Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast)

Amazon.com

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

Product Description

Decca Broadway proudly presents the original Cast Recording of Wicked, Broadway's most talked about new musical. With a score by Stephen Schwartz liberto by Winnie Holzman and based on the best selling novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical is a prequel to the legendary classic, the Wizard of Oz.

Review

"the Decca Broadway CD is the fastest-selling cast recording since "Rent," having sold nearly 250,000 copies since being released" -- MICHAEL KUCHWARA Associated Press, ISBN13: B0000TB01Y ISBN10: B0000TB01Y Material Type: audioCD