Tony and GRAMMY-Winning Musical Theatre Icon Visits His Longtime Music Print Publisher
MILWAUKEE - Alain Boublil makes millions of people swoon. And weep. And cheer: So powerful is the pen of the lyricist and librettist behind such beloved musicals as Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre, and The Pirate Queen. Hal Leonard was honored to host Mr. Boublil at its Milwaukee headquarters on March 6th.
The world's longest-running musical, Les Miz is an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion, and the resilience of the human spirit. The show made its debut in 1985, and Hal Leonard has represented it in print for nearly as long.
Les Miz is still breaking box office records everywhere in its 30th year. Thanks to the new productions on Broadway, in Sydney, Tokyo, Holland and Spain; to the London production now in its 30th year; and to the 2012 Oscar-winning screen adaptation, the next generation is falling in love with its timeless songs - and buying lots of matching songbooks and sheet music.
Boublil met with Hal Leonard President Larry Morton and the editorial staff and production people who have brought to life more than 120 publications featuring Boublil and Schönberg's musicals. Hal Leonard publishes everything from easy piano collections; to instrumental play-alongs; to Pro Vocal, orchestral and choral works; and even The Musical World of Boublil and Schönberg, a biography of Boublil and his longtime collaborator Claude-Michel Schönberg.
Boublil commented on the tour, "I enjoyed my first-time visit to Hal Leonard's headquarters. It's very impressive to see first-hand the ways in which they are making our music and lyrics available in so many innovative ways for such a wide variety of musicians and fans."
Morton added, "Alain Boublil is musical theatre royalty. We are so proud that he entrusts Hal Leonard to represent his and Claude-Michel's magnificent works in print. We look forward to many more years of working closely together."
That evening, with Boublil in attendance, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performed "Do You Hear The People Sing." He co-conceived and produces this touring symphonic production, which features songs from Boublil & Schönberg musicals performed by world-class vocalists - including his wife, soprano Marie Zamora. Hal Leonard sponsored the Milwaukee performances, which brought audiences to their feet.
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Photo: Jeff Schroedl, Alain Boublil & Larry Morton
About Alain Boublil
Alain Boublil is the author of the librettos and original lyrics for the musicals La Révolution Française, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Martin Guerre, and The Pirate Queen, all in collaboration with Claude-Michel Schönberg, as well as Marguerite with Michel Legrand, Claude-Michel Schönberg, and Herbert Kretzmer.
Boublil is the recipient of two Tony Awards, two GRAMMYs, two Victoire de la Musique Awards and a Molière Award. He received an Evening Standard Drama Award for Miss Saigon and a Laurence Olivier Award for Martin Guerre.
In 2014, he wrote a new play, Manhattan Parisienne, with music by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Charles Aznavour, Michel Legrand, Steve Allen, and more. He is the author/librettist of Abbacadabra, of the stage adaptation of Demy/Legrand film Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, author of the play The Diary of Adam and Eve (based upon short stories by Mark Twain), and the prize-winning French novel, "Les dessous de soi." He co-wrote the screenplay and co-produced the soundtrack of the Golden Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated film Les Misérables. He has co-conceived and produces the "Do You Hear The People Sing" concert series, the symphonic evening of songs from Boublil and Schönberg musicals, which is currently playing in major U.S. cities and has also played as far afield as Shanghai and Manila.
He has received a New York Chapter Honors Grammy award for his outstanding contribution to the creative community. Currently he is working on a revised version of Martin Guerre to open in the UK. Boublil lives in New York with his wife, actress/singer Marie Zamora, and is the father of four sons.