The part where Andrey appears on the stage opening and reading her letters makes me really emotional for some reason. The profound ache and longing in that moment is enhanced beautifully by the lighting and her subtle movements... it just gets to me. I'm so glad there's footage of this song because I never would've known the beauty of how this scene is acted!!!
Andrey being in some way present in this song has such an impact on its already profound meaning - the production I saw live earlier this year sadly didn't have him be on stage there, though a lot of other things were executed exceptionally well
I never noticed Pierre in the one recording I’ve seen, him looking up at her so sadly while she sings about love, not knowing it himself. Breaks my heart all over again but gives me hope for THEM
When I watched that particular recording for the first time I cried a little, the moment he glanced up at her and the look in his eyes... It nearly feels cinematic
So grateful to see this performance as well as hear it. It's beautifully sung and written but what strikes me while watching is how her gestures and expressions completely convey Natasha's youth. She's still so much like a child, from how she shuffles with her head down at the beginning, or stretches her arms, hands, and fingers out with all her strength at the end. She has such big and intense feelings and no wariness of danger or cruelty. Denée Benton's portrayal of a child being swept into adulthood is brilliant, and it makes the way Anatole carelessly plays with her life even more vile.
glad to see in the comments that I'm not the only one bawling at how sadly Pierre looks at her. thanks Groban, made me cry with one look in a song that already makes me sob
