Favorite Foreign Language Cast Recording

I don't think the singing is terribly impressive, but I love hearing Les Mis sung in French on the 1991 Paris recording

I agree!! And Louise Pittre, the original Donna in Mamma mia plays A beautiful Fantine!

I'm so happy someone made a thread about this!

i listen to foreign musical theatre cast albums all the time. There are so many beautiful musicals that haven't had an English language premiere. It's great to know I'm not the only one who listens to them!



Some of my personal favorites:

Elisabeth, 2001 Essen and 2012 Vienna

Romeo et Juliette, 2010 Paris

Rudolf Affaire Mayerling, 2009 Vienna



My ALL TIME favorite foreign musical and cast recording:

Marie Antoinette, 2006 German cast. It's such a huge disappointment that they only recorded the highlights and left out some of the best numbers.

thirtythirtyninety said: "I don't think the singing is terribly impressive, but I love hearing Les Mis sung in French on the 1991 Paris recording



"

I did see that particular production in Paris ( at Mogador Theatre) and I also got the cast recording. But to me, the more impressive one is the Original Concept Album released before or around the time of the first Paris production of LES MISERABLES ( circa 1980). That was the recording that won over Cameron Mackintosh and led to his production of the English version.

There are some differences from the latter English version ( which is the basis of the 1991 Paris staging at Mogador) -- the song known as On My Own was the melody for the original song called L'Air de la Misere which was sung originally by Fantine. The song more universally identified with Fantine was called J'avais Reve d'une Autre Vie ( I Dreamed A Dream). The role of Valjean was originally composed in the baritone range and was sung by the French baritone actor Maurice Barrier. It did not include Bring Him Home which was composed for Colm Wilkinson to sing ( and led to transposing the Valjean range to dramatic tenor). I also remember that Gavroche ( whose appearance was suggested to Boublil and Schonberg by the Delacroix painting Liberty Leading the People now residing at the Louvre and was inspired by the French revolution) had extended or more songs.

My favorite song ( because it resonates with me from a historical perspective and is universally recognized as a clarion call) is A La Volonte du Peuple ( also known as Do You Hear the People Sing), which director Tom Hooper thankfully restored in the film adaptation as the singular theme of the musical based on Hugo's monumental novel!

Btw, the original concept album was re-released 10 years after its original release, because by the early 1990's, Les Miserables had become a universally-loved musical!

Updated On: 6/2/17 at 11:36 PM

"Mozart L'Opera Rock" is an incredible show with an amazing cast recording. It's one of the few foreign musicals I don't want translated into English because I don't think an English production would do the show justice.

^
Agreed.