The original and best interpretation, and the one which is most reminiscent of Eponine's character in Victor Hugo's novel. Incidentally, Frances Ruffelle was chosen for the role of Eponine by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil (who brought us the original French version of the musical) -- they wanted the character to sound like "a young Édith Piaf." If you've ever heard the original French concept recording of Les Mis, or other earlier performances in French, you'll notice that the French actresses deliver the role in a vocal style very similar to Ms. Ruffelle''s. Bravo!
The original performer for the Australian cast- Jodie Gillies- sounds very similar to Frances. You can see they chose Jodie because of the similarity. I can see how all of them fit the Edith Piaf mould. Thank you for your insight.
They shifted the entire song to fit her. And only her. She is the original Eponine. She’s who I grew up to listening to the original broadways cast at night, as a child, falling asleep, who I saw in New York on Broadway. Along with the original Broadway cast of the secret garden, and then when I was a little bit older, Phantom of the opera.
Her voice is filled with so much emotion. It really fits the character of Eponine. It is hauntingly beautiful. I think sometimes we get too carried away with judging the clarity in one's voice, when in my opinion, the best performers are the ones who can make me feel their story.
You just don’t like Lea being Asian because you think the role should be a White woman (you’ve admitted it in other comments). Go put on your white KKK sheet .
@@KeldorDAntrell Lea Salonga’s one of the few who doesn’t belt out “pretending” and “own” at the end? She mixes it with head voice to add vulnerability. I feel like you could have mentioned so many other Eponines for that criticism if “showing off power”. It just doesn’t apply to Lea.
@@KeldorDAntrell i hate when ppl see someone who sings very well and expects them to not use their talent? u and me both know lea's eponine was amazing. frances also did amazing as well, idk what u yappin abt
I think this is an amazing portrayal of Eponine, but not the romanticised version the musical generally presents. This is an Eponine with the same feeling behind how she was originally written - who displayed signs of mental illness, had suicidal thoughts, interacted with Marius in a frankly creepy way, and was the victim of abuse. This performance conveys the kind of empty and intimidating feeling I get from the Eponine of the book perfectly, and still holds power and emotion where it's needed.
for me this is the most accurate portrayal of eponine. she’s been romanticized for too long. this eponine is helpless, disturbed, haunting, and has a creepy obsession on marius
I agree! And the fact you can truly hear the despair and helplessness in her voice. Her performance in this and in Little Fall of Rain are my favorites by far.
Creepy? She's a sweet, vulnerable girl in hopeless circumstances, in love with a man she knows she can't have, and yet she still gives her life to save him. That isn't creepy, it's incredibly moving.
Frances was my first Eponine, and she remains my favorite. I still remember hearing her on the original Broadway cast album and being completely spellbound by her uniquely beautiful voice, and the emotion she's able to convey - just tears you up inside. Unrequited love, knowing you're screwed no matter what you do, and the world is falling to pieces around you - in my opinion, Frances sings this with all the perfect sweet childlike sadness of a naive girl in the beginning of the number, then accepts the inevitable outcome of her sorrowful situation as it progresses. In my mind, it's quite an emotional journey taken in one song, and I can remember the impact it had on me as a young teenager so many years later.
Agree completely - she was my first eponine, saw her live in San Francisco before I was 10, and listened to this song on repeat to fall asleep (I knew exactly how long to rewind the tape). Of course I love Lea Salonga but this version is my eponine...
Such tender wistfulness and sorrowful yearning in her voice and her entire interpretation. This is the best version for me. Ironically, I listened to many other versions first before I finally got curious and looked for the original Eponine. And yes, Frances Ruffelle’s version is the one I’ve been looking for. Lea Salonga has the loveliest voice and probably has the best vocal technique but her singing has this forceful, almost angry emotion in it, so at odds in what to me is a song that speaks of vulnerability, loneliness, isolation, heartache and the infinite sadness of unrequited love. Frances Ruffelle’s captures these emotions perfectly in her singing and acting. It’s not enough for singers to have the perfect vocals, they have to be able to tell a story and make the listeners feel something. While others' singing showcase bravura, Frances' singing has more than that. It has heart and soul.
I listen to Frances Ruffelle first and when the fandom of Lea Salonga took over Eponine I search on youtube to hear her version. For me, I also feel her Eponine has an angry sound which goes against Eponine character who only lament her fate but never tries to fight against it. But I do like Lea Salonga in Mulan.
Frances made this role a real character. All the others do is sing but have no idea how to craft this role from the inside out. She is the innovator. Her successors stick to convention.
It's not a line about prostitution. When Eponine says "I did not want your money, sir..." she is talking to Valjean, as she has just delivered the letter Marius asked her to send to Cosette. She is refusing the money Valjean offers for delivering the letter, because she did it for Marius.
I know I’m the minority but this is my absolute favorite Eponine. I remember listening to the original album and just being stunned by her unique voice. It’s like every word she sings hurts her, it’s such a tragically haunting voice that perfectly fits the tragic, haunting character. It just makes you go quiet and listen.
At first I wasn't a fan of her version; I was a Lea Salonga and Samantha Barks fan, and don't get me wrong they do great with the song, too, but Frances has really grown on me. She performs so effortlessly yet with a style that makes Eponine that much more innocent, fragile and powerful with emotion that makes me care for her more than any other I have seen or heard.
Actually vocally speaking Lea and Samantha's are the best. But Frances' is the way how the original Eponine is written. samantha's and Lea's they put their own spice to it.
@@thebusybeanhomecafe4035 But he said vocally speaking. It is a fact tbh. Frances cannot compare at all to lea and samantha's vocal power. But frances definitely embodies eponine the best
@@masteryoda4583 No, it's not a fact. It's an opinion. I might say Lea has the best voice but someone else can say it's France's. It's subjective, it's called an opinion.
