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Audio CD
WICKED
Publisher: Decca Broadway
Stephen Schwartz
Format: Cast Recording
WICKED, STARRING KRISTIN CHENOWETH, IDINA MENZEL AND JOEL GREY. Decca Broadway proudly presents the original cast recording of WICKED, Broadway's most talked about new musical. The box office is already over $10 Million! With a score by Stephen Schwartz (Broadway's Pippin, Godspell), libretto by Winnie Holzman (TV's My So-Called Life) and based on the best-selling novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical is a prequel to the legendary classic, THE WIZARD OF OZ. WICKED explores the early life of the witches of Oz: Glinda and Elphaba. One witch, born with emerald green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. WICKED stars Tony Award® winner Kristin Chenoweth (You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown) as Glinda, Idina Menzel (Rent) as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Tony® and Oscar® Winner Joel Grey (Cabaret) as The Wizard. The Original Cast Recording -- featuring an essay by Wicked novelist Gregory Maguire, original color photos from the show and a complete libretto.
One of the most common complaints about musicals is that the books are flimsy pretexts from which to hang numbers. Wicked runs into the opposite problem: it has a great plot, but too often the songs just get in the way. Based on Gregory Maguire's novel of the same name, Wicked tells us what happened between Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, before Dorothy showed up in Oz. And the show is lucky to boast a pair of ace leading women in the main roles. As Glinda, Kristin Chenoweth delivers a sensational star turn, displaying a crystal-pure voice and sharp comic timing; Idina Menzel lends her powerful pipes to the tricky role of Elphaba. Unfortunately, you wish they had better material to work with. Stephen Schwartz's pop score is often dragged down by overly synthetic orchestrations and sentimental lyrics (think Chicken Soup for the Witch). Still, at its best Wicked is a seductive slice of popular entertainment that could well give a younger audience a lasting taste for musical theater. --Elisabeth Vincentelli
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| Wickedly fantastic! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Just saw Wicked in Denver, CO at the Buell Theatre. I chose to see the show based on hearing a few of the songs at a chorus concert, I had not read the book. Sure, the CD is not like seeing the musical - Duh! However, this recording is wonderful. It helps me to remember the terrific time I had at the actual musical. I think that's the point of soundtracks. The music takes us back to the experience - and this CD does that for me. (I believe the performers in the traveling show I saw in Denver did just as good a job with the songs as the folks on this CD. So, if you're waffling about whether to see the traveling show or not - Just do it, you won't be disappointed.)
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| A great CD |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This is a wonderful CD if you have the opportunity to go and watch it do so.
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| WOW! I have a new obsession! |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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OK, I'm a 46 year old man that loves musicals. Any musical really, good and bad. I started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer after I watched the musical episode. Rent, Moulin Rouge, Across the Universe, The Wiz, Sound of Music, I could go on and on, so there's my background.
I knew very little about Wicked except that it was a Broadway play that was set in the Wizard of Oz universe. I never had read the novel or seen the play. I was browsing Mp3s in August 2008 and Amazon had the MP3 album on sale for $5. I listened to the previews and thought, 5 bucks, it's worth a listen. I instantly fell in love with the music, I'm talking listening to the album 3 or 4 times a day, which I have NEVER done with any music. The songs are great individually, but listening to the words you get the entire story of Galinda and Elphaba. Wonderful story which sheds a new light on these characters you've know since childhood. My obsession with the album went on for 2 months, REALLY, until I went to see the play in Atlanta, Ga. Great play, witty and fun, and of course the story was everything I had heard from this album. The album is the original Broadway cast. Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel are spectacular talents. They bring the story to life with their remarkable voices. I still get an emotional response to many of the lyrics and their delivery.
I was listening to my MP3 player on shuffle today, and "Popular" came up. The first thing I thought is I have to listen to the whole album again. That's probably what I'll be doing at lunch tomorrow.
If you want to see L. Frank Baum's OZ characters in a way you never though you would, buy and LISTEN to this album. Go see the play too. I've never laughed so much during a play, or thought I'd shed a tear for the Wicked Witch of the West.
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| Great show. Great music. |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This is wonderful music to go with a wonderful show. How could anyone not enjoy this?
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| Chenowith and Menzel set the score flying |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Two of the best female contemporary voices today are featured on this original cast soundtrack. Chenowith gives sparkle to Glinda the Good Witch's role while Menzel is a powerhouse delivering knockout after knockout as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch. In this mostly Pre-Dorothy story, we learn how the two witches met at school, became friends, and then broke apart.
Okay, admittedly the music is pithy and has a bit more pop sentiment than I'd like, but the two women manage to deliver their character to the songs that makes this soundtrack listenable long past the time you've seen the play and stopped wearing the t-shirt. "Defying Gravity" is definitely a new favorite song of mine and I suspect I will still be playing the soundtrack until the sequel "Son of a Witch" gets its Broadway debut.
Will you get as much out of the soundtrack if you have not seen the play? I don't think so. The memories for me add a lot more luster to the music, but I think you will still enjoy the soundtrack. At least, give the individual samples a listen and decide for yourself.
Rebecca Kyle, September 2009
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No One Mourns the Wicked - Cristy Candler
Dear Old Shiz
The Wizard and I - Idina Menzel
What Is This Feeling? - Kristin Chenoweth
Something Bad - William Youmans
Dancing Through Life - Michelle Federer
Popular - Kristin Chenoweth
I'm Not That Girl - Idina Menzel
One Short Day - Kristin Chenoweth
A Sentimental Man - Joel Grey
Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel
Thank Goodness - Kristin Chenoweth
Wonderful - Idina Menzel
I'm Not That Girl (Reprise) - Kristin Chenoweth
As Long as You're Mine - Norbert Leo Butz
No Good Deed - Idina Menzel
March of the Witch Hunters
For Good - Kristin Chenoweth
Finale - Kristin Chenoweth
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