I'd heard the arguments both for and against "Wicked" (people love it or hate) so thought I'd have a listen. I really enjoyed it. So really great songs (and some fun ones too) as well as great singing. Even as I was listening to it for the first time I wanted to sing along!

Really enjoyed it!

"Wicked" gets my vote for the best musical, possibly of all time!

Saw the play in NYC, bought the cast recording.

I've seen maybe 100 plays on Broadway and our local Tony Award-winning venue, Cincinnati's Playhouse in the Park, but...

I have never seen, after a song ("If only for this moment"), the entire audience standing, cheering and most of us crying - and this is not the end of the play, just one of several songs that brought tears and cheers from most of the audience. To say the music is exceptional would be a vast understatement! Never heard better! Probably won't again either.

Jerry G.

I knew there was a musical called wicked that came out fairly recently but I didnt take much notice to it until this year. I live in Los Angeles and saw a few commericals on tv. The commercial had a clip of the song Popular. I thought it was kind of catchy so I downloaded the soundtrack. Except for popular, I didnt like any of the other songs. I then started watching some clips of the play on youtube and started to really like other songs such as defying gravity and the wizard and I.

I'm not sure why I didnt like it at first,maybe because I didnt know what was going on at first, but now I love almost the whole thing, except for some of the crowd songs. In the last 3 months or so, I've become a huge fan of everything wicked. I saw the play a couple weeks ago. I bought the soundtrack, the behind the scenes book, and plan to see the play again soon. give it a try I hope you like it as much as I do. The original cast is really good, I wish I could of seen it with Idina Menzel, the original witch.

I saw "Wicked" at the Pantages in Los Angeles yesterday and it was marvelous. I couldn't help comparing the leads to this CD which I have owned and played relentlessly since I first saw "Wicked" in 2006. The L.A. stars acquitted themselves quite well. And proof that synchronicity lives in The Emerald City, Elphaba the green witch was played brilliantly by a Cali belter by the name of Teal Wicks.

Honorable mentions go to "No Good Deeds" "Defying Gravity" "As Long as You're Mine" and "For Good". My very favorite (this month anyway) "Thank Goodness" got a rather tepid response from the matinee audience though Erin Mackey as Glinda hit the high notes with gusto and on other tunes like "Popular" she matched the ditzy, surgary acting chops of Kristin Chenonweth.

Norbert Butz's Fiyero bested Derrick Williams, the L.A. star in the tenor and emotion of his voice. I loved the fact that there was no mention of Fiyero as being an African American. But who can make a fuss when the star of the show is a green woman?

Williams played the role with an over the top comedic flair that worked well in "Dancing" but it was hard to take him seriously during his declaration of metaphysical love in the poignant duet "As Long as Your Mine."

If you are a fan of the musical Wicked, this CD is a must have! I bought this copy as a gift for my niece who is also a fan. Great music, great fun!

My daughter saw the performance of Wicked this June in Chicago and wanted the CD to enjoy after she returned. Now she has it to enjoy and her two children know all the words. Great tunes from a show that I will see Saturday in Lansing, MI with my wife. I guess I might be ordering a second CD for her!

Stephen Schwartz is nothing if not predictable. His Broadway scores follow a formula: a slam-bang opening number, a solo number (sort of an "I want..." type of song) that serves to reveal the hidden fears, hopes and dreams of the show's deceptively complex protagonist, and at least one song that defines the show's message -- almost an anthem of sorts. This formula served Mr. Schwartz well in the 1970's, when he penned the scores of the Broadway hits "Godspell" and "Pippin," before taking a hiatus from stage composing to make a go of the more challenging genre of motion pictures. With "Wicked," Stephen Schwartz has turned in a predictable, but supremely enjoyable, and -- for lack of better word -- approachable musical score that does everything it shoud do: explores and exposes what makes the characters tick, moves the story along, and ultimately leaves the audience with something to remember -- a tune to hum on the way out of the theater, or even a turn of phrase to internalize and repeat later on.

