re: which Les Miz recording to get?
Kaho Shimida has a fine voice the problem is that she speaks no english and was taught all the songs phonetically so she sounds a bit different. CSR is the best to go with there are so many wonderful small moments musically that are just not captured on the other recordings. Especially ValJean singing counterpoint to Cosette's Castle On A Cloud when they first meet. Great stuff. Plus Gary Morris sings Bring Him Home in full voice, wow!