These include the musicals:
* La Révolution Française (1973)
* Les Misérables (1980 french version- 1985 english version)
* Miss Saigon (1989)
* Martin Guerre (1996)
* Wuthering Heights (ballet 2001)
* The Pirate Queen (2006)
* Marguerite (2009)
Schönberg began his career as a record producer and a singer. By the early 1970s he had become successful.
He wrote most of the music for the French musical and rock opera, La Révolution Française, France's first rock opera, in 1973, and also played the role of King Louis XVI in the show's production that year.
In 1974 he wrote the music and the lyrics of the song "Le Premier Pas", which became the number 1 popular song in France that year and sold over 1 million copies. Le Premier Pas was produced by Franck Pourcel. He recorded albums as a singer until 1985.
Schönberg then made an album in which he sang his own songs. In 1978, he dedicated his full attention to musicals when he and Alain Boublil conceived the idea for a stage musical version of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, which opened at the Palias de Sports in Paris in 1980. The musical opened to acclaim in London in 1985 and on Broadway in 1987. The Broadway production was nominated for twelve Tony Awards and won eight, including Best Musical and Best Original Score . In 1989, Schönberg and Boublil took London by storm with the musical Miss Saigon, which starred Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce. In its transition to Broadway, the show broke advance-ticket sales, earning $24 million before its premiere on April 11, 1991 [1]. The show was nominated for ten Tony awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
In 1997, Schönberg and Boublil premiered a new musical, Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward Theatre in London. The musical won the 1997 Olivier Award and went on to tour the UK and the United States.
Schönberg's latest project with Boublil is The Pirate Queen, a musical about the 16th century Irish pirate, chieftain and adventuress Grace O'Malley. The Pirate Queen completed its 8-week pre-Broadway tryout at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre on November 26, 2006. The show is undergoing further development in preparation for its Broadway previews at the Hilton Theater in March 2007. The Broadway opening date is April 5, 2007. Miss Saigon co-lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. has come on-board to work with Boublil on revisions to the book and lyrics. Additionally, Graciela Daniele will work on the musical staging.
Les Miserables celebrated its twentieth anniversary in London on October 8, 2005. The Broadway production closed on May 18, 2003, making it the third-longest-running Broadway musical following Cats and The Phantom of the Opera. Schönberg will oversee the production of Les Miserables that is returning to Broadway for a six-month engagement at the Broadhurst Theatre on November 9, 2006.
Claude-Michel Schönberg is also an ex-husband of France 2 evening news anchor Béatrice Schönberg.
He lives in London, and has 3 children.
He is actually writing the music and for the first time the arrangements, for a new ballet to be created in UK in 2011: Cléopâtra.
Bring Him Home
Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Music by Claude-Michel Schoenberg
Lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil
God on high
Hear my prayer
In my need
You have always been there
He is young
He's afraid
Let him rest
Heaven blessed.
Bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.
He's like the son I might have known
If God had granted me a son.
The summers die
One by one
How soon they fly
On and on
And I am old
And will be gone.
Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy.
You can take
You can give
Let him be
Let him live.
If I die, let me die
Let him live, bring him home
Bring him home
Bring him home.
The song "Bring Him Home" from the musical Les Misérables is a poignant and emotionally charged plea to God from the character Jean Valjean, asking Him to grant safety and protection to the young man he has grown to love like a son, Marius. The lyrics begin by beseeching God, asking Him to hear the prayer, acknowledging His constant presence during times of need. Jean Valjean goes on to describe Marius as "young" and "afraid," emphasizing his vulnerability and needing guidance and protection during the tumultuous times of the French Revolution.
As the lyrics continue, Jean Valjean shares his own desire to be a father and regrets the fact that he never had the chance to have a son. Acknowledging his own age and mortality, he begs God to grant Marius the peace and joy that he has never known as a young boy. The final verse is the most emotional, with Jean Valjean reflecting on his own life's end and begging God to let Marius live, even if it means he must die.
The song is a powerful example of the musical's themes of love, redemption, and sacrifice. The lyrics paint a picture of a selfless man who has come to view Marius not just as a rescue but as his own son, which Jean Valjean is willing to sacrifice his own life to save Marius.
Line by Line Meaning
God on high
Oh God, the Almighty in heaven
Hear my prayer
Please listen to my request
In my need
When I require Your help
You have always been there
You have never abandoned or forsaken me
He is young
The person I am praying for is still a child
He's afraid
He is scared or anxious
Let him rest
Grant him peace of mind and body
Heaven blessed.
May he be blessed by You, Lord, in heaven.
Bring him home
Bring him back to God's home in heaven.
Bring him home
Bring him back to his father's arms.
Bring him home.
Bring him back to where he belongs.
He's like the son I might have known
He reminds me of the boy I could have had.
If God had granted me a son.
If only God had given me a child of my own.
The summers die
The warm seasons come to an end
One by one
Year after year, gradually
How soon they fly
Time goes by so fast
On and on
Continuously, without stop
And I am old
I am aging, growing old myself
And will be gone.
And someday I will not be here anymore.
Bring him peace
Let him have calmness and serenity
Bring him joy
May he experience happiness and pleasure
He is young
He is at the beginning of his life
He is only a boy.
He is still a child who needs guidance and care
You can take
You have the power to take him to heaven
You can give
You have the power to bring him back to us
Let him be
Let him exist, let him continue his journey
Let him live.
Let him have a long and fulfilling life.
If I die, let me die
If my time has come, let me pass away
Let him live, bring him home
Let him continue on earth, but under Your protection
Bring him home
Take him back to where he belongs in heaven
Bring him home
Bring him back to his loved ones
Bring him home.
Bring him back to a place of safety and warmth
Contributed by Blake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TheShowsMustGoOn
Who is the best Jean Valjean in your opinion?
@patience5277
Alfie Boe for his performance in 'Bring Him Home' without a doubt! 💕💕💕
@Carissimus
Alfie!
@lizferreira7617
Ramin Karimloo definetely!! Close second is Colm Wilkinson.
@numbernine5894
Ramin Karimloo 🌹 :)
@MsShadowGirl23
Ramin Karimloo
@patriciabilinkas3911
I met Alfie after he gave his first concert in NYC. He came out to speak with people as they were leaving, which I did. Then I rushed back because I had forgotten my glasses, and he helped me find them. He’s an endearing, shy and massively talented man.
@swampholler
That's so good to know!
I've been backstage for a few that had fake reputations.
@dianegarciaprieto2118
Love him,great voice and such a a nice person. Very witty is Mr Boe💯❤❤
@peggybeckwith3479
Colm Wilkerson.