Les Miserables [1995]

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Customer Rating:
Summary: wow!
Comment: Having seen the show live in the west end I was pleased as punch to see that this had been released. This truly is the dream cast. Ruthie Henshall, Michael Ball, Philip Quast are all simply sensational. From the opening through to the barricades to the bitter sweet ending it's perfect. Listen out for Philip Quast as he sings 'Stars' just stunning. colm Wilkinson is wonderful as Jean Valjean. And ruthie henshall is stunning as Fantine. the perfect show with the perfect cast. Leah Salonga is worthy of a mention for her stunning portrayal of Eppoinine. Stunning, simply stunning!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: a night of pure delight
Comment: This show which contains all the main songs and scenes from the Les Miserables west end show is an extravoganza of brilliance.! I could not fault the beautiful singing of any of the cast aptly named "the dream cast" but was especially blown away by the performance of Philip Quast as the steely yet vulnerable Inspector Javert. His voice as he sang "stars" was so powerful that it reduced me to tears and his stage presence was magnificent. Congratulations also to Michael Ball who sang "empty chairs at empty tables" with guts and emotion. I also loved Ruthie Henshall as Fantine. What an amazing voice she has! And the Thenardier's were so funny and what a brilliant delivery of those humourous songs, particularly by Alan Armstrong who is such a versatile actor! This video is an absolute MUST to any musical lover's collection. It will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. The power and emotion of the singing will make the hairs on your neck stand up throughout the performance. There was no lessening of dramatic impact because of the lack of scenery or props. Those brilliant actors brought it to life on a bare stage just by using their exquisite talent and i for one, felt transported to the seedy world of 19th century paris with all its poverty and degredation. Totally absorbing and absolutely fabulous!!!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Stunning and amazingly breath-taking
Comment: Absolutely amazing! fantastic performances by the leading roles and by the chorus. Lea Salonga once again immediately captures you with her emotional and powerful performance as Eponine, especially when she sings On my own, she definately shines once again! Ruthie Henshall with her unique sound as Fantine. Alun Armstrong and Jenny Galloway with their hilarious comedy performances as The Thenardiers,amazing! and ofcourse Colm Wilkonson performing Jean Val Jean with such power in his voice it is unbelievable what notes he hits, simply fantastic! A great and entertaining display of the best talent in the world! But Lea Salonga gets the standing ovation by me, shes fabulous!!!!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Unexpected pleasure
Comment: I didn't really know what to expect when this live concert started. It is much better than an ordinary videoed stage performance of a musical as there are no distractions from the acting, stage props, stunts etc. It is pure, undiluted, music with a carefully chosen cast, each member being perfectly selected for voice and appearance, backed up by an excellent choir and the Philharmonia orchestra. In a way, it has turned a musical into opera. For sheer entertainment value, I cannot recommend this version too highly, despite its low price: buy it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Comment: Having never seen the show I did not know what to expect, but being a lover of musicals (especially "West side story") I decided that at the really low price it might be worth a try. Well! This is no light weight concert, it is totally absorbing and emotionally draining, the cast are magnificent. The only down side for me (but that's personal) was the fact that the low life french (prostitutes etc) sang with 'cockney' accents (putting me in mind of "0liver" - another of my favourite musicals) when a French accent would have been more appropriate (or just a normal singing voice). If you are undecided, my advise is BUY IT - NOW, you won't regret it.

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The 10th-anniversary-concert video of the international musical sensation Les Misérables might be the best thing to appease fans until a full-fledged movie comes along. Or it might be even better, as feature films are often subject to extra musical casting considerations and this 1995 dream cast is superb. Reprising their roles from the original London company are Colm Wilkinson (Valjean), Michael Ball (Marius) and Alun Armstrong (Thenardier). From Broadway come Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Lea Salonga (Eponine) and Michael Maguire (Enjolras); from a later London production comes Ruthie Henshall (Fantine); and from Australia comes Philip Quast (Javert).

Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score vividly captures the passion of Victor Hugo's epic tale of pre-Revolutionary France, combining tear-jerking ballads ("I Dreamed a Dream", "Bring Him Home") and rousing anthems ("Do You Hear the People Sing"). The format of this concert is closer to that of a dramatic cantata rather than a fully staged production; the singers stand at their microphones with an orchestra and chorus behind them, but they do wear costumes and participate in some movement. At certain points, such as the climax of the barricade scene, the video switches to action from a stage production. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sounds great, and it can be thrilling when 200 choristers (dressed in logo T-shirts) rise to their feet for a full-company number such as "One Day More". Also, subtitles provide date and scene information and help move the story along.

This 147-minute version contains footage not seen before, most notably the encore in which a progression of 17 actors who have played Valjean around the world share "Do You Hear the People Sing?" Each sings a line in his native language, a testament to the enduring power of this show to audiences everywhere.--David Horiuchi, Amazon.com