Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Les Mis is arguably one of the most popular musicals ever created. This 2 disk, live recording of the 25th anniversary tour edition joins a plateau of Les Mis recordings, each of which possess different positives and negatives. Fans of earlier Les Miserables recordings will probably be unable to avoid comparing some of the interpretations of the roles performed on this CD to earlier recordings. On a whole, the cast is a good representation of the show, boasting a performance of an almost-complete score, with some fantastic tweaks from the original for a great addition to the Les Mis catalogue.
The Cast - the main area that most fans will be interested in. General consensus is that the definitive Valjean is Colm Wilkinson, but John Owen Jones shines in his role. His approach to Valjean is more subtle and emotional than Wilkinson, however he still manages to produce a commanding and powerful tone in the urgent moments of the score. 'Bring Him Home' is a highlight of the soundtrack, with the vocals soaring over the orchestration, flicking with ease between the high and low register with such dynamics and emotion the result is breathtaking. Another commendable effort is delivered by Earl Carpenter as Javert. Filling the shoes of Phillip Quast is probably impossible, but like Jones, Carpenter delivers an excellent and commendable spin on Javert. The performance of 'Stars' is excellent, showcasing his vocals as a strong baritone, and delivering Javert's soliloquy passionately.
The majority of the cast are good, but some are left behind in the shadows of their predecessors. Madalena Alberto boasts an impressive array of ways to sigh and breathe, her interpretation of Fantine coming across a little flawed on this recording. Her voice is distinctively musical theatre, however it also seems to be a hybrid of pop as her voice belts quite a lot and frequently scoops to notes, making her role slightly emotionally detached compared to Ruthie Henshall. The most bizarre spin on the characters is Eponine, with Rosalin James producing a dramatic contrast with original Frances Ruffelle or fan favourite Lea Salonga. The performance of 'On My Own' on this recording is by far my least favourite, with the opening being altered to a bounce/swing/cakewalk. Like Alberto, James possesses a formidable and distinct musical-esque voice, but her embellishments and licks on the belt notes are unremarkable, generic, and sound out of place amongst the classic orchestration of the score.
The rest of the cast are fine. Both Gareth Gates and Jon Roybns deliver well on Marius and Enjolras, but both possess such youthful voices their timbre and richness in tone are lacking. This doesn't stop them in their showcase moments in the score - Gates' performance of Empty Chairs and Tables is quite touching, and Roybns' leading the cast in 'Do You Hear the People Sing?' is still a string anthem. Katie Hall delivers a sweet and innocent Cosette with an interpretation that is a delight for the ears. The Thénardiers and Gavroche are fairly pedestrian with their performances sounding a little grating on the ears, but then again, a recording of the live show embodies a great amount of character that wouldn't have been remembered otherwise.
The number of pros out-way the cons in this CD set. With a rare exception, this is almost an entire recording of the show, an excellent quality that not all the Les Mis CDs have. The chorus on this recording is excellent - the live atmosphere and raw emotion of the cast is caught so well that this recording could probably boast the most vibrant and lively chorus in the Les Mis series. The orchestration is also a highlight, with the score wisely and largely sticking to the original score, but with a much fuller sound via embellishments and ornamentation, and superior mixing. The only production downside of the recording is that much of the spoken dialogue and 'reactions' are caught. The dialogue isn't so much of a problem, but in certain instances (such as 'A Little Fall of Rain') the gasping/moaning/crying is just too much and far too over the top, I'm not sure if I can face listening to it again. Ultimately it just detracts from the beauty of the music. Since I'm being pedantic, in addition the cast also have a diverse catalogue of accents that make the score sound slightly disjointed and inconsistent, but that's hardly . While there are some cases where the music seems a little off balanced, the mixing and overall production is incredible, rivalling some studio recordings for such articulate and well captured sound.
So overall, would I recommend this CD? Yes, for Les Mis fans and passionates it's a fine addition to the Les Mis canon, and for new-comers it is a good introduction to the musical, especially when it boasts such sophisticated production from a live show. While the cast have some weak points, overall they are very pleasing to listen to, and they are backed by a great ensemble and band which manages to effectively represents the show, and there's great value to be found in this set which is essentially the complete show. I don't really have much to complain about here - this is recommended from me.
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