"Wicked" is by no means great theater. Stephen Schwartz's work will never be comparable to even the most mundane works by Sondheim, or the better works of Lloyd Webber. But it's fun theater -- easily assimilated, easily appreciated, and easily remembered. He may follow a formula, but at least he has the good sense to follow one that works.

In many ways, "Wicked" represented a return to the traditional book musical, i.e., a musical with a spoken script as well as songs. This was an all but dying artform when the show opened in 2003, as audiences had come to expect the near operatic structures of shows like "Phantom of the Opera" and "Miss Saigon." Most surely, as much of "Wicked's" story is told by the spoken dialogue as by the songs. Maybe more.

Perhaps that is why the producers of the Original Broadway Cast CD were careful to eliminate passages of dialogue that were in the midst of songs, and rearranged and re-edited most of the numbers to effect a streamlined, purely musical experience that stands separate from the show upon which it is based.

Much like many of the original Broadway cast recordings of the Columbia hey-day in the 1950's and 1960's, this is no audio rendering of the stage show. It is an entirely distinct piece of work that stands on its own feet. One needn't have seen "Wicked" on stage to enjoy this CD; all that's needed is an ear for infectious tunes and lyrics that make some bold statements without ever becoming preachy.

Some have hypothesized that the pre-record editing of the "Wicked" score was an intentional effort to preserve the surpise aspects of the storyline for those who hadn't yet seen the show. This theory is partially supported by the fact that the CD jacket does not contain a synopsis. Yet, this seems unlikely, as almost everyone at all familiar with the show knows it as a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz," and we ALL know how that turns out. Safer to say that the CD was carefully crafted to avoid dialogue or musical passages that would only serve to confuse listeners that had not seen the play; better to clear the way for unadulterated appreciation of the songs -- beautifully rendered by skilled vocalists and an expert orchestral back-up.

Leading ladies Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel give powerhouse readings of some very challenging material. Ms. Chenoweth's pristine coloratura is given its best showing to date in a performance that is as near perfection as any human voice can get. Even the most discriminating listener would be hard-pressed to find even one off-key note emanating from her vocal cords. Her superb comic timing -- no secret to Broadway audiences since her performance as Sally in the 1999 revival of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" -- is on fine display.

Equally impressive is Idina Menzel, whose dusky mezzo soprano fleshes out a complex character without ever descending into overacting or camp. Whether crooning the show's romantic ballad "As Long As You're Mine," or belting the finale of "Defying Gravity" to the second balcony, Ms. Menzel displays an astounding control of material that would reduce less adept singers to shrieking histronics. Surpassing mere singing, she injects her songs with pathos and true humanity. It may be a performance with "Tony Award" written all over it, but it works -- and it works well.

The entire CD is well-mixed, with an appropriate balance of voice and orchestra that sometimes eluded the sound engineers at the cavernous Gershwin Theater, where "Wicked" makes its Broadway home. For the most part, the deletions of material that is not purely musical are appropriate and well-chosen. One might carp about a few editions here and there (Madame Morrible's missing speech to the people of Oz condemning Elphaba as wicked at the beginning of "Defying Gravity," or the absence of Elphaba's defiant cry of "It's me-e-e-e-e!") But these can only be minor flies in an otherwise expertly-formulated ointment.

"Wicked" may not be the greatest show ever written; it didn't break new ground or make theater history in the eyes of drama scholars (as did shows like "Oklahoma" or "Sweeney Todd"). But it stands as a splendidly enjoyable and memorable work, whether seen in its entirety in a stage production or listened to on this delightful CD.

When me and my family were visiting USA a couple of weeks ago we saw this musical. It was actually my first musical I'd ever seen. It blew me away. The day after the show we went to a CD store and bought this soundtrack to bring home so we all could have something to remember it by. I can't stop listening to it.

First of all, the perfomances (especially the two lead female vocalists together) are amazing. They bring so much emotion to their songs so it's impossible not to sing along. And the songs themselves are incredibly well written and arranged. In my opinion, especially the song "Defying Gravity" stands out. All the songs are worth their five stars, but this song is worth seven.

