her singing isn't terrific. Her rough, throaty voice is a bit disconcerting, although her performance on "Lovely Ladies" is great. She sings "I Dreamed a Dream" with honesty and passion, but it's simply not enough to excuse the fact that her voice isn't very good.
Hannah Chick as Young Cosette - Chick really is very good. Her sweet, innocent voice makes the usually dull "Castle on a Cloud" worth listening to. She's not a showstopper, but she's cute and worth a listen.
Jenny Galloway as Madame Thenardier - The audience on this recording obviously adores Galloway. Nearly every line she sings is met with laughter and cheers, and rightfully so. Galloway is incredibly skilled at portraying the comical, vulgar Madame Thenardier, and her tremendous, strong voice makes her one of my favorite Madame Thenardiers.
Alun Armstrong as Thenardier - Armstrong is definitely the best Thenardier I've heard. He has quite a bit of talent, and he performs the role with such a good-natured cheer. He's terrific and definitely worth a listen.
Adam Searles as Gavroche - Searles, thirteen at the time of this performance, is unforgettable as Gavroche. His voice is really cute, and he sings the role with such endearing charisma.
Lea Salonga as Eponine - Salonga's strong accent takes a bit of getting used to, but her voice is strong and graceful, and her interpretation of "On My Own" is stunning. I have never been an Eponine fan, but Salonga adds such emotion to the role that I can't help but love her. As I said, her accent is annoying, but when you listen to it for a while, it becomes quite endearing.
Michael Ball as Marius - Ball's voice is absolutely angelic. He brings such class and charm to the role of Marius, and he's obviously a favorite of this CD's live audience. His performance on "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" is heartbreaking, and overall he is not to be missed. Definitely my favorite Marius.
Michael Maguire as Enjolras - While Maguire tends to mess up on some high notes, it's understandable because this is a live show. His voice is strong and gallant, and he's a pretty good Enjolras.
Judy Kuhn as Cosette - Kuhn really is the only performer on this CD that I actively avoid listening to. She has such a prominent accent, but unlike that of Lea Salonga, it adds nothing to the songs--it only makes her annoying. She hits the notes she needs to hit, but the sound of her voice is pretty awful.
All in all, this is a great recording. If Rebecca Caine, the original London Cosette, had been substituted for Judy Kuhn, it'd be even better.
Free Music Review: Anything but miserable!
Hit: 5 Stars
INCREDIBLE. AMAZING. STUNNING. POWERFUL. The list goes on. Widely accepted as the greatest musical of all time, Les Miserables is more than a musical. It is a story full of beauty, richness, and passion. It has every sort of human emotion you can think of expertly written into an megahit of a production. This recording is what Les Miserables was meant to be. With a star studded cast, a 200 voice choir, and a full orchestra, the Tenth Anniversary Recording brings the musical to new heights.
"The Dream Cast" is given title to the incredible group of individuals who perform in this version. Colm Wilkinson, the original Jean Valjean from the West End, once again plays the part of the escaped convict. Though his voice sounds less youthful than in the Original London Cast, his still plays the part with the same passion that we have come to love. He sings what I believe to be the best version of 'Bring Him Home', sustaining an incredibly long and in-tune note at the end.
Though he's not the original, Philip Quast is by far THE Javert. His voice has so much depth and power that pulls you in and doesn't let go. He is simply one of my favorite voices in musical theatre. 'Stars' and 'Javert's Suicide' are the best I have heard them sung.
Ruthie Henshall steals the show as Fantine. I listen to this recording just for her voice. I can't say I've ever heard a bad Fantine, but Henshall takes the vocals to the next level. Her voice often sounds erethral and heavenly, especially in 'Come to Me'. Her duet with Eponine (Lea Salonga) in the end scene sends shivers down my spine.
Lea Salonga, while not my favorite Eponine, is argued by many to be the best Eponine of all time. Eponine's tragic character has that extra spunk that captivates many of us, making her the most loved character in Les Mis. Salonga captures her spirit so well with her more than powerful voice. Her version of 'On My Own' blows me away.
Alun Armstrong and Jennifer Gallaway pull off a HILARIOUS Thenadier couple. They are by far the best suited for the role.
"Master of the House" actually recieves the longest applause, other than the finale.
Micheal Ball once again portrays the Marius that we know and love. Ball plays Marius on all of the english Les Mis other than the Broadway version, making him to me and other, THE Marius. He has an incredibly strong voice and steals the second act with his haunting version of 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables'.
If you're looking for a recording of the entire show, get the Complete Symphonic Recording (this one doesn't quite have all of it), but otherwise, this should be the first Les Mis recording on your list. Don't miss out on what truly is the most amazing musical of all time.
Free Music Review: When all is said and done
Hit: 5 Stars
Listening to this CD and more so watching the DVD I became involved with ever aspect of the production. The diction of the Chorus is astounding. Understanding words from a chorus of 150? unheard of! Until 1195 in Royal Albert Hall.
I have performed ON-Broadway, Las VEgas, Toured with Elvis, all as a Percussionist....the aspect of'capturing' an audience is rare indeed even for Stars....but when it happens....time stands still. There is only now. Forever resides in the moment. This is what Les Mis....did for me. The concentration...the focus...the attention to each performer....the lighting, camera work [DVD]
When heaven visits a 'Show'...one could call it "10th Anniversary Concert at Royal Albert Hall in 1995.
I wish I knew even one person that was in the audience. Just one. I want to talk with that person. There are historic Stage performances that people talk about forever. i.e. Judy Garland in 1962 sitting on the stage and the croud was in her hand. Victoria De Los Angeles in Recital in 1977 in St. Paul MN. YOu have them yourself my musical friends. You can still feel them now as I do. I so wish we could share these moments together.
Memories are eternal....events that ignite these memories need to be shared....somehow. Let's do it....let's try. Feelings need to be expressed. How about now. Internet? Let's give it a go.
John-Hans Melcher jhmelcher at gmail dot com [get it?]
Tell me your eternal events...I'm a listening ear.