Personally I get shivers all the way from my forhead back down to my heels when Philip Quast goes: "And those who follow the path of the rightseous, SHALL HAVE their reward"
110%, Javert is a psycho zealot, uses religion for an excuse for his perversions. his reflection on the stars offer him a brief respite from his internal torment that he returns to. beautiful song by complete madman. most people don't do it justice.
Every time I see Quast's rendition from the 10th anniversary concert, I get goosebumps! Everything about him, not just the voice and the singing, but the face, the eyes, etc. he's Javert personified! Just brilliant!
There is absolutely no question as to who sings the stars with perfect emotion and drama and that is Philip Quast. When he sings it he reveals the inner man as well a powerful voice that commands the stage.
I squee with delight every time someone uploads a new Javert comparison. And literally cannot comprehend anyone who disagrees about Quast’s unsurpassable interpretation - on every level. Usually, like a reasonable human, I can grasp that we don’t all share the same taste. Javert/Quast? Complete and utter brain malfunction.
If you listen to "The Confrontation", you can hear that he has the same intensity, if not more than Quast. Which lead me to believe that the softness is almost like the "oath" he is pleading to the stars is slowly draining him of his humanity... Norm's performance gets me there everytime because I feel he reveals it in a way I can understand...By choosing to sing some parts of the song more delicately... A masterpiece...
In my opinion this topic is not worthy of debate. Philip Quast’s voice is liquid gold and his delivery is from another planet. Quite simply he stands head and shoulders above all others
How the frick does Norm Lewis go about pulling off the exact same note as he did years ago in the stage play? He's standing there in front of a crappy lights set and a cheap microphone, and he still sounds perfect!
Not a lot of people really talk about Drew Sarich's performance, but I can understand why. On the surface, it might not seem like much. But then you take into account that this guy, who normally performs tenor roles (including Valjean) managed to perform a baritone role incredibly well, so you have to give him props for that.
@Anjelica Snorcket I got to interview Drew for a book I am writing on Les Misérables, and he said he was caught a bit off guard by the fact that he would be the Javert understudy. I think he did incredibly well at short notice.
He caught my eye a lot. I feel more comfortable in tenor roles and was just cast as Javert in a local production and I simply sound terrible in the role lol. I almost want to try to contact him and see if he has any tips for it lol
I’d seen Bradley Jaden as Enjolras before, but when I saw him as Javert in June I was absolutely blown away! In his suicide scene it was genuinely like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, his acting was insane!! And that was just the concert, not even the actual show!! Definitely my favourite Javert!!
Yes I agree. I saw Bradley Jayden as Javert at the new version of Les Mis at the Sondheim Theatre in October, and he reminded me very much of Philip Quast in his demeanour and performance. .
@@jeanninehochet I’m going again in two weeks with some old school friends to see the full production, one of them came with me last time and we just keep going on about how good Javert will be to the other girl, she’s probably sick of hearing us talk about him😂
If anyone needs any help on why Philip quast IS Javert, search out behind the red curtain, a Philip quast masterclass. You will soon be educated as to what schonenburg wanted from the lyrics, and quast delivered it perfectly. Also its a bloody good video for anyone wanting to know how it should be sung 😉👍
An incredibly informative interview and just confirms what a consummate professional PQ is and why he is the one and only Javert; who else of all these with the possible exception of Norm Lewis (to me a close second to PQ) can you honestly imagine has put that much thought and effort into creating the character?
Absolutely Philip Quast. Absolutely hits every note with the intensity needed. A close second on the vocals by Norm Lewis, but nowhere near as good an acting performance. For me, no-one will beat Qast in this role. Unfortunately.
I don’t know how you can compare.. Phillip Quast IS Javert! His voice is perfection! I encourage everyone to go watch the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast when Phillip Quast sings Stars. You’ll be mesmerised
I can't help but compare all the other people in the role of Javert, and I still can't find anyone I love more than Quast. And you're right, it's mesmerising listening to him singing that song. His low notes made me shiver. And how I love how he showed his passion when talking to God, even his eyes, I could see his belief, I could see his God there.
Given just how many great actors have played the role yes you absolutely can compare. Yes Quasts Javert is amazing but there are so many other great ones that are completely different that add more to the character. It’s subjective so you can sound a tad annoying when you go on about how nobody can compare to one actor.
