I agree. It's not that Marius should have been with Eponine (that would kind of ruin the strength of Eponine's character), but I always felt Marius and Cosette were a very unbelievable and unsatisfying couple. There was nothing beyond just mystically "being in love", no evidence of them actually LIVING together.
I always found Marius and Cosettes love a little shallow and empty. Real love hurts as much as it helps, sometimes more. Though I guess Victor Hugo was presenting the hope of France coming through youth and arrogance and the pain of harsh realities to a hope of uncomplicated happiness.
everyone is upset over the fact that marius always smiles during this song, but i think he is trying to give eponine reassurance that everything will be okay, even though they both know that she is dying. i also think marius really did care about her a lot, but not in the way that eponine wanted him to.
marley green One of the main differences between the book and musical is that in the musical Marius was a really close friend to Eponine. While in the book Marius didn't really care for her. He was polite to her but he wasn't close to her.
right lol, i'm speaking in terms of the musical. also, my opinions about their relationship have changed since a year ago so i don't necessarily stick with 100% of what i said
Here's why I like this version instead of the 25th one: Despite it being a concert, Lea and Michael are still acting. The way he has his arms around her and how she occasionally glances back at him while singing. It's just so heartbreaking!
Agreed. You'd swear with the emotion in their faces that these two actors had something between them backstage (none that I'm aware of). It's incredible for what is essentially a musical concert. They brought full blown acting into it.
@@VuLamDang Sadly Nick Jonas was out-sung by everyone else on that stage. Most of the time he looked and sounded as if he was in pain and when he sang this song he seemed more concerned with getting through it than relating to Samantha's Eponine. Watch Michael and Lea to see real acting and hear singing sent from heaven.
What sells this version to me is not only the superb vocal and acting talent of Lea Salonga but how Michael Ball acts. In many musical performances Marius seems so indifferent to Eponine dying but here he is trying to reassure her, to keep her safe and warm and you can see the sadness in his eyes. That just makes it perfect as they are supposed to be good friends in the musical and holding his dying friend in his arms should elicit some kind of emotion and when he feels them it just makes this song a hundred times stronger. And mind you - this was a concert and still their acting is top notch!
@@devynandyafadly7451 excuse me?? I'm french, I hear about it since primary school and I read it in high school. He leaves her right after the kiss and only cares about Cosette's letter, thanks.
That's disappointing about the book. I think this song is the most heartbreaking in versions when Marius finally "gets it"--that Eponine has always been in love with him. He lets Eponine have her fantasy and she finally gets the love and attention she has wanted from Marius; it only takes her losing her life to get it.
What I really love in Lea's version is that she actually sings the lower notes. They're really hard to sing and many Eponines just use the fact that she's dying to avoid singing them fully... She really sings them and still makes it believeable.
You really can't compare Samantha's and Lea's versions. Film and Broadway are so different. In the film, Samantha's voice is intentionally weaker because she has to act like she's dying; she had to make it realistic. But you can't do that on Broadway: if you do, no one can hear you. So of course Lea's version is stronger.
And the small detail that Lea Salonga is one of the greatest singers of all time in any genre and Samantha Barks like nearly all others was doomed to an unfair comparison before she was even cast. She’s a fine singer in her own right, but any comparison to greatness is a fool’s errand.
If Frances (original singer) is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me .
Me and my friend just did a litte cover of this beautiful song here. Hope you guys like it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qWedF5_FBOQ.html
Listen to Lea's flawless belt at "The rain that brings you hear, is heaven blessed". She blasts "blessed" with vocal purity. Wow, listening through speakers or on headphones the quality is stunning. And, her near vocal perfection and Vibrato. No one sings this like she does.
yoshi man hahahaha... are you crazy? Kaho Shimada sounds monotonous. she sounds like a midget girl that always whisper than sing. she lacks power, stamina and vocal artistry.
