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sophia_sol) wrote2013-01-27 09:27 pm
sophia_sol) wrote2013-01-27 09:27 pm
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Les Miserables Tenth Anniversary Concert cast
I HAVE ACQUIRED OTHER CAST RECORDINGS OF LES MIS. This is the first in a projected series of posts with my Opinions. Because of course I have opinions!
A note: my baseline is the Complete Symphonic Recording, as the cast I grew up with and didn't even realize there were other casts out there. In fact I didn't even think to consider the possibility that some of the actors on the CSR weren't the best for their role; because to me, they were that character. I DISAGREE WITH MY PAST SELF.
So. Today! The Tenth Anniversary Concert cast!
First off, I am happy to discover I'm more openminded than I thought I'd be about the possibility of other casts. There were a few characters where I was like LOLNO but mostly I was like, "yep, this is different but also valid!"
So the very first real reaction I had to the TAC was to think: "gosh this Javert sounds an awful lot like the one I'm familiar with. I bet it's the same dude!" And lo, upon googling, it is indeed the same dude! Philip Quast!
It was actually really disconcerting to me, because so much else about this recording was Different and then it kept on falling over into familiar whenever Javert had a piece and it THREW ME OFF.
Valjean, on the other hand, was pretty different. But I was down with this dude's interpretation too. (and a good thing, because upon googling, it is Colm Wilkinson, aka the dude that everyone apparently loves)
I really disliked the casting for the Bishop. He sounded... very cold and polished and distant. Not welcoming like he's supposed to be. HE'S MONSEIGNEUR BIENVENU, being welcoming is WHAT HE DOES. Not cool, TAC.
I liked Fantine well enough, or at least better than the Fantine of the CSR, but I have realized that Anne Hathaway has quite possibly ruined me for all other Fantines. ANNE IS JUST SO GOOD IN THE ROLE.
Enjolras....I AM SORRY FOR EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT ANTHONY WARLOW IN MY POST ABOUT THE CSR. ANTHONY WARLOW IS AWESOME. I could not take this Enjolras seriously at all; I kept on giggling during his most dramatic bits.
The Thenardiers were eh. I have decided that I am weirded out by the musical's decision to write the Thenardiers as the comic relief, when the things they do are really not actually funny.
The Marius I also listened to ONE SINGLE LINE of his and was like "....I bet he's ALSO the same dude as the CSR", and lo I was correct again. Apparently I am AWESOME at recognizing voices, even though I'm utter shit at recognizing faces. I think I like Michael Ball's confident-sounding Marius better when paired with the TAC Cosette, because the TAC Cosette also sounds confident and sure of herself and stuff, so they make a better matched pair. Whereas my impression of the two of them in the CSR has always been of Cosette as a pretty waifish thing looking adoringly at Marius and having no strength of her own. I LIKE IT BETTER WHEN THEY SOUND LIKE EQUALS.
I quite enjoyed this Gavroche.
Eponine was perfectly decent but not my Eponine.
I didn't really have thoughts one way or another about most of the other characters.
So it was interesting to discover what actors I'd imprinted on rather more than I'd realized, and which ones I was easygoing on! Looking over this, the only ones where I was like NO THANK YOU were the Bishop and Enjolras. And I never would have expected that about Enjolras.
Some other thoughts: The orchestration was subtly different in places, and I almost found that more disconcerting than the different actors, because it's all subtle and background and stuff but it put me off kilter every time. I found the Attack on Rue Plumet way more exciting than I usually do in the CSR; idk how they did it but it was successfully really tense and stuff! There were a few small bits that were missing in this version, like the bit with the townspeople singing about M Fauchelevent being caught under the cart, and it also disconcerted me.
OVERALL I VERY MUCH LIKED THE TAC! Except for how it was DIFFERENT WAHHHHHHHHH so I could never quite settle into it because my brain kept on EXPECTING DIFFERENT THINGS. :P But that's just that I've trained myself too much by overlistening to the CSR :P
Next up: idk, one of the other ones in my new collection. STAY TUNED!
