Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A French composer renowned for the musicals Les Miserable, Miss Saigon, and Martin Guerre.
On the island
Eight records
The 10th Anniversary Concert Cast
Because Lemis Rabbit is a milestone in my life. It's a turning point. As it has been for a lot of people, and that was the first song I wrote for Lim Zero.
Jessye Norman with the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jeffrey Tate
You have the treasures of music sometimes. You have diamonds. hidden under the score of gorgeous of more inspiration than you can imagine. And Everything I'm writing has been always influenced by this masterpiece.
The music was written by my best friend. His name is Michel Berget. ... And unfortunately my friend died after a tennis match during the summer of'ninety two. In twenty minutes he died in my arms and ... He was one of the most gifted and talented persons I never met. And I still miss him, after more than ten years.
that's a unheard song from Misago. ... Because that was a very nice tune. We wrote first for Kim. ... During the rehearsal we realized that this song at this moment of the show was not working at all. So we changed it into a duet. So the song as a solo song was never performed.
that's for me the right expression of what the French opera genius is.
Maria Callas with the Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala Milan conducted by Herbert von Karajan
I saw it when I was six years old in Paris. You know, there is what we call the Firenze syndrome. You can be sick or faint when you are in Firenze, because there is too much beauty in one time to see around. It happened to me already twice in my life. ... Each time I'm listening to this piece of music by Puccini. I feel a little bit uh not very well.
Original Cast Recording of Martin Guerre
I was writing around uh the theme of the imposter for Martin Gehr, an end track. ... And uh I like it.
Beim Schlafengehen (from Four Last Songs)Favourite
Kiri Te Kanawa with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis
If I have to go on a desert island tomorrow and if I have to bring only one record with me, it will be this recording. Every composer aims. To this goal of writing music such A extraordinary and beautiful way.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:41Do you just sit down and turn on the tap, and out it pours?
It's not so easy. I have to sit down at the piano the same way I'm sitting down in a theatre. And I close my eyes and I'm thinking what's going to happen on stage. And generally speaking if I Start to see something. The music is coming.
Presenter asks
1:50What kind of composer did you think you were going to be?
Definitely a writing operator. ... An operatic [composer]. Yeah, operatic composer. When I was six, seven I knew already Two or three operas by art.
Presenter asks
3:50Do you spend your time going around the world to these places [where Les Misérables is performed] checking up on your baby?
Uh Alan Bubil and myself, who are Very paranoid. As writers. And as a composer, I'm over the top. I'm very, very paranoid. I didn't see all the production of Limitrap ... But you see most of them. A lot. ... But not all.
Presenter asks
The keepsakes
The book
Wallace Stegner
It's a pathetic story. To all people living in the country in California, with young neighbors and the woman she's sick and she's dying of cancer. And there is a gorgeous parallel. With the Evolution of the nature of the seasons. and th the health and the condition of this woman. It's an Amazing book.
The luxury
Why is not what you write opera?
It's affrighting because the range for a pop singer is not the same as the range of a opera singer. It's a totally different approach.
Presenter asks
24:28Why wouldn't the French like Miss Saigon?
For that type of musical franchise is not a very open country. ... It's not part of the French tradition.
“I don't know from where it's coming, and I don't want to know. Because maybe the day I know there will be no music anymore.”
“The music for me the score has no mystery. How do you want me to be in love with a woman who has no mystery for me? It's impossible.”
“I'm not a whispering composer, I'm a shouting composer.”
“I'm Jewish-Hungarian, born in France by chance. and I'm not in very interested by food. When I have to eat, I just stand in front of the fridge, I open it, I pick up some bitten pieces and After ten minutes I am gone. But I will be very happy on a desert island. ... Yes, because what I'm looking for when I'm composing is complete silence, to listen to the music inside me, hoping that it will come.”