Ecoutez Les Mandolines (Original Recordings 1933-1950) - Tino Rossi

Advantages: Emotive, expressive story based in France during the Revolution
Disadvantages: None

...CD REVIEW: This CD performance captures many emotions, and in the wonderful music composed by Claude-Michel Schonberg expresses the nature of the French Revolution very effectively. Their are 2 CD's provided with this album. The tracks are thought provoking and musically complex. The confrontation between Val Jean and Javert (Disc 1) brings melodic call and response between the two characters - a concept revisited throughout the performance. Thenardier (Played by Barry James) is fantastic throughout - peforming Master of the House, and Beggar of the Feast. He is the comical character of Les Miserables, and bound to produce a few smiles when listening to this CD. The story is seperated into the following tracks on the CD: 1. Prologue 2. Valjean's Soliloquy 3. Empty Chairs At Empty Tables 4. Every Day 5. At The End... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Great musical; very strong cast
Disadvantages: Not the full recording; some weak voices

...As a show Les Misérables is flawless. It has a captivating story that keeps you hooked which is displayed in a wonderful musical. One problem often associated with musicals is the lack of originality, shows, too often, consist of two or three individual numbers with the rest of the musical being filled with reprises or slight variations. Although there are songs like this in Les Miserables it doesn't seem so bad because the variation really is different! For example, in the two Soliloquys the melody is the same, however, because of the different moods in both of the pieces they seem different. In other occurences where the tune is re-used, enough decoration is added to the songs to make them seem original. As for this specific recording; the cast is mainly very strong. The role of Valjean is portrayed by Colm Wilkinson... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Wonderful chorus numbers and uplifting classics
Disadvantages: Colm Wilkinson

...Les Miserables follows an ex-convict called Jean Valjean, as he is turned aside from a life of crime to a life of charity and love, caring for a young girl he adopts whilst all the while having to avade capture by Police Inspector Javert. (I've included a more detailed summary below if you don't know the story) Having sung in the schools' version of Les Miz, I was simply buzzing with enthusiasm about the musical. It is a simply superb piece, extremely exciting and emotive, especially for the cast, so I had high hopes of this recording. I was, sadly, rather disappointed. The musical itself is brilliant. The choruses are thrilling, the solos vary from the familiar (On My Own, for example) to the not so familiar, for example Dog Eats Dog, a wonderful piece of either soulful reflection on an empty world or a delicious piece of black... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful