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Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast)
Stephen Schwartz, Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel
Retail Price (not our price): $18.98
Release Date: 2003-12-16
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
Format: Audio CD
Discs: 1

Track List
Now here, for your listening pleasure, the tracks...

Disc 1

Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) 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

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

1) AMAZING   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This was an amazing purchase following an incredible show. What a great reminder of the imagery created by the performers in the tour group ~ I very much look forward to seeing the show on Broadway.

2) Worst musical of all time? Probably.   [Rating: 1 out of 5]
Banal, mainstream fluff for the crowd that enjoys musical adaptations of Legally Blond and Disney movies. A great concept completely ruined by music composed for the lowest common denominator. Simply singing your dialogue does not make it a "song" -- and such lame, corny dialogue at that. Utterly agonizing to sit through. Somehow, it managed to knock Phantom off the top of my worst musicals list. If there were a Musicals for Dummies book, this would be the first chapter. Parents do themselves and their children an utter injustice by seeing this; what a way to warp one's conception of what musical theatre can and should be.

3) Christian rock with Oz references...   [Rating: 2 out of 5]
I know, I know - the vast majorities of reviews gave this top marks, and I'm unlikely to change any minds. But I bought this soundtrack BEFORE seeing the show - my judgement wasn't affected by the spectacle of the show itself. Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast)I had loved the book, and got tickets to see the show here in Tokyo. Knowing that most of the songs would be translated into Japanese, I thought I'd better listen to the soundtrack a few times before seeing it.As my title says, I felt like most of the big songs (Defying Gravity, for example) were just Christian rock ballads with Oz twists here and there. In "Wonderful," they've managed to create a brand-new potboiler - completely stale, even on the first listening. "Noone Mourns the Wicked" is one of those Lloyd Webber things where everyone is screaming at the top of their lungs. The absolute worst, however, is "Emerald City." The rhythms, forgettable lyrics, and especially the cheesy synthesizer - it sounds like an ad for a local amusement park.Having said that, I thought there were some nice moments - particularly "Popular." And "Loathing" is even better - why does nobody see that it's a perfect lampoon of the rest of the show's music?

4) no connection to Oz   [Rating: 2 out of 5]
Wow. I understand Broadway panders to the lowest common denominator, but over 600 5 star reviews?!? Have any of you seen Les Mis?The music is derivative and forgettable.The story lacks any significant emotional connection for anyone who isn't a 15 year old trying to fit in.I saw no connection between the characters portrayed and the ones with which they supposedly become in the Wizard of Oz (either the book or the movie). The same can be said for the story. What's the point, then?Well, at least my ticket only cost $12. Anymore and I would have felt cheated.

5) Amazing   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I bought the CD before going to the show. I listened to it a few times before seeing the broadway and now that I saw it in person I can't get enough of the CD. Amazing music!