Personally, I would highly advise you NOT to get the OBC recording. All the other English recordings are better, methinks (and possibly all the other international recordings as well). Although some of the actors themselves are good, the OBC as a whole is not a very strong recording (in my opinion). I would say that you're better off going with any other recording.
The other three recordings have their advantages and disadvantages.
The OLC is enjoyable, and it was my first so it forever has a special place in my heart. Its Confrontation and One Day More are still my favorite recorded versions of those songs. The cast is very, very decent.
The Complete Symphonic Recording is COMPLETE, which is nice. It has a great Javert, a great Enjolras, a great Gavroche, a and an overall really good cast (although there are a few weaker links).
Personally, if you were only going to buy one Les Miserables CD (which it sounds like you are, being a sane person, unlike myself), I would highly reccomend the 10th Anniversary Cast CD. The cast is pretty close to flawless. It is live which means there's clapping and stuff, and there's even the occasional mistake ("Down, Javert!"), but the cast is sooooooo strong that it is so worth it. It's also fairly complete, although not as complete as the CSR.
I would also advise you against buying a highlights CD. I know that the highlights CD does not include some of my personal favorites. If you're going to get a recording, you're much better off going with a full recording.
You could always go to a really good library that has CDs and check out Les Miserables. They may only have one version (my library actually has all four, bless it), but that way you couldlisten to it before deciding whether or not you'd be willing to buy it.
"I mean, how many of us could honestly say that at one time or another he hasn't set fire to some great public building?"
Updated On: 5/29/06 at 04:12 PM
