Who Sang It Best? 'Javert's Suicide' Climax - Les Mis 

You just listened to an entire compilation of a man committing suicide 😂🤣

Michael Ball’s raspy-ness on the last note was haunting

I really liked Drew Sarich’s desperate screech when he jumps

I love how Earl Carpenter and Norm Lewis both sound so desperate and their vocals sounds like fading really good!!

honestly, Roger Allam is exactly what i imagined Javert to look like.

I saw Les Mis live with a local cast and it was INCREDIBLE. Every one of those actors and actresses could be on Broadway. Our thetare was in the round with a fairly deep backstage area beneath the stage so they literally had Javert jump off the bridge and fall like ten feet down into the darkness. Absolutely nuts. The whole theatre gasped aloud

The booming and almost guttural sound of Phillip Quasts cry makes him easily the best. Its hauntingly beautiful

Philip Quast is is just wonderful. When he sings I feel chills running down my spine.

I watched the whole 2019 concert and didn't realise Javert was Michael Ball (original Marius) until now. He looks so different!

Okay! Top 3, which was more difficult then I thought: 1. Philip Quast (my OG Javert, which probably influenced this decision) 2. Michael Ball and Norm Lewis 3. Drew Sarich (nobody is more dramatic than Drew lol)

I saw Bradley Jaden as Javert in theatre two days ago and it was HAUNTING.

Phillip Quast = perfection

Philip Quast invented playing Javert. I accept it and nothing else as a fact.

Philip Quast is Javert. He always was and always will be - above and beyond perfection.

Can only possibly be Philip QUAST; the Master

No way can you top Philip Quast in vocal or performance. Richness and depth extraordinaire.

Hadley Fraser is my winner!

Drew Sarich is my favorite for one reason and one alone: the octave change.

The last two guys that sang this were the best for me, Norm Lewis and Phillip Quast.

They all bring something unique to the role, the sheer emotional power that goes into Javert's soliloquy is part of what makes him my favorite character ^^

Tam Muto's interpretation is captivating.

Norm and Drew bring such drama to the song with the high note, it's amazing

Upon re-listening, Will Swensen does a very cool scream into the pitch, then gets some really chilling raspiness. 😮

Philip Quast and Hadley Fraser!

Philip Quast ofc. Norm Lewis as a close second though, that octave change is INSANE, especially for a baritone!

I saw bradley live in 2019 and he was FABULOUS as javert

OP obviously knows the answer he saved the best for last.

I grew up with the '87 Terrance Mann recording, so that's naturally where my mind hears Javert (such a powerful voice, this clip doesn't quite do it justice!) but Michael Ball has such a gritty creepiness to it, it gave me chills... Bradley Jaden did a very neat thing with bringing the scream up higher at first and very, very slightly down to pitch... Will Swensen sounds visceral... Drew Sarich went full on scream, (wow!)... I think my favorites would have to be Quast and Mann. I really want to see Michae Ball now, though! They make it still sound like Stars, but distorted, and when the scream resonates with the chord from the background music, it's heartbreaking and amazing.

Philip Quast and Hadley Fraser will always be my faves.

Always will be phillip quast

Norm Lewis and Phillip Quast are my favorites by far.

Phillip Quast nailed it. To this day his performance gives me chills, despite my asshole brother yelling “splash!” as the music crescendoes.

Dear God, Michael Ball...I didn’t know he had that in him.

This is an easy one. Philip and Norm.

The orchestra kills it in Carpenter's recording. My top 3 are Norm Lewis, Hadley Fraser and Earl Carpenter

I think role of Javert is more suitable to lower voices, with bass-bartione voice it will be sound great.

Philip Quast, absolutely the best.

Philip Quast, Hadley Fraser, and Earl Carpenter are tied as first. Roger Allam and Bradley Jaden are second. Awesome video! Finally a Javert comparison video with all of my favourites together!

Wow! Drew Sarich don't cease to amaze me! But Quast still my favorite!

I still believe that russel crowes was the most believable because the chances someone is singing as they fall to death is very doubtful. But finishing the note before jumping is more truthful

Norm Lewis and phillip quast

Philip quast , earl carpenter , michael ball, norm lewis are really great❤️

I’ve only seen Michael ball ‘s performance on DVD . It was great!

Saving the best for last, I see.

Tam Mutu was my favorite of these.

