Les Misérables
Les Misérables is the musical adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic 1862 epic novel and tells the story of an ex-convict named Jean Valjean discovering, through interactions with several characters throughout his life, a path to redemption. The show features music composed by Claude-Michel Schönberg, original French lyrics by Alain Boublil, and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. The musical's first incarnation was presented at Paris's Palais des Sports in 1980. The show was reworked for a premiere on London's West End in 1985 and has had several updates and modifications since then, notably for the 1987 Broadway premiere, the 2006 Broadway revival, and the 25th anniversary tours in the UK and US that began in 2010. Although there have been several film and television adaptations of the story and two filmed concert performances of the musical (for the 10th and 25th anniversaries), a feature film based on the musical had been stuck in development hell until 2010, when it was officially announced as being in the works at the end of the 25th anniversary concert. The film premiered in the United States on December 25th, 2012, and was released internationally after that.
The original Japanese production of Les Misérables was done by Toho Co., Ltd. (東宝), and the show has traveled to theaters around the country ever since. The show premiered in Japan on June 11, 1987, making it among the first post-London productions to be done in a language other than English. The Japanese translation of the lyrics was done by Iwatani Tokiko (岩谷時子), who also translated the lyrics for West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Kiss Me Kate, and other musicals into Japanese.
To date, there have been six cast recordings of Les Misérables in Japanese, each featuring a different color jacket and a different actor playing Jean Valjean. The Red (Kaga Takeshi) and Blue (Takita Sakae) albums were released in 1994, and the Light Blue (Ishii Kazutaka), Green (Bessho Tetsuya), Orange (Yamaguchi Yuichiro), and Violet/Lilac (Imai Kiyotaka) albums were released in 2003. In addition, Kaga Takeshi, who was Japan's original Valjean, represented the country during the finale of the musical's 10th Anniversary Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1995. He was one of 17 Valjeans who sang during the finale, and each was from a different country that had a production of the musical running at the time.
This English translation of the Japanese lyrics is based on the lyric booklet included in the 2003 Green (Tetsuya Bessho) cast album. Differences I've noticed from other cast recordings will be noted wherever I've found them. Sometimes, though, full stanzas or sections differ between the 1994 and 2003 albums. In those cases, I will mark the 1994 lyrics with [square brackets] and the 2003 lyrics with <angle brackets>.
The original Japanese production of Les Misérables was done by Toho Co., Ltd. (東宝), and the show has traveled to theaters around the country ever since. The show premiered in Japan on June 11, 1987, making it among the first post-London productions to be done in a language other than English. The Japanese translation of the lyrics was done by Iwatani Tokiko (岩谷時子), who also translated the lyrics for West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Kiss Me Kate, and other musicals into Japanese.
To date, there have been six cast recordings of Les Misérables in Japanese, each featuring a different color jacket and a different actor playing Jean Valjean. The Red (Kaga Takeshi) and Blue (Takita Sakae) albums were released in 1994, and the Light Blue (Ishii Kazutaka), Green (Bessho Tetsuya), Orange (Yamaguchi Yuichiro), and Violet/Lilac (Imai Kiyotaka) albums were released in 2003. In addition, Kaga Takeshi, who was Japan's original Valjean, represented the country during the finale of the musical's 10th Anniversary Concert at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1995. He was one of 17 Valjeans who sang during the finale, and each was from a different country that had a production of the musical running at the time.
This English translation of the Japanese lyrics is based on the lyric booklet included in the 2003 Green (Tetsuya Bessho) cast album. Differences I've noticed from other cast recordings will be noted wherever I've found them. Sometimes, though, full stanzas or sections differ between the 1994 and 2003 albums. In those cases, I will mark the 1994 lyrics with [square brackets] and the 2003 lyrics with <angle brackets>.
Act I
Prologue / Work Song
On Parole
The Bishop of Digne
Valjean's Soliloquy (What Have I Done?)
At the End of the Day
I Dreamed a Dream
Lovely Ladies
Fantine's Arrest
The Runaway Cart
The Trial (Who Am I?)
Fantine's Death (Come to Me)
Confrontation
Castle On a Cloud
Master of the House
Well Scene / The Bargain
Waltz of Treachery
Look Down
The Robbery
Javert's Intervention
Stars
Eponine's Errand
The ABC Café / Red and Black
Do You Hear the People Sing?
Rue Plumet / In My Life
A Heart Full of Love
Attack on Rue Plumet
One Day More
On Parole
The Bishop of Digne
Valjean's Soliloquy (What Have I Done?)
At the End of the Day
I Dreamed a Dream
Lovely Ladies
Fantine's Arrest
The Runaway Cart
The Trial (Who Am I?)
Fantine's Death (Come to Me)
Confrontation
Castle On a Cloud
Master of the House
Well Scene / The Bargain
Waltz of Treachery
Look Down
The Robbery
Javert's Intervention
Stars
Eponine's Errand
The ABC Café / Red and Black
Do You Hear the People Sing?
Rue Plumet / In My Life
A Heart Full of Love
Attack on Rue Plumet
One Day More
Act II
Upon These Stones
On My Own
At the Barricade
Javert's Arrival
Little People
A Little Fall of Rain
Night of Anguish
The First Attack
Drink With Me
Bring Him Home
Dawn of Anguish
The Second Attack (Death of Gavroche)
The Final Battle
The Sewers / Dog Eats Dog
Javert's Suicide
Turning
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Every Day / A Heart Full of Love (Reprise)
Valjean's Confession
The Wedding Chorale / Beggars At the Feast
Epilogue
On My Own
At the Barricade
Javert's Arrival
Little People
A Little Fall of Rain
Night of Anguish
The First Attack
Drink With Me
Bring Him Home
Dawn of Anguish
The Second Attack (Death of Gavroche)
The Final Battle
The Sewers / Dog Eats Dog
Javert's Suicide
Turning
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Every Day / A Heart Full of Love (Reprise)
Valjean's Confession
The Wedding Chorale / Beggars At the Feast
Epilogue