My 25-Year Love Affair with Les Miz

     In the summer of 1987 at the Palace Theatre in London, I saw the musical Les Misérables for the first time. Twenty-five years ago. Hard to believe. Unfortunately, due to jet lag, I took an unintentional snooze during the whole scene of "A Heart Full of Love," but what I did see I absolutely loved. Not only did I buy the recording (cassettes in those days, pre-CD era) of the original British cast, but I also bought the original Broadway cast recording. And after some length and considerable searching (pre-Amazon era as well), I managed to track down the cassette of the original French version. For this last, I called all the music stores in town, to no avail. In fact, one dealer became downright insulting after I informed him of the fact that Les Miz actually premiered in Paris, not in London as he insisted. "Look, I know what I'm talking about; you don't. It premiered in London." Okay. You just lost a potential customer, fella. No matter. I can't remember where I eventually found the French recording, and I suppose, if I were the vindictive type, I would have marched into that store and waved it under the dealer's nose.

     I listened to the British recording ad nauseum, weeping copious tears every time. (Of course, I have since replaced the cassettes of all three versions with CDs.) When I saw it the second time nine years later, again in London, I wept as much as I did the first time I saw it (and managed to stay awake through "A Heart Full of Love"). I never saw it in New York or on tour. I don't even think I'll see it during this current tour. But I am determined to see the film, which opens on Christmas Day. Judging from the slight stinging I feel behind my eyes just watching the trailers, I expect I will again weep copious tears. One would have to have A Heart Full of Stone not to be moved by this powerful saga; as for the music, the snootiest critic would have to admit it is extremely affecting and difficult to forget. Even this snooty critic has surrendered to its charms.

     Have I read the novel? Sort of. I skipped great chunks, such as the lengthy history and description of the Parisian sewer system. All right, I admit it, I only read the parts that are depicted in the show; but in my own defense, I don't like to read things in translation except for Homer, Virgil, and Ovid. In view of the fact that only my Italian is fluent enough for extended reading, this means that I have never read many of the world's major authors such as Flaubert, Cervantes, Tolstoy, etc. Somehow, though, experiencing foreign literature through their musical adaptations is a different matter; after all, a good many opera librettos are translations of their original sources.

     Anyway, I shall hie myself to the cinema, if not on Christmas Day, then as soon as I am able, armed with a very large box of Kleenex.