What's amazing is that we could have gotten Colm as Che Guevara in Evita. Colm did the original 2- record album (Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph also were done on records before going to the stage). Andrew Lloyd Webber certainly wanted Colm to do Che, but he decided to try to become a singer-songwriter (He was CT Wilkinson) - so Mandy Patinkin got the part. Colm also could have been the original Phantom, but turned it down to do Valjean.

You’ve just said everything I was thinking, but far more eloquently than I ever could.

Well said.

Really well said. But personally, I prefer Colm's performance . His interpretation to me is much closer to the character and the plot: an old man who've seen and gone through all the hardships, struggles and unfairness, maybe became even self-defense and a little bit unconcerned now bargaining with god in exchange of the young man's live. Like you said, it's raw, powerful and even like begging with a little bit anger which makes the performance perfect. To me Alfie sing it beautifully but too peacefully, not that close to the character.

@@junhsu6366 I think it depends on how you play the character. Wilkinson plays the convict aspect of valjean’s personality very close to the surface. Boe plays him as someone who buried that experience deep inside and as someone who let everything else that happened after shape the character. Both approaches are rooted in the text. Personally? I’d rather hear a beautiful song like that sung with as much vocal beauty as possible, but who am I to quibble. As long as it packs an emotional punch and it’s sung WELL, which they both do, I’m not gonna complain.

@@junhsu6366 I think you nailed it. Valjean was a physical man. He spent 20 years in a work camp, he just carried a full grown man through the sewer system to break away from the war front. This song is extremely emotional and the man is exhausted, afraid and calling on God to step in. There is nothing peaceful about it. There is nothing perfect about it.

I too saw and met him after Broadway. So gracious. His voice was bigger than the theater. Absolutely cannot believe we got to see him.

I saw it at the Gielgud also, and I don't think I took a single breath through this song. The standing ovation afterwards lasted for an eternity.

I agree I saw Les Mis at the Palace Theater for my 39th Birthday that Moment as he brought Marius out the sewers and the Music started for bring him home started, by the end I was sobbing it really got me.

Alfie was sick when I went to the Guilgud 😢

@@suerawlings7698 That's a shame; especially given how hot the tickets were.

Thank you. You understand music is not a contest. A gift you can savor and enjoy from multiple vocal artists. I don't call people with this talent singers. Because they all are artists.

!!!!

I want a boyfriend that looks at me like Marc Daniel Patrick looks at superior Musical Theatre :-D

@@JustBeingAwesome Ikr 😂

@@JustBeingAwesome Just so you know, my sister took a screen shot of this comment and texted it to me the other day, she loved it so much.

@@JustBeingAwesome - oh, that we should all be so lucky 😍

@@MarcDanielPatrick - see?! told you! they love how you can't hide what the music does to you ☺️

I left this movie theater performance of Les Mis floating on Alfie's entry into the encore. Left me actually breathless.

This music and voices overtake me! Fabulous!

@@hindasleaves me in tears every time I’ve heard Alfie Boe sing this. 💧💧

I saw the show in May of '87 as a freshman in high school, it was my first B'way show and I had no idea what I was going to see. I was blown away, I had no idea people could sing like that and it was the first time music brought me to tears. Colm Wilkinson...OMG.

Brian Pils yes please!

Y E S 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Better yet, compare Ben Lewis and Ramin singing “Til I Hear You Sing”

Yes

timfha that would be interesting compare the classical style to the belting style

I saw that too. He said it was like a bubble. And slowly the sound of the audience's applause came to him. He was determined not to break character, but had to acknowledge their accolades before the show could go on. Like a 10 minute standing ovation!

He sang this song in the Mormon Tabernacle at one of their Christmas shows. They routinely have guest singers (all types from Broadway to Opera to pop - even the Muppets) and this was the song he chose for his solo - and the orchestra was just as understated. The Tabernacle, like the O2, seats around 22,000 people and they always sell out their Christmas performances. I believe Tom Brokaw did the narration that year. Alfie hates wearing a tie and had his shirt open the nights he sang. He'd mentally prepare himself each time he had to sing it. I think the video is now gone, but one commenter mentioned he got a 5 minute standing ovation, a rare thing where great singers routinely give bravura performances. His falsetto (or head voice if you prefer) is remarkable. I can, off-hand think of only one other performance of a guest at the Tabernacle that actually outdid this - Andrea Bocelli and the choir doing The Lord's Prayer. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q56afNB6z82YhY0.html

Bahaha.

Glad I'm not the only one...

Same here I'm watching it in bed tonite, I might need a tissue

Portrays perfectly what a father would feel

HE'S FOUND OUR COVER AT LAST

HAHAHA

Hahahaha

WAHAHAHAHAA

major difference to me is he is an operatic tenor, but very seldom has opportunities like this.

Same! I grew up with the 10 year anniversary! It’s the best version of the show, for sure.

I have the OCR of Les Miz and that's what I listen too. Jeff Leyton is a good JVJ also. Saw Colm live a few years ago and he sang Bring Him Home from the heart. And he went higher than the last note. Sorry Alfie. Good. But really not for me.

@@annacairns Yes, Jeff is good too as is John Owen-Jones and many others. By OCR I assume you mean the London cast? I'm used to seeing the specific abbriviations (OLC: London and OBC: Broadway), so wanted to be sure which one you meant. :)

@@Sweeney541 Yes. Sorry I meant the OLC. It's phenomenonal 🙂

No need to be sorry. I was just curious :) And I agree. There are good and bad things to say about both recordings, but I definitely prefer the OLC too. No disrespect to the Broadway cast, but it's hard to beat Patti LuPone, Michael Ball, Rebecca Caine etc.

