"Les Miserables" - Fun with Lyrics Quiz

Answer: the tigers

Fantine in "I Dreamed a Dream":
"But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame."
Poor Fantine has had a bad lot in lot. She's sold her hair, her locket, and herself. She longs for a dream world. (Susan Boyle's performance of this song on "Britain's Got Talent" shot her into worldwide fame.)

Answer: crying

Cosette in "Castle on a Cloud":
"Crying at all is not allowed,
Not in my castle on a cloud."
Speaking of dreams, young Cosette dreams of a happy place after having lived a miserable life with the Thenardiers. Valjean rescues her and promises (and delivers) castles for her. Much later, Valjean also is willing to give his life to give Cosette happiness with her love Marius (see "Bring Him Home").

Answer: the Thenardiers will still be there

Thenardiers in "Beggars at the Feast":
"Clear away the barricades
And we're still there.!"
In contrast to the characters in the book, the singing Thenardiers were molded as more comical characters to bring a bit of levity to the musical.

Answer: the colour of the world

Enjolras in "Red and Black":
"The colour of the world is changing day by day."
This is a rousing chorus for passionate (and perhaps naive) young men willing to die for what they believe is right.

Answer: a swell who runs the show

"Where the leaders of the land?
Where are the swells who run this show?
Only one man - and that's Lamarque
Speaks for the people here below."
In my opinion, directors for Les Miserables touring productions are wrong to cast the ruffian Gavroche (a tough kid of the streets) as a cute, light-hearted boy. Gavroche brings the citizens news of Lamarque in this scene.

Answer: brave

"He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
Heaven blessed.
...
He is young
He is only a boy."
Valjean is willing to give his life to save Marius so that Marius and Cosette can be together. My love of "Les Miz" began when I saw Colm Wilkinson sing "Bring Him Home" on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson in 1987. (Really insane trivia: the guest on the couch during Wilkinson's interview was Bob Ueker.) I've heard/read somewhere(can't remember where) that "Bring Him Home" was not slated to appear in the original production until Colm Wilkerson performed it during a rehearsal and brought the cast to tears.

Answer: a grief

"Empty Chairs at Empty Tables":
"There's a grief that can't be spoken.
There's a pain goes on and on."
Michael Ball originated the role of Marius in London and performed Marius on the 10th anniversary concert DVD and in the full symphonic album. While illness took him out of the London production for several weeks, in my opinion no one does Marius better.

Answer: a hint of gold

"Dog Eats Dog":
"Here's a hint of gold
Stuck into a tooth."
My favorite Thenardier is Barry James, who performs the role on the full symphonic recording and also appears in the documentary "Stage by Stage: Les Miserables."

Answer: comes

"Finale":
"Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring
When tomorrow comes...
Tomorrow comes!"
A rousing end indeed, "Finale" is sung by the entire company. After writing/editing this quiz, I have to listen to the full symphonic CD for the umpteenth time.

Answer: Herbert Kretzmer

Claude-Michel Schönberg did the music. Cameron Mackintosh was the producer. The official Les Miz site credits Herbert Kretzmer as the lyricist and Alain Boublil as the author/dramatist (libretto).