I WAS NOT READY! EPICA ft. Floor Jansen - Stabat Mater Dolorosa  

The most famous duet of those two is "Sancta Terra" from the same live show. A masterpiece in my opinion

Simone took the soprano spot and Floor sang the alto. No egos here. Good friends for 20+ years. Love how Floor acknowledges the conductor and the orchestra. Their voices mesh together so beautifully.

This beautiful song just shows how close some metal is much more closer to classical music. There is another beautiful song also with these two awesome ladies “Sancta Terra” It has a mix of classic and heavy elements and their voices are out of this world. Thanks Rosalie for adding what contribution the ancient classics have done for all of us. ❤

Two Dutch queens and the silent respect of a metal crowd

Well, now you've opened the Epica box. You know what you have to do. Consign to Oblivion, live at The Zenith in Paris would be a good place to start. Enjoy.

And that is how 2 Metal queens get metalfans quiet. You should try the other song they did from the same concert, Sancta Terra a little step in the way to real Epica songs….. you’re in for a big surprise going the Epica path

Amazing vocalists, classical music and symphonic Metal are always a good combination,.👋👋

Truly Beautiful. The level of respect shown by the audience was remarkable.

Mark Jansen and Floor were both in After Forever at the same time for a couple of years, and Simone Simons and Floor are besties... they were roomates when they were young and just learning their craft!

A beautiful song. They performed it flawlessly.

Important note: Simone was pregnant at this concert & had only recently learned it. I don't know if that influenced the choice of music, but, it's a sanctification of sorts. Epica hired the (expensive & magnificent) orchestra as a celebration of ten years as a band. They usually use backing tracks. So this was truly a one time performance.

One Christmas I spent with a German family. We attended a Christmas service .. all in German but I could follow the children playing Joseph, Mary, the manger etc. One thing I remember was when they were singing Stille Nacht .. and I was singing along in English and one of my German friends turns to me in surprise saying "You know the words!" .. I replied .. "Well .. we stole it from you!" :)

Giovanni Pergolesi died the day he finished writing Stabat Mater. You can sense that he knew it was coming and he put everything he had into making it perfect.

At the core of European Symphonic Metal is a classical structure. It’s unique and so attractive to my old (72) ears. Epica can go hard but also has some amazing beautiful ballads that you check out. Hopefully people will guide towards the softer stuff first.

One of the most famous of the classical religious tradition. This version is so good because of the emotion and story telling by two of the best in the business. Floor taking the majority of the Alto part was absolutely gorgeous as her tamber range allows her to support and enhance Simone's beautiful soprano. Because of her power Floor seldom gets enough credit for her ability to mold her singing to the required moment in the music. You almost have to go back to her early Aryeon background work to get a real feel. As that went on Arjen tended to feature her more so it is the early stuff you need to get that real feel.

The composition was by Giovanni Pergolesi, who wrote the music on his deathbed, dying of tuberculosis at the age of 26.

EPICA, the most symphonic of all symphonic metal bands, EPICA are simply incredible, just be aware that their music spans from breathtakingly beautiful to very heavy and every style in between, their catalogue of music is the most eclectic of any band that I have heard, one other thing that you will notice is that EPICA's lyrics almost always look at the positive side of even the darkest subject, overcoming adversity rather than the adversity itself

I looooooove this version so much!! Epica was my first concert ever,, they are AMAZING I personally really love their live version of their song Unleashed in Eindhoven!

Simone + Floor = Power Combo Nuff Said !!! NWSU/Epican. 🤘😎🤘.

Metal fans are one of the most intelligent and stable people there are, go to a metal concert and you will have a wonderful time all the people are just friendly and supporting, because they put their negative emotions into the music and that's it. Also making Metal music is more of a passion for the artists then a money-making machine. It is still considered a very niece market for a few outcasts metal heads by the big music industry. So most metal bands perform on a very high level because of the passion they put into the music, and that's why Metal is so diverse they experiment they are not out to make a quick buck or 2 where the song needs to follow a certain poppy character to make a hit. Although there are band who made the transition slowly towards the general public and more pop music. Because it is sometimes hard to go on tour and just earn just enough to get through the year. The Metal fans are used to all kinds of nuances in the metal music, and they can appreciate this. The Metal crown loves a good classic song by real singers, while for example walk away from a Justin Bieber song. Most Metal singers can really sing, although people who hear a scream or two think that they can't sing but are just screaming. While Metal singers can out sing, if there is such a thing,,, almost all pop singers. And for real Metal fan's, if they can feel the Music and experience emotions and enjoy it, then you really know it is good. Good Music is Good Music

Symphomic metal fans love beautiful music of all kinds. Especially when these 2 amazing women are singing.