They wanted a special way to celebrate 10th anniversary of Les Mis, and he is one of the Dream Cast. And this is not the only amazing performance by Quast in that show.The rest of the cast are showstoppers as well.
I saw Nic Greenshields live in Birmingham and he absolutely smashed it in the role. Maybe the recording here isn't as stand-out, but in-person on the night I saw him, he was incredible.
Quast will always be the definitive Javert for me. That said, Drew Sarich's performance of Javert's Suicide was completely unhinged and I absolutely loved it.
That last note must be the musical equivalent of mountain climbing! To hold it that long with such power as these men put into it is amazing. Russell Crowe made a valiant effort and I'm surprise that he did it so well, considering he's not known as a singer. I had the great honour of singing with Bryn Terfel in Winchester cathedral several years ago (only in the chorus though). We sang Mendelssohn's Elijah and during rehearsal when he had to sing several times "call him louder" to the priests of Baal when they were trying to light their wet wood and imploring Baal to send down his fire he turned around to us, grinned and sang "call him louder, Niki Lauda"! He signed my score after the rehearsal and commented on the fact that it's old (late 19th, early 20th century I think - it's got two names hand written in ink inside the front cover and I'd love to know more about its origins).
P.Q.'s performance is THE gold standard. Everyone else tries to be him, but they fall short. I LOVE Michael Ball, but even he is second. But then again, Quast has only played one role in the show, Ball has done...well....them all. :) I'm holding out for him to play Eponine!
Gotta give credit to Jason Manford he’s a well known comedian but he actually has a pretty decent voice! P.S: I think RC isn’t the best but carries the tune well enough
Time stamps: 0:00 Jeremy Secomb 0:43 Norm Lewis 1:25 Nic Greenshields 2:03 Bryn Terfel 2:26 Drew Sarich 3:05 Tam Mutu 3:48 Jason Manford 4:30 Russell Crowe 5:03 Michael Ball 5:48 Bradley Jaden 6:26 Phillip Quast
Philip Quast without question. The man’s voice is pure gold, and his timing is the most perfect. As well as that, his acting shows the true emotion behind Javert’s stone faced demeanour.
For me, Norm Lewis is Javert. As Javert he just embodies sternness and authority. Plus his voice is absolutely to die for. Philip Quast is also fantastic, a very close second. I don’t know it might just be me but there’s a lot more of an open sound in Norm’s voice when he sings “then” which is more pleasing to my ears compared to the majority of the other Javerts (not that they aren’t fantastic because they are but it was something I noticed).
Philip Quast is my #1, with Michael Ball coming in very close behind. MB had such a different tone singing Javert than when he sang Marius, I was very impressed.
I love Hadley Fraser too ! His voice is remarkable! I wish I had a visual of him going performances of both Javert and Marius.. both it’s just audio ,what a voice!!!
@@isabellevasquez7433 i see javert as more of an anti hero cuz if he was bad he wouldnt kill himself out of being wrong and prolly feeling guilty over his morals being wrong
@@Misto8990 that’s EXACTLY right. He ISN’T a corrupt cop with a god complex - not at all. The character Javert is a law neutral inquisitor. He’s crippled by discipline - it is his metronome, his compass. His whole world is hanging from a very fragile thread of misguided fundamentalism. He's the quintessential example of a character who valued law, order, and authority over merciful justice, without introducing self-serving motives or malice into the equation. Quast nails Javert - he really does! With all his complex nuances. I loved Michael Ball as Marius and it’s hard not to get a quality performance from him WHATEVER he does, but for me, he came too far down on the side of ‘villain’ with Javert and didn’t really manage to convey his vulnerability.
Honestly there is no Javert I don't like in this video, except perhaps Russel. Phillip Quast will always be Javert in my mind, but I saw Bradley Jaden live and it was goosebumps allover, although I think he is - or at least looks (not sure how old he is) - a bit too joung for the role and it is clear when you hear him singing, but still brilliant.
I agree that Quast is the best. And I find Russell Crowe to be, by a country mile, the worst. He's a good actor but a mediocre singer, at best. His voice is so hollow compared to real singers.
Norm Lewis is my favourite Javert! The might in his voice is jaw dropping. Philip Quast is a very very close second ;) No 3 is Michael Ball, I have always loved his voice and the power it carries.
