Les Misérables (musical)

Les Misérables, colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz, is a musical that was composed in 1980 by the French composer Claude-Michel Schönberg with a libretto by Alain Boublil, and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. Sung through, it is one of the most well-known and performed musicals worldwide. On October 8, 2006, the show celebrated its 21st anniversary on London's West End and became the longest-running West End musical in history following the performance. The production continues to this day at London's Queen's Theatre. Based on the 1862 Victor Hugo novel of the same name, it is set in early 19th-century France and follows the intertwining stories of a cast of characters as they struggle for redemption and revolution. The main characters are joined by an ensemble that includes prostitutes, student revolutionaries, factory workers, and others. The Tony Award-winning score features the song I Dreamed a Dream, sung as a solo by the character Fantine during the first act. Numerous Professional artists have recorded cover versions of this song since the musicial's premiere in October 1985, including Neil Diamond, Aretha Franklin, David Essex, and Michael Crawford.