“Who Am I?”, Powderham Castle Concert, 2004. Nicholas Pound as Jean Valjean.
A fine rendition by an excellent-voiced, underrated Valjean.
“Lovely Ladies” and “Fantine’s Arrest,” Powderham Castle Concert, 2004. Rebecca Thornhill as Fantine, Fred Johanson as Javert, Nicholas Pound as Jean Valjean, unknown Bamatabois.
An excellent rendition overall, if slightly lacking the sheer passion and energy of an actual production. Rebecca’s Fantine is both lovely-voiced and passionate, the Bamatabois sounds appropriately slimy, Fred’s Javert is appropriately fearsome (his angry “BUT MONSIEUR MAYOR!!”s at the end might be too much so – Hugo’s Javert wouldn’t take that tone with an authority figure), and Nicholas’s Valjean rounds out the scene nicely.
“Fantine’s Death,” Powderham Castle Concert, 2004. Rebecca Thornhill as Fantine, Nicholas Pound as Jean Valjean.
A beautiful, touching performance. Rebecca’s voice is so pure and sweet, Nicholas’s is so warm and rich, and they both sing with such gentleness and tenderness.
It’s interesting that the uncut version of the song is used, even though the cuts were already in place on stages worldwide. I assume this performance used the same “concert version” of the score that was used for the TAC and didn’t bother to make further cuts than had been made in 1995.
“Confrontation,” Powderham Castle Concert, 2004. Fred Johanson as Javert, Nicholas Pound as Jean Valjean.
An excellent performance by an impassioned, clarion-voiced Valjean and a fierce, formidable Javert.
“The Bargain”/“Waltz of Treachery,” Powderham Castle Concert, 2004. Tony Timberlake as Thénardier, Rosemary Ashe as Mme. Thénardier, Nicholas Pound as Jean Valjean.
Tony and Rosemary’s Thénardiers definitely make a memorable impression. They might be a bit hammy, but their spot-on brash voices and exuberant wheedling still deserve the laughs they get.
Nicholas’s warm, rich-voiced Valjean provides the perfect contrast with them.
Well done by all.