Wait until you hear Floor sing O Holy Night in Finnish while pregnant!

No words but 💜💥🌺🎻🙏🏼

Hello, nice reaction, Floor and Simon are two friends and two Dutch Goddesses, greetings from Poland

Yes please, more Epica 😃

And Floor Jansen was the lead vocalist of After Forever ;D .... btw also a must see and listen to Symphonic Metal Band. Fantastic. And I am really excited seeing you reacting to EPICA. For me NW & Epica are my Yin & Yan of music. Simply the best. Love 'em.

Epica !!!! yes ! This "retrospect live" is great ! You can find in it a second duet with Floor: "Sancta terra" and the incredible "design your universe".

they sound so perfect together with there singin simone and floor used to share a flat together in there early days and ave been friends for yrs and still close friends to this day

Thank you for your respectful handling of the humanity behind music of all backgrounds! 💚

Lovely reaction. Epica and Nightwish are two of my favorite bands. Epica is Nightwish's darker, heavier cousin. They have some really great heavy songs, beautiful ballads, and some amazing acoustic pieces. I think a great introduction to more typical Epica is Unleashed from the same retrospect concert. One of my other favorites is Essence of Silence live from Brussels. For beautiful ballads I love Rivers and Once Upon a Nightmare from the Omega Alive livestream show and Tides of Time. A lovely acoustic piece is Omegacoustic. My newest favorite is their recently released Sirens-Of Blood and Water with Charlotte Wessels and Amalie Bruun of Myrkur as guest vocalists. It is the classical tale of the Little Mermaid but with a different, perhaps darker ending. Simone has also done a beautiful cover of Part of my World on her YT channel. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aau6nI04G9k.html. If Disney ever does a live action version of the Little Mermaid they need to have Simone play the part of Ariel.

So much talent on one stage and loving what they are doing. The "metal" audience was respectful (and in awe) of this song. Floor and Simone are long time girl friends (Floor was Simones vocal coach for a time). Many composers have written the music for this great piece and they chose one of the more popular ones. Pergolesi was dying from tuberculosis (27 years old) when he composed this one. He knew it would be his last composition. You can almost hear his pain in the long violin intro to this song. Floor was invited to do another duet with Simone during this same concert along with the Epica Band. Hold on to your seat for this one. "Sancta Terra" is a great piece combining the vocals, the metal band, the orchestra, and the choir. According to Tuomas from Nightwish, if the classical composers had electricity. All classical music would be heavy metal.

Rosalie, Epica is epic.This 3 hours concert is a must with symphony orchestra and great choir. Floor is also in Sancta Terra from this concert Retrospect. Besides, there is a lot of music from Epica . Special moment is Rivers a capella from last year. But all over listening to Epica....fasten your seatbelt is recommended. Carry on please! Greetings from The Netherlands.

Epica is going to be an exciting journey for you Rosalie, full of many contrasts.

There is also another great duet by Dutch metal women, Somewhere by Sharon den Adel (Whitin Temptation) ft Anneke van Giersbergen. Anneke was the reason that Floor started in metal ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rGU461yUIu0.html

That was beautiful. They're both very talented ladies. Another song from this concert in which they also feature Floor Jansen is "Epica - Sancta Terra (feat Floor Jansen) Live Retrospect show". You should check it out or even better react to it. LINK: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cx22Yuj2nzg.html

They are best friends from since 5hey were school age.

i have heard this so many times - epica is one of my most favorite bands - this performance is must so amazing

I am very convinced you will love Epicas metal ballad called "Once upon a nightmare". No growls and very beautiful composition. The covid-live stream version from omega alive is amazing. Beautiful camerawork and it punches you in the feels for sure.

Epica forever and ever!! Check out "EPICA - KINGDOM OF HEAVEN PT 3 - (OMEGA ALIVE) (OFFICIAL VIDEO)" You will be blown away! It is such a mind blowing ride!

Rosalie you have to listen and react Epica with her Album Omega it is worth to listen 🤘🤘

Epica is The Shymophonic Metal Band .....more plz

I hope Sancta Terra by Epica ft. Floor is on the bucket list, because it would be a shame to miss one of the most epic songs ever performed.

Perfection

Very resourceful comment, with inviting expressions.

Simone Simons have been friends since their teens. I suspect that they sang this song together a lot in earlier days.

Simone & "Floortje" are so adorable together here🥰

This was at the Retrospect 10th anniversary show in 2013, Simone was about 3 months pregnant at this 3 hour show. Their 20th anniversary show was just held in September. Mark does the harsh vocals. As with Nightwish ,they are great live. To check out the full band, try The Skeleton Key or Kingdom of Heaven Pt 3 from the Omega Alive show, or Consign to Oblivion or Beyond the Matrix ,live at the Zenith in Paris.

