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Les Miserables - The Dream Cast in Concert

Les Miserables - The Dream Cast in Concert

List Price: $27.95
Your Price: $20.96
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Like the soundtrack? You'll love the video.
Review: This performance is a work of art. Everything is perfect. The cast is outstanding and the music is pure genius. I recommend this video to ANYONE who loves musical performances.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If you're ever in London...
Review: I'm only thirteen years old, and Les Miserables has GOT to be my favorite opera there is. When I was in London, I almost got to see it, and I really wish I had. My advice to you: If you like the soundtrack, you'll LOVE the video. Trust me. But, you don't have to take my word for it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The DVD is not what you think.
Review: I live in Acapulco, México, a total fan of Les Mis, Mis Saigon & Martin Guerre. I bougth the VHS video time ago, and when i bougth this DVD I was hoping for more. More Cuallity sound, more images, etc.. Is best the video! WARNING. the DVD is just a fast doing sample. Hope Boublil & Shonberg do something!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: ...to Love another person is to See the Face of God...
Review: This last verse - the ultimate wisdom at the end of a life - conveys the essence of this magnificent creation. Goosebumps, tears, enthusiasm, Les Mis's Tenth Anniversary Concert is, without doubt, one of the most powerful artistic experiences of my life (to capture the full emotion, DO get the Video - VHS/DVD)

I have seen both the London and Broadway versions, read the book, but even without the scenery, or the detailed plot, TAC is the keeper for me. It is perfect. You will rarely find a more powerful rendition of the human condition, sad yet hopeful, with various windows into the human soul. An emotional rollercoaster on Victor Hugo's creation, powered by the ultimate "Dream Cast" and a breathtaking chorus, will take you through youth's idealism ("Do You Hear The People Sing", "Red and Black"), love's broken hopes ("I Dreamed a Dream"), unrequited love ("On My Own"), childhood innocence ("Castle on a Cloud"), camaraderie ("Drink With Me", "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables") - and much more.

As for the voices - this IS indeed the Dream Cast. Standouts: Philip Quast as Javert (foremost, his powerful, confident baritone makes a breathtaking "Stars"), Michael Ball as Marius ("Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" - heart-wrenching), Lea Salonga as Eponine (excellent every time, especially in "On My Own", also the perfectly sung/acted "A Little Fall of Rain" with Marius) and Ruthie Henshall as Fantine (the superb "I Dreamed a Dream").

Everyone else is just "very good". Home-crowd favorite Colm Wilkinson (as Valjean) has exceptional periods but also some weak moments. The only performance I did not quite appreciate was Judy Kuhn's Cosette, but perhaps it's a minus of the musical arrangement - her "soprano" just does not seem to blend in.

Is the video appropriate for children? This is a fair concern in two places - the Red Light District scene ("Lovely Ladies") and Ms Thernadier's comeback to her husband's bragging ("Master of the House"). However, chances are kids will not "get" the objectionable parts - cockney accents and English tongue-in-cheek humor (note how Gallaway as Ms Thernadier follows up on "he thinks he's quite a lover, but...") make them less accessible to younger minds. Then again, I've learned not to underestimate these young minds - see those parts first and decide whether to FF over the objectionable parts.

My 9-year old daughter loves the TAC Video - so much so that she has asked for the TAC Audio CDs, the unabridged version of Hugo's novel to read - a huge leap for her age - and she wanted to see the Broadway musical. Although she very much enjoyed the added-value of scenery, and a more complete story line, she still prefers the TAC performance. For us, TAC Video has been stimulating and enriching - buy it, as I am sure that you and your family will also enjoy it.

Regarding the Audio CD - there are 5 versions to choose from, most notably the London Cast, the Broadway Cast and TAC. ...it seems pointless to argue the value of one version over another. This musical makes such a deep imprint in your heart, that it is hard to accept a different interpretation than the one you've fallen in love with. My own experience is that TAC is head and shoulders above the rest - the sound is good, and no better sound can outweigh the joy of seeing/hearing the best-possible Javert, Marius and Eponine, the Royal Philarmonic Orchestra and a fantastic chorus.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The show must go on...
Review: This edition certainly lacks a sort of vividness as we can expect from the real stage. Rather disappointing in the quality of video and sound, but better overall than any CD versions done at studios, when it comes to its vividness.

Breathtaking and touching or even rapturous is every single song sung by the "dream" cast in the 10th anniversary concert. How can you see Wilkinson, Henshall and Salonga in a same stage? Heshall's a bit husky voice captured and touched my emotions lie in the bottom of my heart. When "Bringing Home" is played by Wilkinson, overwhelmed by its tuneful melody.

All you have to do is just seat yourself back in a pink couch with your lover and replay on and on what your lover asks, singing along together.

Until a full movie is released by an ingenious, definitely worth buying and keeping it.

The show still goes on to the 16th anniversary at the Palace Theatre (London) as well as Broadway and must go on....

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Worth keeping it....
Review: This edition certainly lacks a sort of vividness as we can expect from the real stage. However, better than done at any CD versions and studios overall, when it comes to its vividness.
Breathtaking and touching or even rapturous is every single song sung by the "Dream" cast in the 10th anniversary concert. All you have to do is just seat yourself back in a pink couch with your lover and replay on and on what your lover asks, singing along together...
Until a full movie is released by an ingenious, definitly worth buying and keeping it.
The show still goes on to the 16th anniversary at the West End and Broadway, and shall ever to the.... or forever.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Do you hear the people sing: Les Mis rocks!
Review: I have never seen Les Miserables before I saw this, but I was a believer by the time it was over. The story is of a theif named Jean Valjean who turns around to be good and promises a dying woman that he'd take care of her child. The music is amazing and the lyrics are clever and don't just drone on. (Caution to parents, there is some language in certain songs in case you don't want your kids singing it, but that shouldn't turn you off completely. I'm just warning you.) But the show is extremely superb. Colm Wilkinson is the best Jean Valjean, Philip Quast is a very convincing Javert, Ruthie Henshaw is an incredible Fantine, Lea Salonga is a perfect Eponine, and Alun Armstrong and Jenny Galloway steal the show as the sneaky Thenardiers. To make a good deal even better, with the beauty of DVD you can have the song words at the bottom of the screen so you can sing along, or read your first time through the show so you won't miss anything. One last thing to all Jerome Pradon fans out there, if you're quick you can spot him as Courfeyrac in "ABC Cafe" and "Do You Hear the People Sing". This version is a jewel, definetly worth your time!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: excelelent concert! don't mistake, it's not actual musical
Review: i liked it very much. i was sort of hoping that it will be the actual musical when i first purchased the disk. but it's a concert. but, no regret. the concert is very well constructed and performed. you will definately enjoy. and don't miss the surprising finale!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best Musical ever
Review: althought its not the entire show:-( (its 3 hours long), this recording has to be the best of all the numerous versions of the album. and the end where all the valjeans from all the different language productions sang do you hear the people sing was just absolutely excellent. Colm Wilkenson and Philip Quast were absolutly stunning as valjean and javier, and lea songa of miss saigon fame was so passionate, and micheal ball as mareus superb! if you havent seen this already buy it buy it now!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best I have seen...
Review: This concert video is the best I have ever seen. Everytime I hear Michael Ball sings "...but you will live Eponine, dear God above..." my body starts to shake and I'm crying... The best live video since AC/DC - Live At Donnington!


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