@@thebusybeanhomecafe4035 technique is not opinion. Vocal pedagogy is not opinion. Tonality is. Who you think the better voice is. But you can definitely objectively say which vocalist is better.
@@electrictroy2010 Edith Piaf, she was a French jazz singer in the 1940s and 50s known for her songs "La Vie en Rose" and "Non, Je ne Regrette Rien", both of which are still widely known and covered. The composers of Les Miz told Frances to channel Piaf in her performance when coaching her with the role.
Lea is flawed in numerous ways not least her infallible showing off of her power when it's uncalled for e.g. when she's dying in A Little fall of rain.
@@KeldorDAntrell have you seen Lea on broadway. Because you're referring to a "concert". The concert's priority was the voice and not the totality of the acting.
I know I really like Lea Salonga and Samantha Bark's interpretation of Eponine, but I guess no one could beat Frances Ruffelle. Her Eponine is what I imagined when I was reading the book - a tough and strong street girl.
Sadly Lea's Eponine becomes the standard of EPONINE. It just so happen that she's the original cast but failed to be the measuring bar of EPONINE's theatrical part. Unlike Lea still and the only measuring bar of Kim in Miss Saigon. And oh she did not only won the Tony awards.
Eponine was humanized a heck of a lot in the musical, as were the rest of the Thenardiers to some extent. Mr&Mme. were more comical in the musical, but since I also read the book, ai realize the whole family was glossed over quite a bit in the musical. Frances first gave me the impression of an innocent person suffering from unrequited love. Put it this way, I was sorry for Eponine in the musical - and then I read the book...
True but it shouldn't. Lea Salonga is arrogant and likes to wallow in what she thinks is her perfection. In fact she sings the word 'him' as 'heem', over-enunciates, and shows off the power of her voice when it's inappropriate e.g. when she's dying. Francis was, and remains, the best Eponine by far. Everything that is required of the role is better with Francis than with Lea.
She was chosen in the 80's by the producers and writers as their definitive Eponine. She and Colm moved to Broadway where she swept all the awards including a tony for her performance. Who else has done that?
If Frances is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me .
I used to REALLY dislike her, and preferred Samantha Barks. But as I listened more and more to Francis, it hit me about how much her voice TRULY fits Eponine: A lost,pitiful,depressed girl miserably in love. Her voice just spills out ''misery", unlike Samantha's whose voice can't convey the emotions as well as Francis ...
Frances is truly incredible, how people can dislike her voice is a mystery to me. Her characterisation is just incredible, it captures the character of Eponine perfectly. I would have done one heck of a lot to have seen her in the original Les Mis - someone, please, invent the darn time machine!
My aunt bought original London soundtrack in CD. Frances’ Eponine always moved me everytime her songs come on. I have heard other versions, but Frances’ Eponine will always remain my favorite.
Frances just has a sorrowful waver to her voice that fits the role of Eponine and this song so well. The first is always the best. Salonga runs a close second followed by Barks in my book.
I saw her at the Kennedy Center, before Les Miserables went to Broadway. That was a great cast - Colm Wilkinson, Judy Kuhn, Frances Ruffelle, among others. Miss Ruffelle was otherworldly. She imbued the role with the innocence, the grit, the longing, the love, the desperation, the loyalty, and ultimately when a little fall of rain fell on her, your heart broke too. What a performer. Yes, Lea was and is great, and so was Samantha Barks - but to see Frances Ruffelle play and sing Ephonine was to fall in love with someone forever.
Winston Llamas... Are you sure you saw Frances at The Kennedy Center? From what I understand, a different girl had played Eponine there and declined to do the role on Broadway so they asked Frances to do it. There was something I read about, one time, about people who didn’t take a role on Broadway and someone else becoming a star in that role. They mention That story of Eponine and also the girl who originated Millie in Throughly Modern Millie, but, left the production and Sutton Foster getting the role and becoming a star.
@@bookemdano7567 It was Frances at the Kennedy Center. You are right that a different woman had been cast for Broadway and then left the production. However, that happened before the show arrived at the Kennedy Center and Frances had joined the cast. She was sensational!
@@dadhusfam .. Thanks for the info! I’ve always wondered who the one was that turned it down! You are so lucky to have seen Frances! She is my Eponine! I’ve seen some really good Eponine’s over the years, but, Frances is still the one!
@@bookemdano7567 You are welcome! I am actually doubly fortunate. Just last month I saw Frances sing "On My Own" at the Kennedy Center as part a celebration of Broadway musicals. She and the entire show were fantastic!
@@dadhusfam …. Ahhhhhhhhh!! That’s awesome! I saw a couple of pictures of her there! I bet the whole thing was amazing!! I saw her cabaret show the first time she came to 54 Below and it was fantastic! I was so glad to finally see her live!
I have listened to and watched many wonderful actresses/singers portray Eponine over the years but Frances Ruffelle will always be my very favourite. She just has a special, unique quality about her which has not been replicated or surpassed for me. Her lost, sorrowful raw emotion and pitch is flawlesss.
Lea and Sam and everyone else who played Eponine did it in their own perfect way, but Frances has this beautiful, recognizable voice filled with sadness and hopelessness. I love her performance so much. She has my favorite interpretation of this character and song.
@@Tlh_ I believe having a preference is not hating. He just said it was a magnificent performance. I prefer yellow over pink. It doesn't mean I hate pink.
She's great & I love Samantha's most, BUT Frances is the most book accurate Eponine. I was surprised after reading the book to realise she was the only actress cast as Eponine with the slightly fading, throaty voice. She matches Eponine to a T, or is at least most accurate, that's just a fact.
Great build and pitch. I prefer more of an open vowel in pretending because it can feel a little squeezed. So much of her diction and tone sounds very 80s to me, which is apt for the time.
