Les Misérables [antikvár]

m-':':- The idea of turning Les Misérabks into a musical came to me one evening in 1979 during a visit to London, where I had come - naturally - to see musicals. To the French, Victor Hugo's classic novel has the status of a national monument, and I was well aware at the outset that such an enterprise would be regarded by the guardians of our heritage as an act of desecration. Nonetheless, I discussed my idea with the composer Claude-Michel Schonherg. It seemed to both of us that here was a most exciting challenge, and a unique opportunity to work outside of the established conventions of musical theatre. Hugo's original text lent itself very well to operatic treatment, and after nine months of hard work we had transformed the 1500-page book into an opera libretto of three acts, seven tableaux - together with a detailed description of the music and lyrics of the whole score as we then imagined it. After much revision we reached the point at which Claude-Michel could go away and start composing and I could begin work on the words. This I did - after myself deciding on the subject and title of every song - in collaboration with my friend, poet Jean-Marc Natel. Les Misérabks opened at the Palais des Sports in Paris in September 1980, for an eight-week season. It was extended for a further eight weeks, and would have been extended further still had it not been for other bookings. The first production was seen by over half a million people. In 1982, Cameron Mackintosh heard the French album of Les Misérables, and invited Claude-Michel and I to revise our show and create an English version with James Fenton, the English poet and journalist, and directors Trevor Nunn and John Caird. Herbert Kretzmer joined us to create English counterparts of the original French lyrics, adding in the process some new lyrics specially for the English production. Les Misérables opened again at the Barbican Theatre, London, on 8 October 1985. It was an instant success, and transferred on 4 December to the Palace Theatre, where it has been sold out ever since. The Broadway production opened to enormous acclaim on 12 March 1987 - Les Misérabks the musical, like Les Misérabks the book, has reached a worldwide audience, having played in more than twenty countries to more than twenty million people with many productions still playing and additional productions still to come. This sheet music selection contains thirteen of our favourite songs from the London production. I hope that these words and notes somehow convey the turmoil of France in the 1820s and 30s, and especially the epic, romantic quality of those times - so vividly captured by the genius of Victor Hugo - that inspired us in our musical recreation of a literary masterpiece. ALAIN BOUBLIL LONDON DECEMBER 1991