Saw a guy called Stewart Clarke in the West end summer 2023 and he was fantastic. I’m 20 and I’m not really interested in theatre at all but it moved me more than almost any song I’ve heard live. I think there’s a performance of start on yt. Look it up and see what you think.
I sadly missed out on seeing him when I went last week but his 1st cover, Jordan Simon Pollard was mindblowing as well! I definitely like those two performers more than some of the people on this list!
There is a delicacy in Norm Lewis' performance. It feels more like there is an internal battle within Javert between everything he has been taught is right his whole life and his humanity/ability to empathise with Valjean's predicament. It's almost like his vocal performance breaks the facade of bravado a bit at particular points. If you hear recorded versions, Norm singing the line "Lord let me find him, that I may see him" is almost less gruff and powerful and more plaintiff. By the end of the song, he resolves to kill that empathy and really turns into the villain. This is also what solidifies the tragedy. I still cry when he (Javert) dies by suicide... Beautiful song...🤩🤩🤩🤩
Not video, at least. Original cast recording is available and awesome! For me it's Allam and Quast all the way, although Ball is also excellent and I've seen a couple of great performers in the West End who aren't in this list
Michael Ball not only sang the role well, he acted the hell out of it. I have seen about a dozen performances of Les Miz and Michael was the most impassioned Javert by far. This list is incomplete, check out Brian Stokes Mitchell at the Hollywood Bowl.
It’s a shame he’s not included here but Earl Carpenter owns this role. I saw him as Javert a good few times when the 25th anniversary production toured. His Javert was tough as nails, frighteningly intense yet completely sympathetic all in one. Of course, if I had to pick from this selection it would be Philip Quast. He was the first Javert I heard from the 10th anniversary at the Royal Albert Hall. Just marvellous!
Phillip Quast is absolutely the blueprint of Javert Yet Crowe performance adding another color of voice & sadness, even better when the audience knew what come to Javert in the end. I dont understand the hate for him All of them is great
Nic Greenshields was Javert when I saw it, and he was phenomenal. I think he’s my favourite, because seeing it performed right in front of you is so magical. But I like Earl Carpenter too!
Quast top obviously but I’m glad someone mentioned Earl Carpenter (him and John Owen-Jones best pairing since Colm/Quast IMO). Plus Nic Greenshields is superb - hope he gets a Javert run in the West End.
Scrolling through all of the comments to finally find someone mention Roger Allam. I too think his was the best. The lyrics were all a bit different for the original recording.
Philip Quast is the best, hands down, in my opinion. You can hear & see that he has invested so much into not only the song, but the character, a deep level of commitment. With him, each word has meaning & impact.
Every performer in this video is worthy of praise, and that makes it difficult to choose a favourite. For me though it has to be Jeremy Secomb because of how menacing his performance is. If I was a fugitive being chased by him, not only would he haunt my dreams, but also every waking moment.
@@fatheranthony4pope honestly Quast and Lewis are 1 & 2. Much of the strength in both performances come from The authoritative nature of their voices and stage presence. I’ll concede that Quast’s rendition of Stars does sound more of a man who is broken down and jaded from the pursuit of Val Jean.
You always save the best until last! There is this collection of superb performances and then there is Philip Quast - Perfection. Hands down the very best of all these.
I was really surprised at how well Jason Manford sang. I didn't know he could - or that he played Javert. Have to say as much as I love Bradley Jaden I can't see him as Javert. IMHO, he's too young and his voice is too "pretty". (If that makes any sense.)
I’ve just seen Nic Greenshields in the UK tour and he blew me out the water for me personally he wins it for me but I never got the pleasure to enjoy Norm or Phillip in person so I have to go with my own viewing experience.
Now I know everyone loves Philip Quast, don't get me wrong he is amazing. BUT I love how Micheal Ball Sung "Safe behind bars!" at 5:14, it's just so amazing
Norm all the way not only for the voice, but the commitment to the role as Javert throughout the 25th anniversary performance! Though Jason was maybe the only one who didn't take the huge breath before the ending note
Philip Quast interview hearing him talk about this role and what he did to prepare for it is everything you need to know.. the man studied the star constellations so that when he would look up to them, he would know what he was looking at. Oh yeah, and he has the best voice too. Had the video gone another 5 seconds, you would have seen him put his hat back on and looking around displaying the ultimate Javert demeanor as well with eyes on fire.