Great upload! Do you happen to have any audio from the Guernsey Concerts with Ramin and Jeremy? Thanks!

it's an absolute crime that Norm didn't play Javert in the movie

Norm Lewis will always be my favorite

NORM LEWIS!!!

philip, roger, terrance, and norm are the ONLY javerts to me. they all brought something new to the role, and each perfected it in a different way i’d say

No one's talking about Will Swenson, but I really enjoyed his performance

The one from 1985 sounded like it was from 1885

Drew Sarich probably at the end has saw a giant spider or something like that... 😂😂😂

I went to high school with Will Swenson, so I wish I could say it was him.

Bradley Jaden for me. In person it is breathtaking

Phillip Quast hands down brings me to tears with his hauntingly beautiful voice

I like this - really like this

I saw Les Miserable at the fox, and the guy playing Javert did a good job

This isn't the site I usually use for climax compilations 👀

after listening to all these stage legends, russel crowe's "on" somehow sounds even more like a bloodhound getting stuck halfway between a howl and a yawn

Roger Allam and Phillip Quast are my favorites definitely 😇😇

I like the versions that scream the last bit. There's more horror in it. As he is killing himself. I also keep thinking of star trek deep space nine. The Maquis leader Michael Eddington was obsessed with Les Miserables and called Sisko, Javert. On some level saw this as Sisko's fate. Instead Eddington dies fighting by his side; but he still went out as a hero.

Tam Mutu, Drew Sarich, and Philip Quast are my favorites here

Philip Quast - no competition.

Only Philip Quast. The end.

4:25 though 😂😂😂😂😂

Jeremy secomb and Norm lewis

Phillip Quast is absolute best and Norm Lewis second. I love Michael Ball, but he was better as Marius

Earl carpenter and Philip quast for me

Jeremy Secomb looked the most menacing but Philip Quast for me

Phiklip Quast is best javert i have ever seen live

Anyone got any tips on how to hold the last note without it also sounding stupid or breaking my voice?

Norm Lewis sin duda

I saw Will Swenson on Broadway. He was great!

Phillip Quast always:)

Ok this is a hard one for me I guess I choose Drew Sarich he got higher and it really impressed me and his voice falling down was not bad aswell

Philips quast est le meilleur

STEWART CLARKE WHERE ARE YOU POOKIE

Philip Quast for sure!! He is THE Javert!!

Phillip Quast 100% for sure. His singing voice in that role, up until Javert's Soliloquy /Suicide, was aggressive, authoritative, and arrogant. He would have a hell of a drill seargent. But during the Soliloquy, you see a more sensitive human side of Quast's Javert, wrought with emotion, doubt, fear, and confusion. For the first time, you see Javert really vulnerable and uncertain in a way that starkly contrasted with his normal arrogant, aggressive, haughty behavior. Phillip Quast nailed all aspects of his character through singing.

BALL.

Terrance Mann's performance that you used was hardly his best. He certainly did better on the cast recording.

controversial opinion but russell crowe-- lmao could you imagine ahahhaha

I love Drew Sarich doing anything so

Tam Mutu really blow it hehe but Russell... my fav might be because I saw the scene and got used to it hehe

Close seconds - Michael Ball and Norm Lewis

Drew Sarich! The best shout of all S2

The title alone just made me crack up 🤣🙈🤣🙈 Also: For the (poor unfortunate souls) people who don’t know Les Misérables, this title must be pretty disturbing lol 😂

Philip Quast, absolutely

Philip Quast IS Javert. Period.

Quast is the clear number 1 A lot of these got butchered by bad audio quality; Secomb, Ball, and Jaden all seemed like they had good performances, but were coming through a potato. A good number more were brought down by the actor trying way too hard to sell the emotion. Sarich was COOKING until he banshee screeched the last "On" I think Crowe's more subtle expression of Javert's combined resignation and resolve (along with a much better recording) gives him a leg up over a lot more of the competition than he's usually given credit for.

For me Quast

I agree - Philip Quast is the best

Terence Mann is my pick for who sounds the best.

philip quast

My first Javert was Tam Mutu! So him and Philip Quast for me

Terrence Mann sounds like the Beast, the enchantress resurrected and turned him into a monstrous beast!

Terrence and Tam have the essence of the OCD detectives.

I like the one from the movie, cause it’s the only one I’ve seen The 1985 one is probably my favorite

I really like Russell Crowe, Philip Quast and Jerome Pradon's versions.