Claude Michael Schoenberg

Claude-Michel Shönberg and Alain Boublil are the men behind at least two of the 20th century's most powerful musical juggernauts: Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. Les Mis debuted in Paris in the late 1970s and found its way to London by 1985, but it was only when it hit Broadway that Americans really took notice. Two Tony awards and one Grammy later, and Les Mis is ubiquitous. Drawn from the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, the tale of unjust imprisonment and class stratification is as relevant now as it was in 19th century France. Miss Saigon similarly takes on a weighty topic, transforming the "Madame Butterfly" tale by placing it in Vietnam during the final days of the Vietnam war. Shönberg and Boublil are known for their wit and rock-influenced compositional style – no doubt a huge reason for their mainstream success.