Les Miserable

Sept 4, 2006

Les Misérables

Because of recent discussion about this muscial on BBS, I took it out from CDBOX to listen again. I really like this production, more than the more popular Phantom of The Opera. I watched the live concerts in Hong Kong and London many years back. Anyhow, I still like it, very beautiful songs and soul-touching story.

Everytime I listen to this musical, my tears always appear in my eyes. I like the following characters:

Jean Valjean
- He's imprisoned 19 years for stealing food for his starving family.
- A father forgave him from stealing silver plates and gave him a chance to live again
- He's become Mayor. When there was a chance to expose his identity, he's confronted with himself to expose his name or let an innocent man to shoulder his sin. This struggle "Who Am I" is very tensed (If I speak, I'm condemned. If I stay silent, I'm damned) But Valjean finally fought agains his selfishness and expose his identity.
- His dual with Fantine is very tear making. He's grown with in prison and he's learning LOVE. Fantine is dying and he's promised to take care Cosette.
- "Bring Him Home"

Inspector Javert
- I feel very pity about Javert. He's a tragic person. He believed he's the justice. He had very strong belief. He's a man standing on extremity. Does it imply there can't be absolute justice in the world? His suicide is avoidable but I think he can't face to his true self.

Fantine
- She's the typical sympathetic lady in a story. She's abandoned and become prostitute for her daughter. Her short but excellent performance is very remarkable in the story.

Cosette
- "A Castle on the cloud" is a very nice song by this little girl. When she's grown up, her portion in the musical seems not very important and outstanding. Even Eponine is more remarkable.

Éponine
- Her "On My Own" is very sad. Her one-way love to Marius led her to die. A kind of sacrify.

Marius Pontmercy
- "Empty Chair Empty Table"

Jean Valjean is always the main character throughout the whole play. He's the centre. He's the one who GIVES. He did nothing just for himself. He's doing for other people good. This is a story about how someone (Valjean,Fantine, Eponine) is doing good just for someone (Cosette and Marius). They are doing because they Love them and are doing for their goodness, for their better future.

This theme story was plotted with French Revolution. Parallel with people fighting for future, a better tomorrow.

All in all, I like this musical very much. I always listen with my heart and it always arouse my emotion. The world is harsh and unbearable and we are all like slaves. But Love and Sacrifice will change the world. There is always goodness in the evilish world.

This is what I understand about Christ Incarnation. Christ Incarnation does not only imply his salvation of our sin. But it's about Love. It's about reality. Incarnation tells us the world is evil yet good. Incarnation means the body with blood and flesh will suffer even we have belief.