Who was the first actor to play Jean Valjean?

“Les Misérables” fans of a certain age may remember Colm Wilkinson, the big-voiced stage actor who originated the role of Jean Valjean in London and later on Broadway.
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Who played Jean Valjean first?

Colm Wilkinson is known for originating the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables in the 1985 London production and the 1987 Broadway bow. He received the 1987 Theatre World and Outer Critics Circle awards for his performance and was nominated for a Drama Desk and a Tony.
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Who is the most famous Jean Valjean?

Colm Wilkinson

The famed tenor is a seasoned solo artist as well as musical theatre performer but is probably best known for being the first ever Jean Valjean. In 1985, he not only took on the now coveted role of Monsieur Madeleine, he was also the very first Phantom in The Phantom Of The Opera.
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Who are the four 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.
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How many actors have played Jean Valjean?

#LesMiz30 fact: 26 actors have played Jean Valjean in the original London production since 1985!
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Youngest Jean Valjean Ever in Broadway's Les Miserables - Easter Bonnet 2015

Who is the real life equivalent of Jean Valjean?

Valjean's character is loosely based on the life of Eugène François Vidocq, an ex-convict who became a successful businessman widely noted for his social engagement and philanthropy. Vidocq helped Hugo with his research for Claude Gueux and Le Dernier jour d'un condamné (The Last Day of a Condemned Man).
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What is the hardest role in Les Mis ?

Enjolras is one of the more difficult roles to cast. He should be a natural leader oozing with charisma and have a very strong high baritone or a tenor voice. The original Enjolras won a Tony Award for his performance.
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Who was in the original Les Misérables stage cast?

The original Broadway production starred Colm Wilkinson as Jean Valjean, Terrence Mann as Javert, Randy Graff as Fantine, Frances Ruffelle as Eponine, Leo Burmester as Thénardier, Jennifer Butt as Madame Thénardier, David Bryant as Marius, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, and Donna Vivino as Young ...
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Who is Jean Valjean in love with?

Poor old Jean Valjean, of course, loved Cosette only as a father; but, as we noted earlier, into this fatherly love his lonely single status in life had introduced every other kind of love; he loved Cosette as his daughter, and he loved her as his mother, and he loved her as his sister; and, as he had never had either ...
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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.
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How old was Jean Valjean when he died?

Answer and Explanation: In les Miserables, Jean Valjean is about forty-six years old when the novel begins. Valjean was born in 1769, and he was sentenced to nineteen years in prison for stealing bread in 1795 at the age of twenty-six. At the end of the novel, when he dies, he is sixty-four years old.
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Is Les Misérables a true story?

Answer and Explanation: 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.
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Who is the best Jean Valjean of all time?

Colm Wilkinson

He is considered by many to be the definitive Valjean.
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Who was the original Fantine in Les Misérables?

She was first played in the musical by Rose Laurens in France, and when the musical came to England, Patti LuPone played Fantine in the West End. Fantine has since been played by numerous actresses. Fantine became an archetype of self-abnegation and devoted motherhood.
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Why did Josh Piterman leave Les Misérables?

Piterman's last performance will be on 21 October 2023, with Donnelly then playing the role from 31 October 2023 for 15 weeks. Josh is expected to return to the show in February 2024, A statement on behalf of producer Cameron Mackintosh said that Piterman is having to return to Australia for “sudden family reasons”.
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Who was the original Javert in Les Misérables?

He wears a standard costume designed to look like a mid-19th century French policeman. He was portrayed by Roger Allam in the Original London Production and Terrence Mann in the original Broadway cast of Les Misérables.
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Who turned Les Misérables into a musical?

Following the world premiere run of the original French version, Herbert Kretzmer and James Fenton were given the task of adapting the material into English. This new version, produced by Cameron Mackintosh and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, opened on October 8, 1985, at the Barbican Arts Centre in London.
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Who was the first Jean Valjean on Broadway?

Colm Wilkinson (born 5 June 1944), also known as C. T. Wilkinson, is an Irish singer and actor who is best known for originating the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (in the West End and Broadway) and for creating the title role in The Phantom of the Opera (1985) preview at the Sydmonton Festival and the ...
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What is the saddest death in Les Misérables?

The death in Les Misérables that is considered the most heartbreaking is the death of Fantine. Fantine is a character who sacrifices her own body and dignity in order to secure a better life for her child. Her death is often seen as tragic and poignant [1].
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What is the hardest song in Les Mis ?

“Bring Him Home” Les Misérables

This heavenly, measured, but powerful song requires tremendous control and plenty of high notes. Partially sung in falsetto, Alfie Boe characterizes what makes Jean Valjean's earnest prayer so breathtaking. To make things more challenging, the song is sometimes sung while sitting down.
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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.
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Who does Jean Valjean fall in love with?

I remember reading a part in the book describing how Jean Valjean had never felt romantic love for anyone before and so his love for Cosette had filled that void...
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What does the number 24601 mean?

In Les Misérables, 24601 is Jean Valjean's (primary antagonist) prison number while serving a nineteen-year sentence for stealing bread for his sister and her children. Victor Hugo selects this as his number because he deemed him to be conceived on June 24th.
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Who is the new Jean Valjean?

Finally, Jean Valjean will be played by Dutch star Milan van Waardenburg from 11 March 2024. Musicals star and multiplatinum selling recording artist Peter Jöback's previous credits include Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Witches of Eastwick, The Phantom of the Opera, and Kristina.
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