Herbert Kretzmer, who wrote the English libretto for the famous musical Les Misérables, felt that his contributions to the work were not sufficiently appreciated. Letters from Kretzmer, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 95, have come to light in his archives donated to the Cambridge University Library.
In a letter he wrote to producer Cameron Mackintosh in 1987, Kretzmer stated, “There have been unpleasant attempts to belittle my contribution,” emphasizing that the English version was not a simple translation but a “reborn work.” According to him, there were “very few similarities” between the original libretto in Paris and the versions staged in London and New York. The archive contains not only Kretzmer’s letters of defense, but also correspondence from figures such as Frank Sinatra and Peter Sellers, photographs taken by Stanley Kubrick, and backstage notes. One interesting detail is that the word “angry” in the song “Do You Hear The People Sing?” was initially chosen from different options such as “valiant” and “fearless.” Kretzmer’s struggle against the removal of the song “Stars” from the musical is also documented. Thanks to his and his team’s efforts, the song was preserved and is still considered one of the musical’s strongest pieces today. His wife, Sybil Kretzmer, said, “The prestige of Cambridge University reflects the impact and enduring legacy of Herbert’s works. Les Misérables will live on for generations to come.”
