Idina Menzel originated the role of Elphaba, the witch of the west who turns out not to be so wicked (but still very green). She won a Tony on Broadway, starred in the West End run and made a cheeky cameo in the recent film version I’ll never forget the exhilaration I felt the first time I sang Defying Gravity in dress rehearsal. All the lights were as they should be.
The smoke machine was blowing. The orchestra was playing. I was locked into my safety belt and I started to rise up over the theatre.
To have that incredible moment and to see how the audience leapt to their feet – I felt so proud but I also just wanted to cry. I was part of the developmental process of writing Wicked for four years and stood at a piano with [composer and lyricist] Stephen Schwartz many a time, being introduced to new ideas and songs – often written just the night before. He came to really understand my voice.
Not just how high I could hit a note but where it sat emotionally. Originally, Defying Gravity didn’t go up an octave at the end. It stayed in this low place.
So I asked Stephen if I could take it up an octave – the whole song is soaring, I said, and I have it in me to go up there: “Looook to the western skiiiiiiy!” I do take credit for that change. The final note is actually easy for me. There are other notes I find much harder.
Singing notes on an “E” vowel is not easy: “Bring meeeee down”, that’s really tricky. I actually botched that note in my call-back audition. But instead of falling to pieces, I looked at the accompanist and said: “I’m going to do that again.” And then I just took all this angst and frustration at not being perfect and nailed it.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
