Les Misérables colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz, is a musical composed in 1980 by French composer Claude-Michel Schönberg, with a French-language libretto by Alain Boublil.
The English-language adaptation, with libretto by Herbert Kretzmer, opened at the Barbican Centre in London, England on 8 October 1985. As of 2010, it was in its twenty-sixth year, and the third longest-running show in Broadway history. In January 2010, it played its ten-thousandth performance in London, at Queen's Theatre in London's West End.
On 3 October 2010, the show had three productions running in the same city, with the original show running in London's West End, a Twenty-Fifth Anniversary touring production running at the original home of the show, London's Barbican Centre – and a third version, a special concert at London's O2 Arena, on Sunday 3 October 2010.
Based on Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name, set in early 19th-century France, the plot follows the stories of many characters as they struggle for redemption and revolution. An ensemble that includes prostitutes, student revolutionaries, factory workers, and others join the lead characters.
The Tony Award-winning score features the song "I Dreamed a Dream", sung as a solo by the character Fantine during the first act. Numerous artists have covered this song, including Neil Diamond, Aretha Franklin, David Essex, Michael Crawford, Ruthie Henshall, Lea Salonga, and Susan Boyle.
Originally released as a French-language concept album, the first musical-stage adaptation of Les Misérables was presented at a Paris sports arena in 1980. However, the first production closed after three months when the booking contract expired.
In 1982, about six months after producer Cameron Mackintosh had opened Cats in London, he received a copy of the French concept album from director Peter Farago. Farago had been impressed by the work and asked Mackintosh to produce an English-language version of the show. Initially reluctant, Mackintosh eventually agreed.
Mackintosh assembled a production team to adapt the French musical for a British audience. After two years in development, the English-language version opened in London on 8 October 1985, at the Barbican Centre. Critical reviews were negative, and literary scholars condemned the project for converting classic literature into a mere musical. Public opinion differed—the box office received record orders. This three-month engagement sold out and reviews improved.
The Broadway production opened 12 March 1987, and ran until 18 May 2003, closing after 6,680 performances. It was the third longest running Broadway show in history.[2] A fully re-orchestrated Broadway revival opened on 9 November 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre.
The show was nominated for twelve Tony Awards and won eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. It placed first in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals" in June 2005, receiving more than forty percent of the votes.
It was one of several British musicals on Broadway in the 1980s along with Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, and Miss Saigon.
The musical's emblem is a picture of the waif Cosette sweeping the Thénardier's Inn, usually shown cropped to a head-and-shoulders portrait with the French national flag superimposed. The picture is based on the illustration by Émile Bayard that appeared in the novel's original 1862 edition.
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- The play