She got the voice, power and talent couldn't agree more with u. but i think Samanta Barks also did a good job played Eponine to actually follow Lea standard. im glad T Swift never get Eponine role or this character will be forever ruined LOL
She was the first to fall , the first of us to fall on this barricade , Her name was Eponine , Her life was cold and dark , yet she was unafraid We fight here in her name She will not die in vain She will not be betrayed
oh my...i'm crying again... lea's role were all so tragic..why??? she killed herself in miss saigon.. died in marius arms in les miz.. died again as fantine in 25th. my heart is bleeding...enough of watching
Lea perfmance is beautiful and fits with the words of the song, which tell us Eponine is in shock and almost numb. The writhing agonies of more recent Eponines don't really fit the lyrics. One of the things that makes this version land so hard is that Michael Ball gets that this is Eponines moment, not his. Marius only job here is to comfort and support Eponine, he keeps a lid on his own pain until she passes. Until that point he remains strong for her, focuses on her and does his best to keep her calm. He makes his voice soft and gentle, he strokes her hair, he gently plays along with her hallucinations, he does everything he can to make her death as peaceful as it can be in the circumstances. Too many Marius over act and don't pay attention to the story the lyrics tell. It's like they think she is bleeding to death - so he must he distraught and crying. When actually Marius, in the musical at least, is compassionate enough to know keeping Eponine calm is what matters in this moment. And people wonder why so mant people only like Marius when Michael plays him. Lesson? Listen to the words and do what they describe.
I still get chills where Lea started panting her words, it starts after she belts out "The rain that brings you hear is heaven blessed"... like she was fighting her pain but it's too much... and afterwards it's like she's using the last of her breath to sing and reassure him that she'll be okay... she starts whispering her words like it's too painful to even talk... like woah
Eponine's unrequited love is the most touching part!!!!! And this line "the rain will make the flowers grow" is indicative for me in a metaphoric sense of her love which is abound and constant like rain but "falls", that is is sacrificed for the flowers to grow meaning Marius and Cosette's ever after.
Me and my friend just did a litte cover of this beautiful song here. Hope you guys like it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qWedF5_FBOQ.html
*stares at the computer screen silently after watching this, takes a deep breath and goes to bed ...then cries out: "OHMYGAHHHHD! WHY?!!". Then curls up under the covers, sobbing uncontrollably thinking of how there is no justice in the world*
The original cast beats it by miles i.e. Frances Ruffelle and Michael Ball. Salonga should stick to Disney films where we can't see her awful over-acting.
Your type loves the internet because it gives you your only chance to talk tough and insult someone without having to face any risk. "Dont know you are saying." - Too stupid to be able to string a sentence together. "You are just insecure that she has a gifted golden and angelic voice" - More of your stupidity. Firstly, Lea is gifted, not her voice. Secondly, why would I be insecure because someone I've never met and don't know has a great singing voice - when I'm not even a singer? If you had more than half a brain you might just realise that I never once criticsed her voice. It's magnificent. I criticised her use of it. "while you just have a trashy attitude" - Yet I'm not the one hurling insults, hypocrite. How is it a trashy attitude to make a vaild criticism? Oh, sorry, I forgot you own the internet and have disallowed any opinion that disagrees with you. Now grow up and stop imagining I've insulted your girlfriend. Lea Salonga doesn't know you exist.
Keldor D'Antrell wow, i know it's late to reply but, i think you missed the part were Lea won a TONY for Best Actress in a Musical Play (Miss Saigon). just saying, before she became a Disney Princess she's one of the original cast of Miss Saigon. please search and watch on her other performance, don't base her acting skill on this performance only, because as you can see here IT'S A CONCERT, i think its their decision to act a little just to feel the emotion and reflect it to their voices..
In other comments KELDOR reveals he doesn’t like Lea in this role because she’s not white (Caucasian). He’s just prejudiced against her Asian origins, and should be wearing a white KKK sheet .
Me and my friend just did a litte cover of this beautiful song here. Hope you guys like it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qWedF5_FBOQ.html
Best version ever in my opinion. They make the moment so real, emotional, and believable. Plus Lea's Eponine is amazingly flawless and her voice rings like a hypnotic glass bell putting everyone under her spell.
One of the things I love about this performance is that she actually makes her voice soften and strain like she is actually saying her last words. Such a wonderful performance!
