- July 4, 2016
- Parisian theatre
- Theatre in Paris contributor
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A French musical hit in honor of US holiday July 4th, let's look at Les Miserables by our favorite Victor Hugo
Do you hear the Fireworks? Happy Fourth of July to all of our friends across the pond! In honour of #musicalmonday AND America 's Independence Day, let's listen to the people sing, singing the songs of the third longest running Broadway show? Mamma Mia? No! It’s Les Miserables - Musical! Did you know that this famous story originally a book by famous French novelist, Victor Hugo? "At The End Of The Day," everyone loved this musical, and not only the French and the Americans: Les Misérables has played in over 44 countries and is the longest running musical done in London. The song “I Dreamed A Dream” sung by the tragic character Fantine inspired Susan Boyle to sing this song on the Britian's Got Talent.
America and France have always celebrated their love for revolution. In fact, the American Revolution inspired France's, which brought about Bastille Day, and is France's national holiday! Although Les Misérables is actually about the uprising in 1832, the music still resonates with everyone. It is even a film starring Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Aaron Tveit, Eddie Redmayne, Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Sascha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Fun Fact: Victor Hugo also wrote the original story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame. You can go visit Hugo at his burial site in at the Panthéon, and his family home Maison de Victor Hugo, Paris.
Check out this wonderful video starring Broadway Legends Audra McDonald, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jane Krakowski, and Lin-Manuel Miranda and British star James Corden