Boe steals the show

Tenor Alfie Boe is in the middle of discussions with Cameron Mackintosh about playing the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables in the West End next year.

Boe played Valjean at the 25th anniversary concert of the show, which was created by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer, at the O2 last Sunday.

I’ve seen it more times than it’s sensible to admit in public, and even having heard Colm Wilkinson (the original Valjean) and, recently, John Owen Jones (both sublime), I was not expecting any revelations.

Besides which, I loathe the O2, not to mention all the hassle of travelling to and from the so-called Greenwich peninsula. And it was raining.

But my mood was lifted the moment Boe sang. He was electrifying. When he performed Bring Him Home, it was as if he was God’s anointed vocalist.

Later, Boe told me he was stunned when the song stopped the show and he received the kind of standing ovation I think I’ve witnessed just once or twice in my life.

The tenor acknowledged he would welcome a season at the Queen’s Theatre playing Valjean. ‘It’s something that might well happen,’ he told me.

Mackintosh added: ‘Alfie comes from an opera world, but he’s not a pop tenor  -  he’s a great, strapping, manly operatic tenor. It’s lovely to hear the score re-invented by a truly great artist.
 
‘Of course, I would love to have him perform in the show. Watch this space!’

Trevor Nunn and John Caird, who directed the original production of Les Miserables, will be honoured by the members of the first cast tonight at a party at the theatrical hang-out Joe Allen’s in Covent Garden.

Source: Daily Mail
Article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1318728/BAZ-BAMIGBOYE-Grown-Daniel-casts-chilling-spell.html?ITO=1490&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter#ixzz11kxrdlWN

One Comment to “Boe steals the show”

• On October 28, 2010 at 1:05 am Heather Boundy said:

  The 25th Anniversary of Les Mis has hit Australia and I am still recovering from seeing it last night! Alfie Boe!!! WOW!!! I had never heard him before but am now heading out to buy anything and everything I can find of his. The show was magnificent – special plaudits to Ramin Karimbo, Matt Lucas and the gorgeous Lea Salonga (though I prefer her as Eponine) And when the original cast came out….I just bawled! This has to be released on DVD. Alfie…come to Australia PLEASE!!