As others have said, they're friends and there are one or two goofy videos out there of them practicing together. An interesting sidebar, After Forever was Floor Jansen's first band when Mark Jansen (no relation) was also in the band. After Forever produced some excellent music that is well worth the listen. There's a bunch of good Dutch bands in this genre worth checking out: After Forever and ReVamp (Floor's bands), Within Temptation, Delain, The Gathering, Ayreon, MaYan, and others that are worth the look. Ayreon (or Star One, same thing) is a Dutch project lead by Arjen Lucassen. He puts together a collection of artists to produce some outstanding music. You'll see a lot of familiar faces popping up in his music. "The Day the World Breaks Down" ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oFuMKdrzPqU.html Onto our side of the pond, check out Unleash the Archers "Awakening" for a (mostly) power metal experience: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gqUPGa15Oto.html

Hi Rosalie, New subscriber! Now you’ve seen what Floor and her best friend Simone are capable of, it’s mind blowing isn’t it! Bear it in mind Simone was 3/4 months pregnant here so wasn’t at her best! As regards Epica I think that you will have a most enjoyable experience watching them, they are somewhat like Nightwish but a bit heavier. Have fun and most of all enjoy!

Wonderful reaction to this beautiful composition. I love performances like this because it shows that most metalheads are secretly big softies. ;) Thanks for sharing with us! I'm sure you'll get tons of Epica suggestions so I won't bother. Excited to see more!

It was beautiful. The two harmonise very great together. Love your content. I noticed that Germany is missing in your Playlist. 😅 Try out Blind Guardian. They are a german metal band. I recommend Bards Song & Valhalla from Wacken 2016 live. Keep up the good work.

Epica has been known to have moments like this in their concerts. They also start many of their albums out with an orchestral song.

This concert was fully recorded. And before Simone came on stage. There was an album worth of classical songs played in the pre show live. Everyone was enjoying it.

I also concur!🙏🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Epica suggestions from this Retrospect concert: Chasing The Dragon Unleashed Design Your Universe All stellar performances by Simone!

The beauty of their voices and this arrangement brings me to tears every time.

Great reaction to beautiful song! Thank you Rosalie.

I love this one!!

I was hoping you'd get to this! Simone is a good friend of Floor's, and as you heard has an EXQUISITE voice as well. It still stuns me this was in the middle of a metal concert; and how well it was received. It's like the crowd was all "Wait...did that just happen?!?!?"

To dive in Epica's music will take you in another wonderful rabbit hole. May I suggest to discover them with "Consign to Oblivion", especially the version live in Paris (Zenith venue)

Great reaction and thank you for doing it. One thing that used to irk me when I was younger (25+ years ago) was being labeled "uncultured" because I was a metalhead. Yet my group of friends and I had season tickets to the local symphony and often went to local opera productions for years. For many of us, we are musically well rounded and have a huge appreciation for classical music. Some of us, myself included, also have classical musical training (flute and cello for me). And performances like this, smack in the middle of a metal concert, prove the label "uncultured" otherwise.

I Think you will love Epica live Retrospect the song called "Design Your Own Universe"

Wonderful

FunFact: Epica aren't the only symphonic metal band to perform accompanied by an orchestra: Within Temptation and Metropole Orchestra - Mother Earth (Black Symphony HD 1080p) VISIONS OF ATLANTIS - Heroes of the Dawn (Live) (Official Video) | Napalm Records Who isn't made is Nightwish. Floor said in an interview that there are more mistakes when there are more people on stage. Nightwish didn't want to risk that until now.

The range of floor.

I can't wait until you will explore the biggest rabbit hole you can find. AYREON! A rabbit hole you'll never climb out again. Not because you can't. Because you didn't want. Let's start with Ayreon - Valley of the Queen's - LIVE - from Ayreon - Universe. And with three beautiful Ladies. Called : The Ayreon Angeles!🥰 "Everybody Dies" please next. I guess that's a great way to start your experience with this Project called Ayreon. The biggest rabbit hole of all time!

Listening to Floor singing this song always reminds me of a classical singer eactor\Nightwish fan who once said very emphatically, that Floor did not sang opera, although she did used a classical style from time to time, and songs like this make me wonder: how the hell is this not considered opera? Floor and Simone (singer of Epica) have sucb a beautiful friendship, and very special chemistry on stage, another song from this same concert would be Sancta Terra, highly recommended, if you haven't reacted to it yet

this one gets me in the feels every time also I would HIGHLY recommend "once upon a nightmare" by Epica, probably my favorite ballad from them & would recommend the studio version first, it's far superior 🎶🥰

Stunning; thanks, Rosalie!

