Product Details

• Actors: Roger Allam, Alun Armstrong, Samantha Barks, Alfie Boe, Rebecca Caine
• Directors: Nick Morris
• Writers: Alain Boublil, Herbert Kretzmer
• Producers: Brett Sullivan, Cameron Mackintosh
• Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital-Plus 2.0), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Subtitles: Cantonese, Danish, Dutch, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: February 22, 2011
• Run Time: 170 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (853 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B004I2K4E8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,587 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #1 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Performing Arts
  • #11 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Special Interests
  • #14 in Movies & TV > Blu-ray > Musicals
• Learn more about "Les Miserables: The 25th Anniversary Concert [Blu-ray]" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Fifteen years after the historic 10th anniversary concert, the international musical sensation Les Misérables returned for a 25th anniversary concert at London's O2 Arena in October 2010. Like the previous concert, it presents an all-star cast, this time taken from two different 2010 London productions as well as the original 1985 cast. The singers stand at microphones wearing costumes, backed by a huge chorus and three video screens showing some action that can't be represented on stage, though the stage is transformed into a set for some key scenes, such as in the Thénardiers' bar and at the barricade. And as it has for 25 years, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score vividly captures the passion of Victor Hugo's epic tale of post-Revolutionary France, combining tear-jerking ballads ("I Dreamed a Dream," "Bring Him Home") and rousing anthems ("Do You Hear the People Sing").

The cast is nearly all excellent, including Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Norm Lewis as Javert, Matt Lucas as Thénardier, Jenny Galloway as Madame Thénardier (reprising her role from 1995), and Katie Hall as Cosette. Teen pop star Nick Jonas (of the Jonas Brothers) seems to have been cast as Marius for box-office appeal, however. Though he has the right look and hits the right notes, his voice is weak compared to the rest of the cast and throughout the show he seems to wear the same look of earnest worry, eyes fixed on the horizon as if reading a teleprompter. After playing Eponine in the 1995 concert, Lea Salonga is now Fantine, and while she sings well, the part really calls for more vocal power. Comparing the 1995 concert and 2010, the newer one has superior audio and video, but the earlier one has the stronger cast top to bottom, anchored by many of the legendary performers who helped make Les Mis the sensation it still is today. In acknowledgment of that, after the final scene of the 2010 concert ends, many of the original cast members enter the stage for a thrilling encore. "Bring Him Home" unites original Valjean Colm Wilkinson with John Owen-Jones, Simon Bowman, and Alfi Boe, then Michael Ball, Frances Ruffelle, Alun Armstrong, and others join the cast for "One Day More." (It's hard not to be moved when Ball looks around the stage and sings his line, "My place is here, I fight with you.") Producer Cameron Mackintosh and authors Boublil, Schönberg, and Herbert Kretzmer all address the crowd before a throng of student performers (appropriate, no?) comes on stage to close the nearly three-hour evening. --David Horiuchi

Product Description

Experience the event of a lifetime with this spectacular 25th anniversary celebration of one of the most popular musicals ever written, Les Misérables. Honoring 25 years of this incredible show, this momentous film captures the excitement of two magnificent sold-out performances that were watched live around the world. With a phenomenal all-star cast, including pop star Nick Jonas (Jonas Brothers), Tony® Award winner Lea Salonga (the voice of Disney’s Mulan and Princess Jasmine), and over 500 additional artists and musicians, revel in the songs of the unforgettable characters as they struggle for redemption and revolution.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

307 of 318 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Concert--BD from U.K. is Region-free January 20, 2011

By Henry J. Grimm

Format:Blu-ray

Wow! What an outstanding concert presentation of this opera-like musical adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel "Les Miserables", which has been a worldwide sensation for over 25 years. This 25th anniversary concert, taped on October 3, 2010 before a wildly enthusiastic audience of several thousand at the cavernous O2 Arena in London, was simply superb--the production values (state-of-the-art lighting, audio, and video), the fantastic talent assembled on the stage, including performers from several companies--all in costume--and a huge back-up chorus all contributed to an amazing performance.

Notable among the cast were Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, Lea Salonga as Fantine, Katie Hall as Cosette, and Norm Lewis as Javert. Much unfair criticism has been heaped upon pop singer Nick Jonas, who plays the part of Marius, the young student who falls in love with, and eventually marries, Cosette. While his voice is not operatic (while the other cast members have such voices), his voice is nonetheless fairly good and with his boyish good looks, he is very convincing as the young idealistic student who becomes the love interest of Cosette.

The grand finale alone is the worth the price of the BD: members of the original cast (and other previous and current cast members) sing duets and medleys, including four different Valjeans, all incredibly awesome. Their performance of "Bring Him Home" will bring tears to your eyes.