A good thing is that in the following booklet, you can follow the lyrics.

This is a classic example of people jumping on the bandwagon for a play which despoiled the great Oz of L. Frank Baum, and music which was humdrum and un-memorable. But because most humans are herd animals, it becomes a classic. It even hand a song which goes like this.....[see, Spamalot].

I know that some people out there have said they didn't like the score from this show......How can you NOT! To be fair the first time I played I said OK...........could be better. Then I played it again and read the words and listen to it and you know what? A hole other part of me took over, this show is just wonderful and looking at the book of the stage show and playing the cd I couldn't wait to see it. I did get to see it in Phila. the touring company and they were just, just.....there are no words to say how wonderful this show is. Watching this show there is no way it can't effect you, enless you are as hard as a rail. If you can pick up the cd buy the book of the musical or just go see it...it truly is great fun to sit and just watch this piece of magic weave its songs and visiual spell. I can't and haven't heard anyone come out of this show and say it wasn't entertainment. To Stephen Schwartz and company I can only say they did one HELL of a job bring this to the stage...............Now wheres that movie?

Just Awesone! You can't go wrong - if you love this musical, you'll love this!

Wicked is a true phenomenon. A new musical with the potential to run for years, Wicked possesses certain qualities that distinguish itself from any other contemporary!
The biggest asset Wicked has is an amazing plot. Kudos goes to Gregory Maguire for creating the premise! Though Wicked does not follow the book, it has an intricate and enthralling plot guaranteed to bewitch you. The story of a green girl with amazing powers, Elphaba, and her very popular friend Galinda, the tale follows them through years at school and all the way until the bitter end. The most entrancing and original aspect of the plot is its novelty. Wicked takes the story we all know, and upon which many of us have been raised, and shows just how little we actually know! Before Wicked how many of us can explain the significance of the ruby slippers? Or for that matter even grant the simple kindness of giving her a name beyond "the witch"! None of us could. But Stephen Schwartz changed all that with his most remarkable musical.
Bringing me to second point. The music. Catchy and inspiring they help craft a tone that makes Wicked both tragic and comedic. Not often can the two merge so seamlessly, and the music helps to enable this.
Third point. The lyrics. They are incredibly witty and poignant. They will reveal deep ironies and foreshadowing. I for one could spend years interpreting the lyrics and finding nuances. In the song "Wonderful" the Wizrd tells Elphaba that he really just wanted to help the people in Oz. Elphaba retaliates by accusing him of lying. In return, he tells her "Elphaba, where I come from people believe all sorts of things that aren't true... We call it history!" and then he continues on to sing about our historical hypocrisy. Though superficially light and funny, this hits on a deep and sadly true fact of life!
Fourth point. Great cast. Who doesn't love Idina and Kristin? They are both so amazing, and with beautiful voices too!

If anyone criticizes this show, they just must be unable to appreciate the nuances to it. Whether they dislike the plot, or the music, some people will always dislike every great show. I'm sure many people hate "South Pacific" too! But I think Wicked has proven it can compete and endure. In LA (near where I live) the show has cleaned out the Pantages box offices. It completely wiped out the huge record set by "The Producers." As I write, the show runs in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Osaka, London, Melbourne, and Stuttgart. Future locations include Greensville, San Francisco, and more (Thanks to a tour!)! The show has a future that is truly "Unlimited"! With great acting, music, lyrics, and a story that could captivate any theater-lover, Wicked promises to be a major presence forever! So I will close with a selection from a Time review:
"If every musical had a brain, a heart, and the courage of Wicked, Broadway would really be a magical place!"

wow its unfortunate how so many people have bad taste and do not know good music. my freind plays this cd a lot and it is so generic,and corny the broadway shows now are lame and unimagintive.very corporate and cheesy what has happend to creativity and art in theater in movies.i do not like this cd or show i couls care less if this review is unhelpful. I recommend much ado about nothing,brillant example of good music,orlando,1492 conquest of paradise(never can go wrong with vangelis,and last but not least passion. skip this horrid cheap wanna be artistic generic music and production. boo!Yuck! for clueless listeners on;y.:)

