Les Miserables Returns to Boston

A thousand-page novel whose title translates to "The Miserables" wouldn't be thought of as typical fodder for a successful Broadway musical.

More than 20 years, $1.8 billion dollars, 40,000 performances and eight Tony Awards later, that assumption has been proven wrong. And the lavish, elaborate and emotional musical Les Misérables has returned to Boston for another run, proving all of the statements false yet again.

Adapted from Victor Hugo's book by composer Claude-Michel Schönberg and librettist Alain Boublil, the show received little support in its earlier years. The story was too long, the plot too complicated; Puccini attempted to adapt it into an opera but gave up, thinking the show too complex for the stage.

After attracting the attention of British producer Cameron Mackintosh, however, Les Misérables was staged.

It opened on Broadway in 1987, ran until 2003 and will soon be revived in New York for a limited run.

It has been performed in 38 countries and 242 cities. There are currently five productions playing in the world, in London, Prague, Berlin, Mexico City and a national tour in the US.

The secret to the show's longevity and popularity lies not in its elaborate sets and costumes, its powerful love ballads or even the rhythms of its melodies. The true appeal lies in its timeless themes.

Les Misérables tells the story of Jean Valjean, a former convict attempting to make his way in the world and eventually into Heaven. He is faithfully followed by Inspector Javert, a policeman who is obsessed with incarcerating Valjean for breaking his parole.

Set against the background of a revolution led by French students, Les Misérables is a story of love, politics, religion and redemption.

Acted on the vast stage of the Boston Opera House, the production involves more than a 12,250-pound barricade and a 34-foot diameter turntable.

The sets are lavish, complicated and extremely symbolic but transition seamlessly from scene to scene.