Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary

In my opinion, no previous Jean Valjean or since have or will ever come close to performing this role with the unparalleled dynamic, powerful and heart breaking perfection of Alfie Boe. If I had rated this production on his performance alone, out of a possible 10 I would have given it the maximum allowed by IMDb's system. I give him 1,000 stars for the look, the voice, the acting ability, everything. I'll never understand why they didn't cast him in the recent movie version, as I didn't understand the casting of Anne Hathaway and good god...Russell Crowe??? First and foremost this is a musical, and as such, calls for top notch voices, not just pretty faces and box office powerhouses.

My exception to that rule is Matt Lucas and Jenny Galloway. As the Thenardiers they were a joy to behold. So talented and witty. Their tongue in cheek portrayal of those two scoundrels was right on target. They deserved at least a 20 out of ten.

What can I possibly say about Lea Salonga as Fantine that has not already been said by just about every critic since her career began? I place her on a par with Mr. Boe in this production and always have loved her in anything she has done. As far as I'm concerned she can do no wrong.

Norm Lewis was wonderful as the always threatening antagonist Javert, hell-bent on hunting down Jean Valjean to the ends of the earth. He has a huge presence on the stage here, as he has on Broadway and television. Very talented and powerful performer.

Now, we come to why I did not give this production a solid 10 stars. First, let me say I take no pleasure in making negative comments. I prefer to accentuate the positive whenever possible, BUT the absurd choice of inserting boy band 'singer' (and I use the word singer loosely) in such a pivotal role baffles the mind. In my opinion Nick Jonas doesn't have the singing chops, the acting chops or the physical appearance this role begs for. If he didn't have his pre-teen fan base and had auditioned to be one of the hundreds of singers in the massive chorus, I don't believe they would have selected him even for that!

Every time I became immersed in the experience of watching and listening to this production, this miss-cast kid would pop up and *poof* the spell would be broken and I would think WHY would the producers of this monumental, prestigious event prostitute themselves and the integrity of this masterpiece of musical theater, a tribute to the artists who created the words and the music and those who so brilliantly participated in it over twenty-five years, by casting this role so badly? Bottom line; I would rate his performance minus 100 stars and bestow (if I could)a minus 1,000 stars for those who cast him in it.

So, there you have it. But for Nick Jonas, I would have given this production a solid 10 stars and the only reason I didn't rate it lower than 9 stars was out of respect for everyone else involved.

I am not a fan of opera, but I am of specific opera singers. What a privilege it is to listen to Alfie Boe, weather in musical theater or opera. I got a hint of his talent when I stumbled upon him during a PBS broadcast. I immediately ordered the DVD of the 25th anniversary concert at the O2. I searched the web to compare singers who have taken on the role of Val Jean. None of them could come close to the talent of Alfie Boe. His range, his clarity his passion is beyond compare. A day without watching it is like a day without sunshine. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will be chosen for the movie version of "Les Mis". I certainly will be first in line to buy a ticket.

I saw this at the cinema three times and I am counting the hours until I get the DVD.

If you are a fan of Les Miserables, this is not to be missed.

I believe it is even better than the 10th Anniversary Concert. More of the actual musical is included, such as The Robbery. Lovely Ladies is in a more complete form. A lot of the little verses between songs is included, for example, Garvoche's introduction of the Thenardiers and the conversations between Maruis and Eponine. It isn't complete, however, some verses have been cut, most noticeably, Dog eat Dog, which in my opinion is no great loss as it is my least favorite song anyway.

The performances are all fantastic, although, Marius is a little weak. The little urchin who plays Garvoche is very impressive. The look of contempt on his face when he exposes Javert is priceless. Matt Lucus brings humor as Thenardier. Jenny Galloway reprises her role from the 10th Anniversary Concert and I think gives a better performance in this version. It is hard to limit discussion, as everyone was brilliant right from Jean Valjean to Jarvert to Cossette (Collette?).

I cannot recommend this enough.

I have seen "Les Misérables" live on stage, the film, and several on stage recordings. It's impossible to see this particular film without comparing to other performances but I will comment on this film alone... The performance was quite magnificent. The cast overall was wonderful. I'll address Nick Jonas as Marius right away. His voice does not remotely compare to the professional theater performers, yet he does carry the songs well enough and he carries his scenes admirably enough. Side by side with Samantha Barks as Eponine, however, he pales in comparison to her amazing voice. So many excellent singers have brought such depth and strength to the character of Jean Valjean and Alfie Boe does an admirable job. His beautiful rendition of "Bring Him Home" really proves he has the chops to handle this role. As always Lea Salonga is fragile and strong as Fantine. Can anyone else play this role as well? Of all of the Javerts I have ever seen, none has ever been sung as masterfully as Norm Lewis; he is magnificent to watch. Ramin Karimloo as Enjolres is incredibly strong, again making Jonas pale in comparison. Karimloo is truly talented with a strong voice and perfect tone. The orchestra brought the entire performance together beautifully. Mesmerizing. I loved it.

Beautiful concert version of Les Miserables, with an incredibly talented cast. Norm Lewis is a personal favorite and he makes a very compelling Javert. All the performances are strong, emotional, and very compelling. The only exception, being Nick Jonas. I'd like to be clear that Nick Jonas is not a bad singer, but when you put him next to so many infinitely more talented singers, his performance seems very out of place and weak. He sings in tune, but with no vibrato or natural projection. He is outshined by anyone he sings with. He is very much a pop singer and doesn't belong in this production. That being said, this concert was still very well done and very enjoyable. I definitely recommend watching.