Les Miserables - The Dream Cast in Concert
The 10th anniversary concert video of the international musical  sensationLes Misérablesmight be the best thing to appease fans until a  full-fledged movie comes along.  Or it might be even better, as feature films  are often subject to extramusical casting considerations and this 1995 dream  cast is superb. Reprising their roles from the original London company are Colm  Wilkinson (Valjean), Michael Ball (Marius), and Alun Armstrong (Thenardier).   From Broadway come Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Lea Salonga (Eponine), and Michael  Maguire (Enjolras); from a later London production comes Ruthie Henshall  (Fantine); and from Australia comes Philip Quast (Javert).Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg'sscorevividly captures the passion  of Victor Hugo's epic tale of post-Revolutionary France, combining tear-jerking  ballads ("I Dreamed a Dream," "Bring Him Home") and rousing anthems ("Do You  Hear the People Sing"). The format of this concert is closer to that of a  dramatic cantata rather than a fully staged production; the singers stand at  their microphone stands with an orchestra and chorus behind them, but they do  wear costumes and participate in some movement.  At certain points such as the  climax of the barricade scene, the video switches to action from a stage  production. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sounds great, and it can be  thrilling when 200 choristers (dressed in logo T-shirts) rise to their feet for  a full-company number such as "One Day More." Also, subtitles provide date and  scene information and help move the story along.The 147-minute video contains footage not seen whenLes Miswas a PBS  pledge-drive staple, most notably the encore in which a progression of 17 actors  who have played Valjean around the world share "Do You Hear the People Sing?"   Each sings a line in his native language, a testament to the enduring power of  this show to audiences everywhere.--David Horiuchi