I interviewed Michael Ball back in 2014 and he told a story about this song. Right after the 4-hour long preview of Les Miz in 1985, the creative team was considering to cut some songs. "Empty Chairs" was one of the songs planned to be removed. Michael heard about it and rushed to find Cameron, told him that he would quit for good if this song was cut. It was the only solo of Marius and he didn't want to lose this opportunity of performing. They finally kept the song.
I have listened to many Tenors sing this beautiful evocative song, and, I have chosen , to my surprise, Michael Ball, (Not being sarcastic, but being trained as a teenager, for Opera , I had to learn about breath control, as suffered with slight Asthma) I am not really into the Theatre Shows, as, many Singers rather shout their notes, not all of course, but, as listened carefully, I began to enjoy his interpretation of the immediate Sadness of the words he was singing, he really seems to understand about the utter sadness and distress had caused this Revolutionist to cry about his many dead friends he knew and loved in this amazing Show. Thank you Michael, you drew me to tears, maybe as Russia and Ukraine at a dreadful war with each other, and, there must be many Cafe,s and Bars in both Countries, going through the same devastation of a cruel and barbaric war.v
Michael is unique. He loves the emotion in singing and emphathises every word. Watch him nod or make a gesture when Alfie sings, especially in "The circle of life.."
belinda. thank you so much for yur comment. I discovered Michael late in life and i have found i enjoy his middle years best. but then i enjoyed my middle years best so we cant judge by that. im just glad i found him, I live in SF and we had Tony Bennett as our national treasure. terry browning
I have watched a lot of this song, and no one comes close and doubt anyone will. This is not an insult. The person, the way it was done, everything is just where it should be. This truelly was the dream cast. No other redition of this show kept up even if they gave their best. By now I am not talking about Michael Ball alone. You will not see a better Les Mis in Hollywood or on stage.
When he sings the "Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me, what your sacrifice was for!" and they all walked off again almost as if they are disappointed in him for saying that they died in vain. I love that subtle yet significant part, wish they would've done that in the movies somehow.
That was the point of the song, as was mentioned here. They DID die in vain. So he was crying in utter heartache, thinking he lost all of his friends and nothing changed, nothing was gained from their sacrifice, there was no way to extract any kind of consolation from all that massacre.
I think that was more the fact that they were dead, and though while he sang for them with such passion, their voices and faces lived on, when the song ended they faded back into the depths of his heart and mind, covered in grief.
@@curly208 not really, people just like how he brought a different feeling to the song, he did a good job considering he had michael ball to live up to.
Marten Dekker Jonathan is amazing and I listen to him frequently. I don't think he could act the part as well as sing it, but off stage the two men remind me of each other. Both have struggled. Michael had to give up the role because of panic attacks. Jonathan has certainly struggled. Both give every indication of being very grounded men who haven't let success change who they are.
This is possibly the most heartbreaking theatrical song ever written It leaps from the stage and Translates perfectly exposing the tragic nostalgia life eventually becomes, unspoken by all of us but part of us stronger as the years pass
I agree I saw Les Mis Twice in the mid 1980's , and "bring him home" was my fav song for many years. Then I got older and at times like Christmas I think of the empty chairs at empty tables
I use this performance to teach my clarinet students about release/tension/climax in a piece of music; how to shape a piece dynamically for the maximum emotional pay dirt.
The most haunting song ever in all the musicals, especially with this arrangement with all of the fallen students standing behind him in the shadow. That is just even more eerie coupled with the lyrics "phantom faces at the window..." Michael Ball is by far still the best Marius and sings this song the best.
On my 16th birthday I was lucky enough to have been taken to the debut of Les Miserables in London where I fell in love with the magic of musical theatre. I will never forget the whole score sung by such amazing artists but especially Michael Ball's performances, that will always transport me to that wonderful night where I had my whole future ahead of me! Such wonderful memories !!
Michael will always be my Marius! I watched it in Dec 1989 whilst 8months pregnant, and she had never moved so much inside me before, I thought I was going to go into Labour in the stalls! Colm Wilkinson was an absolute treat to see then too. Ive loved it ever since ❤❤❤
Not as long as you brother but since bagdad 2007 of 3 friends to joine uop together on the buddy system after the tower hit i am the only one who amde it back with a jacked up back and right side of my body.
He is so good. This performance is a great example of how to use your voice to tell a story, he finds every nuance in the music. Michael takes us all on a journey. I've never seen any performer manage to hit the note on the second "my friends" with the same power. Maybe it has something to do with Michael being a lyrical high baritone and most singers who sing this being tenors. But those notes bust out of him like a clap of thunder. As they do during Red and Black. He is untrained too, so this is all natural talent and instinct. The GOAT Marius.
There is no way to be a broadway singer and be "untrained." You work with countless professional musicians and are being directed constantly in how to perform. I am not a broadway singer but even in community theater you receive regular instruction in how to sing, act, dance, etc. I feel like this whole thing of professional singers who just don't take one on one private lessons within a renowned coach or whatever they're implying by saying that they are "untrained" is ridiculous. There is just no way to get to that level without receiving ongoing feedback from other professionals on how to improve your craft which is the very essence of training. What mainly frustrates me about this whole thing is that it really only serves to discourage people by believing that they are somehow inferior because of x y or z singer claiming that they are inherently gifted (I'm not implying that Mr. Ball is doing this overtly as I do not have knowledge of the context you are referring to around him identifying as "untrained") when the reality is that we all need constant support, training and experience to grow at anything.
