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The deceased Herbert Kretzmer, who penned the English libretto for the famous musical, believed he was insufficiently recognized for adapting the original French musical into the extremely successful English-language version, correspondence have disclosed.

They were found in the archive of Kretzmer, who passed away in 2020 at 95 years old, after it was given to the university's collection.

A message that Kretzmer penned to theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh in 1987 discussed "unpleasant actions taken by others to reduce my credit and work".

"I believe it will make things clear if I explain, for the first and I hope only time, the straight and verifiable truth about the writing of the English adaptation of Les Miserables," he wrote.

"Few individuals have had the possibility to examine my English adaptation, page for page with the French source material.

"Therefore allow me, as succinctly as I can, emphasize the proof for declaring that, in terms of the precise text now being delivered nightly in New York and London, there is hardly any indeed that can be described as direct translation.

"Les Miserables in English is essentially a fresh, rewritten show."

He characterized it as "a mass of work that is so totally reconceived and rewritten that there is no longer significant resemblance between my words and the original French version."

"I'm sorry that this letter has to be created at all, but in view of the disagreeable steps taken by others to diminish my credit and input, I must highlight that Les Miserables is not a show translated or revised, but a show revitalized," he commented.

Text alterations discovered

The researcher, special collections assistant at Cambridge University Library, helped to catalogue the musical parts of the archive.

She identified many modifications in Kretzmer's updated manuscript of the production, including modifying "common" to "angry" in the song Do You Hear The People Sing?

The tune, which has been chanted in protests internationally, begins: "Do you hear the people sing?/ Singing the song of angry men."

The collection also discloses how Kretzmer experimented with several alternative words originally, including "courageous" and "fearless", before choosing "angry".

Papers also show that the tune Stars was in jeopardy of being eliminated, before pressure from Kretzmer and others to keep it, stating: "We need to entirely disassociate ourselves from the choice to eliminate Stars. We disagree that the production is compromised by the presence of this song."

Kretzmer's widow, Sybil, stated: "The reputation of the institution demonstrates the influence and influence of Herbert's achievements, and we are confident the collection will be preserved by the Library and live on for posterity, just like the musical itself."

Further Discoveries

The archive also contains a 1985 memo about auditions, which reveals Brian Blessed was one of the actors discussed for parts in the initial production, indicating he "has been working intensively on his voice, and has made significant advancements".

It also notes Fiddler On The Roof actor Chaim Topol and the horror film star Max von Sydow "should, be able to travel to London... to discuss the characters of Jean Valjean and the inspector".

The archive also contains messages from huge names including actors Frank Sinatra and Peter Sellers, and pictures taken by director Stanley Kubrick, together with Kretzmer's cuttings from his newspaper work and his theatre career.

The South African-born British lyricist also penned the words to the 1960 song Goodness Gracious Me, brought to prominence by Sellers and Sophia Loren. He also collaborated with artist from France Charles Aznavour on his 1974 hit She.