GREAT PERFORMANCES: LES MISERABLES IN CONCERT (TV)
Summary
One in this series of dramatic arts programs. This concert, recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall on 8 October 1995, celebrates the tenth anniversary of the musical "Les Misérables," based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, which premiered at the Barbican Centre in London on 8 October 1985. Stars from many different productions perform the roles in costume, accompanied by a large chorus and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Images from the show are projected onto large screens, and gaps in the narrative are filled in with on-screen text. The story begins in 1815 in Toulon, as toiling prisoners express their despair ("Work Song"), and Jean Valjean, jailed for stealing a loaf of bread and then for subsequent escape attempts, is released on parole after nineteen years by Inspector Javert. He receives an insufficient amount of money and is given shelter by a bishop, and he is captured when he steals from the man and attempts to escape. The bishop allows him to keep the silver, however, and a remorseful Valjean questions himself and vows to start over, breaking parole and assuming a new identity ("Valjean Arrested/Valjean Forgiven"). In 1823, in Montreuil-sur-Mer, poor factory workers gather on payday and one girl taunts her co-worker, Fantine, discovering in a letter that Fantine routinely sends money to her illegitimate daughter, Cosette ("At the End of the Day"). She accuses Fantine of "sleeping around," and the mayor, actually Valjean in disguise, intervenes, but does not prevent her from being fired by the foreman.
Fantine reflects on her desperate situation ("I Dreamed A Dream") and then sells her hair and locket, eventually becoming a prostitute to pay for Cosette's care ("Lovely Ladies"). When she gets into a disagreement with a customer, Javert appears and attempts to arrest her, but Valjean arrives and, realizing that she is the woman who was unfairly treated at the factory, takes her to the hospital instead. Valjean then assists a man trapped under a runaway cart, and Javert recognizes the mayor's strength as that of the escaped convict ("The Runaway Cart"). When another man is erroneously put on trial as Valjean, the "mayor" struggles with himself ("Who Am I?") and then finally reveals himself as Prisoner #24601 before escaping again. At the hospital, a dying Fantine dreams of her daughter ("Fantine's Death: Come To Me") and Valjean vows to find her and care for her. Javert shows up, now aware of Valjean's identity, and though Valjean begs for a brief respite to save the girl, Javert attempts to capture him and the two fight and Valjean escapes ("Confrontation"). Elsewhere, little Cosette dreams of a happier life ("Castle on a Cloud") and is put to work by her cruel caretaker, Madame Thénardier, while her sleazy landlord husband brags about his schemes for ripping off customers ("Master of the House"). Valjean arrives and buys them off, taking Cosette away for a price and promising her a better life ("The Bargain/The Thénardier Waltz of Treachery").
Ten years later, the poor of France are still suffering, and General Lamarque, who is sympathetic to their plight, is soon to die ("Look Down"). Javert, however, is still hunting Valjean, believing that it is his sacred duty to send him back to jail ("Stars"). The young student revolutionaries, including Enjolras and Grantaire, gather at a café to discuss their plans for an uprising, though Marius is distracted from politics by his thoughts of the now grown-up Cosette, with whom he has just fallen in love ("ABC Café/Red and Black"). Young Gavroche announces that Lamarque is dead, and the students build a barricade in the streets. Marius sends a letter to Cosette via Éponine, his childhood friend and the Thénardiers' daughter, though he is unaware of her true feelings for him ("On My Own"). The students prepare for battle ("At the Barricade (Upon These Stones)"), and Javert, disguised as a spy, pretends to help by claiming that the troops will starve them out rather than attack, but Gavroche exposes his deception ("Little People"). Éponine arrives, fatally injured, and Marius comforts her as she dies ("A Little Fall of Rain"). Valjean arrives and volunteers his help ("Night of Anguish"), and he assists the students to a minor victory when the troops attack ("The First Attack"). In return for his aid, he asks only to be allowed to decide Javert's fate, and Javert assumes that Valjean will finally kill him, but he allows him to escape unharmed. The students reflect on their latest actions ("Drink With Me") and Marius continues pining after Cosette, and later, Valjean privately prays for Marius' safety, knowing how much she means to his surrogate daughter ("Bring Him Home").