@venusreborn4347 So you don't know the context or Michael's background but still managed to write chapter and verse on his history? Les Miserables was only his second ever show, the first being a short stint in Pirates of Penzance straight from Drama School. At drama school, he studied acting, not musical theatre. His only prior experience of singing was busking. So that voice you hear on the Orginal London Cast recording? Was very much untrained. You might consider receiving "notes" during rehearsal training for an intensive career in musical theatre, it's not. Most people to perform these songs night after night for years on end require a hell of a lot more than notes and advice. But some singers, like Michael, are just preternaturally gifted. Michael did have singing lessons later in life when he took on a role that required him to sing tenor, so no he's not arrogant enough to think he can just wing it. But at the time of this performance? He hadn't had what any reasonable person would call training.
I don't think he is untrained. As a beginner lyrics Baritone myself, he easily transforms from chest and head voice, controls his vibrato perfectly, changes the pronunciation slightly so he is on tone, and uses breathing as a tool for expression (listening to how he breaths in "Don't ask me"). These are not simply done, especially in English since it is so much harder to sing than in Italian....
There's a grief that can't be spoken. There's a pain goes on and on. Empty chairs at empty tables Now my friends are dead and gone. Here they talked of revolution. Here it was they lit the flame. Here they sang about `tomorrow' And tomorrow never came. From the table in the corner They could see a world reborn And they rose with voices ringing I can hear them now! The very words that they had sung Became their last communion On the lonely barricade at dawn. Oh my friends, my friends forgive me (The ghosts of those who died on the barricade appear) That I live and you are gone. There's a grief that can't be spoken. There's a pain goes on and on. Phantom faces at the window. Phantom shadows on the floor. Empty chairs at empty tables Where my friends will meet no more. (The ghosts fade away) Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me What your sacrifice was for Empty chairs at empty tables Where my friend will sing no more.
The original and best Marius . This is now my favourite song from this great musical. It used to be "bring him home" but I have got older and at times like Christmas I look at the empty chairs at empty tables.
This is the best rendition of this song I've ever heard. Outstanding! This song is so sad. My son lost so many of his troop during Iraq. And many who did survive,,, are taking their lives. He is now volunteering to help Veterans to stop Veteran Suicide. So many go through 'Survivor Guilt'. I can't imagine what that is like. Thank You for such a beautiful performance.
I was re-watching 25th Anniversary but couldn't help but paused the video during Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, then get back to the 10th for some proper performance by Michael Ball. Cast of 25th are extraordinary except the Marius
@@Peconi111 Cam Mackintosh: the best actor for Marius would be Hadley- *glitch* Nick Jonas. Later that day Hadley Fraser: So, Cameron, am I playing Marius? Cameron: No, Marius should be Nick Jonas. Hadley: WHAT? Then who am I playing? Cameron: Grantaire. Hadley: 🥺😢😤😠😡🤬🤯😳🤔.
The way he sung "Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me, what your sacrifice was for..." Is completely haunting. Legitimately sends shivers down my spine.
I lost 2 of my friends in Highschool to suicide. When I think of them and I see our empty booth at Legends across the street from our school; I think of this song. The pain never goes entirely.
As a Les Miz tragic I have watched many wonderful performances of this song but no one has ever made me feel Marius's pain as much as Michael does. His rendition of this beautiful but heartbreaking song is just perfect
Lo más bonito, emocionante y verdadero que he visto en un teatro. Y puedo asegurar que nunca veré nada mejor en mi vida. Lo guardaré siempre como una joya, en lo más profundo de mi corazón. 🙌💜❤️
Jaren geleden heb ik deze uitvoering op You Tube gezien. De beste Marius tot nu toe. Ik krijg elke keer weer kippenvel van deze uitvoering: zo veel emotie legt hij er in. Hij is de reden dat we Les Miserables al zo'n 8x gezien hebben in Londen 😊. Ook een paar keer in Nederland gezien: in juli gaan we naar de nieuwste uitvoering in Carré. Maar Londen is mijn favoriet ❤ om deze musical te zien.
I was fortunate to see Les Miz 3 times live in London with the original cast .. unbelievable and simply brilliant.. this song was and is sooooo moving and Michael Ball was and is simply fantastic 😍
This song has been playing in my soul when I know the last person to have laughs with will be leaving soon. A room empty of past jokes and laughs "oh my friends my friends don't ask me..." .
Back in the early 90s I was a printers apprentice which had old letterpress and vertical topcutters.This song and Spanish caravan by the doors rang through my head for a year or two.
never having seen this before I cannot describe how much I am moved by this performance by Michael Ball its hard to find words awe inspiring does not to justice to this
This is such a hauntingly beautiful song...full of so much heartache and guilt. I agree with one of the commenters below, I wish they had the "phantom faces" in the movie, it would've made it more emotional.
What a moving rendition of this very sad and powerful song, sung with feeling and such devotion by Michael. The best version I've heard of this "bring a tear to your eye" passionate song. Thank you Michael for your "both your talent" and the feeling of deep deep passion you put into all your songs.
I weep when I hear Michael Ball sing this song. It's SO emotional and beautiful. Then I watched that Jonas brother sing it on the 25th and I wept for an entirely different reason...
people blame the fact that the jonas brother who attempted this was so young. Michael was younger. I live in SF and we have lost our national treasure Tony Bennett but the UK was kind enough to lend us Michael. Thank you.
I guess something that seems really obvious but is never talked about is how this song perfectly encapsulates what's known as Survivor's guilt (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivor_guilt). "Oh my friends, my friends forgive me... That I live and you are gone" It also subtly alludes to the PTSD which Marius would have probably suffered from all his life. Such rich story telling in only a three minute song. Probably why Les Mis is such a classic.