Les Miserables

Les Miserables known in English as “The Terrible” is a musical portrayal of the French Revolution. It is a musical tragedy, which served as a major powerhouse competitor for Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals in the early eighties and nineties. When first debuting on Broadway in 1987 it traveled a long hard road to compete with musicals of the decade. However, in time many well-known performers were proud to associate themselves with this wonderful work of art.

The musical play begins with its lead character named Jean Valjean. Jean Valjean

was released on parole after 19 years on the chain gang. In this initial scene the audience can almost immediately feel the tonality of the play with the constant reference to the number 24601. 24601 were the prison number that became Jean Valjean’s identity for 19 years. The dark and dreary ambiance set the tone for the first song of the libretto, “Look Down. The lyrics to look down coincide with the chain gang, overseen by brutal wanders, working in the hot sun. It is this series of son

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Throughout the second and final act the musical content within the play acts as a story of it’s own through theme and variation. It would merely be song without feelings or words. However, after just about 30 minutes into the opening act I was beginning to recognize and comprehend musical terms that we had discussed in class. Moreover, it is a song titled Do You Hear the People Sing? That prepares the audience for the ending of Act one.

This musical would not be complete without the dramatization of the performers. Each separate song represents a feeling and or mood and is enhanced as it is varied throughout the act. It was often difficult to understand the opera like approach to the play but all you needed was a good ear and total concentration. Each of the eight main characters represents, in a sense, their own theme and motivation towards the story. Like the first act, the songs are used to portray poverty, suffering, hardships, and even death. The loose ends are tied and the audience’s hearts are left captivated and moved. I found that I actually enjoyed Les Miserables and I wouldn’t be too quick to say no to another one. When the times were tough the tempo decreased and was often slow and morbid like. The final song of the musical really brings the whole story together. It is each individual performer that brings song into the story.

Approximate Word count = 718
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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