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.
Epilogue
Claude-Michel Schönberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Alone I wait in the shadows
I count the hours till I can sleep
I dreamed a dream Cosette stood by
It made her weep to know I die.
Alone at the end of the day
Upon this wedding night I pray
Take these children, my Lord, to thy embrace
God on high
Hear my prayer
Take me now
To thy care
Where You are
Let me be
Take me now
Take me there
Bring me home
Bring me home.
Fantine
M'sieur, I bless your name
M'sieur, lay down your burden
You raised my child in love
And you will be with God.
Valjean (interjecting)
I am ready, Fantine
At the end of my days
She's the best of my life.
Cosette
Papa, Papa, I do not understand!
Are you alright? They said you'd gone away.
Valjean
Cosette, my child, am I forgiven now?
Thank God, thank God, I've lived to see this day.
Marius
It's you who must forgive a thoughtless fool
It's you who must forgive a thankless man
It's thanks to you that I am living
And again I lay down my life at your feet.
Cosette, your father is a saint.
When they wounded me
He took me from the barricade
Carried like a babe
And brought me home to you!
Valjean
Now you are here
Again beside me
Now I can die in peace
For now my life is blessed
Cosette
You will live,
Papa you're going to live!
It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye
Valjean
Yes, Cosette, forbid me now to die
I'll obey, I will try
On this page
I write my last confession
Read it well, when I at last am sleeping
It's a story of those who always loved you
Your mother gave her life for you and gave you to my keeping
Fantine
On my own
Where chains will never bind you
All your grief at last, at last, behind you
God in heaven, look down on him in mercy
Valjean
Forgive me all your trespasses
And take me to your glory
Fantine and Eponine
Take my hand and lead me to salvation
Take my love, for love is everlasting
And remember, the truth that once was spoken
(Valjean joins Eponine and Fantine)
To love another person is to see the face of thrown.
Chorus
Do you hear the people sing?
Lost in the valley of the night
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the Earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest night will end and the Sun will rise
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare, they will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!
All
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!
Aaaaahhhh!
Tomorrow comes!
Valjean and Fantine
But only on our own!
The Epilogue in Claude-Michel Schönberg's Les Misérables is a powerful conclusion to the musical that encapsulates the main themes of redemption, sacrifice, and hope. In this scene, Valjean is waiting alone in the shadows, reflecting on his life and waiting for the inevitable end. He dreams of Cosette and prays for her safety and happiness after he is gone. As the song progresses, Fantine appears to him, thanking him for raising her daughter and assuring him that he will be with God. Valjean then addresses Cosette and Marius, asking for their forgiveness and confessing his love for them. The song culminates in the united voices of Fantine, Eponine, and Valjean, repeating the iconic line "to love another person is to see the face of God." The final chorus echoes the themes of revolution and hope that have been present throughout the musical.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone I wait in the shadows
Valjean is standing alone in the shadows, waiting for his death.
I count the hours till I can sleep
Valjean is counting the remaining hours of his life before he can rest in peace.
I dreamed a dream Cosette stood by
Valjean is dreaming of a moment where Cosette was standing beside him.
It made her weep to know I die.
Cosette is sad to see Valjean die in front of her.
Alone at the end of the day
Valjean is alone in the end of the day of his life.
Upon this wedding night I pray
Valjean is praying on Marius and Cosette's wedding night.
Take these children, my Lord, to thy embrace
Valjean asks the Lord to take care of Marius and Cosette.
And show them grace.
Valjean asks God to have mercy on Marius and Cosette.
God on high
Valjean is addressing God, who is in a high position.
Hear my prayer
Valjean is asking God to listen to his prayer.
Take me now
Valjean is ready to be taken by God.
To thy care
Valjean wants to be taken care of by God.
Where You are
Valjean wants to be where God is.
Let me be
Valjean wants to be with God.
Bring me home
Valjean wants to be brought to his heavenly home.
M'sieur, I bless your name
Fantine is addressing Valjean and blessing him.
M'sieur, lay down your burden
Fantine is asking Valjean to rest and not worry anymore.
You raised my child in love
Fantine is thanking Valjean for raising Cosette with love.
And you will be with God.
Fantine believes Valjean will go to heaven.
