Fun fact: this was originally written as a flat note while only the orchestra went up

Ruthie's stands out for me big time, and I think Andrea is being seriously overlooked. But Lea is amazing too. And Anne's interpretation was very different so difficult to compare.

I actually liked Anne as Fantine. To be honest I was never expecting that to occur. I bow down to all of these women. However it was these three ladies who appealed most to me. Lea Salonga (hasn't let me down once) Betsy Morgan (whoam I had the pleasure of seeing live) and Celinde Schoenmaker who just gave me a jolt. BRAVA!!!

The best ones are the ones who know that the changing note means something for the character.

Ruthie Henshall hands down #1, toss up between Lea Salonga and Sierra Boggess as #2.

3:08 I don't know you, but i found pretty hilarious the contrast between the super tragic and intense singing of Dianne and that photo of her as G(a)linda xD

1. Ruthie 2. Sierra

I feel like no one's talking about Na-Young Jeon! She was amazing and really hit those low notes before going into that beautiful crescendo.

Ruthie Henshall and Lea Salogna

4:27 when you don’t have the range

Anne hathaway actually didnt do it a key lower they just had to do that for copy right purposes

everyone's intonation an vibrato is amazing but the VOWELS oh god some people's VOWELS

I love the way Carmen's builds, and I hear the most spite and emotion in Lea's voice.

I did not know that Alice Ripley was Fantine!

Could you do a comparison of Valjean's "flight" in the prologue if possible?

1. Lea Salonga 2. Sierra Boggess

I SAW CLAIRE MOORE IN THE CHRSITINE DRESS AND FREAKED OUT I never can escape from Phantom, can i?

Sierra is my favorite of all time in any role. So I'm biased I guess

I honestly think I like straight tone on this part specifically idk why it just seems a little more emotional and raw with out the vibrato through out the whole note.... I do apprieciate it at the end of the last Bb tho

Patti, Kerry, Sierra, Celinde, Carmen and Anne's. Daphne's was the weakest, and that's because she's not a true Mezzo, she's an Alto, and a raspy Alto at that, much more suited for Rock, rather than classical Broadway. Hence, why she was the original Mimi in Rent.

1:06 that's the German version

I cannot rank these. I just can't. The thing that I learned for this is that there are a lot of really, really good singers out there. Thanks for compiling and uploading so I can "meet" some of these wonderful performers from the past and present.

Geneviève Charest was so amazing when I saw her back in the days and I think the Quebec version is the best of all the cast looks like they just came out from the book !!

Patti, Sierra, Lea and Celinde are my favorites!

1. Lea Salonga 2. Anne Hathaway- she just shows such raw emotion that none of the others showed. 3. Ruthie Henshall

In my opinion Celinde and Natalie were the best (but i love Sierra and Lea,too)

Interesting. The two I enjoyed the most were Ruthie and Carmen Cusack. Ruthie you can't go wrong with, a classic. Not just the great belt voice, and husky womanly tones, but hers was probably little more interpretive with the phrasing overall that baby girl 'as they turn your dreams." But I think Carmen really nailed the shame. Such a full-voiced attack on the note, a real rich mezzo color, not a hint of wobble unlike so many others when they try to extend. Great crescendo. Yet she still manages to convey the sense that she's trembling with intensity. She "comes off" of the note better than most, she sounds angry, but not too tired vocally. No whispering the low notes beforehand either, like I said good, dark mezzo depths.

When you hear pia douwes, the language of the music is german instead of dutch :)

Lea Salonga, Ruthie Henshall (tho I hate her in the Epilogue), Patti Lupone, and the Complete Symphonic Orchestra's (i forgot, Debr-(y/a) :(). They are the best for me, both in acting and singing. I also like Anne's emotionally-speaking but it's unfair to compare to other since they changed the sequence of the songs in the movie making Fantine more devastated.

Sierra Boggess is my angel

I love the tone to Andrea's

1. Ruthie Henshall 2. Lea and Seirra i cant choose

Oh... I wish this video was made AFTER Rachelle Ann Go played her...

1. Sierra Boggess 2. Lea Salonga 3. Celinde Shoenmaker

All are amazing, but Madalena really stood out to me. Wow!

Carley Stenson is my fav, I saw her like 4 times and she's amazing

So many of these Fantines are being slept on gd

I love lea salonga and ruthie's version

Ruthie Henshall hands down, the best. Thank you, Ruthie!

Andrea McArdle anyone?! She was the first Annie on Broadway!

Lea's version is the best!

Anne, Sierra, Celinde and Patti are my faves. Also Lea Salonga and Pia Douwes!

personally i love sierra boggess's voice because it's beautiful, but i also like anne's voice despite her not being a broadway singer because as an actress she is able to pack so much emotion into her voice when she sings

I'm sorry but Pia isn't singing dutch, it's German. But thank you so much for this video!!