All my respect to the first eponine in eng. language All my admiration to the 10th anniversary eponine who really gave me goosebumps And all my support to the eponine of this generation (* v*)
The more I watch her portrayal, the more I realize her Eponine portrayal is more accurate and real. I love Lea Salonga and Samantha Barks’s voice, but book Eponine feels more like Frances. Nancy Sullivan (who I only saw on some youtube recordings, gives a similar vibe to Frances as well).
"The city goes to bed, and I can live inside my head." When my sister and I were teenagers, we used to listen to this song and feel such a comradeship with it. There was an ex-cult sadness that we related to, with a deep need to feel love and comfort, yet buried deep inside of lonesomeness. This version will always have a special place in my heart. #cult #cultchild #cultsurvivor #abusesurvivor #religiousabuse #cultabuse #sexualabuse #physicalabuse #cultchildbook
Frankie was and will always be the perfect Eponine! I love Lea's clear beautiful voice, and Sam's strong voice, but they do not sound like the novel Eponine. Frankie has the shrill, "sailor voice" (quote from novel) and had a gruff sound to her voice the others don't. The directors saw her as the perfect Eponine and for that reason she was chosen out of hundreds of girls. She is too gorgeous to be the novel Eponine though. :)
If Frances and the London cast is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea and other Broadway performers for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me .
This was the performance that introduced me to Les Mizz back in late 1985 - amazing & wonderful to see it again after all these years. Frances looks so young & pretty and assured. She must have known she was on to a winner originating this English version of the song. Perfect!
If Frances is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me .
@@electrictroy2010They chose her because they chose Les Mis actors from DIFFERENT productions. They already had Colm Wilkinson and Michael Ball for the original London cast. They have Judy Kuhn and Michael Maguire from broadway. They have Philip Quast from Australia. So they chose Lea for Asian representation plus to make Miss Saigon fans watch the concert. Plus in addition Frances Ruffelle was already in two audio recordings for Les Mis (original London cast recording and origibal broadway recording) so they have to choose someone else. Just because someone is chosen for the concert means the others not chosen are bad. By your logic you’re saying Nick Jonas is a better Marius than anyone else that have played him except Michael Ball. Lea is a great actress and singer and I admire her, but Frances not being chosen for the concert doesn’t mean she’s a bad Eponine. Besides, she played this role many times in London and Broadway and she won a tony for it. She performed it on some concerts too, just not recorded
I'm disgusted with myself. I claim to be a huge Les Mis fan, but until now the only Eponine's I had seen where Lea Salonga and Samantha Barks. This is perfection. My favourite voice of Eponine is probably still Lea Salonga, but Frances is definitely my favourite actress. She completely portrays the emotion that is needed for the part.
Frances's voice fits the prototype of Eponine introduced in the original French album by the two composers, so say what you may about subsequent interpretations, this "mousey" version of Eponine was as originally conceived.
Her emotion is so real, and even though her voice is a little whiny, the song still sounds really good. She is just so unique in her portrayal, which is why she is my favorite Eponine.
If Frances is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me .
This is how it should be, quiet and vulnerable at the start and then properly belting at the end. I'm not sure why lately they seem to favor the versions where they yell the song right from the start! The build up is what makes it so emotional and real.
ok so this is amazing, but y’all don’t have to bring lea down and other great performers just so your opinion is “True”. I think that they have different emotions and different techniques and that’s what makes them great and they all shouldn’t be compared by their qualities.
We’re not bringing Lea down, we’re just mentioning Frances feels more like book Eponine. Lea’s On My Own video also has full of comments mentioning her as the only Eponine just pure of her voice.
And now I'm all alone again Nowhere to go, no one to turn to Without a home, without a friend Without a face to say hello to And now the night is near and now I can make-believe he's here Sometimes I walk alone at night When everybody else is sleeping I think of him and then I'm happy With the company I'm keeping The city goes to bed And I can live inside my head On my own, pretending he's beside me All alone, I walk with him 'til morning Without him, I feel his arms around me And when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me In the rain, the pavement shines like silver All the lights are misty in the river in the darkness, the trees are full of starlight And all I see is him and me, forever and forever And I know, it's only in my mind That I'm talking to myself, and not to him And although, I know that he is blind Still I say there's a way for us I love him, but when the night is over He is gone, the river's just a river Without him, the world around me changes The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers I love him, but every day I'm learning All my life, I've only been pretending Without me, his world will go on turning The world is full of happiness that I have never known I love him I love him I love him But only on my own
I don't know why but her style of singing makes me imagine she's a girl in a movie singing solo on stage in a bar, late at night and it's almost closing time and people are just doing their thing but there's this one guy who notices her and the sorrow of her song. I personally prefer Lea Salonga's version but Ruffelle's version conjures that kind of image to me. Also, her style of singing makes her sound older than she really is somehow.
Karen Santos Ruffelle’s version is actually more appropriate for the character because that’s pretty much exactly what is happening to Eponine at that point in the story. She’s on her own, not surrounded by adoring fans. And it’s also appropriate for Eponine to sound older than she is because of her hard life. Lea makes me think more of Cosette than Eponine because of how crystalline her voice is.
she made the song not a belting song, so its was nice and simple. The other actors that played Eponine after her belted the notes, making it powerful but weakening the story of the song. I love this version, but I love Samantha Barks' version as well. I really want to see her on Broadway as Eponine...
If you liked this song and really like to cry look up”A Little Fall of Rain”. “On My Own” is performed after she delivers her friend Marius’ letter to the girl that he REALLY loves. As Eponine walks back to Marius she is fatally shot and dies in his arms. Take out your tissues.
That's exactly why I've always liked Ruffelle best as Eponine. To me, Eponine needs to sound more immature and childlike (than Cosette, that is) to emphasize her innocence and immaturity as she was so sick in love with Marius it was tragically pathetic (and sad). Frances' voice also, imo, helped the audience sympathize with her when she died as she was finally relieved from her angst as her unrequited love came to be, imo, almost more painful for her than her fatal wounds.
