Les Misérables Lyricist Herbert Kretzmer Felt Undersung, Archive Reveals
A newly unearthed archive of correspondence from Herbert Kretzmer, the celebrated lyricist behind the English adaptation of the global musical phenomenon Les Misérables, reveals a persistent feeling of being undersung and a frustration that his significant creative contribution was often overlooked. Kretzmer, who passed away in 2020, believed his English lyrics were far more than a mere translation, describing them as "virtually a new, rewritten show" compared to the original French libretto.
The extensive collection, now being processed by researchers, includes letters, drafts, and personal notes that shed light on Kretzmer's decades-long work on the musical that has captivated audiences worldwide since its West End premiere in 1985. While his name is synonymous with the iconic songs like "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," and "Bring Him Home," these documents suggest a simmering resentment over the extent to which his role was fully acknowledged.
A "Virtually New, Rewritten Show"
Kretzmer's own words, found in a series of letters to producers and collaborators, paint a vivid picture of the immense task he undertook. He wasn't simply translating Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's French lyrics; he was tasked with capturing the emotional essence, narrative arc, and dramatic weight of Victor Hugo's epic novel for an English-speaking audience. This involved significant reinterpretation, adaptation, and, at times, complete reinvention of the original text.
In one particularly poignant letter from the late 1980s, Kretzmer wrote, "It's a common misconception that translation is a simple matter of finding equivalent words. With Les Misérables, the challenge was to imbue the songs with a resonance that spoke directly to the English psyche. I had to find new rhymes, new rhythms, and often, new narrative thrusts to make it work. It was, in essence, a new creation."
This sentiment echoes across numerous documents, where Kretzmer meticulously details his creative process. He often grappled with finding the perfect phrasing to convey complex emotions or to make the storytelling flow seamlessly in English. He wasn't just a wordsmith; he was a dramatist, a poet, and a keen observer of human nature, all of which were essential to the success of the musical's English version.
The archive reveals Kretzmer's meticulous attention to detail, not just in the lyrics themselves but also in the subtle nuances of performance. He often provided extensive notes on how certain lines should be sung, what emotional subtext should be conveyed, and how the pacing of a song could enhance its dramatic impact. This level of involvement went far beyond that of a typical translator.
The Shadow of the Original
The success of Les Misérables has, paradoxically, sometimes overshadowed the individual contributions of those who brought it to the English-speaking world. While Boublil and Schönberg are rightly celebrated as the composers and original lyricists, Kretzmer's vital role in adapting their work for a global audience may have been less widely understood.
In a draft of an interview he never gave, Kretzmer mused, "People hear the music, they see the spectacle, and they assume it's all just a direct lift from Paris. But the heart of the show, the way it connects with people on such a deep emotional level in English, that's where the adaptation truly lies. I often felt like the unsung hero, the craftsman who built the bridge between two cultures."
This feeling of being in the shadow of the original creation is a common lament among successful adaptors and translators in the performing arts. The sheer scale and impact of Les Misérables meant that its global recognition was immense, but the specific contributions of Kretzmer, while acknowledged by those in the industry, might not have filtered down to the wider public.
A Legacy of Words
The archive offers a compelling counter-narrative to any perception of Kretzmer as merely a conduit for French lyrics. His drafts show numerous iterations of lines, with alternative rhymes and phrasing scrawled in the margins. This wasn't just about finding the right word; it was about finding the right *feeling*, the right *impact*.
For instance, his work on "I Dreamed a Dream" involved transforming a more straightforward French lament into a deeply personal and universally relatable expression of lost hope and disillusionment. The subtle shifts in imagery and the powerful emotional arc of the English lyrics are a testament to Kretzmer's genius.
"He was a brilliant lyricist in his own right," commented theatre historian Dr. Eleanor Vance, who is involved in cataloging the Kretzmer archive. "His adaptation of Les Misérables is a masterclass in how to translate not just words, but emotions, cultural nuances, and dramatic intent. The archive confirms what many in the theatre world have long suspected: Kretzmer’s contribution was foundational to the show’s enduring appeal in the English-speaking world."
The revelation from the Kretzmer archive serves as a crucial reminder of the complex and often underappreciated work that goes into bringing international artistic successes to new audiences. It highlights the skill, dedication, and creative vision required to adapt a beloved work, ensuring its continued power and resonance for generations to come. Herbert Kretzmer's words, it seems, deserve a more prominent place in the annals of musical theatre history.
Keywords: Herbert Kretzmer, Les Misérables, musical theatre, lyrics, adaptation, translation, archive, West End, Broadway, Victor Hugo, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, theatre history, creative contribution, recognition, unsung hero.
You must be logged in to post a comment.