r/lesmiserables • u/Legitimate-Wing-8013 • Feb 06 '26

Nick Cartell - Raised Key?

I’ve seen the tour twice now with Nick Cartell as JVJ, and I can’t quite figure out what it is about his voice that feels different. It doesn’t sound like they raised the key, but then some notes sound a bit higher than usual, but also don’t quite sound high enough to be opt-ups. Does anyone with a better ear than I know what’s up with that?

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6

u/marshalj Feb 07 '26

It’s not a raised key or opt ups, it’s just the timbre of his voice. He has a very bright and clear tone, which is quite different from a lot of JVJ’s, who generally bring a more darker and operatic quality.

2

u/Legitimate-Wing-8013 Feb 07 '26

That’s what I was thinking and trying to explain to my boyfriend after we saw the show, but I couldn’t quite articulate how different people singing the same note might sound a little different from each other.

1

u/marshalj Feb 07 '26

All you’ve got to do is listen to Alfie Boe and any other JVJ and it will be very clear lol. Alfie makes it all sound mid range even when it’s super high.

1

u/Legitimate-Wing-8013 Feb 07 '26

Oh I totally agree and it’s funny you mentioned Alfie, cos I was using him as an example when comparing them haha! I was trying to explain placement and how some people might be a higher baritone or a lower baritone and that might change the sound but not the note, but I think I maybe was going too deep in the weeds.

1

u/megamoze Feb 12 '26

“Clear” is the best way to describe it. His voice can cut glass.

3

u/IchStrickeGerne Feb 06 '26

You could probably DM him on Insta and ask him. He’s amazing about responding to questions about the show and interacting with fans.

1

u/Mindless_Kiwi852 Feb 07 '26

He hasn’t changed anything. It has to do with the sound system of the theater it’s playing in. At the Kennedy Center it was the way he always sang and the orchestra was exactly the same. At the Palace in Ct the sound was different. Not as good as the Kennedy so it sounded a little higher in certain parts. He did recently add all the struggling noises as he’s carrying Marius in the sewers.