I don't know guys; honestly, I think Samantha Barks is the best of them. I think she most accurately portrays an Eponine that, despite her rough upbringing, has retained an innocence in her view of the world, and in her love for Marius. I think Frances portrayed a verson that was very worn from the world. I prefer the former personally, but I suppose it's a matter of preference.
believe me. if it wasn't for the brilliance of the original cast people would not be commenting lea or same. end of. I love Frances. the original and she's still a humble lovely person 💜
@Andrew Monsalve Actually, according to the novel, eponine tried to get Marius killed so they could die together. I doubt that innocent describes her :P
Yeah. Her voice, the sad, pleading sound seems to reflect her waifish-ness. It's perfect for Eponine and provides further contrast between her and Cosette's operatic tones.
100% with you on Frances being my favourite. Back in the day I saw Les Mis 7 times or so, and she was a big part of the reason why - absolutely heartbreaking. I will always compare other 'Ponines to her. Yes, Samantha Barks is in the movie. It was almost Lea Michelle! Thank god for small mercies!
Lea’s is technically perfect and strong, but it doesn’t have that frailty and love lorn characteristic which makes you want to run up and protect Ponine. My hubby and I love Lea Salonga to bits but THIS this here, is still the best Eponine for both of us.
I don't know why people hate her way of singing thsi song... From my point of view she is doing the perfect job of singing and speaking the song effectively and effortlessly without straining her voice. Lea and Barbra Streisand are the only ones that can match this while the rest are just screaming for nothing.
I'm not a huge fan of all of the sliding and such but I love how she portrays Eponine in this song ... she reminds me of a lost little girl, which is how I think Eponine sees herself sometimes (this is my opinion and how I view Eponine and I know that people won't agree)
The nuisance in her voice, her acting - as if she pops out from the pages of the novel. Hers is closest to Victor Hugo's Eponine. Super belting not really needed, the right emotion is enough.
I love Lea Salonga, I do. But people should give respect to the original Eponine which is Frances Ruffelle. Their interpretation of the song are very different but both are great. In my opinion, Lea is be better vocally but Frances is closer to the character. Plus this is Frances’s video expect people to defend her here
![Lea Salonga - On My Own (Les Misérables) [720p]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/VjfmP7h3gBw/mqdefault.jpg)
![Lea Salonga - On My Own (Les Misérables) [720p]](/img/tr.png)
The original and best interpretation, and the one which is most reminiscent of Eponine's character in Victor Hugo's novel. Incidentally, Frances Ruffelle was chosen for the role of Eponine by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil (who brought us the original French version of the musical) -- they wanted the character to sound like "a young Édith Piaf." If you've ever heard the original French concept recording of Les Mis, or other earlier performances in French, you'll notice that the French actresses deliver the role in a vocal style very similar to Ms. Ruffelle''s. Bravo!
The original performer for the Australian cast- Jodie Gillies- sounds very similar to Frances. You can see they chose Jodie because of the similarity. I can see how all of them fit the Edith Piaf mould. Thank you for your insight.
They shifted the entire song to fit her. And only her. She is the original Eponine. She’s who I grew up to listening to the original broadways cast at night, as a child, falling asleep, who I saw in New York on Broadway. Along with the original Broadway cast of the secret garden, and then when I was a little bit older, Phantom of the opera.
You can see bits of her performance in all of the big English version performances since. She really did shape the character into what it has become.
Her voice is filled with so much emotion. It really fits the character of Eponine. It is hauntingly beautiful. I think sometimes we get too carried away with judging the clarity in one's voice, when in my opinion, the best performers are the ones who can make me feel their story.
Her voice has the necessary child-like quality too. Also, she doesn't feel any need to show off her power as Lea Salonga always does.
YES!
You just don’t like Lea being Asian because you think the role should be a White woman (you’ve admitted it in other comments). Go put on your white KKK sheet
.
@@KeldorDAntrell Lea Salonga’s one of the few who doesn’t belt out “pretending” and “own” at the end? She mixes it with head voice to add vulnerability. I feel like you could have mentioned so many other Eponines for that criticism if “showing off power”. It just doesn’t apply to Lea.
@@KeldorDAntrell i hate when ppl see someone who sings very well and expects them to not use their talent? u and me both know lea's eponine was amazing. frances also did amazing as well, idk what u yappin abt
I think this is an amazing portrayal of Eponine, but not the romanticised version the musical generally presents. This is an Eponine with the same feeling behind how she was originally written - who displayed signs of mental illness, had suicidal thoughts, interacted with Marius in a frankly creepy way, and was the victim of abuse. This performance conveys the kind of empty and intimidating feeling I get from the Eponine of the book perfectly, and still holds power and emotion where it's needed.
Yah, this is how Eponine should be
Agree!
That’s a nice way to justify this performance
I agree. I love Lea, but her clear as a bell voice didn't seem like Eponine to me.
Not to mention the character Nicolette everyone forgets about. Maybe I’m wrong, but that stood out when reading this as a kid.
for me this is the most accurate portrayal of eponine. she’s been romanticized for too long. this eponine is helpless, disturbed, haunting, and has a creepy obsession on marius
I agree! And the fact you can truly hear the despair and helplessness in her voice. Her performance in this and in Little Fall of Rain are my favorites by far.
She's the original Eponine.
@@privateinfo7924 Everyone knows that…
Creepy? She's a sweet, vulnerable girl in hopeless circumstances, in love with a man she knows she can't have, and yet she still gives her life to save him. That isn't creepy, it's incredibly moving.
It's meant to parallel the journey between Fontaine and, epione (ignore the terrible spelling).
