In the world of musicals, Les Misérables holds an unshakable and lofty position, not only because of its grand and profound themes, but also because of its music that directly reaches the hearts of people. From November 3 to 5, as a heavyweight performance at the Nanjing Musical Festival and a special invitation for the Zijin Cultural and Art Festival, five consecutive performances of the French musical concert Les Misérables will be staged at the Poly Grand Theatre in Nanjing, marking the first leg of this round of China tour and enabling the audiences in Nanjing to experience the unique charm of this French tragedy amidst the magnificent music.
Les Misérables, a literary masterpiece created by Victor Hugo, depicts the heartbreaking and tragic intertwining fates of Paris in the 19th century with scenarios full of grand stories of love and dedication, redemption and betrayal.
The first musical based on Les Misérables was born in France and was performed in Paris in 1980 under the creation of Alan Bubley and Claude Michel Schoenberg. The drama quickly swept the world by presenting the original story's ups and downs and full character images through beautiful and touching songs. Nowadays, the musical Les Misérables has become one of the most successful musicals in the world and the longest running musical in the West End of London, making it a worldwide legend in the history of musicals.
On November 1st, Philippe Baru, the producers of the Les Miserables, art director Magda Baru Hadnaghi, as well as Xavier Mogondivi, who played Jean Valjean, El Michel Dudan, who played Detective Javert, Prune Cotot, who played Fantine, Matilda de Cane, who played Cosette, Mary Bentolera, who played Ebonen, and Cedric Cupin, who played Marius, shared their stories with the Nanjing audience.
Philip Barlow, the producer, said that Les Misérables is a 100% French work with its original work being French literature, and the musical composed of French lyrics and music. For this reason, he has always dreamed of the French version of Les Misérables shining again in the world, and in 2017, he finally staged the French version of "Les Misérables" by overcoming numerous difficulties.
When it comes to understanding the character, Xavier Mogondwig, who played Jean Valjean, said Jean Valjean is a person who resists injustice. He uses his own way, his own life, to change the lives of those who are weaker than himself. He bravely faces everything, which is the most touching thing for him.
Unlike regular concerts, the French musical version of Les Misérables is produced according to the specifications of the entire play by pursuing the ultimate in stage, lighting, and performance presentation.
In order to restore the authenticity of 19th century French clothing, the production team hired a team of fashion designers at a huge cost and spent 12 months customizing over 200 sets of costumes for the actors.
As representatives of musicals, musicality and singing are naturally of paramount importance. The performance of Les Misérables features 28 French singers and a live super band, showcasing the 37 legendary golden songs of the entire drama to the delight of the audience.
With the release of the French musical version of the concert Les Misérables, more exciting plays will take turns to appear at the Nanjing Musical Festival.
On December 29th to 31st, the original Russian musical "Onegin" will portray Pushkin's "superfluous people", sparking a tragic romantic Russian aesthetic storm.
From January 26 to February 4, 2024, the original English musical "The Phantom of the Theatre sequel: True Love Forever", the father of Weber's musical, will imbue love with immortal music, leading audiences to embark on a romantic and crazy new adventure.
The French original musical "Don Juan", adapted from British poet Byron's namesake novel, the French original musical "Notre Dame de Paris", adapted from Hugo's classic work, and the French original musical "Rock Mozart", will also be staged at the Poly Grand Theatre in Nanjing to meet the audience's infinite love and expectations for original musicals.
