Les Misérables

musical by Schönberg

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July 16, 2026

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The musical Les Misérables is based on Victor Hugo's 1862 novel of the same name. The musical features music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil.12

The story follows Jean Valjean, an ex-convict in 19th-century France, who is relentlessly pursued by the determined Inspector Javert. Valjean's journey involves his struggle for redemption, his efforts to care for his adopted daughter Cosette, and his entanglement with student revolutionaries like Marius.12

The musical, like the novel, explores themes of social injustice, wealth distribution, and the legal system in urban France. It was adapted into a musical in 1980 and won Best Musical at the Tony Awards in 1987.12

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Patti LuPone
…performances as both Fantine in Les Misérables with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Moll in The Cradle Will Rock won her the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical.
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…performances as both Fantine in Les Misérables with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Moll in The Cradle Will Rock won her the Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical.
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Trevor Nunn
…until it was eclipsed by Les Misérables (1985), which was directed by Nunn and Caird. Along with Lloyd Webber and T.S. Eliot (Cats was based on the late poet’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats), Nunn shared credit for writing the musical’s hit song “Memory.” In addition to being commercially…
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…until it was eclipsed by Les Misérables (1985), which was directed by Nunn and Caird. Along with Lloyd Webber and T.S. Eliot (Cats was based on the late poet’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats), Nunn shared credit for writing the musical’s hit song “Memory.” In addition to being commercially…
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Western theatre
Broadway
…Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, whose Les Misérables (1980; first English-language production 1985) and Miss Saigon (1989) were also among the most successful stage spectacles of the 1980s.
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…Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, whose Les Misérables (1980; first English-language production 1985) and Miss Saigon (1989) were also among the most successful stage spectacles of the 1980s.
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