Frances was my first Eponine, and she remains my favorite. I still remember hearing her on the original Broadway cast album and being completely spellbound by her uniquely beautiful voice, and the emotion she's able to convey - just tears you up inside. Unrequited love, knowing you're screwed no matter what you do, and the world is falling to pieces around you - in my opinion, Frances sings this with all the perfect sweet childlike sadness of a naive girl in the beginning of the number, then accepts the inevitable outcome of her sorrowful situation as it progresses. In my mind, it's quite an emotional journey taken in one song, and I can remember the impact it had on me as a young teenager so many years later.
Agree completely - she was my first eponine, saw her live in San Francisco before I was 10, and listened to this song on repeat to fall asleep (I knew exactly how long to rewind the tape). Of course I love Lea Salonga but this version is my eponine...
She’s the best it’s her part
Her voice is so celestial and angelic that despite the song being depressing her voice calms me down
if you was to read the Les Miserables book by Victor Hugo then you would know that her voice fits the description.
Darien Jenkins ive read the book twice
Such tender wistfulness and sorrowful yearning in her voice and her entire interpretation.
This is the best version for me. Ironically, I listened to many other versions first before I finally got curious and looked for the original Eponine. And yes, Frances Ruffelle’s version is the one I’ve been looking for.
Lea Salonga has the loveliest voice and probably has the best vocal technique but her singing has this forceful, almost angry emotion in it, so at odds in what to me is a song that speaks of vulnerability, loneliness, isolation, heartache and the infinite sadness of unrequited love. Frances Ruffelle’s captures these emotions perfectly in her singing and acting. It’s not enough for singers to have the perfect vocals, they have to be able to tell a story and make the listeners feel something. While others' singing showcase bravura, Frances' singing has more than that. It has heart and soul.
I listen to Frances Ruffelle first and when the fandom of Lea Salonga took over Eponine I search on youtube to hear her version. For me, I also feel her Eponine has an angry sound which goes against Eponine character who only lament her fate but never tries to fight against it. But I do like Lea Salonga in Mulan.
Frances made this role a real character. All the others do is sing but have no idea how to craft this role from the inside out. She is the innovator. Her successors stick to convention.
It's not a line about prostitution. When Eponine says "I did not want your money, sir..." she is talking to Valjean, as she has just delivered the letter Marius asked her to send to Cosette. She is refusing the money Valjean offers for delivering the letter, because she did it for Marius.
Oh I never caught that! Loved this since I was a kid and can’t even put it into words..
Her voice is so 80's
So true. If Cyndi Lauper did broadway.
Jeez 🙄 it IS 80‘s!!!!!
@@DanielRuf Uh huh...
definitely
Yes it is sung it in 1985 and I saw it at the theatre as a ten yr old!
I know I’m the minority but this is my absolute favorite Eponine. I remember listening to the original album and just being stunned by her unique voice. It’s like every word she sings hurts her, it’s such a tragically haunting voice that perfectly fits the tragic, haunting character. It just makes you go quiet and listen.
Her voice just drips tragedy. I love it.
At first I wasn't a fan of her version; I was a Lea Salonga and Samantha Barks fan, and don't get me wrong they do great with the song, too, but Frances has really grown on me. She performs so effortlessly yet with a style that makes Eponine that much more innocent, fragile and powerful with emotion that makes me care for her more than any other I have seen or heard.
Actually vocally speaking Lea and Samantha's are the best. But Frances' is the way how the original Eponine is written. samantha's and Lea's they put their own spice to it.
@@xunlu9358 Actually, it's an opinion, so saying "Lea's and Samantha's are the best" shouldn't be said like a fact. It's not
@@thebusybeanhomecafe4035 But he said vocally speaking. It is a fact tbh. Frances cannot compare at all to lea and samantha's vocal power. But frances definitely embodies eponine the best
@@masteryoda4583 No, it's not a fact. It's an opinion. I might say Lea has the best voice but someone else can say it's France's. It's subjective, it's called an opinion.
@@thebusybeanhomecafe4035 technique is not opinion. Vocal pedagogy is not opinion. Tonality is. Who you think the better voice is. But you can definitely objectively say which vocalist is better.
Ruffelle is totally channeling Piaf here. Well deserved Tony Award.
Who is Piaf?
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@@electrictroy2010 Edith Piaf, she was a French jazz singer in the 1940s and 50s known for her songs "La Vie en Rose" and "Non, Je ne Regrette Rien", both of which are still widely known and covered. The composers of Les Miz told Frances to channel Piaf in her performance when coaching her with the role.
Hauntingly beautiful. Different to Lea Salonga's rendition, but both are wonderful in their own way.
Lea is flawed in numerous ways not least her infallible showing off of her power when it's uncalled for e.g. when she's dying in A Little fall of rain.
You just don’t like Lea because she’s Asian and you think the role should be a white actresss (you said so in other comments)
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@@KeldorDAntrell have you seen Lea on broadway. Because you're referring to a "concert". The concert's priority was the voice and not the totality of the acting.
@@KeldorDAntrell racist
Keldor D'Antrell racist
I know I really like Lea Salonga and Samantha Bark's interpretation of Eponine, but I guess no one could beat Frances Ruffelle. Her Eponine is what I imagined when I was reading the book - a tough and strong street girl.
Considering she won the Tony award....I guess she was alright.
Sadly Lea's Eponine becomes the standard of EPONINE. It just so happen that she's the original cast but failed to be the measuring bar of EPONINE's theatrical part. Unlike Lea still and the only measuring bar of Kim in Miss Saigon. And oh she did not only won the Tony awards.
Eponine was humanized a heck of a lot in the musical, as were the rest of the Thenardiers to some extent. Mr&Mme. were more comical in the musical, but since I also read the book, ai realize the whole family was glossed over quite a bit in the musical. Frances first gave me the impression of an innocent person suffering from unrequited love. Put it this way, I was sorry for Eponine in the musical - and then I read the book...