I cry every time I watch that one! The chills!

Second this comment! I’d love to see your thoughts on the four Valjeans

Up

I thought Colm struggled a bit with the high note.

Unfortunately we never got to see the American singer who was to replace Colm Wilkinson after the show opened in 1987. Cast member Kevin Marcum died just weeks before the scheduled transition when Colm was to elect to return home. Kevin was just a young 30 something at the time.

Wow it's interesting you say this because my opinion is the complete opposite - I believe Colm's performance, whereas Alfie's seems just like an operatic performance. Say N-yah (merged into one syllable). Then say it again and allow it to come from the back/bottom of your mouth/throat - that is unfortunately all I hear when Alfie sings. It's too operatic IMO (I hope I've been able to explain what I mean, I have no knowledge of actual singing lol)

@@HORHAYY10 That's interesting! What's great about theatre is different people can love different aspects for their own reasons. I have some operatic and musical theatre experience but wouldn't consider myself an expert either - it's just what it sounds like to me, and I prefer that style of 'natural' singing (but still with good placement and and open airway)

I really like both versions. But Alfie reduced me to tears. I felt like He was Truely Praying to God. But Bravo to both of them. 🌹♥️

Also, I can tell you, as a classically trained opera singer, by keeping your mouth almost closed, it is an excellent way of controlling your volume.

Copertura :) You know!

Thank you Nicholas for the explanation. I found it odd (his approach) especially when Colm is so wide open for most of the song.

@@MarcDanielPatrick copertura is a technique common in tenors going through the passagio where they add a 'cover' to the particular vowel they sing also. There's a good video of Pavarotti explaining why they sing this way and not totally open.

I sing with this technique to control air flow on softer notes and let them spin. If I open too wide when I don't need to, there can be a tendency to let the resonance fall back too far, and a risk of bringing up too much weight on the note. Alfie has an open throat, lifted palate, and is singing in the mask, so he doesn't need to 'muscle' it like many musical theatre singers do. If you're putting too much pressure on your chords and singing through your throat, then yeah, you're gonna need to open wide to get the sound out. It also will produce a wider vibrato like Colm has, while Alfie has a clean and resonant spin to his. Because all the work should be happening below your neck, not above!

Ha! Was scrolling for this!!

And Samantha Barks, not Banks

OMG yes!!!

Bahaha

Your facial expressions are far better than the performance

YES!!! Stars!! But I’d take either one.

Coming.

His note "reprieeeevvve" needs to bevreacted too! Please?😚

Yessssss please.

ugh yes, the best javert

Edward Batchelor absolutely right. Alfie also trained as an operatic tenor at both the Royal College of Music and the National Opera Studio, which only takes 12 singers/academic year, and was then raised by the English National Opera. Alfie’s had to re-learn to sing with amplification, because with projection, he’d out-sing musical theatre singers without. I used to feel a little miffed Alfie had ‘crossed over’, because I was raised at the ENO too. But I can’t be. By far the most graceful, versatile and authentic crossover artist in the world, IMHO. I can’t be miffed at that.

@@spellywelly Bowe's technique also allows him to have better pitch and legato through the phrases than Wilkinson. Bowe would have been an amazing Rudolfo and Cavaradossi.

@@astoriacub Alfie has sung Rudolfo several times. The first time was in Baz Luhrmann's production on Broadway in 2002, leaving the Royal Opera House Young Artists programme to do so. He's also played the role for English National Opera at the London Coliseum (his 2009 performance is on DVD and KZfaq) He's performed in several other parts over time, including the role of Tybalt in a performance at the Royal Opera House immediately after the Les Mis 25th Anniversary concert shown here.

@@spellywelly Lovely comments.

@@spellywellyI love your comments.

Stars - yes please!

oh come on philip quast is the best with anything javert related...only heard norm lewis a few times and something was off to me about his voice

Tara but Norm’s acting is also up to par... oh man.... Quast is my favorite too but amongst the newer ones, Norm could stand up against Michael Ball and the other vets.

cannot Agreed more!!

The music was written for Colms voice.

same here!

@@annmitchell4663 no it wasn't. The play was French and translated to English later.

I was lucky enough to see the play within 3 months of its West End opening. I'd been a huge fan from seeing him as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, but hearing this for the first time was so far beyond that

*Same!* I just adore Les Mis. Its nice to know I'm not alone.

@@tillydee933 I first saw it with the original cast when I was very pregnant and as soon as the music started, my daughter started kicking me. She is now 34 years old and loves Les Mis too!

@@pmculley4, my mom used to play the soundtrack while she was pregnant with me 32 years ago. ;) Great moms, great minds. ;)

Boe

@@tillydee933 Absolutely!

I agree :)

I'll do my best. Thank you!

Bahaha. im so sorry.

Hmmm good choices. I'll get to it for sure.

Michael Ball is still my favourite and best Marius, seen this show so many times and no one yet has matched Michael, closest I’ve found is Eddie Redmayne.

Thank you so much Liam

You hit the nail on the head! Well put!

Thank you Christine.

Thank you so much

What if I wanted that to be a whole other video on its own?

Marc Daniel Patrick That would be amazing!! ❤️

Thank you!

Same

Thank you so much. Means a lot.