The concept of "Wicked" is great. Unfortunately, the songs heard on the CD lacked an igredient to make you sing it repeatedly after hearing it initially. There were no block buster hits such as we heard in the original "Wizard of OZ" or the "Wiz". I still am glad I bought it and plan to see the theatrical performance when it becomes available in Florida.
Thank you
HV

I've read a lot of the reviews for this CD, and I don't get it. Some people are reviewing the musical itself, which seems silly. Obviously, if you don't like Stephen Schwartz or mainstream plays, or whatever, you won't like this CD. So don't buy it. I personally loved the musical when I saw it on Broadway. Sure, it has some silly songs, and sure, it plays to a mainstream, family-oriented audience, but if this musical gets kids and "regular" (I mean, not artsy types) people introduced to musicals in general, why not? What is art if it is not shared with the masses? Nobody said it had to be radically different to be good. Most of the songs are very catchy, "thank goodness," and idina just blows me away everytime I listen to her sing these songs. I couldn't be happier.

Listening to this CD is the perfect way to keep the experience of actually going to see it live fresh in your mind. I loved seeing the musical and just listening to the music reminds me how much I loved it and makes me want to see it again. I say definitely get it if you have seen the show and if you just simply love Broadway music then it's a must have.

The musical offers a story that all should see as it breaks down barriers and makes us skeptical of authority as we search for truth and do what is just in the world. The music, of course, gives the show its pizaz and awe, and the show would die without it. Though the CD pales in comparison to a live performance, it brings back all of the memories from your day in the theater. It is a must have for all who fell in love with Wicked because it keeps the story alive and in our hearts as time passes.

Purchased for my musical crazed wife and daughter. They have enjoyed all the songs and now we hear them sung all the time while traveling together. No complaints.

Ever spring break I always go musical hopping in New York, which in my option is the ONLY place to see a good musical. Anyway I have seen my fair share of musicals and Wicked is by far my favorite of all that I have seen. As far as the CD I love their voices, however there are few songs that do stand out like Defiying Gravity and For Good and What is this feeling, but you do have the option of only buying the songs you really enjoyed, which is what I did and I love all of the ones that I have.

Received product quickly and at an excellent price - better than any other online or in stores. Arrived in perfect condition.

For those who want to relive an incredible Broadway show experience, this is the CD to do it with. And definitely much cheaper than what they sell at the show for!

I've never seen a Broadway musical, but I love the CD's!! Especially this one--what can I say? The music is amazing, the singers are incredible...it is just the most enjoyable thing to listen to. My favorite thing to do is read the plot synopsis on Wiki, then listen to the whole CD and imagine the story in my mind. If you like Broadway, this is a great, great CD.

What an amazing score! If you saw the play - even if it wasn't this "original" cast, you'll want this CD b/c it is wonderful!! I've been singing "Defying Gravity" in my head all day - a must-have!!

:)

My gf loves this cd! If you love Wicked you have to get this cd. Also, it's MUCH cheaper than buing it at the show! It's $30 at the show! Quite a deal! It's the EXACT same one!!

Enjoy!!

Pro - Love the Broadway play and love the music. As you listen to each song, you can visualize the entire play from start to finish.

Con - None.

If you loved the broadway show you'll love this CD. It's been 6 months since I've seen the show and I still have this CD in my car!

Listen to this CD whenever I get in my car and enjoy it so much I don't even mind the trip. Beautiful music, beautiful voices! Highly recommend
it!