Nancy Klukas ..it's not that I'm a Filipino and lea salonga is..but she truly is a pride...the way she utters the words is so clear and her tone is so so amazing
You don't speak for me. She's good but there are better. She may even have the best voice ever but she doesn't use it properly and her acting could be much better.
@@louiedomingueziv6923, what do you mean, "the hell outta here!"? Firebender said she guesses she speaks for the whole world and I told her she doesn't speak for me. I repeat, Lea is good but I think there are better.
@@KeldorDAntrell OK........ Who? Who's in Lea's lane?..... Nobody, that's who! Lol! That's like saying Michael Jordan is good but he's doing it wrong haha!
@@louiedomingueziv6923, I've already said who. Try reading my comments. Francis Ruffelle for a start - the original cast Eponine. She manages to sing without over-enunciating and happens to look like the Caucasian she's supposed to be.
The best Epinione and Marius!! No other can do their characters like Lea Salonga and Michael Ball. Both awesome voices and performers ever! I cry every time I see this part. I can totally relate to Epinione (sorry if the spelling is wrong).
Me and my friend just did a litte cover of this beautiful song here. Hope you guys like it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qWedF5_FBOQ.html
Lea and Michael-- perfect VOCAL performance AND acting. And all they are doing is singing in front of a microphone and it is better than when I actually saw the show in person!! TALENT.
keldor, not arguing with your opinion, just a compliment, everytime lea says a word her whole lips goes with it and i think thats the reason why, i love lea, we have our own opinions and i had to break out mine... she exaggerate words in a good way, and if you dont like her acting, try closing your eyes i prefer that... :)
Yes, your opinion is valid in terms of why you like her. You're the expert on what you like. However, I'm pointing out flaws in her performance that could be fixed to make it *better* in terms of what the role calls for i.e. that would get her to stop sounding like an American, and to stop sounding like she's hale and hearty when she's supposed to be on death's doorstep - *if* she was open to improving (which I don't think she is because she's had these flaws for years now). No other singer I know of enunciates or moves her mouth as she does yet they sound great and can be understood clearly so it's not necessary. It's as if she's trying to pronounce the words perfectly rather than normally, or singing for the benefit of lip-readers rather than music fans who can hear perfectly well. She reminds me of Audrey II from The Little Shop of Horrors movie - and that's just her lips! The 'listen-to-how-powerful-my-voice-is-even-though-I'm-dying' showing off is very irritating because it's wrong and also unnecessary i.e. we get to hear her sing powerfully at other parts of the musical. Don't do it *all the time*, Lea - please.
Personally. I love them both. But I appreciate that the two of you both handled your difference in opinion in a polite and mature manner. Bravo, and may the internet see more of your kind.
He is perfect! People who don’t understand the smile have not experienced the heartbreaking experience of having to pretend think are fine and will work out when there is no hope…. Ball shows a depth of emotion and understanding that is beautiful. Been there so I know how it feels and this song breaks my heart.
Agreed, to be confused by the smile shows a lack of understanding of what is actually happening here. Marius is trying to keep Eponine calm and reassure her everything will be alright even though he knows it can't be. For the first time in the story Marius is thinking of someone other than himself. I'm sorry you had to experience that 💔
So beautiful. Brilliant acting as well as singing. The look on Michael's face as he sings "the rain will make the flowers...grow". Marius knowing that Eponine has just left him. Tears!
Lol. I’ve seen this show 5 times over the years and after this song ends there’s silence in the theater and you hear muffled crying and sniffling EVERY time without fail.
You've got to watch this 3 times at least. One time to watch Lea's amazing acting. One time to watch Michael amazing acting. And a third time just to listen to their heavenly voices harmonize perfectly.
Lea's voice is just nuts! The way she sing's the rain that brings you here is heaven blessed the sky's begin to clear and I'm at rest! :-D sends chills through my entire being!!
Why why wasn't I around during the 10th anniversary? THEY ARE THE PERFECT CAST! Michael Ball and Lea Salonga are born to play the roles of Marius and Epinone. I'm crying so bad.
Not all really great actors can sing, but they can speak lyrics and it will still be amazing. All really great singers can act, and the reason is simple~ the best of both genres pour their hearts into every performance, no matter how small, and Michael and Lea are two of the best!
