Spanish recordings?

Electricity24601 · Spanish recordings?

I'm taking Spanish in school and recently spent a week in Costa Rica living with a native family and taking language classes. I think it would be really neat to have a recording of Les Mis in Spanish.
Since I know you guys are the recording experts, I'm asking for your advice. What are my different options? How are the casts on the recordings? Are they translated directly from the English version or from the French? And which is your personal favorite?

Thanks a lot!

The Very Angry Woman

There's a Madrid recording with a subpar cast and crappy translations.

Quique

There is only one official Spanish language cast album: The Madrid highlights recording.

1. The translation is laughable and sometimes cringe-worthy.

2. The Cast:

Jean Valjean: Pedro Ruy Blas Meh. Not bad but he doesn't move me.

Javert: Miguel del Arco OK

Fantine: Gema Casta�o Very good. Strong, beautiful voice.

Young Cosette: Forgot her name but she sounds way too old. Acting is very wooden.

Thenardier: Francisco la Hoz Excellent. Very good, lively rendition of "Master Of the House."

Mme. Thenardier: Connie Philip Also very good. Has good chemistry with Francisco's Thenardier.

Eponine: Margarita Marban Another excellent cast member. Strong vocals and passionate acting.

Cosette: Luisa Torres Sounds like a man.

Marius: Carlos Marin Miscast. Would've made a good Enjolras with that voice.

Enjolras: Enrique R. del Portal Meh...not too fond of him in this role. His voice has a weird, shaky sound to it.

The Ensemble The male ensemble sounds good. The female ensemble is one of the worst I've ever heard. They're either haggishly screechy or sing in weird, shaky soprano. "At the End Of the Day" is the whimpiest I've ever heard. No feeling at all.

3. The orchestral tracks are taken from the Danish cast album.

4. The mixing job is not horrible but it can sound kind of high pitched at times. Way too much treble and not enough bass added.

I give it a 4/10.

I hardly ever listen to it because the translation makes me wanna throw things. The Cosette is painful to listen to, lol.

Electricity24601

Well that stinks Sad

I suppose I shouldn't even ask if there's a way to get an unofficial recording. Smile

Weren't there productions in Argentina and Mexico? I wonder why they didn't record those...

Quique

I know several Les Mis fans in Mexico who told me the recording was never made due to vendors selling bootlegs and pirated copies outside the theatre. Cameron decided not to go ahead with the official cast album because most everyone that saw the show already had the complete bootleg, so why bother. I've read articles from Mexican newspapers that confirm this.

It's really sad. They had an EXCELLENT cast. The translation is the best out there, as it was based on the original French. Crying or Very sad

Eponine93

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quyp_lO5tPU

Here's a clip of Un Dia Mas with the Madrid cast. I've only seen it once, many months ago, but I enjoy randomly belting out the phrase "Un dia mas" (the only Spanish sentence I know despite being placed in honors for next year) in the shower.

Electricity24601	Spanish recordings? I'm taking Spanish in school and recently spent a week in Costa Rica living with a native family and taking language classes. I think it would be really neat to have a recording of Les Mis in Spanish. Since I know you guys are the recording experts, I'm asking for your advice. What are my different options? How are the casts on the recordings? Are they translated directly from the English version or from the French? And which is your personal favorite? Thanks a lot!
The Very Angry Woman	There's a Madrid recording with a subpar cast and crappy translations.
Quique	There is only one official Spanish language cast album: The Madrid highlights recording. 1. The translation is laughable and sometimes cringe-worthy. 2. The Cast: Jean Valjean: Pedro Ruy Blas Meh. Not bad but he doesn't move me. Javert: Miguel del Arco OK Fantine: Gema Casta�o Very good. Strong, beautiful voice. Young Cosette: Forgot her name but she sounds way too old. Acting is very wooden. Thenardier: Francisco la Hoz Excellent. Very good, lively rendition of "Master Of the House." Mme. Thenardier: Connie Philip Also very good. Has good chemistry with Francisco's Thenardier. Eponine: Margarita Marban Another excellent cast member. Strong vocals and passionate acting. Cosette: Luisa Torres Sounds like a man. Marius: Carlos Marin Miscast. Would've made a good Enjolras with that voice. Enjolras: Enrique R. del Portal Meh...not too fond of him in this role. His voice has a weird, shaky sound to it. The Ensemble The male ensemble sounds good. The female ensemble is one of the worst I've ever heard. They're either haggishly screechy or sing in weird, shaky soprano. "At the End Of the Day" is the whimpiest I've ever heard. No feeling at all. 3. The orchestral tracks are taken from the Danish cast album. 4. The mixing job is not horrible but it can sound kind of high pitched at times. Way too much treble and not enough bass added. I give it a 4/10. I hardly ever listen to it because the translation makes me wanna throw things. The Cosette is painful to listen to, lol.
Electricity24601	Well that stinks I suppose I shouldn't even ask if there's a way to get an unofficial recording. Weren't there productions in Argentina and Mexico? I wonder why they didn't record those...
Quique	I know several Les Mis fans in Mexico who told me the recording was never made due to vendors selling bootlegs and pirated copies outside the theatre. Cameron decided not to go ahead with the official cast album because most everyone that saw the show already had the complete bootleg, so why bother. I've read articles from Mexican newspapers that confirm this. It's really sad. They had an EXCELLENT cast. The translation is the best out there, as it was based on the original French.
Eponine93	http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quyp_lO5tPU Here's a clip of Un Dia Mas with the Madrid cast. I've only seen it once, many months ago, but I enjoy randomly belting out the phrase "Un dia mas" (the only Spanish sentence I know despite being placed in honors for next year) in the shower.

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Spanish recordings?