“Les Misérables” to hit Hanoi Opera House stage

The musical features artists from the VNOB, along with director Nguyen Trieu Duong and choreographer Linh An.

Published in 1862, “Les Misérables” is among the most outstanding works by Victor Hugo, and one of the most popular novels from the 19th century. The musical has been performed in over 40 countries in 21 languages.

It also holds the record for the longest running musical in London's West End.

The musical was on stage in last November, with tickets sold out in four nights of performance.

In the end of 2019, the VNOB worked with organisations such as the French and British embassies, the British Council and the French Cultural Centre to stage the show, and has finally received international copyright permission.

The artists sang in English with Vietnamese subtitles. Leading roles Jean Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Cosette and Marius were performed by The Tung Lam; Nguyen Huy Duc; Nguyen Thu Quynh; Dao To Loan and Dinh Nhu Toi.

Duc and Loan are veterans with a series of roles in Carmen, Maria de Buenos Aires, Co Sao (Miss Sao) and Nguoi Tac Tuong (The Sculptor).

The artists were accompanied by live music under conductor Dong Quang Vinh with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzme.

Graduating from Shanghai, Vinh has conducted Carmen, Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

Director Duong graduated from musical theatre at Sheffield Hallam and theatre art for community development at the University of East London. He has participated as an actor and director-assistant in Miss Saigon, Hamlet, A Dream and Mid Summer Night Dreams.

Choreographer Linh An studied theatre jazz at Broadway Dance Centre in New York and GCSE Dance (contemporary jazz) at Holland Park School, London. She has worked on projects for the English National Ballet, New York Choreographers’ Forum and Buglisi Dance.