The Blu-ray Disc's video and audio are both excellent--you will not be disappointed in the sharp, pristine video and the impressive, full audio. If you have a surround-sound system, you are in for a real treat.

Also, this BD, which I ordered from Amazon.uk, is region-free: It will play flawlessly on Region A (U.S. & Canada) Blu-ray players. I live in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA--and this BD, which is not yet available on Amazon in the U.S., was a bargain, less than $23-US, including shipping.

This BD is a keeper--you will watch it over and over again. Highly recommended!

126 of 133 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome! February 22, 2011

By K. M. Cavuoti

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Having seen this show several times both in London and on tour in the US, it was a huge treat to be able to experience this 25th Anniversary Performance from the O2 Arena. I was fortunate enough to see it in a US theatre the one night it played a few weeks after this was recorded. This show sold out the gigantic O2 so quickly they added a second show, which also sold out. It was beamed live to theatres around the UK. And it just won "Theatre Event of the Year" in the Whatsonstage Theatregoers Choice Awards. I am delighted that they decided to make it available for Region 1. As wonderful as the 10th Anniversary show was, this is better in some ways. The lighting, the sets and projections, the lush orchestrations and the vast audience that just electrified the air add to the whole experience.
This was an incredible group of performers that still gives me chills when I recall it. Alfie Boe as Jean Valjean, is trained as as operatic tenor. He was spectacular in every way. He shows a very supple vocal range. He can hit & hold the high soft notes & belt out the big showstoppers with equal dexterity. I really do like Lea Solonga but felt she was just a little weak as Fantine. (She was killer as Eponine on the 10th.) Norm Lewis was a wonderfully wicked yet human Javert. His baritone strong & menacing & yet soft & soulful as he wrestles his conscience and loses. Katie Hall was a convincing as Cosette. Nick Jonas, in a bit of "stunt casting" that went badly awry, was Marius. It was glaringly apparent when matched with multi-award winning West End & Broadway veterans. Though he did get better. (This actually played two nights in the UK October 2-3. This is a compilation.) Canadian, Ramin Karimloo as Enjoras, the student leader, was impeccable. He has previously played this role & that of Marius. He's starred as the Phantom in London & is now playing the role in the sequel, Love Never Dies. (He has already twice been voted "Best Actor in a Musical" & is nominated for an Olivier this year for the same role.) Matt Lucas and Jenny Galloway obviously enjoyed their time as the Thernadiers, which made them great fun to watch. The encores must be mentioned again. They were incomparable to anything I've every seen. If you love Les Mis, you will love this show. Don't try to compare it with the 10th. With its rich new orchestrations, new sets, some changes in the lyrics and slight yet clarifying changes in the show, it stands alone.

198 of 230 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars I wish they would put the 10th Anniversary Concert on Blu Ray March 3, 2011

By Phillip Wells

Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase

So I am a huge fan of this show, I have multiple recordings and for years loved watching the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast concert. I was so excited when I saw this was coming on Blu Ray and I bought it without even watching any previews or reading any reviews of the actual London concert.

Is it a good concert? Yes. The staging is impressive and the Blu Ray treatment gives you flawless video and audio quality. The performances are good but nothing like the stellar performances of the Dream Cast.

There are a few notable exceptions, I will keep this disc and treasure it for Lea Salongas performance as Fantine. Her pristine voice and great acting ability knock her performances out of the park. A great treat to see her 15 years after the Dream Cast going from Eponine to Fantine . And speaking of the Eponine, Samantha Barks did an amazing job in that role. She was completely unknown to me before this and had huge shoes to fill in my mind and to my shock and immense pleasure she did just that. The last note in On My Own had me standing up and cheering. I won't say she is better than Lea Salonga in that role but she absolutely holds her own.

Nick Jonas is a complete distraction in this show. His Marius has none of the depth that previous performers have given that role. His singing skills are not up to par with the material. Being fair though he did do a DECENT job on Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, but it no way has the impact that the song normally has on me. He brings down many of rousing anthems and really keeps them from reaching the soaring heights they normally would like. One Day More is the song most affected by his lackluster performance but Red and Black and Do You Hear The People Sing are equally watered down.

There is a saving grace on this disc and that is the finale after the show ends. They bring back the original 1985 cast for One Day More and it had me leaping out of my seat. Also the original Valjean sing Bring Him Home with his contemporary was quite stirring. Having Michael Ball on the stage reprising his role as Marius reminded me how it should have been.

There are some things on this disc that are magical and worth owning but as a whole it was flawed in my opinion.

So the end result is this, I will be keeping the blu ray for Lea Salonga and Samantha Banks performances however I will also be ordering the 10th Anniversary DVD which has finally been re-released after being out of print for many years.

My wish as I said in the title of this review is that the 10th Anniversary Concert got the blu ray treatment.