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 songs in Act one that take the audience through
many
turns of feelings and emotions. These emotional songs are used to
portray poor
men and women working in low class factories, women selling
their bodies and
more importantly a class of people struggling to scrape by.
The most vivid songs
used to identify the various themes of poverty and
prostitution are Lovely
Ladies, A Heart Full of Love, and Master of The
House. Moreover, it is a song
titled Do You Hear the People Sing? That
prepares the audience for the ending of
Act one. Most if not all of Act
one uses song, tonality, character, pitch and
tone to depict the various
themes of the play while the story is beginning to
unravel. Throughout the
second and final act the musical content within the play
acts as a story of
it’s own through theme and variation. Each separate song
represents a feeling
and or mood and is enhanced as it is varied throughout the
act. Like the
first act, the songs are used to portray poverty, suffering,
hardships, and
even death. However, unlike the first act, there is also a theme
of love and
happiness. Closure is brought about with a sense of warmth and this
is often
heard through the display of the tempo. When the times were tough the
tempo
decreased and was often slow and morbid like. When happy times were
brought
about, the tempo increased to a song and dance farewell. The final song
of
the musical really brings the whole story together. The loose ends are
tied
and the audience’s hearts are left captivated and moved. This musical
would
not be complete without the dramatization of the performers. It is
each
individual performer that brings song into the story. Each of the eight
main
characters represents, in a sense, their own theme and motivation
towards the
story. Without these characters the notes and chords wouldn’t
bring about any
music. It would merely be song without feelings or words.
Each of them sings to
sing to us in their own different way and exemplify
their role within the story.
Together these two important ideas make this
play an excellent musical. My
personal reaction to this musical was
surprisingly a good one. When my
girlfriend first told me that we were going
to see a Broadway play I wasn’t
initially excited. 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. I then decided to be open
minded and take notice of not only musical but
also theatrical happenings of
the story. It was amazing to be able to hear the
tempo change, the timbre
(tone color), and also identify the theme and
variation. It was often
difficult to understand the opera like approach to the
play but all you
needed was a good ear and total concentration. I found that I
actually
enjoyed Les Miserables and I wouldn’t be too quick to say no to
another
one.