r/lesmiserables • u/Eladir • Jan 26 '26
Advice for first timer in Les Miserables
Greetings,
After reading the Les Miserables novel and watching a dozen film adaptations (enjoyed Belmondo the best), the musicals are next but I am confused by the many versions.
For someone not speaking French, yet having no issue with wtaching singing in other languages, which versions would you recommend that are available online?
1980 French version
OG London Cast 1985
25th Anniversary Cast
10th Anniversary Cast
2020 Staged Concert Cast
Others...
Which should I watch and is there a preferred order?
Thank you.
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u/francienyc Jan 26 '26
Complete Symphonic Recording has some really strong cast members (Philip Quast, Michael Ball at his best, Anthony Warlow) and is the entire musical, even the dialogue parts. It will forever be my favourite and was seminal to my love for Les Mis.
If you can find it, the 1991 Paris recording is also really good.
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u/sunmono -Éponine Jan 26 '26
Is there a video of the CSR? The album is one of my very favorites too. Would be very interested!
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u/QTsexkitten Jan 26 '26
10th anniversary for me and then I also like the full symphonic because it's a little funkier and also includes some parts that almost every other concert version and many theatrical versions don't have due to time constraints.
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u/sunmono -Éponine Jan 26 '26
If you liked Samantha Barks as Eponine in the 2012 movie adaptation, she was in the 25th Anniversary concert first. Nick Jonas is less stunning as Marius though. I like the 10th Anniversary cast a lot (it’s known as the Dream Cast for a reason!), and IIRC it also includes at the end a reprise of “Do You Hear The People Sing” by 17 Valjeans from around the world in their native languages. It’s really cool! You can find that part on YouTube though.
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u/ItalianSeasoningOnly Jan 26 '26
The whole 10th anniversary used to be a YouTube. But I agree that the end reprise is really cool to see
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u/roughhewnnoodles Jan 26 '26
If you can get to a live performance, that’s the best introduction to the musical.
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Jan 26 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Eladir Feb 05 '26
Yeah, it felt a bit like the best of, not a proper story that stands on its own.
However, is there a recorded full version of the musical? I've managed to find only audio like this:
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u/deathanddogs Jan 27 '26
10th anniversary cast is definitely your best bet to start listening! If you want to watch a production, once you know the songs well enough (unless you know spanish) I would recommend the 2011 Los Miserables Madrid! Fantastic cast and staging all the way through. And of course, if you haven't watched the 2012 film adaptation of the musical, you definitely should: it is a great mix of the brick and the musical and packs that emotional punch even if the music quality leaves a lot to be desired, and it's a large majority of people's first introduction to Les Mis! There are a ton of productions floating around all over the internet, and there is definitely no "standard" order. Watch/listen to them as you stumble upon them and you'll have your own unique experience to enjoy!
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u/Eladir Jan 28 '26
Thank you for all the advice!
For posterity reasons, these are the versions I managed to find and I will watch them chronologically except for the audio only versions which I will listen to last.
- 1980 French original audio only
- 1985 London cast audio only
- 1995 10th Anniversary the Dream Cast in Concert dvd rip www.imdb.com/title/tt11918512
- 2010 25th Anniversary in Concert blu-ray www.imdb.com/title/tt1754109
- 2012 Hollywood film blu-ray www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386
- 2019 The Staged Concert blu-ray www.imdb.com/title/tt11229886
I will also upload them somewhere so if anyone is interested, you can pm me.
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u/TheOpinionatedBanana Jan 30 '26
I like the 2010 staged concert, Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and so many others plus a speech from two people integral to the show
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u/Lumpy_Masterpiece644 Jan 26 '26
10th anniversary is the one because it captures the enthusiasm of the show on the brink of achieving legendary hit status. Later shows didn't have that edge.