Victor Hugo's literary masterpiece Les Misérables inspired many to make adaptations for television, film and musical. The musical version of Alain Boubdil and Claude-Michel Schönberg has also become a classic and is known worldwide as the 'musical of musicals'. In the Netherlands this musical was a big hit in 1991 and formed a springboard for then unknown talents such as Pia Douwes and Henk Poort.
Only seventeen years later, on April 20, 2008, a second version of Les Misérables will premiere at the Nieuwe Luxor in Rotterdam, with new music arrangements and a new talented cast. This version is also highly praised: producer Joop van den Ende turns it into a grand spectacle. The compelling and overwhelming music is excellently performed by the orchestra and the cast is convincing. With an impressive René van Kooten (Jean Valjean), Wim van den Driessche (Javert), Nurlaila Karim, Jamai Loman, Céline Purcell, Suzan Seegers, Carlo Boszhard, Marjolein Algera and Freek Bartels. This CD contains the highlights from this musical. (SvdP)more