A note: my baseline is the Complete Symphonic Recording, as the cast I grew up with and didn't even realize there were other casts out there. In fact I didn't even think to consider the possibility that some of the actors on the CSR weren't the best for their role; because to me, they were that character. I DISAGREE WITH MY PAST SELF.
So. Today! The Tenth Anniversary Concert cast!
First off, I am happy to discover I'm more openminded than I thought I'd be about the possibility of other casts. There were a few characters where I was like LOLNO but mostly I was like, "yep, this is different but also valid!"
So the very first real reaction I had to the TAC was to think: "gosh this Javert sounds an awful lot like the one I'm familiar with. I bet it's the same dude!" And lo, upon googling, it is indeed the same dude! Philip Quast!
It was actually really disconcerting to me, because so much else about this recording was Different and then it kept on falling over into familiar whenever Javert had a piece and it THREW ME OFF.
Valjean, on the other hand, was pretty different. But I was down with this dude's interpretation too. (and a good thing, because upon googling, it is Colm Wilkinson, aka the dude that everyone apparently loves)
I really disliked the casting for the Bishop. He sounded... very cold and polished and distant. Not welcoming like he's supposed to be. HE'S MONSEIGNEUR BIENVENU, being welcoming is WHAT HE DOES. Not cool, TAC.
I liked Fantine well enough, or at least better than the Fantine of the CSR, but I have realized that Anne Hathaway has quite possibly ruined me for all other Fantines. ANNE IS JUST SO GOOD IN THE ROLE.
Enjolras....I AM SORRY FOR EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT ANTHONY WARLOW IN MY POST ABOUT THE CSR. ANTHONY WARLOW IS AWESOME. I could not take this Enjolras seriously at all; I kept on giggling during his most dramatic bits.
The Thenardiers were eh. I have decided that I am weirded out by the musical's decision to write the Thenardiers as the comic relief, when the things they do are really not actually funny.
The Marius I also listened to ONE SINGLE LINE of his and was like "....I bet he's ALSO the same dude as the CSR", and lo I was correct again. Apparently I am AWESOME at recognizing voices, even though I'm utter shit at recognizing faces. I think I like Michael Ball's confident-sounding Marius better when paired with the TAC Cosette, because the TAC Cosette also sounds confident and sure of herself and stuff, so they make a better matched pair. Whereas my impression of the two of them in the CSR has always been of Cosette as a pretty waifish thing looking adoringly at Marius and having no strength of her own. I LIKE IT BETTER WHEN THEY SOUND LIKE EQUALS.
I quite enjoyed this Gavroche.
Eponine was perfectly decent but not my Eponine.
I didn't really have thoughts one way or another about most of the other characters.
So it was interesting to discover what actors I'd imprinted on rather more than I'd realized, and which ones I was easygoing on! Looking over this, the only ones where I was like NO THANK YOU were the Bishop and Enjolras. And I never would have expected that about Enjolras.
Some other thoughts: The orchestration was subtly different in places, and I almost found that more disconcerting than the different actors, because it's all subtle and background and stuff but it put me off kilter every time. I found the Attack on Rue Plumet way more exciting than I usually do in the CSR; idk how they did it but it was successfully really tense and stuff! There were a few small bits that were missing in this version, like the bit with the townspeople singing about M Fauchelevent being caught under the cart, and it also disconcerted me.
OVERALL I VERY MUCH LIKED THE TAC! Except for how it was DIFFERENT WAHHHHHHHHH so I could never quite settle into it because my brain kept on EXPECTING DIFFERENT THINGS. :P But that's just that I've trained myself too much by overlistening to the CSR :P
Next up: idk, one of the other ones in my new collection. STAY TUNED!
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and yeah, I have STRONG FEELINGS about the Bishop casting!
And yes, I like Anne Hathaway's interpretation so much... but even before that I never really liked any other Fantine, I think musical!Fantine's tend to be much too loudly belty instead of quietly intense, like Hathaway, which I think is more suited to the character.
I know what you mean about the Thenardiers!
Marius, huh. I guess I've always interpreted that in my head as liking or not liking Cosette (and I don't much like the CSR Cosette). But yeah, I see what you're saying.
