To love another person is to see the face of God.
This has always been my favourite quote from Les Misérables. But after watching The Arena Spectacular in Singapore, it became clear that it has gone beyond being a mere line. It forms the very heart of the story.
Image courtesy of Danny Kaan
I’ve loved the musical for years, and have eagerly soaked up almost every performance I could find online, along with the 2012 Tom Hooper film.
But the Gala Night on 26 March was my first time experiencing it live, and nothing quite prepared me for how differently it would land.
There’s something about hearing songs you’ve had on repeat for years performed in real time, voices rising and filling the space around you, that transforms the experience.
Going in, I thought I knew what to expect. I knew the plot, the characters, the emotional beats.
He told me that I have a soul. How does he know?
But the moment Gerónimo Rauch sang this line in Jean Valjean’s soliloquy, I genuinely felt chills. Not just because of the vocals, but because of what that moment represents: a man who has been treated as nothing, finally being seen as human.
That’s what makes Les Misérables so powerful to me. The divine isn’t found in miracles, but in kindness, forgiveness, and second chances, embodied through the human heart.
Image courtesy of Michael Le Poer Trench
Set against the unrest of revolutionary France, the narrative is driven by richly layered characters, including the morally rigid Javert and the tragic Fantine, each wrestling with justice, love, and survival.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Éponine, and seeing her live, portrayed by Singaporean Nathania Ong, only deepened that.
Image courtesy of Johan Persson
There’s something achingly real about her, loving someone who will never return your feelings in the way you hope, and still choosing to stay.
It’s a feeling many can relate to, whether in modern-day Singapore or 19th-century France. And knowing how her story ends makes every moment feel heavier, more fragile.
Then there’s Fantine. ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ has long been a favourite of mine, especially Anne Hathaway’s devastating rendition in the 2012 film, which set an almost impossible standard in my book.
Until I heard it live at The Arena Spectacular.
Na-Young Jeon’s performance far surpassed my expectations and tugged at every heartstring. I’m not afraid to admit I was left in tears by the end of her solo.
Image courtesy of Les Misérables Korea
Another unexpected standout was ‘Stars’. I’d always appreciated it, but after seeing it live, it became a new favourite. There was something almost unsettling about it, and I mean that in the best way.
Image courtesy of Johan Persson
Much of that came down to Jeremy Secomb’s Javert, who carried an intensity that was hard to ignore.
At one point, I caught myself feeling genuinely a little afraid of him, which only made the performance all the more compelling.
Beyond the performances themselves, I felt incredibly lucky to be watching Les Misérables live, but even more so with such a talented and diverse cast. And a really large one at that.
The Arena Spectacular brings together over 65 cast and orchestra members, delivering a scaled-up version of the beloved musical while still preserving its emotional core.
Watching Lea Salonga as Madame Thénardier was, without a doubt, a surreal moment. Did I really just watch the Tony Award-winning Filipino theatre icon perform right in front of me?
Image courtesy of Danny Kaan
She is joined by Singapore’s Ong as Éponine, as well as Malaysian performer Abel Law in the ensemble, making the experience feel even closer to home.
There was something especially meaningful about seeing regional talent represented on a stage like this. I found myself feeling a surge of pride, watching them reach new heights in international theatre and hoping this is just the beginning of many more to come.
Another thing that stood out to me was just how stripped-back the production was.
If you’ve seen other live stagings of Les Misérables, this feels noticeably different. The Arena Spectacular does away with elaborate sets, which means no towering barricades or intricate scene changes.
Instead, it leans on a tiered movable platform, a visible orchestra, and performers stepping forward to sing their stories.
Image courtesy of Danny Kaan
At first, I thought I might miss the visuals I was used to, but honestly, I didn’t.
If anything, it made everything feel more intimate. With nothing else to focus on, you’re drawn completely into the music, the lyrics, and the emotions behind them. Every note feels more deliberate, every expression more visible.
And because the songs are so central to Les Misérables, this stripped-back approach doesn’t feel like a compromise at all. In fact, it sort of feels like an acoustic set: pared down, but all the more powerful for it.
But even without this fresh staging, Les Misérables still feels painfully relevant after all these years.
Image courtesy of Danny Kaan
It asks questions that don’t have easy answers: about justice, forgiveness, love, and whether people are truly capable of change.
But more than anything, watching it live reminded me why I keep coming back to this story.
Because beneath all the tragedy, there’s still hope. And sometimes, that hope comes in the simplest form: choosing to be kind, choosing to forgive, choosing to love anyway.
Catch Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular at Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands until 10 May 2026, with evening shows at 8pm from Tuesdays to Fridays, matinee and evening performances at 2pm and 8pm on Saturdays, and 1pm and 6.30pm shows on Sundays. Tickets are available via Marina Bay Sands, SISTIC, and Klook.
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Featured image courtesy of Danny Kanan and Johan Persson.