True but it shouldn't. Lea Salonga is arrogant and likes to wallow in what she thinks is her perfection. In fact she sings the word 'him' as 'heem', over-enunciates, and shows off the power of her voice when it's inappropriate e.g. when she's dying.
Francis was, and remains, the best Eponine by far. Everything that is required of the role is better with Francis than with Lea.
PhantomifyEponine . I did a cover of this song. Please check ot out!
She was chosen in the 80's by the producers and writers as their definitive Eponine. She and Colm moved to Broadway where she swept all the awards including a tony for her performance. Who else has done that?
She gave the song a more meaningful vibe. Like an innocent child singing her heart out. Love this 💕💕💕💕
The best Eponine ever. She nailed it in voice, character, looks.
If Frances is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me
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@@electrictroy2010 oh, rubbish!
electrictroy2010 No one asked.
Lea Salonga is the perfect Eponine ever, her diction and pitch are on point.
Laurence Mangalogan Eponine didn't have some clear voice. She had many infections, her voice was corse, and she wasn't some perfect girl
"I did not want your money sir, I came out here 'cause I was told to." This was the original lyric which was changed for Broadway.
I used to REALLY dislike her, and preferred Samantha Barks. But as I listened more and more to Francis, it hit me about how much her voice TRULY fits Eponine: A lost,pitiful,depressed girl miserably in love. Her voice just spills out ''misery", unlike Samantha's whose voice can't convey the emotions as well as Francis ...
I am lead to believe that the part was written to fit her voice
@@Charlotte-ci4is from what i saw on the internet it was
@@RAIJINMARU670 you mean the character was not already fleshed out in the book prior to the musical production?
Frances
My favourite Eponine...loads of character...
Frances' rendition of this song always brings me to tears, because it's beautifully performed 😭😭😭
No one else seems to sing this song as effortlessly as Frances.
Frances is truly incredible, how people can dislike her voice is a mystery to me. Her characterisation is just incredible, it captures the character of Eponine perfectly. I would have done one heck of a lot to have seen her in the original Les Mis - someone, please, invent the darn time machine!
I love all the Eponine's that I've seen. They all have such different sounds that I can't choose a favorite personally!
Her eyes when she hits "known". So effortless it seems... 🥺🥺🥺 Bravo
My aunt bought original London soundtrack in CD. Frances’ Eponine always moved me everytime her songs come on. I have heard other versions, but Frances’ Eponine will always remain my favorite.
Same happens to me
The best Eponine to this day. Frances is sweet, endearing, and draws your compassion.
I saw the London production in 1986 and the Broadway in 1987. I fell in love with Eponine. Thank you for bringing back these memories.
Frances just has a sorrowful waver to her voice that fits the role of Eponine and this song so well. The first is always the best. Salonga runs a close second followed by Barks in my book.
Frances is just a mere 20 years old here but sings well beyond her young age!
I saw her at the Kennedy Center, before Les Miserables went to Broadway. That was a great cast - Colm Wilkinson, Judy Kuhn, Frances Ruffelle, among others. Miss Ruffelle was otherworldly. She imbued the role with the innocence, the grit, the longing, the love, the desperation, the loyalty, and ultimately when a little fall of rain fell on her, your heart broke too. What a performer. Yes, Lea was and is great, and so was Samantha Barks - but to see Frances Ruffelle play and sing Ephonine was to fall in love with someone forever.
Winston Llamas... Are you sure you saw Frances at The Kennedy Center? From what I understand, a different girl had played Eponine there and declined to do the role on Broadway so they asked Frances to do it. There was something I read about, one time, about people who didn’t take a role on Broadway and someone else becoming a star in that role. They mention That story of Eponine and also the girl who originated Millie in Throughly Modern Millie, but, left the production and Sutton Foster getting the role and becoming a star.
@@bookemdano7567 It was Frances at the Kennedy Center. You are right that a different woman had been cast for Broadway and then left the production. However, that happened before the show arrived at the Kennedy Center and Frances had joined the cast. She was sensational!
@@dadhusfam .. Thanks for the info! I’ve always wondered who the one was that turned it down! You are so lucky to have seen Frances! She is my Eponine! I’ve seen some really good Eponine’s over the years, but, Frances is still the one!
@@bookemdano7567 You are welcome! I am actually doubly fortunate. Just last month I saw Frances sing "On My Own" at the Kennedy Center as part a celebration of Broadway musicals. She and the entire show were fantastic!
@@dadhusfam …. Ahhhhhhhhh!! That’s awesome! I saw a couple of pictures of her there! I bet the whole thing was amazing!! I saw her cabaret show the first time she came to 54 Below and it was fantastic! I was so glad to finally see her live!
I have listened to and watched many wonderful actresses/singers portray Eponine over the years but Frances Ruffelle will always be my very favourite. She just has a special, unique quality about her which has not been replicated or surpassed for me. Her lost, sorrowful raw emotion and pitch is flawlesss.
Having the pleasure of working with her and incredible to see the original work with a original, a true original.x
Frances ruffelle is the best Eponine at all time. To me she is the only one who can sings Eponine's love of desperation.
Her voice and singing truly embodied Eponine in the novel. Hands down the best Eponine.
The fact that it's kind of nasally and and full the high notes are amazing
Lea and Sam and everyone else who played Eponine did it in their own perfect way, but Frances has this beautiful, recognizable voice filled with sadness and hopelessness. I love her performance so much. She has my favorite interpretation of this character and song.
easily the best and most authentic performance of this song
She slayed "pretending". Magnificent performance, but I prefer Lea's rendition, personally.
Carlo Bautista, I think its even for me. Samantha and Lea...
No hate please..
I'm a little too late but same.
@@Tlh_ I believe having a preference is not hating. He just said it was a magnificent performance. I prefer yellow over pink. It doesn't mean I hate pink.
