Opera star Alfie Boe goes into 'special role' on Broadway

NEW YORK (AP) — That familiar feeling of being hunted has returned for Alfie Boe: He's about to be Broadway's latest Jean Valjean.

The English tenor takes over the part of Prisoner 24601 from Ramin Karimloo in "Les Miserables" on Tuesday, four years after Karimloo replaced him as Valjean in the West End.

"It's been a while but the role hasn't left me. He's still there," Boe said after a recent rehearsal. "My mind feels a little bit mashed at the moment but it'll come untangled, I'm sure."

Valjean is a special role for Boe, one that raised his profile when he sang it in 2010 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the musical.

"That was the moment that turned my career around," he said. "It's something that I'll respect for the rest of my career, something I hold very dear to my heart."

Boe is an unusual sort of opera star, one comfortable in a T-shirt, beard and leather jacket. He drives a Harley, loves Led Zeppelin and has been a drummer since he was 12.

He's no musical snob, either, enjoying an eclectic mix of styles. Growing up, music at family dinners would go from Pink Floyd to opera to Glen Miller.

Classically trained at the Royal Opera House, Boe was spotted by super-producer Cameron Mackintosh and invited to the "Les Miserables" anniversary concert in London in front of 28,000 people.

Boe delivered a stunning version of the song "Bring Him Home" but was so deep into the moment and the character that he blocked out the thundering applause.

Laurence Connor, who co-directed the "Les Miserables" now on Broadway with James Powell, said the concert was a "big leap" for Boe that led to a "new love."

Thanks to the exposure, Boe got a record deal and an arena tour of the UK. He would go on to sing for the Royal Variety Performance, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert and the Olympics. This year, he headlined a concert and album that symphonically reimagined The Who's "Quadrophenia."

Boe cemented his connection with "Les Miserables" by joining the West End production and came up with a clever way to keep himself channeling Valjean, who serves many years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread.

Boe kept his convict's brown muddy socks on throughout the show even after his character becomes a respected mayor. "It was silly little thing but it made sense for me," he said.

Might he do the same on Broadway?

"I don't know if I have socks this time," Boe said, laughing.