Now I must admit that I've never seen the play Wicked but from all the buzz it has been getting in the last few years I have become addicted to the song Defying Gravity. I've head it as it was performed by Idina Menzel (who is married to a hottie Taye Diggs). But I must admit that even though she has a good voice it does crack at the end in all of the video post that I've seen of her performing this song (still a great performance however). But as I was searching through YouTube I happened to come upon another performance of this song performed by Shoshana Bean. I must admit when I heard her sing the song it sent sort of a warm feeling through my body. I wish I could combine the two performance. I'll have Idina do the acting part and Shoshana do the sing then it would be perfect. But I'll like to get you opinion on which actress you like the best. So for your pleasure today I've posted the two best versions of them both performing Defying Gravity.
Idina Menzel
Shoshana Bean
Sep 4, 2007
Wicked showdown
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For me there is no comparison. Idina is Elphaba! I have seen Idina live @ the Gershwin three times in 2004 and at several circuit parties of late. She never failed to deliver incredibly passionate and powerful performances. The recording you have is a command performance for the Queen in London. She probably had already done a full week of shows and that would have been her day off so her voice should have been tired. Even with the crack it still conveys the passion and dramatic performance value. The flaw with the London cast in my opinion was Glinda not Elphaba. When we saw the London show in January Glinda was tragically bad.
Remember, Maria Callas was known not for her voice as much as she was known for her command of the role and the drama and passion she brought to the acting of the operatic characters. Callas is now the icon, the standard, all singers try to emulate. In my opinion performance art has to be more than just a pretty voice. If you ask me.
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