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I just started listening to the OBC today on the way to work, and I'm not very far into it yet, but I'm far enough to say that yes this is yet another Fantine who is just Not Quite Right. Sigh! Yeah, Hathaway does stuff with the role that is just perfect and apparently quite different from how EVERYONE ELSE INTERPRETS IT and Hathaway IS RIGHT CONSARN IT ALL.
I think that a number of different interpretations of either Marius OR Cosette could work for me, just as long as the two of them work WITH EACH OTHER. And CSR's Marius and Cosette DO NOT.
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But also, alas, the most complete English recording.
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AS IS HAVING THE COMPLETE MUSICAL AVAILABLE FOR FANS TO LISTEN TO, sigh.
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I think it's largely that he was the first English-language Valjean. I don't usually have strong opinions about Valjeans, as long as there's enough vocal contrast with their opposing Javert (my problem with the 25th Anniversary Concert, where they're both baritones with very similar voices).
Enjolras....I AM SORRY FOR EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT ANTHONY WARLOW IN MY POST ABOUT THE CSR. ANTHONY WARLOW IS AWESOME. I could not take this Enjolras seriously at all; I kept on giggling during his most dramatic bits.
Michael Maguire is really popular, but I am...not really a fan. You'll run into him again on the OBC, iirc.
The Thenardiers were eh. I have decided that I am weirded out by the musical's decision to write the Thenardiers as the comic relief, when the things they do are really not actually funny.
I will be curious what you think of the PRC, then! I think that's the only Thenardier I've heard who manages to be creepy (especially on "Dog Eat Dog"), although it's really fighting against the show. I am also not a fan of what the show sets up as comic relief.
The orchestration was subtly different in places, and I almost found that more disconcerting than the different actors, because it's all subtle and background and stuff but it put me off kilter every time.
The orchestration varies a lot (especially in the non-English recordings, and the French Concept--so many xylophones, oh god), and the English lyrics have changed somewhat over time, between versions (although I STILL can't figure out which version I'm thinking of that has the sad verse of Lovely Ladies, except it's not the 25th touring cast, which sings that verse at breakneck speed--I have this crystal-clear memory of that verse being sung really slowly and sadly BUT WHICH RECORDING, not one I own!). Perhaps after you've encountered more variation it won't throw you as much.
Also, if you can get ahold of it, I recommend watching the TAC (maybe it's all on Youtube?). It's a bit different from the usual staging (more stationary), but setwise it's a minimalist show to start with, and unlike the 25th they do still try to act despite all being standing in front of mics.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL YOUR THOUGHTS.
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I too will be curious to see what I think of the PRC Thenardier, then. It's just too bad that I don't actually know much in the way of French.... OH WELL.
If you do figure out which version has the sad verse of Lovely Ladies, do let me know -- I'm very curious now. And I'm glad to hear it's not just all in my head and the orchestration IS actually different!
I think I want to see a standard staging of the musical before watching the TAC? I've never actually seen the stage musical in any form before!
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My memories of the stage show are vague, but I definitely remember being disappointed by how similar the staging was to an "in concert" performance. But people who have seem it recently may have different opinions! (I'm not fond of this tend of only releasing "in concert" versions on DVD.)
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Well, I shall just have to hope that someday (SOMEDAY!!!) I will get the opportunity to see the Les Mis stage show. And yeah, I Do Not Get the whole releasing of "in concert" productions of musicals. The point of musicals is that there's more to them than just the music and stuff!
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On another note, which other bits are particular highlights of the musical to you?
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I also don't like Michael Ball very much, and I don't think this is an imprinting issue, but Eddie Redmayne is now best Marius so this is moot.
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Anne Hathaway is DEFINITELY the best Fantine forever. And I am also with you on Eddie Redmayne as Marius. YEP YEP YEP.
I've never heard of Pia Douwes before! What would you consider her best role? What song or two of hers should I go look up on youtube?
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hahaha oh dear :P
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As usual, Anthony Warlow's version is much better. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne6WaHZ_V4U)
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(I did like him in Dillinger, though--I think his voice fit the character better there.)
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