The Thrill and Pathos of "Les Misérables"

For years, I saw advertisements here and there of the musical staging of "Les Misérables" - on TV, in the newspaper, and on outdoor posters or billboards.  But I hardly paid attention.  With only sketchy notions, I thought the piece was by Molière and the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  I was flatly wrong on both counts, though it was another Frenchman - Victor Hugo - who wrote the original novel and it was adapted for the stage by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg.

Two things made me take note, finally - The 2012 film adaptation by Tom Hooper, which had a premier in London.  Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried were on hand.  

But it was Anne Hathaway's heartfelt rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" that cinched it for me.  Some very accomplished singers misunderstand a piece like this, and let their talent take precedence over character and drama or otherwise miss the agonized and agonizing tone of the piece.  Hathaway is an exception.  

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I haven't seen the Hooper film or the London staging, yet.  But with patient search on YouTube and Google, I am able to learn about "Les Misérables" and cull select videos for this article.  I was especially pleased to have found a full concert of the musical (top).