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.
Drink With Me
Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ENJOLRAS
Marius, rest.
FEUILLY
Drink with me to days gone by
Sing with me the songs we knew
PROUVAIRE
Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads.
JOLY
Here's to witty girls who went to out beds.
ALL
Here's to them and here's to you!
GRANTAIRE
Drink with me to days gone by
Can it be you fear to die?
Will the world remember you
When you fall?
Could it be your death
Means nothing at all?
Is your life just one more lie?
ALL
Drink with me to days gone by
To the life that used to be
WOMEN
At the shrine of friendship, never say die
MEN
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
ALL
Here's to you and here's to me
MARIUS
Do I care if I should die
Now she goes across the sea?
Life without Cosette
Means nothing at all.
Would you weep, Cosette,
Should Marius fall?
Will you weep, Cosette,
For me?
(Marius settles down to sleep)
The scene of “Drink With Me” takes place during the final night before the barricade falls, as the revolutionaries prepare for a final battle against the National Guard. The song starts with Enjolras encouraging Marius to rest, as the rest of the group start singing and drinking wine to reminisce on days gone by. They sing about pretty and witty girls who have gone to their heads and beds, and toast to the memories they shared with them. Grantaire questions if they fear dying, if the world will remember them, if their death would mean anything at all, and if their life is just a lie. They all continue to drink to the life they used to live, the friends they’ve made, and the memories they share.
The song also highlights the separation between Marius and Cosette as he questions whether his life would mean anything without her, and wonders whether she would weep for him if he dies. It is a poignant moment in the musical, where the characters come to terms with their fate, and celebrate the life they have lived so far, as well as the friendship they share. The song sets a somber and nostalgic tone, but also showcases the camaraderie between the revolutionaries, as they face their final battle together.
Line by Line Meaning
Drink with me to days gone by
Let's toast to the happy memories of the past
Sing with me the songs we knew
Let's sing the old songs we used to love
Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads.
Let's drink and remember the pretty girls we were with in the past
Here's to witty girls who went to out beds.
Let's drink and remember the clever girls we were with in the past
Here's to them and here's to you!
Let's remember all the past loves we've had and let's celebrate ourselves!
Can it be you fear to die?
Do you fear dying in the upcoming battle?
Will the world remember you
Will your name and your deeds be remembered by the world?
When you fall?
When you die in the battle?
Could it be your death
Is it possible that your death might not mean anything?
Means nothing at all?
Is your death meaningless?
Is your life just one more lie?
Do you think your life is just an unimportant lie?
To the life that used to be
Let's toast to the good times we've had in the past
At the shrine of friendship, never say die
Let's never give up on friendships, no matter what happens
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
Let's keep our friendship strong and never let it fade away
Here's to you and here's to me
Let's toast to each other and our friendship
Do I care if I should die
Do I even care if I die in the upcoming battle?
Now she goes across the sea?
Now that Cosette is gone and safe, should I even care about my own life?
Life without Cosette
Life without Cosette would be meaningless
Means nothing at all.
Without Cosette, life has no meaning
Would you weep, Cosette,
Would Cosette cry if I died?
Should Marius fall?
If I die in the battle, will Cosette weep for me?
Will you weep, Cosette,
Will Cosette weep if I die?
For me?
Will Cosette mourn my death?
(Marius settles down to sleep)
Marius is tired and goes to sleep
Contributed by Skyler W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.