More Epica! Serenade of Self-Destruction

Simone and Floor are incredible

After Forever is also great to explore! I would recommend Energize Me

All those characters you mentioned in the beginning of the video are the possible authors of the lyrics, the poem itself. The music is known to have been written by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi in the XVIII century

Como eu amo minha língua latinae 😊

Thank you for such a insightful and articulate view on this interpretation.

Don' t forget : This Song was singing in a Metal Concert from Epica

"Sancta Terra" from the same live showv ☝☝🤘🤘🤘🤘

Epica and Floor Sancta Terra live - Synchronised windmilling

I think you'll really love Sancta Terra! What always blows me away is how visible their friendship is when they sing together. Thanks for this wonderful reaction!

If you want to hear Simone singing high notes, check out her official music video singing "Rivers" 🤗

Totally Metal, dude!!!

I'm starting to think you're peeping my to-record list :p. Another amazing moment.

Always amazing to hear these two together, made all the more impressive by the fact Simone was 3 months pregnant at this stage.

Floor Jansen was a member of After Forever

I read about Simone that she was aiming to be a pop artist but then Nightwish released "Oceanborn" in 1998 and when she heard Tarja she changed to classical music scool instead.

I've seen many suggesting 'Sancta Terra', mostly because it is another duet with Floor. I would suggest however 'Unleashed' from this same concert. It is a beautiful mix of modern music with classical influences performed by Epica with this same orchestra and full choir. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-rxd6sxLxdys.html

Of course many people here suggest checking out Sancta Terra which is certain a great song and the performance with Floor on this concert is very special. However for Epica standards, it is a very simple song. So let me suggest the less trodden path and suggest "The Holographic Principle". It's probably Epica's most symphonic piece and certainly a masterpiece. Unofortunately, there is no high quality live version, so the best version to check out is the following nice lyrics video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CYlQJ_t2iks.html

The versatility of Floor Jansen is incredible! I recommend listening to Ayreon - Valley Of The Queens (Ayreon Universe)

Hello Roselie, speaking of psychology and being in the shoes of the writer. The verses are from the 13th century as you said in your introduction. The music, however, is by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736) and he wrote it literally in the last weeks of his life. He was dying and he knew it (tuberculosis), that's why the strings at the beginning of the piece are so melancholy!

Awesome reaction today I liked this ride today and I dont think there is any way to be ready for this because it is so crazy and well done I enjoyed this the first second and third time and now fourth time hearing it is so big and sounds so good anyways glad you did this one. as alwasy your ride or die forever Eyy Ooo

Simone calls her Floortje (diminutive form) at the end, showing that they’re good friends.

When Floor left the stage during Ghost Love Score, she went through a portal and came over here. Floor's amazing like that! Check out KZ from the Philippines - either of her performances of Rolling in the Deep - Wish Bus or The Singer. I like The Singer, because you can also see her perform on stage, but both are amazing. Anything she does really.

Most symphonic and progressive rock and metal fans love a good piece of classical music. Bands often start with a classical music as intro. The i in Simons is pronounced the same as the i in Simone

Good to know : the founder of Epica, Mark Jansen, left After Forever, where the leadsinger was ... Floor!

For sure!!! Sancta Terra!!!

I’m really enjoying your reactions. It’s so refreshing to see a reactor who is open minded and willing to stray from their comfort zone and to give unfamiliar musical genres a fair & honest listen. To see reactors break the bonds of previous biases & to embrace the musical talent of these artists is a wonderful thing to watch. I’ve found a lot of reactors with a religious upbringing are hesitant to give “Metal” a fair shake and refuse to see anything more than🤘. I just feel they are missing out on a beautiful journey, especially when it comes to Nightwish. Keep up the great work! You have a lot to look forward to on your journey including this magical & hauntingly beautiful & harmonious performance by Floor, Anneke & Marcela. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TbebO5BZi-I.html

Ready to serve my Queen here..... whats up!?

Two important notes: * It's nice to hear the history of the text of this hymn, but there have apparently been several melodies composed for the same text. This melody was written by Pergolesi, just weeks before he died at the age of 26. * I think both Simone and Floor are non-religious.

Respect from the Metal audience, quiet as a mouse... The clear tone of Simone gives goosebumps, Floor weaves in and out supporting her expectant friend, bows to the conductor and orchestra.

Epica is such an underrated but epic band in their genre. If you want to hear the essence of Epica try the Kingdom of heaven, Unleashed and Design your universe. Believe me its worth the time😉