I am ready, Fantine
Valjean is telling Fantine that he's ready to die too.
She's the best of my life.
Valjean thinks of Cosette as the best part of his life.
Papa, Papa, I do not understand!
Cosette is confused and doesn't understand what is happening to Valjean.
Are you alright? They said you'd gone away.
Cosette is worried and confused because she thought Valjean already left.
Cosette, my child, am I forgiven now?
Valjean is asking Cosette if she forgives him for all his sins.
Thank God, thank God, I've lived to see this day.
Valjean is grateful that he lived long enough to see Cosette again.
It's you who must forgive a thoughtless fool
Marius is asking for forgiveness for being thoughtless.
It's you who must forgive a thankless man
Marius is asking for forgiveness for being ungrateful.
It's thanks to you that I am living
Marius thanks Valjean for saving his life.
And again I lay down my life at your feet.
Marius is willing to sacrifice himself for Valjean.
Cosette, your father is a saint.
Marius thinks of Valjean as a holy man.
When they wounded me
Marius is referring to his injury at the barricade.
He took me from the barricade
Valjean saved Marius from the barricade.
Carried like a babe
Valjean carried Marius like a baby.
And brought me home to you!
Valjean brought Marius back to Cosette.
Now you are here
Valjean is happy that Cosette is with him at his last moments.
Again beside me
Valjean is happy that he's with Cosette again.
Now I can die in peace
Valjean is at peace and ready to die.
For now my life is blessed
Valjean feels blessed that he's spent his life with Cosette.
You will live,
Cosette wants Valjean to live and not die.
Papa you're going to live!
Cosette is hopeful and wants Valjean to live.
It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye
Cosette is scared to say goodbye to Valjean so soon.
Yes, Cosette, forbid me now to die
Valjean is happy to fulfill Cosette's wish and live a little longer.
I'll obey, I will try
Valjean promises to do what Cosette wants.
On this page
Valjean is referring to a letter.
I write my last confession
Valjean is writing his last confession in the letter.
Read it well, when I at last am sleeping
Valjean wants the letter to be read after his death.
It's a story of those who always loved you
The letter is a story of people who have always loved Cosette.
Your mother gave her life for you and gave you to my keeping
Valjean reminds Cosette that her mother sacrificed her life for her and entrusted her to Valjean.
On my own
Fantine is alone.
Where chains will never bind you
Fantine hopes to be free from her troubles.
All your grief at last, at last, behind you
Fantine hopes to leave all her sorrows and grief behind her.
Forgive me all your trespasses
Valjean is asking for forgiveness for all his sins.
And take me to your glory
Valjean wants God to take him to heaven.
Take my hand and lead me to salvation
Fantine wants God to save her.
Take my love, for love is everlasting
Fantine wants to give her love, which will last forever.
And remember, the truth that once was spoken
Fantine asks people to remember the truth that was spoken.
To love another person is to see the face of God.
Fantine believes that loving someone is like seeing the face of God.
Do you hear the people sing?
The people are singing a song of hope and freedom.
Lost in the valley of the night
The people were lost in the darkness of oppression.
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
The people are inspired and motivated to climb out of the darkness and reach the light.
For the wretched of the Earth
The song is for people who are oppressed and suffering.
There is a flame that never dies
There is a flame of hope that never dies, even in the darkest of times.
Even the darkest night will end and the Sun will rise
The song reminds people that even in the darkest times, there will always be light at the end of the tunnel.
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
The people will live in freedom in heaven.
They will walk behind the ploughshare, they will put away the sword
The people will live in peace and will no longer need to fight.
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!
The chains of oppression will be broken, and everyone will be rewarded for their good deeds.
Will you join in our crusade?
People are asked to join the fight for freedom.
Who will be strong and stand with me?
People are asked to be strong and stand up for their beliefs.
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
The song asks people to dream of a better world beyond the oppression.
Say do you hear the distant drums?
The song asks people if they can hear the sound of hope coming from the future.
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!
The sound of the drums brings the message of hope and a better tomorrow.
Aaaaahhhh!
The people are expressing their hope and enthusiasm through a sound.
But only on our own!
Valjean and Fantine remind the audience that everyone has to fight for freedom on their own.
Contributed by Olivia R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.