Les Miserables - 25th Anniversary [Blu-ray] [Region Free]

I love as is my favorite musical

Les Miz is without a doubt my all-time favourite musical. I discovered it early in the run at the Palace Theatre, London (I missed it at the Barbican). The first time I saw it, a very close friend of mine, Myra Sands, was playing Mme Thenardier, and she arranged for me to sit at the sound desk at the back of the stalls to watch it. It was a terrible view, but I instantly fell in love with the show and returned many, many times to see it from better seats! I was in my early teens, having a miserable time at school being bullied for being gay, and struggling to fit in with the brutish thugs in my class while being the son of two actors and a lover of musical theatre. Needless to say, I kept Les Miz and all other musicals far away from the bullies at school. It was my own private, secret escape. My dad had recently been in the original West End production of Little Shop of Horrors with Ellen Greene and Barrie James, so we knew Cameron Mackintosh a little and were part of his world. My friend Myra, who was present at my birth (!!!), was in most of Mackintosh's productions, so between her and my dad, my childhood was filled with the very best that musical theatre had to offer during its bombastic heyday of the 1980's. I practically lived backstage in Britain’s theatres!And Les Miz remained firmly at the top of the pile for me personally, on into my middle-age. So, when I first learned that they were doing a big 25th anniversary concert I was naturally very excited. But I was deeply concerned about the casting and didn't want to spend the fortune they were charging for tickets to see a potentially dreadful version that might ruin my love affair with the show. So I didn't buy a ticket, and I wasn't there to see it live.And that will always be one of the biggest regrets of my life!Naturally I had pre-ordered the DVD, and when I watched it, I was blown away. The casting was, though unexpected, somewhat sublime. Matt Lucas was so much better than I had expected. He's one of the best Thenardiers I've seen. And the rest of the cast are almost all now my new favourites in the roles. I positively adored Samantha Barks (who does a much better job in the concert than she later did in the movie), and I totally fell in love with Katie Hall, who is by a very large margin the most perfect Cossette I've ever seen. Alfie Boe is perfect in every way, and Ramin Karimloo was an exciting new discovery for me. Jenny Galloway I knew quite well from various casts over the years, and she never disappoints. Robert Madge as Gavroche was perfect and flawless in every way.The new orchestrations fully met with my approval, and bear in mind I know every note of the score, and the massive orchestra was conducted with aplomb by the ever-delightful David Charles Abell.The only thing wrong with this concert version is that it has some pretty massive cuts. Not quite as bad as the 10th anniversary concert, but jarring and upsetting nonetheless if you know the full version of the show word-for-word. I hate that they did this!However, they more than made up for the omissions by adding a lengthy and extremely moving finale featuring the original 1985 cast and the cast of the (then current) Queen's Theatre production, plus members of the touring cast and all the original creatives.And the DVD includes a wealth of additional material including fabulous documentaries and behind-the-scenes featurettes. If you are a Les Miz freak like me, this is an ESSENTIAL part of your collection.My love affair with Les Miz is ongoing and incurable. I have every available recording. Back in the 80's when I was being beaten-up for being different, I had the Complete Symphonic Recording permanently plugged into my ears keeping me from killing myself. Twenty or so years later, I curl up with the 25th Anniversary DVD to achieve the exact same effect.

DVD is great but delivery poor - Delivery indicated on Thursday after placing order but delivery attempted on Tuesday - OK normally but DVD was sent to be signed for. Hardly necessary for a £6 DVD ! Meant a trip to the sorting office to pick-up packet which would have gone through the letterbox if it had not to be signed for

Oh this is amazing..many happy hours listening to it in my garden

Love how this was performedWould be nice to have the 10th anniversary available to compare

I saw this on TV recently and had to get the DVD. I first saw the stage production in London in 1994 and one other time, and I have the original cast recording. It's hard not to love any production of this fantastic musical, the music sweeps you away.Alfie Boe is phenomenal - the power of his voice blows me away. Many people like Colm Wilkinson but I love Alfie's opera style and what it brings to the role. The emotion is different to that of musical theatre and when he sings, it makes my skin tingle and gives me goose-bumps. At the end where he sings with 3 previous Jeans, he's in his own league. His emotion in the track with Fantine and Eponine brings tears to my eyes.I hadn't followed AB previously and am VERY late to the fandom of Alfie but I am playing a fast catch-up. I saw an interview with him where he described his emotion on singing Bring Him Home - makes it all the more poignant watching it knowing how he felt.On the downside of this production - Nick Jonas!! What were they thinking casting him? Weak all around. Bad choice in casting - so not his fault. Spoils the production for me. The duet with AB highlights his inadequacy. I agree with another reviewer "Hazell" on her assessment of him. I'm not a fan of Michael Ball but he shows what should be done with the role.Love all the extras of this DVD set. Very happy that I had bought it(FYI - when I was buying it there were a few choices - I bought the 5th Anniversary Edition one dated 2013 and the illustration shows the Special Edition)

It was not a brand new copy. There was no return information. No information inside the box about it. I used Amazon because I thought it was trustworthy. I am about to have a serious operation that will leave me bed bound for several months. I was looking forward to watching this Blueray. It is not as advertised. I find this devastating. It is overpriced and I wish I had bought it from HMV.