Some reviewers use this forum to express disdain for the musical itself. I guess they're far too cultured to enjoy artwork meant for the plebes and proles (see Orwell). I attended the Chicago performance twice and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately (in a sense) the leads in Chicago in late 2007 and early 2008 had such powerful voices that the leads from the Broadway cast who recorded this CD suffer somewhat by comparison. Dee Roscioli (who appeared as Elphaba in Chicago) has an alto-like resonance and this contributed considerably to Wicked's solos.
Erin Mackey (Glinda in the same cast) delivered a bit of operatic soprano to her performance, and again this depth overcame what otherwise is a potentially girlish-sounding part. The two leading ladies on the CD sound a little thin by comparison. Without this first-hand experience, the CD would definitely rate 4-stars, perhaps even 5. One other criticism of the other reviews is that few people seem to grasp the clearly evident themes in Wicked. 1) Rulers are always and everywhere corrupt liars, 2) the citizenry is easily duped, made to believe absurdities and to thereby support hatred and violence, 3) the "official" version of history is often a 180-degree inversion of the truth, and 4) talented individuals who think for themselves are, throughout history, reviled by the tyrants who rule and by the common man (see quotations of H.L. Mencken).
Get the CD and enjoy it. See the show live and *really* enjoy it.

[Oh, and look up the novel Revolutionary Language on Amazon....]

This CD is amazing! I loved the Broadway show and was amazed by the fact that i could buy this CD, for the price that it was. I recommend this to anyone who loved all the freakiness of Wicked!

I fell in love with Kristin Chenoweth from her strange and funny performance in Candide. I then forgot her (I'm fickle that way) until I heard a wonderful voice on the XM radio Broadway station singing a selection from Wicked. I didn't know the voice was Ms Chenoweth. It was months later that I happened to remember that song and that voice. I only heard it once, and yet it stuck in my head and popped up out of the blue - very wicked indeed. I googled Wicked to find that the voice and Chenoweth, are the same. I think I already knew it her before I googed.

I had never heard of Wicked. The story sounded fun, and the one song I heard was enough to get me to buy the CD. The entire collection of music is wonderful. Although I've not seen the performance, I did extensive research into Oz when I was a child, and I once slept at a motel 6. The story is in the music. I always felt that Tinker Bell vacationed in OZ, but Hook's lawyers prevented that part of the story from going public.

Idina Menzel has given a beautiful voice to the wicked witch. I understand she is green? Black & White TV didn't show that part. How can anyone who sings like that be so green? Thanks to Menzel's performance, I'm feeling a bit torn between East & West. Should I feel guilty?

Along with witches, you get JOEL GREY (we love him!), and more talent than sticks can be shaken at. A $10 ticket to this entertainment should be illegal! Get it before the Feds close down this racket.

What can I say! if you loved the play, THIS CD IS A MUST!!!! The original Broadway cast and it doesn't get any better. DO NOT HESITATE!!

Would purchase CD again from Vendor - quick service and CD was in wrapping - never used....

Every song is packed full of energy and emotion, one is missing out if they do not give their ears this musical treat.

As much as I wanted to listen to this CD and give it a 5-star rating, I just can't. After having seen this wonderful show on Broadway (not with Menzel and Chenoweth), I really wanted to hear what the original cast recording had to offer. The answer is - frustration. Here's why:

Somehow, somewhere in the translation of the solos (specifically Menzel's), the vocals are FLAT; particularly when the cast chorus backs the soloists up. There are some magnificently flat singers in the chorus (which was shocking to me), and if you have an ear for pitch they're fairly painful to listen to. I am completely amazed that this recording made it out of the studio without someone's saying, "Whoa, let's tweak that a bit!"

It's a real shame, because much of the music is beautiful. The unmistakable standouts are "I'm Not That Girl" (Chenoweth's voice is mesmerizing and emotes the lyrics perfectly), and "For Good". Thank goodness the chorus didn't back them up (even "Defying Gravity" is marred because of them).

I'm hoping against all hope that they'll re-record this at some stage!

I was not familiar with many of the songs when I purchased this soundtrack, but I now love them all! I can't imagine that there could ever be a better cast-- Kristin Chenoweth is absolutely perfect, and surely there couldn't be a better Elphaba than Idina Menzel. The words are included (hurray!) in the little booklet. My only regret is that, having never seen the show, I am still slightly confused about the storyline!