This one might have turned me. I've liked the German version more than the English for years, but Idina was always my English Elphaba. But this might've changed my mind.
Well she was also doing it with a full symphony orchestra that was playing a bit slower than it typically is on stage .... also in the stage production the person playing Elphaba dictates the final impact of the song. The pit conductor watches for when she thrusts the broom into the air and the conductor will give the final impact of the song at that time to the orchestra. Also the person in charge of the light board does a full blackout of every light in the house from stage lights to pit orchestra music stand lamps.
Willemijn is the only one that can sing this song the way it’s meant to be sung. I had the pleasure to watch her in the musical when I was very young and it will stay with me forever. She is insaaaane
Her vocals are flawless! Her "Bring me down" gives me chills! She's an artist who doesn't need to scream to hit those high notes, it just floats out of her mouth....ugh, she is a goddess!
Suzycat1000 Every performance is so flawless it’s like she looks out and says to the crowd: “This is what you came to hear isn’t it...I got you fam.” 🤣🤣🤣🖤🖤🖤💚💚💚
Bloody hell. You just can't beat this...that was absolute PERFECTION!!! One of the very best singers I've ever heard. Definitely getting tickets to see her perform next month!
No way. I love Rachel, see her live and she was great. But she does struggle with those notes, you can hear it's a lot harder for her to do. Willemijn Verkaik can pull it off cleaner and more consistently, than anyone else that I've heard.
From the videos I've seen of her, and the one you sent, it doesn't sound100% comfortable for her in Defying Gravity. Also there are a lot of great riffs out there from Elphaba's, but it gets soooooo over done. The power in Willemijn's voice is unquestionably good. Her voice bigger and more epic, that's what people love about her. Composer's writer great melodies for these shows and when people riff the shit out of them, a lot of the time they ruin it! We all have our own tastes, but to try and fault this video and performance from Willemijn is ridiculous. It's a masterclass.
No actually I did look at all of them and too be honest Alice did sounds amazing. I'll check out more of her. But to me, this is still the best performance of it.
Sarah Louise because they asked her for the 10th anniversary in London and then she had to stop because of backproblems. She came back, but after a few months she had to rehearse for another musical she’s currently playing. And by the way, that has nothing to do with her amazing vocals.
After being obsessed with Wicked for two years before I actually got to see it, watching Willemijn sing in Wicked live in London is easily up there with one of the best moments of my whole life. Just before she started to fly, I began crying uncontrollably and was sobbing so hard by the end that I thought I wouldn't have any tears left. Trying to explain to my sister why it was so emotional, I told her it was like watching a major historical eventtake place knowing exactly what will happen and how amazing it will be.
I know everybody is complimenting on Willemijn being a musical godess, but thats obvious to me. What I’d like to point out is that I’m overwhelmed hearing that song with an actual, huge, ingcredible live orchestra! This is how the song is supposed to sound, not like they‘re doing it here in Austria and Germany. I watched Wicked once in germany with only 6( or 8?) people playing in the band, nope, it wasn‘t in a small school theatre but in a theatre runned by one of the biggest companies in Europe who sell their tickets for 150€ or more. I don‘t want to give you further details in what that sounded like, all I want to say is that it‘s just so sad that the first people suffering from money cuts are always the musicians even though they play a major part in creating this whole atmosphere, volume and power to every song who gets interpreted by an artist.
Dude, how you expecting to fit a 60 piece symphony orchestra in an pit in a theatre? This is a specific arrangement for an orchestra of this size, don’t deep it so much.
@@kieran96johnson I‘m not expecting a 60 piece symphony orchestra in the theatres. But still more than 6 people with synthesizers instead of strings. Especially in big houses.
@@kieran96johnson Well. That‘s nice. Usually in Germany and Austria there are between 10 and 35 musicians in an orchestra. The production of Wicked had as I said, between 6-9.
I knew the Wicked cast recording backwards and forwards before I saw the show and was worried I wouldn’t like Elphaba. Well she was Elphaba and OH MY GOD!! Blew me away!! I consider myself very lucky to have seen her as Elphaba on Broadway!
Happily I wasn't in that room. I would have broken my two hands clapping ToT Willemijn really is among the most talented singers I've ever heard, whatever her golden vocal cors touch instantly becomes a masterpiece
She needs David Foster to represent her. She is wayyyyyyy too amazing. I just discovered her on here. I am thinking OMGGGGG she is amazing. Just a good a Celine!!!! She needs to get to Vegas.
Will always be my favourite - Particularly in No Good Deed and As Long As You're Mine when she really gets to show off her gorgeous, rich low register. I know everyone likes to talk about the high stuff but with Willemijn it's all about the insane support and power she has in the lows. I was blown away when I got to see her in London.
No other Elphaba can beat this Godly performance. And as much as I like Idina Menzel's Defying Gravity barefoot at the symphony, this performance of Willemijn is vocally and instrumentally rich. The real UNDERRATED.
Powerful performance! The notes are spot on and the tone is crisp. She doesn't have to yell her high notes because she has a lot of control and uses it to perfection.
She's brilliant and she sings this difficult song so effortlessly. I've never been too crazy about Idina, as I often felt the song didn't match her vocals and it often sounds like she's forcing it. This is how it should be! Bravo!!
Idina is the first Elphaba and did a treme dous job. This phenomenon right here is majestic! What a tremendous artist. She is one of my favorites. It's so hard to choose a favorite because there are so many wonderfully gifted actresses. She truly is one of my favorites!!
This woman...such an icon and such an inspiration 💚 I can't watch this version without some happy tears 🙈 just wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow 💚💚💚💚💚
I'm performing this for my school's annual 'On Broadway' show, where each student chooses a piece from a Broadway musical to showcase their talent and skill, and the way she makes it sound so effortless is so impressive. This is such a difficult piece, but you'd never know listening to her. There's not a single hint of fear, raspiness(is that a word?), strain, or any insecurity. Mama Idina will always have a place in my heart, but really Willemjin is my favorite Elphaba.
I had the chance to see her live last month #WickedUK and I must say that I've never been so amazed during any kind of live show in my life. It was a top level singing perfomance !
De dag dat ik dit fragment op tv zag, woonde ik net 1 dag op mezelf. Ik ben al jaren lang een fan van Wicked en kende dit lied al langer. Maar op dat moment kwam dit lied echt binnen. Het gaf mij het gevoel dat ik onoverwinnelijk was en dat ik alles aan kon. Dat is wat dit lied met je doet, dat is wat Wicked met je doet, dat is wat Musical met je doet dat Is wat Willemijn met je doet.
It's been LONG TIME, since a performance of THIS song brought tears to my eyes and gave me goosebumps at the same time. Not since my old friend Patti Murin sang it in my home recording studio in 2004! You are a GIFT to music! xoxo
Oh my god, this is stunning. I adore Idina and her original will always be my go to, but this is absolutely gorgeous in execution. She deserves so much more praise and recognition than what she's getting
Ich liebe diesen Auftritt von ihr mit diesem super Orchester. Ich freue mich sie endlich demnächst live in der Premiere von " Ghost" in Berlin zu sehen. Grossartige Künstlerin!
Exactly!! Perfect appearance for a witch. She's redhead and has blue eyes - Which is pretty rare. Back then, redheads were in fact considered witches. She fits with splendor the role.
¡No hay nadie que se acerque a esta versión! Es perfecta vocal e interpretativamente. De verdad hay versiones bastante buenas de otras cantantes, pero esta versión es perfecta.
