Do You Hear Manila Sing? Les Misérables is Here
The World Tour Spectacular transforms the iconic musical into a concert like never before
Words Coleen Wong
Photos courtesy of GMG Productions
January 29, 2026
Les Misérables began as Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel about redemption, sacrifice, and the struggle for justice in post‑Napoleonic France.
With music by Claude‑Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, the stage musical debuted in Paris in 1980 and opened in London’s West End in 1985, quickly becoming one of the longest-running and most beloved musicals in theater history.
Now celebrating its 40th anniversary, the story continues—still captivating audiences worldwide, from stage to screen, including the 2012 film adaptation starring Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.
This World Tour Spectacular brings that legacy to Manila, running at The Theatre at Solaire until March 1, 2026, featuring international stars alongside Filipino theater icons.
Ensemble. Photo by Danny Kaan
This includes Lea Salonga, the first Asian performer to play Éponine on Broadway, who has since portrayed Fantine and now Madame Thénardier; Rachelle Ann Go, who has brought Fantine to life on world stages for nearly a decade; and seasoned performers like Gerónimo Rauch, Jeremy Secomb, and Earl Carpenter, all deeply rooted in Les Misérables tradition.
Why Les Miz Still Hits Hard in Manila
Les Misérables isn’t just a musical. It’s a mirror. And in Manila, that mirror hits hard. Poverty, injustice, moral dilemmas, these aren’t just ideas on a page. They’re everyday realities.
Jean Valjean’s quest for redemption feels like the second chance so many hope for in a society where opportunities can be rare. Javert’s relentless pursuit of the law? A powerful reminder of the push and pull between law and compassion.
Jeremy Secomb, who plays Javert in the World Tour Spectacular, summed it up, “Every single person that comes to see Les Misérables can equate themselves with every single character along their journeys—whether it’s Valjean or Javert.”
Lea Salonga added how some audiences see themselves in the younger characters yearning for a brighter world, or in a mother willing to do anything for her child. Decades on, the struggles and hopes at the heart of this story remain deeply familiar.
A New Take on an Old Classic
But this isn’t the Les Miz you may have seen before. The World Tour Spectacular reimagines the musical as a concert experience, not a traditional stage production. Expanded from the highly successful Les Misérables: The Staged Concert in London, this version strips the show down to its emotional core, placing the music front and center.
Cosette (Beatrice Penny-Touré). Photo by Danny Kaan
The music carries you straight into the story, pulsing through every scene. The cast’s voices bring raw intensity, while the live orchestra adds depth, rising and falling perfectly with the emotions on stage.
And the lights? They don’t just illuminate the stage, they tell the story. The moving scenic panels shift into walls, roofs, or bridges, guiding your eyes and shaping each scene. Even when a character simply stands and sings, the interplay of lights and music adds depth and focus, making every moment feel larger, more dramatic, and unforgettable.
“A lot of the story is just in the music and in the lyrics,” said Red Concepción, who plays the innkeeper, Thénardier. And he’s right. The music carries the weight of the story, timeless and universal, even without elaborate staging.
Gerónimo Rauch, who plays Jean Valjean, described the concert version as “a more passionate way of telling the story,” highlighting how the stripped-back format allows the music and emotion to take center stage.
Marius (Jac Yarrow) & Éponine (Emily Bautista). Photo by Danny Kaan
Secomb explained, “The concert version just brings the emotion of the music. What this does is lift the music and the storytelling so we stand and just deliver.” Suddenly, the story doesn’t just unfold, it hits you straight in the chest.
Where Darkness Sharpens—and Humor Cuts Through
Opposite Valjean stands Javert, as Jeremy Secomb delivers a commanding, unyielding performance. Sung with vocal power that feels immovable, his portrayal isn’t merely imposing. It’s controlled, precise, and relentless, mirroring a character who believes order is the only path to justice. Every note feels deliberate, every entrance charged. When Javert sings, the air tightens; his certainty is as intimidating as it is mesmerizing.
Balancing that severity are the Thénardiers, portrayed by Lea Salonga and Red Concepción, who inject the production with dark humor without ever softening its edge. Their performances offer comic relief, yes, but never comfort.
Lea Salonga and Red Concepción. Photo by Matt Crockett
Something is unsettling in how charming they are, how easily they make cruelty palatable. Their humor sharpens the story rather than softening it, revealing characters who will do anything to survive, to win, to end things on their own terms. The laughs they earn are uneasy ones, reminders that in Les Miz, humor often masks moral collapse.
Together, these performances prevent the concert format from feeling emotionally flat. Valjean offers grace, Javert enforces rigidity, and the Thénardiers expose the cost of survival at any price.
From Manila to the World
The scale of the production is staggering. More than 110 performers and crew bring the show to life, blending international leads with celebrated Filipino talent. Alongside Salonga and Concepción, Rachelle Ann Go reprises Fantine, while Emily Bautista takes on Éponine, and Filipino musicians perform the sweeping score live on stage.
Will Callan, who plays Marius, highlighted the freedom this format provides: “The fourth wall is unbroken; it lets you indulge in the music.” The result is an immediate, shared experience, intimate, even in a vast arena.
For first-time theatergoers, this concert version offers a powerful introduction to a global phenomenon; for longtime fans, it makes familiar moments feel new.
As Rachelle Ann Go reflects, “Fantine has been with me through every season of my life, from being single, to being a wife, and now a mother of two.” Veteran performers also bring decades of history to the Manila stage: Gerónimo Rauch has portrayed Valjean in the West End and in Spain, Jeremy Secomb has a long association with Javert on the West End, and Earl Carpenter, who once played Javert, now plays the Bishop of Digne, adding a quiet sense of continuity and depth.
When Music Speaks Louder Than Sets
Ultimately, Les Misérables: The World Tour Spectacular proves that the power of this story isn’t tied to grand sets or choreography. It’s in the music, the emotion, the humanity.
In Manila, where the audience response has been so overwhelming that the run has been extended, it’s clear that this story and this score still move us. Big, tragic, hopeful, raw. Sometimes, that’s exactly what we need to see. And hear.