She's great & I love Samantha's most, BUT Frances is the most book accurate Eponine. I was surprised after reading the book to realise she was the only actress cast as Eponine with the slightly fading, throaty voice. She matches Eponine to a T, or is at least most accurate, that's just a fact.
Great build and pitch. I prefer more of an open vowel in pretending because it can feel a little squeezed. So much of her diction and tone sounds very 80s to me, which is apt for the time.
Always my favorite.
All my respect to the first eponine in eng. language
All my admiration to the 10th anniversary eponine who really gave me goosebumps
And all my support to the eponine of this generation (* v*)
The more I watch her portrayal, the more I realize her Eponine portrayal is more accurate and real. I love Lea Salonga and Samantha Barks’s voice, but book Eponine feels more like Frances. Nancy Sullivan (who I only saw on some youtube recordings, gives a similar vibe to Frances as well).
"The city goes to bed, and I can live inside my head."
When my sister and I were teenagers, we used to listen to this song and feel such a comradeship with it. There was an ex-cult sadness that we related to, with a deep need to feel love and comfort, yet buried deep inside of lonesomeness. This version will always have a special place in my heart.
#cult #cultchild #cultsurvivor #abusesurvivor #religiousabuse #cultabuse #sexualabuse #physicalabuse #cultchildbook
2024. 😍 Lea Solonga was great. Samantha Barks was Fantastic, but Frances IS Eponine. 😍 Man, I wish I could find an 1985 replay video.
Frankie was and will always be the perfect Eponine! I love Lea's clear beautiful voice, and Sam's strong voice, but they do not sound like the novel Eponine. Frankie has the shrill, "sailor voice" (quote from novel) and had a gruff sound to her voice the others don't. The directors saw her as the perfect Eponine and for that reason she was chosen out of hundreds of girls. She is too gorgeous to be the novel Eponine though. :)
In theater, they could have easily make her look uglier with makeup or props. But they didn't, because they need a beautiful girl on the stage.
A very endearing, yet heartbreaking Eponine, Frances Ruffelle is made to sing this song!!
The original and still the best. No production will ever match the orginal London production.
If Frances and the London cast is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea and other Broadway performers for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me
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electrictroy2010 Dream cast is a way to market it
That my friend depends on who's hearing it. We have our own different preferences.
The 10th Anniversary production was the best tbh
In my opinion, I like Frances Ruffelle best of all the Eponines I've heard.
This was the performance that introduced me to Les Mizz back in late 1985 - amazing & wonderful to see it again after all these years.
Frances looks so young & pretty and assured. She must have known she was on to a winner originating this English version of the song.
Perfect!
I like Frances Ruffelle, too. There is something in her voice... something vulnerable and sad. She is my favorite Éponine.
I love this performance. I'm always in tears all through Les Mis 😭
Nothing beats the original. She is EPONINE.
If Frances is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me
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@@electrictroy2010They chose her because they chose Les Mis actors from DIFFERENT productions. They already had Colm Wilkinson and Michael Ball for the original London cast. They have Judy Kuhn and Michael Maguire from broadway. They have Philip Quast from Australia. So they chose Lea for Asian representation plus to make Miss Saigon fans watch the concert. Plus in addition Frances Ruffelle was already in two audio recordings for Les Mis (original London cast recording and origibal broadway recording) so they have to choose someone else. Just because someone is chosen for the concert means the others not chosen are bad. By your logic you’re saying Nick Jonas is a better Marius than anyone else that have played him except Michael Ball. Lea is a great actress and singer and I admire her, but Frances not being chosen for the concert doesn’t mean she’s a bad Eponine. Besides, she played this role many times in London and Broadway and she won a tony for it. She performed it on some concerts too, just not recorded
I'm disgusted with myself. I claim to be a huge Les Mis fan, but until now the only Eponine's I had seen where Lea Salonga and Samantha Barks. This is perfection. My favourite voice of Eponine is probably still Lea Salonga, but Frances is definitely my favourite actress. She completely portrays the emotion that is needed for the part.
Frances's voice fits the prototype of Eponine introduced in the original French album by the two composers, so say what you may about subsequent interpretations, this "mousey" version of Eponine was as originally conceived.
I’ve tried to find this for ages! Such a relief that I’ve found this
Her voice is so beautiful
Her emotion is so real, and even though her voice is a little whiny, the song still sounds really good. She is just so unique in her portrayal, which is why she is my favorite Eponine.
The best Eponine of all time.
If Frances is the best why did the directors/creators choose Lea for the 10th anniversary “dream cast”. Answer: They preferred Lea and their opinion matters more to me
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@@electrictroy2010 oh, rubbish 2 LOL
electrictroy2010 dream cast is a way to market it lad
This is how it should be, quiet and vulnerable at the start and then properly belting at the end. I'm not sure why lately they seem to favor the versions where they yell the song right from the start! The build up is what makes it so emotional and real.
Frances is incredible. She has such a unique voice, and as for characterisation - well,.
ok so this is amazing, but y’all don’t have to bring lea down and other great performers
just so your opinion is “True”. I think that they have different emotions and different techniques and that’s what makes
them great and they all shouldn’t be compared by their qualities.