Ann Crumb was the best Fantine I ever heard.. I saw her on Broadway and on the National tour..

Hi, I am not sure if someone said it already but Pia Douwes (at 01:15)is singing German not Dutch in this version.

Fun fact: The recording of Pia Douwes in this Video is german and not dutch😉

Patti LuPone. I love her.

FUN FACT: Alice Ripley’s career will be over soon with many witnesses coming forward to back up currently, 5 female victims of being groomed by her during their childhood with inappropriate behavior being involved. I took screen shots of many witnesses in case TikTok takes the videos down. Yes, grooming and rape is very common in Broadway, police departments, Hollywood, Churches, Ballet, Gymnastics, and the list goes on. Too many victims to count. Most of them grow up and stay silent on it or speak about it but never take it up with court due to lack for their childhood selves lacking the foresight to get and keep any damning evidence.

Sierra

I knew that was Sierra as the cover

Sierra, Celinde, Ruthie and Madalena for me any day

Ruthie Henshall, Celinde Shoenmaker, and Lea Salonga.

Lea Salonga always

Where's Judy Kuhn, she succeded lea salonga as fantine. Why she's missing

4:43 obsessed w her vibrato

CELINDE Celinde

I like Kerry's, Carmen's, Ruthie's, Lea's, Patti's, and Sierra's.

Celinde ❤️

Lea Salonga for me. Her 25th Anniversary performance at the O2 was stunning.

Lea is the best Fantine

Love Kerry!! And although I like Daphne Rubin-Vega, her voice is not suited for this role. She'd be better off with rock-n-roll.

Ruthie hensall

01:10 is german cast

Lea Solonga, and Sierra Boggess.

Lea Salonga the best ever

Pia sings German though ;)

Did anyone else think Claire Moore (1993) and Joan Almedilla (2006) sounded like Alice Ripley?

Lots seem to like Sierra as Fantine I prefer her as Cosette Lea is my favorite Fantine, Joanna is good too as well as Rachelle Ann Go who I saw on the West End in 2015, plus I didn't know Pia Dowes played Fantine! She was an amazing Mrs Danvers in Rebecca!)

Jacquelyn Piro Donovan is the one I feel has the best sound and feel. Her voice is amazing. Her acting is really great. She would be my pick.....

Ruthie🥰

Sierra Boggess will always be my favorite one

LEA DID ITTTTTT

Kerry Ellis!!!!

why did Daphne Rubin Vega lower the key so much?

Na-Young😀 But where's Celinde Schoenmaker... she is the best!! :)

What you could have added in it can be Yuhko Ema - 1994 Japanese Red Cast, Hiromi Itoh - 1994 Japanese Blue Cast, Yumiko Takahashi - 2003 Japanese Orange/Green Cast, Marcia - 2003 Japanese Light Blue Cast, Rumi Iryo - 2003 Japanese Violet Cast, Rachelle Ann Go - 2015-2016 west end cast Melanie Bright, Rosanna Bates, Jessamy Stoddart and Sanne Den Besten in it!

I’ve just always loved pia Douwes

my Poland

CELINDE BY FAR!!!!!!

Ruthie amd Lea

Anne Hathaway is my favorite forever! I don't know if this is just me but her audio in this sounded a bit different from the movie and the recording... did you slow it down for copyright? Also Sierra Borgess, Celinde and Na-Young Jeon are great too!

Patti Lupone, Lea Salonga, Ruthie Henshall, Joanna Ampil :)

Madalena's is the best

Sierra bogness?

Lea Salonga the best 😘

Ruthie henshall and and Carmen Oh my goodness

Fantine: she need great voice, personnality and presence. We are the winner! I actually only liked Ruthie Henshall. Énergie, présence et puissance de sa voix! 2. Celinde Schoenmaker, Lea Salonga and Kerry Ellis 3. Dianne Pilkington and Geneviève Leclerc

Rachelle Ann Go, even though she wasn't in this video

Lea Salonga.

1:18 that isn't Dutch. That's German..

Ruthie and Sierra are definitely my all time favourite Fantines

When Pia is singing you say that is the Dutch cast. But she isn't singing in Dutch but german language.

Anne!

Lea, Ruthie, Sierra.

0:10 Damnnn, I didn't know Yellow Diamond was on broadway

wow, Carmen Cusczak, Natalie Day, Anne Hathaway

I saw Andrea McArdle in person, she was really awesome, better than this reflects.

Pia Douwes was German :)

Patti LuPone originated the role and also originally did the change of “shame.” Everyone else is just singing like her. All good. Patti. Ruthie. Lea. Best 3 imo.