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| Brunnhilde |
Which opera singers could you see in Les Mis?Also, it's my opera obsession. Les Mis has pretty "operatic" music, not to mention some opera singers already did it. bryn Terfel sang some parts in concert and Hans-Peter Janssens sings opera, too.Why not? If ST is performed by opera singers sometimes, Les Mis could also. It would be interesting. First: I could absolutely see Simon Keenlyside as Javert. He has a beautiful lyric baritone voice, and I think he's in the perfect age now. Eleven years ago, he was a young and charming Don Giovanni: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG7Jn-OdxI&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1UH-MQ0u4U&feature=related (And Terfel was his Leporello. He's great, but he wouldn't be a good Javert. He's not slim enough.)[/url] Imagine Simon a little older, as he now is, with hair like this, and sideburns. |
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| Vanessa20 |
I'm an opera buff too. I've thought about this a fair amount.
I've read that it was once rumored that Placido Domingo was going to play Valjean in the Spanish production, though of course he didn't. He could have been great in the role back when he was in his 30s or early 40. Big, strong looking, fantastic voice, good actor, great stage presence... it's too bad he's too old now. I wouldn't want him to do the part in English, though. The accent would be too distracting. I also used to think Rolando Villazon would make a good Marius (he even has the hair for it), but now he's too old. And I'm sure that plenty of sopranos could act (if not sing) Fantine well, since so many have already mastered playing the suffering, consumptive Romantic heroine in "Traviata" and "Boheme." By the way, did you read about Gino Quilico playing Valjean in Quebec? I SO wish I could go! I can just imagine him being amazing in the role. His voice is rich yet not overwhelmingly so, a baritone yet probably light enough to handle the tenory music, and he's a good actor and not half bad looking. I've only seen him in fairly lighthearted roles so far (Figaro in "Barber of Seville," Marcello in "Boheme," Dandini in "La Cenerentola"), but I'm sure he can pull off a serious role just as well. |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Ben Davis.
Oh, wait...! |
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| EponineMNFF |
LOL! 
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| Brunnhilde |
Oh, and - if a bass can do it - Mikhail Petrenko would be also perfect for Javert! He's a young Russian bass, and looks like a psychopath. I've just seen a Walk�re from Aix on youtube, and he made a frightening Hunding. (I'd die to hear his Hagen, too.) He's not the typical Wagner bass type - not big, not bearded. A slim, nice young man, and he has awesome cold eyes.
In fact, Javvie's highest note is an F sharp. A good bass must have it - King Philip's highest note is an F sharp, too. (His last note: "Mio paaaaadre!") And his lowest note is also the low F (end of Inquisitor duet). 
Imagine him with not-curly hair. Long hair and sideburns... in black. He wore an elegant, long black suit as Hunding. And a tie. And a sword... He was totally stalker. |
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| Pannic |
Main barrier to a bass playing Javert is not so much the F#, but the frequency of some of the Fs, particularly in the beginning.
However, my high school cast an extremely low bass as Javert. He had some trouble, but he managed to pull off the singing rather well. |
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| javertim |
Thomas Allen would have made an amazing Javert back in the mid 80s.
I also think that Franco Corelli's voice would have been perfect for Enjolras when he was younger. |
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| LaurelDP |
My voice teacher (Nina Warren) told me a story about how she went to a Les Mis casting (I don't remember if it was Broadway, tour, London or somewhere else) and they seeded her out based on looks alone. It wasn't even an open call. Weird, because I think she couldn't been a Fantine (may only be saying that because she's almost identical to Lupone, only prettier)
This is only related to the topic because its about an international opera singer and Les Mis. So.. yeah. Continue your discussion. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
I thought the Vienna cast recording was totally worthless except for amusement value, until I got to the parts with Alexander Diepold.
Have you ever heard an operatic baritone as Enjolras? <3 Also swoon-worthy was Martina Dorak as Cosette. Those two weren't quite enough to save that recording, but lord are they a joy to listen to. |
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| Brunnhilde |
I think Enjy is too high for a real operatic baritone. He's somewhere on the border. I always felt he needs a Heldentenor's tessitura.
Corelli, OMG. The perfection... Or... imagine Jon Vickers's voice for Enjy. Or Ram�n Vinay. (he was a baritone and later became a Heldentenor - several Heldentenors do so.) |
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| Orestes Fasting |
I thought so too until I heard Diepold. He pulls it off. (Although if I ever saw a Heldentenor in the role I'd probably explode with joy in my seat.) |
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| Brunnhilde |
Me too. A real Heldentenor... a handsome, golden-haired norse God. | ||
| asianarecool |
ooh, i like this thread
i'd cast: Neil Shicoff as Val Jean Dawn Upshaw (she still singing?) as Fantine Stephen Costello as Marius (although, i'd prefer Brian Hymel, but he's a bigger fella) Nicole Cabell as Cosette Javert's a toughie...but if I could, i'd go with a young Sherrill Milnes or Russell Braun...maaaaaaaybe Hampson, but he's such a wussy singer--i wouldn't be afraid. oh and Thomas Quastoff as Gavroche. lol |