At dawn, the students and troops battle again ("The Final Battle"), and nearly all of the revolutionaries are killed. Valjean saves Marius and escapes with him into the sewers, where Thénardier finds and robs them of their valuables ("Dog Eat Dog (The Sewers"). Javert pursues them, and Valjean begs for a chance to save the young man, and Javert allows them to escape. Tormented by his realization that he has wasted his life obeying unreasonable laws and chasing a good, honest man, Javert throws himself into the Seine ("Soliloquy (Javert's Suicide)"). The women of Paris mourn their dead ("Turning"), and a recovering Marius grieves over the loss of his brave friends ("Empty Chairs at Empty Tables"). Cosette comforts him, saying that they at least have each other ("Every Day"), and Valjean decides that he must disappear and prevent her from being tarnished by his past. Marius and Cosette marry ("The Wedding Chorale"), and the opportunistic Thénardiers crash the party ("Beggars at the Feast"). Elsewhere, a dying Valjean prays for Cosette and Marius' happiness, and Fantine's spirit appears to him, thanking him for caring for her daughter ("Valjean's Death"). Cosette and Marius join him and he asks for forgiveness for his past sins, writing out his full confession and his life's story. The spirits of those who died at the barricade join them as well, and the tale ends ("Do You Hear the People Sing? (Reprise)/[Finale]").
NOTE: several numbers, including "Do You Hear the People Sing?", "One Day More," and the grand finale, (featuring seventeen international actors who have played Valjean in different productions), are not included on this asset.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: March 2, 1996 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:01:56
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:75642
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music; Theatre; Specials; Asian American Pacific Islanders Collection
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV, 1996
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Deluxe Corporation
CREDITS
- Ian Martin … Executive Producer
- Nicholas Allott … Executive Producer
- Cameron Mackintosh … Producer
- Paul Kafno … Producer, Director
- Gavin Taylor … Director
- Victor Hugo … Based on the novel by
- Jean-Marc Natel … Original French text by
- Claude-Michel Schönberg … Music by
- Alain Boublil … Music by, Original French text by
- Herbert Kretzmer … Lyrics
- David Charles Abell … Conductor
- John Cameron … Orchestral score by
- Colm Wilkinson … Performer, Jean Valjean
- Ruthie Henshall … Performer, Fantine
- Alun Armstrong … Performer, Thénardier
- Michael Ball … Performer, Marius Pontmercy
- Judy Kuhn … Performer, Cosette
- Philip Quast … Performer, Javert
- Jenny Galloway … Performer, Madame Thénardier
- Lea Salonga … Performer, Éponine
- Michael Maguire … Performer, Enjolras
- Anthony Crivello … Performer, Grantaire
- Adam Searles … Performer, Gavroche
- Hannah Chick … Performer, Young Cosette
- Valda Aviks … Performer, Lovely Lady
- David Bardsley … Performer, Combeferre
- Keith Burns … Performer, Montparnasse
- Nick Holder … Performer, Brujon
- Beverley Klein … Performer, Hair Lady
- Darryl Knock … Performer, Joly
- Jackie Marks … Performer, Factory Girl
- Jill Martin … Performer, Old Prostitute
- Stephen Matthews … Performer, Claquesous
- Michael McCarthy … Performer, Factory Foreman
- Paul Monaghan … Performer, Bishop
- Craig Pinder … Performer, Convict
- Peter Polycarpou … Performer, Jean Prouvaire
- Jérôme Pradon … Performer, Courfeyrac
- Gareth Snook … Performer, Bamatabois
- Tony Timberlake … Performer, Babet
- Gemma Wardle … Performer, Lovely Lady