Guest Craig Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Click Image to goto the source website Computer to replace Les Mis musiciansBy Jack Malvern, Arts ReporterHALF the orchestra for Les Misrables is to be replaced with a computer. Sir Cameron Mackintosh will cut 11 members of the 22-strong orchestra when the production transfers to a smaller theatre on March 27. Despite vehement opposition from its members, the Musicians Union conceded yesterday that the Sinfonia machine also known as a virtual orchestra was necessary for the production to continue. The US-made computer, which can simulate 300 instruments, will save Sir Cameron thousands in musicians fees each week. After an initial payment of up to 27,000 for the Sinfonia, its weekly running cost is 1,400 compared with 6,644 for 11 musicians. After set-up costs have been met, Sir Cameron could save 270,000 a year. There are no plans to reduce the ticket price. It is the first time a virtual orchestra has been used in a professional production in Britain. Cameron Mackintosh Ltd released a statement yesterday stating that it had the agreement of the union for the shows transfer from the 1,400-seat Palace Theatre to the 990-seat Queens Theatre. It said: The 11 musicians from the Les Misrables orchestra, which is the maximum that can be accommodated in the Queens orchestra pit, have accepted and signed contracts to move with this production. Horace Trubridge, assistant general secretary of the union, said that the Sinfonia would remove the beating heart of the production, but conceded that he could not prevent its use. What we are trying to negotiate is to ensure the device will be used to replace the minimum number of musicians, he said. He did not know how he could prevent other productions from following the precedent set by Sir Cameron. In ten days time the union will report back to West End musicians on a meeting with Sir Cameron; the musicians will then decide whether to take industrial action or measures such as urging theatregoers to boycott the show. Cameron Mackintosh Ltd said any saving in fees would be outweighed by the costs of moving the production and the theatre being smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Philip Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 The end is nigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Craig Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Originally posted by Philip:The end is nigh Step 2 - Bring in the robots.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF Scott Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 the more computers the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Philip Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Originally posted by CliveRavensby:the more computers the better. What did you say!You got to keep the flautist though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Craig Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Computers in music are not a bad thing...but replacing an instrument like that...just isn't right...in my very humble opinions of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Philip Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 I like it when people/bands combine the two... when they use the computer as an instrument in it's own right as opposed to just emulating the sound of something else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Craig Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 Originally posted by Philip:I like it when people/bands combine the two... when they use the computer as an instrument in it's own right as opposed to just emulating the sound of something else! yeh same here...Music is music...a trumpet is a trumpet...a cello is a cello...a computer is a computer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RF Scott Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 You got to keep the flautist though! Philip, yes, i would keep the flautist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torn Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 (ever so slightly off topic) Is anyone going to see Les Mis when it's in Aberdeen in march? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kus of the Valley Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 After an initial burst of enthusiasm, I realised you meant the ILLEGAL AYMT production. I'll go just to see how bad it is...!And re the computer thing, as long as the London production continues I'm quite happy, although obviously, it's a bit duff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 Originally posted by torn:(ever so slightly off topic) Is anyone going to see Les Mis when it's in Aberdeen in march? Is it coming? i've wanted to see that for AGES! And fuck computers you just can't replace instruments with a computer! The music for Les Mis is so pretty as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundian Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 Was there not a strike by broadway musicians recently over the same thing. Phillip, flutes are one of the easiest things to synthesize, you'd be first in line for a P45. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torn Posted February 15, 2004 Report Share Posted February 15, 2004 Yeah but they must have caved in the realisation they jsut weren't going to win due to the size of the theartre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundian Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Originally posted by torn:Yeah but they must have caved in the realisation they jsut weren't going to win due to the size of the theartre. Before they had the capability to sack half the people, they wouldn't move to a theatre that small, or they would rip out some stall seats and deal with the orchestra that way. How it costs 1600 a week to run a computer confuses me as well. I prefer the little idiosyncracies of live performersl, fuck sake it's a live musical. Buy the CD if you want perfection. Boycott the show. That's omly my opinion though, accountants may see it differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Neubeatz Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Well I sacked the band and replaced them with a computer years ago, just shows that Data Thieves are always a step ahead....Rockin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Philip Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Originally posted by Dag'n'Mandy:Well I sacked the band and replaced them with a computer years ago, just shows that Data Thieves are always a step ahead....Rockin'! Hehe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Philip Posted February 16, 2004 Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Originally posted by soundian: Phillip, flutes are one of the easiest things to synthesize, you'd be first in line for a P45. It may come close, but...Try and find a flute emulation/syntheziser that sounds like 'Roland Kirk' then Judas, pfft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennydee Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 After an initial burst of enthusiasm, I realised you meant the ILLEGAL AYMT production. I'll go just to see how bad it is...!I know I'm a little bit late but wondered how you knew that the show was illegal?and did you go? and was it bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kus of the Valley Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Christ, this thread is VERY old. Les Mis was released late 2003 for schools productions. The AYMT used a loophole in the release contract to get away with doing it for a youth theatre group, and not as a school project. The schools release was presumeably so that only school productions could be done on a relatively small scale, and not so an amateur musical company could do it, and make lots of money out of it. Which I imagine AYMT did (although the set was AMAZING, and must have cost a packet). Just after AYMT got permission to perform it, the release contract was changed and the loophole closed. It wasn't really illegal, I suppose, I was just taking the piss.And I did go and see it, twice (second ticket very difficult to get hold of since it sold out very quickly), and it was bloody brilliant. I wept just as much as I did the first time I saw the professional version. The set was stunning and the cast, although young, did an amazing job. The only shame was that the schools version had some songs removed, such as my favourite, The Confrontation (when Valjean and Javert sing in counterpoint just after Fantine's death), presumably because they would be just a little to tough for a school production.Anymore question? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tam o' Shantie Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Anymore question?Yeah, what colour of socks were you wearing on this day 7 months ago? And breakfast - what did you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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