Although Andrew Lloyd Webber is an extremely prolific composer, he did not compose the stage version of Les Misérables (1980). The composer for that play was French musician Claude-Michel Schönberg.

Who did the music for Les Misérables?

News THE SCREENING ROOM: Celebrating Les Misérables Composer Claude-Michel Schonberg French composer Claude-Michel Schonberg wrote the Tony-winning book and music to the international hit musical Les Misérables, as well as Miss Saigon and The Pirate Queen.

Who was the original director of the musical Les Misérables?

The original French musical premiered in Paris in 1980 with direction by Robert Hossein.

Who played Jean Valjean in the original Les Mis?

Colm Wilkinson is one of the most crucial pieces of the Les Misérables puzzle, having originated the role of Jean Valjean in both the West End and Broadway.

Who came up with Les Misérables?

Les Misérables (/leɪ ˌmɪzəˈrɑːb(əl), -blə/, French: [le mizeʁabl]) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.

Les Misérables | Do You Hear the People Sing?

Why was Les Misérables banned?

Les Miserables was banned by the Catholic Church. The novel is believed to have been added to their collection of books that Catholics were forbade to read in 1864. There is no single template of reasons why the novel was banned except for the feature of prostitution (Fantine) in the novel.

What does Les Misérables stand for?

Les Misérables has several shades of meaning in French. Translators say that Victor Hugo's novel, published in 1862, could just as well be titled The Miserable Ones, The Outcasts, The Wretched Poor, The Victims or The Dispossessed.

Who is the best Jean Valjean ever?

Colm Wilkinson. Arguably the most iconic and popular portrayal of Valjean out there, Wilkinson originated the role on the West End, reprised it for the original Broadway cast, and would later reprise it a few other times, most notably in the 1995 10^th Anniversary “Dream Cast in Concert” production.

Who is the best Javert in Les Misérables?

1. Philip Quast. Ask any Les Mis fan who the most beloved Inspector Javert of all time is, and they'll probably tell you it's this man.

Who are the 4 Jean Valjeans?

For the encore, four Jean Valjeans sang "Bring Him Home": Colm Wilkinson from the original London cast, John Owen-Jones from the 25th Anniversary touring production, Simon Bowman from the contemporary London cast, and Alfie Boe, who sang the role in the concert.

Who is Cosette's biological father?

Cosette has a biological father, a foster father and an adopted father. Her biological dad, Felix Tholomyès, is a wealthy lawyer who abandons Cosette and Fantine when Cosette is two years old.

Did Hugh Jackman sing in Les Misérables?

Jackman (Jean Valjean) and Hathaway (Fantine) sang every take live in the film, which would go on to win three Oscars (including best supporting actress for Hathaway, while Jackman was nominated for best actor).

Who was the original Cosette on Broadway?

David Bryant and Judy Kuhn starred as Marius and Cosette, respectively, in the original Broadway company of Les Misérables. Bryant has also been seen on Broadway in Amadeus, Sunday in the Park With George and Show Boat, and his producing credits include A Tale of Two Cities and A Time to Kill.

What is the saddest song in Les Mis?

Empty Chairs At Empty Tables (Les Miserables)

There are many sad songs in the musical, but "Empty Chairs" is especially tragic. Marius sings a song about his friends who died during the June Rebellion. He cries while looking at the empty chairs where his friends once sat.

Did the cast of Les Misérables really sing?

The cast of Les Misérables have continually raved about singing live on set: Eddie Redmayne, who also has a key part in “Red and Black” as Marius, pointed out that it gave them the freedom to make their acting choices on set, not three months earlier in the recording studio; Tveit said “there's such an immediacy to the ...

Is Les Misérables Based on a true story?

While some the events in Les Miserables actually happened, the characters in the novel are fictional. The final conflict at the barricades in Les Miserables is based on the Paris Uprising of 1832, a short-lived rebellion that ended after only two days.

Did Michael Ball ever play Javert?

In 2018, he played Anatoly Sergievsky in the West End revival of Chess. He returned to Les Misérables in 2019 and 2020 as Inspector Javert and Aspects of Love in 2023 as Sir George Dillingham.

Was Javert in love with Valjean?

In Episode 1 there's a scene where Valjean undresses, and Javert clearly checks him out for a second, implying that he's gay. And unlike the book where he's just doing his job, Javert's main motivation in BBC Les Mis is a queer-coded personal obsession with Valjean.

Why does Javert hate Valjean so much?

Javert sees Valjean as a criminal who chose theft, an action that is not only illegal but also morally reprehensible, as a solution to his problems; and he disdains him for it. Valjean, as Javert understands him, has no appreciation for the order of law and lacks moral integrity.

Who is the hero of Les Misérables Jean?

JEAN VALJEAN is the hero of the show. It is his life journey that we follow. Jean Valjean is supposed to be stronger than other men, and so physically should appear robust.

Was Jean Valjean in love?

He's never smitten by anybody and it's never implied that he had a previous romantic partner. His connection to Fantine seems entirely platonic and proper, at least in the musical.

Why is Jean Valjean so strong?

Jean Valjean's strength is explained by him performing hard labour for 19 straight years, but even with that in mind he's still almost inhumanly strong compared to most other men who have lived that same life.

What is the main problem in Les Misérables?

Major conflict Valjean struggles to transform himself from a thief into an honest man; over the years he struggles to stay a step ahead of the zealous police officer Javert and tries to raise his adopted daughter, Cosette.

Why do people like Les Miserables so much?

Musical-wise it has it all, catchy tunes (I Dreamed a Dream, One Day More, Do You Hear the People Sing?) with fantastical lyrics, and unlike a lot of other musicals (here's looking at you, Cats), Les Mis actually has a plot. In fact, it's the plot that helps make it stand out from other shows.

Where was Les Miserables filmed?

The main characters were cast later that year. Principal photography began in March 2012 and ended in June. Filming took place on locations in Greenwich, London, Chatham, Winchester, Bath, and Portsmouth, England; in Gourdon, France; and on soundstages in Pinewood Studios.