We’re not bringing Lea down, we’re just mentioning Frances feels more like book Eponine. Lea’s On My Own video also has full of comments mentioning her as the only Eponine just pure of her voice.
frances' version is absolutely haunting and heartbreaking....The best one imo....The only one that conveys enough emotion to bring me to tears 😭
And now I'm all alone again
Nowhere to go, no one to turn to
Without a home, without a friend
Without a face to say hello to
And now the night is near
and now I can make-believe he's here
Sometimes I walk alone at night
When everybody else is sleeping
I think of him and then I'm happy
With the company I'm keeping
The city goes to bed
And I can live inside my head
On my own, pretending he's beside me
All alone, I walk with him 'til morning
Without him, I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes and he has found me
In the rain, the pavement shines like silver
All the lights are misty in the river
in the darkness, the trees are full of starlight
And all I see is him and me, forever and forever
And I know, it's only in my mind
That I'm talking to myself, and not to him
And although, I know that he is blind
Still I say there's a way for us
I love him, but when the night is over
He is gone, the river's just a river
Without him, the world around me changes
The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers
I love him, but every day I'm learning
All my life, I've only been pretending
Without me, his world will go on turning
The world is full of happiness that I have never known
I love him
I love him
I love him
But only on my own
Awwe she's so vulnerable . I love Frances xx
The original y'all! Bow down. BUT.. I still prefer Lea's interpretation :)
I don't know why but her style of singing makes me imagine she's a girl in a movie singing solo on stage in a bar, late at night and it's almost closing time and people are just doing their thing but there's this one guy who notices her and the sorrow of her song. I personally prefer Lea Salonga's version but Ruffelle's version conjures that kind of image to me. Also, her style of singing makes her sound older than she really is somehow.
Karen Santos Ruffelle’s version is actually more appropriate for the character because that’s pretty much exactly what is happening to Eponine at that point in the story. She’s on her own, not surrounded by adoring fans. And it’s also appropriate for Eponine to sound older than she is because of her hard life. Lea makes me think more of Cosette than Eponine because of how crystalline her voice is.
Ihdc1 i’m 2 years late but we fucking get it you think lea shouldn’t have been eponine and you like frances better
I like the way she captures the Eponine I read in the book
she made the song not a belting song, so its was nice and simple. The other actors that played Eponine after her belted the notes, making it powerful but weakening the story of the song. I love this version, but I love Samantha Barks' version as well. I really want to see her on Broadway as Eponine...
She is amazing...
The original eponine... nothing beats the original...
If you liked this song and really like to cry look up”A Little Fall of Rain”. “On My Own” is performed after she delivers her friend Marius’ letter to the girl that he REALLY loves. As Eponine walks back to Marius she is fatally shot and dies in his arms. Take out your tissues.
That's exactly why I've always liked Ruffelle best as Eponine. To me, Eponine needs to sound more immature and childlike (than Cosette, that is) to emphasize her innocence and immaturity as she was so sick in love with Marius it was tragically pathetic (and sad). Frances' voice also, imo, helped the audience sympathize with her when she died as she was finally relieved from her angst as her unrequited love came to be, imo, almost more painful for her than her fatal wounds.
I love her as Eponine, she's my favorite. Her voice is so unique and it fits the character perfectly.
She is amazing. Such a great clip!
She's the og. She's the best one out there. I happen to really her soft voice, its lovely.No one can ever add up.
I don't know guys; honestly, I think Samantha Barks is the best of them. I think she most accurately portrays an Eponine that, despite her rough upbringing, has retained an innocence in her view of the world, and in her love for Marius. I think Frances portrayed a verson that was very worn from the world. I prefer the former personally, but I suppose it's a matter of preference.
I disagree. Lea simply owns.
+Andrew Monsalve none of the eponines portrayed her well, because in the book she was supposed to be hideous looking and hideous sounding.
Lea Salonga
Oh please barks did pathetically compared to this woman's celestial and angelic voice
believe me. if it wasn't for the brilliance of the original cast people would not be commenting lea or same. end of. I love Frances. the original and she's still a humble lovely person 💜
@Andrew Monsalve
Actually, according to the novel, eponine tried to get Marius killed so they could die together. I doubt that innocent describes her :P
Yeah. Her voice, the sad, pleading sound seems to reflect her waifish-ness. It's perfect for Eponine and provides further contrast between her and Cosette's operatic tones.
100% with you on Frances being my favourite. Back in the day I saw Les Mis 7 times or so, and she was a big part of the reason why - absolutely heartbreaking. I will always compare other 'Ponines to her.
Yes, Samantha Barks is in the movie. It was almost Lea Michelle! Thank god for small mercies!
Frances' voice has some quality that others can't mimic. I sort of like the innocent-nasally voice she brings to the song.
She is amazing! My favorite original version.
Her voice is hauntingly beautiful! Really embodies Eponine. I love so many other Eponines but really, the OG is special.
Lea’s is technically perfect and strong, but it doesn’t have that frailty and love lorn characteristic which makes you want to run up and protect Ponine. My hubby and I love Lea Salonga to bits but THIS this here, is still the best Eponine for both of us.
Frances will be the forever Eponine. Lea Salonga will forever own “On My Own.” .. and I am happy with that.
Love her
Her eyes sings more than her throat...
Totally a legend!
I am in love. bestill my FREAKING heart.
The book accurate Eponine 👌
I don't know why people hate her way of singing thsi song... From my point of view she is doing the perfect job of singing and speaking the song effectively and effortlessly without straining her voice. Lea and Barbra Streisand are the only ones that can match this while the rest are just screaming for nothing.
I'm not a huge fan of all of the sliding and such but I love how she portrays Eponine in this song ... she reminds me of a lost little girl, which is how I think Eponine sees herself sometimes (this is my opinion and how I view Eponine and I know that people won't agree)
The original and that was a beautiful performance, Lea's was a masterclass though.
The nuisance in her voice, her acting - as if she pops out from the pages of the novel. Hers is closest to Victor Hugo's Eponine. Super belting not really needed, the right emotion is enough.
I totally agree..... Frances has the perfect voice and she portrayed 'ponine well
She IS Eponine. Glorious
Frances was my first Eponine, so she's always been my favorite. But I like Lea Selonga and Sam Barks too.
She will always be THE Eponine for me. No other fits the role like her
I love Lea Salonga, I do. But people should give respect to the original Eponine which is Frances Ruffelle. Their interpretation of the song are very different but both are great. In my opinion, Lea is be better vocally but Frances is closer to the character. Plus this is Frances’s video expect people to defend her here