@@adamo1528 with all due respect, what the hell are you talking about? Stars is about order and law and the absolute black and white of right and wrong. In this song, Javert is convinced that he is God’s agent, sent to find Valjean so that justice may be done and order brought back to the universe, just as the stars and constellations never waver. NOTHING about Crowe’s performance indicated any of that at all. As for the “look”, go to 3:00 in this video and watch to the end. THIS is what makes Quast the ultimate Javert. The steely look of righteous certainty. Again…zero of that from Crowe. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-urxk4mveLCw.html
Yeah I suppose it's because a lot of people like Norm Lewis, but whenever I see someone in the comments describing how great Norm's Javert is, I feel like the describtion fits Quast even better.
Love them ALL!!! But Michael Ball as wonderful as your voice is?...you good sir ARE Marius and shall always ever be. Phillip Quast IS JAVERT!!!. his voice is absolutely exquisite, sheer perfection for the role. and Russel Crowe?? Love this dear actor HAHAHA He tried didn’t he?? God bless him. Love him even more for that LOL PHILLIP QUAST HANDS DOWN PEOPLE
Mary Revis Well, he was definitely trying on my ears/soul! 😂 Best comment on here! To be fair to poor old Russel, that was an extremely unfortunate mis-cast and nothing about him was right for the role, not least his bizarre interpretation. Quast is The Definitive. He’s the only Javert I’ve seen/heard who understands and portrays the law neutral inquisitor with imprisonment or simply law as his inquisition, without introducing self-serving motives or malice into his equation. Quast juxtaposes sinister with vulnerability. He’s crippled by discipline. It’s his metronome, his compass. He ISN’T a villain, and that’s the misunderstanding. Quast is the only one who both makes me shiver and feel the devastation of his loss at the same time. And, of course, his voice is divine!!
@@spellywelly You are 100% correct. I've read the book - Javert is a complex and conflicted character. Quast really captures the nuance. He is totally the best Javert ever, no contest. Jeremy Secomb is good too because he sounds like Quast. Russell Crowe is a talented actor but he was totally miscast in the movie - does not have the vocal chops for the role and played Javert like a stiff wooden board. It was like someone just wanted to put a big name actor in the role for the movie. They should have cast an unknown actor who could pull it off - they already had Jackman & Hathaway so they did not need to throw away Javert on Russell Crowe.
Phillip is absolutely incredible but I just have a soft spot for Norm Lewis as javert his tone is just so fucking beautiful. Crowe makes me wish I didn’t have ears.
Philip Quast is so good but I also just love Jeremy Secomb here - he’s the only person here that I was lucky enough to see in the role live (though I did get to see Norm Lewis perform in Phantom w/ Sierra Boggess and then saw Tam Mutu in Moulin Rouge on Broadway)… grew up listening to the OBC recording w/ Terrance Mann singing the song and it was my fave song of the bunch - saw Les Mis in London in 2016 (was finishing my time abroad for school with a trip to the city which concluded with seeing the show) and when we reached this song, I was anxious to hear what Jeremy offered to the song… my goodness, he’s so powerful in the role and in the song… you get a bit of it in the clip here but it was so incredible live and he was my favorite performer of the night! :)
Something about Philip Quast is just the embodiment of Javert, the voice, the look. It's just him. Norm Lewis and Jeremy Secomb also truly stood out to me.
Norm is a bit too soft for me, he makes the song a bit too 'pretty'. Javert is supposed to be driven, angry and OBSESSED, I just don't get that from Norm Lewis.
@@murvo Agreed - Norm is a large, powerful-looking man, and yet for me that look doesn't come across in his voice, which is unfortunate. Like you say, it is to nice for Javert, who is sometimes described as animalistic in hie behaviour. Quast has a beautiful tone, but it also has an edge to it that wins over for me. I'm not a big fan of Michael Ball's performance personally, but you can hear in this rendition particularly how he adapts his voice to suit Javert more (which is more naturally suited to the prettier-sounding Marius). Must also say I have never heard Jeremy Secomb before and was very, very impressed. Very classic sound.
@@walterwhite4862 The problem is not the voice, the problem is the lack of acting for that moment.......Putting Valjean behind bars is his reason to live (for Javert), and that feeling is not there at all
Wolfhound I agree, I just meant that technically speaking (tempo, pitch, etc) there’s nothing wrong with his singing. In other words, it’s not that his voice is flat, it’s that he lacks anything to make his singing interesting.
grew up with the Terrance Mann broadway recording, so hearing other voices took some getting used to. Norm is amazing, but I think my favorites here would have to be Quast or Will Swenson and Bradley Jayden as a close second, so much depth with pure vocal clarity and strength. I would be interested to see a Michael Ball performance, as well.
As much as I love Phillip Quast and Bradley Jaden, Tam Mutu will always take the cake for me. His entire performance as Javert gives me chills, especially during the soliloquy. He plays Javert’s descent into madness perfectly.
YES TO TAM MUTU!! I had the pleasure of watching him as Javert twice in late 2012-early 2013 and of all the Javerts I've seen, this was the one I hoped to see on this video.
It’s no competition, Philip quast cannot be outshone in this role. Other may be great, but all will pale by comparison. And it’s not just about vocals, it’s the embodiment of the character. He’s amazing.
My top three 1. Norm Lewis 2. Phillip Quast 3. Nic Greenshields Norm is my most favorite, not solely cause of Stars but his overall job at Javert. HIs voice just screams authority! I think he is also best in the confrontation. So, yeah overall.
Phillip Quast is just amazing. Honorable mention to Drew Sarich; Nick Greenshields was also brilliant when we saw the tour in Glasgow last year. Also ... who knew Jason Mountford could sing?!?
Philip Quast is the best hands down but the first one I saw live was Norm Lewis and until I looked up older performances and discovered Quast (my wife’s the worlds biggest les mis fanatic and got me into it) he was my favourite and there’s only a cigarette paper between them.
I swear that I've seen someone sing the last word high-pitching, but it isn't in this video. Does anyone remember from which version/actor it might be?
@@aniekvanbennekom6242 I had never before known about them, I've litteraly just watched their audition because of your comment, their awesome by the way! But I swear I've heard someone sing it high-pitched solo, maybe even on a stage version, idk.
JEREMY SECOMB: has vocal intensity but lacks dramatic depth; NORM LEWIS: manly, but too romantic a sound; NIC GREENSHIELDS: "you're a little pitchy, dawg"; BRYN TERFEL: glorious vocal production, no character; DREW SARICH: voiced placed too high to play heavy Javert; TAM TUTU: well acted, great look, average voice; JASON MANFORD: as Moralez sings in A CHORUS LINE, "I felt nothing..."; RUSSEL CROWE: vocally shallow; MICHAEL BALL: sounds hoarse, his persona is just too normal to play ominous Javert. (Ball was also too likable to play Sweeney); BRADELY JADEN: nicely done! But Javert requires darker, rounder tones. Jaden has a little bit too much edge to his voice -- sounds like a villain in a musical "comedy"; PHILLIP QUAST: perfect. It was great fun hearing all the Javerts back-to-back. Thanks for posting!
Hi, Gabor! I just listed to both HADLEY and EARL CARPENTER for the first time. The song STARS is written at the very top of CARPENTER's range, so he pulls back and barely "pops-out" the very top notes. This is very unsatisfying to the listener. However, he's a strong actor and was probably overall a terrific Javert. HADLEY FRASIER is an obedient singer. He sings STARS in a very square meter which makes his delivery predictable. He produces a very beautiful sound -- but there are no emotional or musical surprises in his delivery. Which, for me, flattens-out the character of Javert, who should read as manically obsessed with bringing Jean Valjean to justice. Also, FRASIER's persona is that of a romantic lead -- which is antithetical to the brooding vindictive Javert. Javert is complicated, and few actors possess the stage presence of PHILLIP QUAST whose portrayal had the fiery calm and urgency that made him such an impactful Javert. (Gosh, how I wish he had done the movie version.)
@@crisfranco4717 Thank you for your prompt reply, Cris! I personally find Carpenter's version very good and he also seems to fill Javert's character with life and conducts himself in a manner which I find authentic in relation to the character. But I can see your points and you obviously have an insight I personally don't have :) Thank you!
