I love this performance -- versus the one she did in the operetta's performance several years later. Here, she's focusing more on the beauty of the voice and a purer, more supported, and fuller tone. She's using her diaphragmatic and abdominal support and she's not pushing from her throat as much. Many more notes are sung lighter and with an easier onset. I approve!
Yes! Some of the liberties she took later were a bit much in my humble opinion. In any event, she is a great performer and a very interesting person. I just read her autobiography and it was great fun...
This is relatively early in her concert career before this song became a staple of hers. It wasn't before 2005 for the live performance of Candide on stage that she used that signature Fraaaaance line.
People do realize she started out as a classical soprano, then switched to broadway? I like Damrau too, but I think her voice is a touch too mature for the song I sound wise.
I liked her performance with the New York Philharmonic orchestra better (full production of Candide) but she is amazing as usual. If she had more space to act and perform it would have made it that much better.
Glitter and be gay, That's the part I play; Here I am in Paris, France, Forced to bend my soul To a sordid role, Victimized by bitter, bitter circumstance. Alas for me! Had I remained Beside my lady mother, My virtue had remained unstained Until my maiden hand was gained By some Grand Duke or other. Ah, 'twas not to be; Harsh necessity Brought me to this gilded cage. Born to higher things, Here I droop my wings, Ah! Singing of a sorrow nothing can assuage. And yet of course I rather like to revel, Ha ha! I have no strong objection to champagne, Ha ha! My wardrobe is expensive as the devil, Ha ha! Perhaps it is ignoble to complain... Enough, enough Of being basely tearful! I'll show my noble stuff By being bright and cheerful! Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha! Pearls and ruby rings... Ah, how can worldly things Take the place of honor lost? Can they compensate For my fallen state, Purchased as they were at such an awful cost? Bracelets...lavalieres Can they dry my tears? Can they blind my eyes to shame? Can the brightest brooch Shield me from reproach? Can the purest diamond purify my name? And yet of course these trinkets are endearing, Ha ha! I'm oh, so glad my sapphire is a star, Ha ha! I rather like a twenty-carat earring, Ha ha! If I'm not pure, at least my jewels are! Enough! Enough! I'll take their diamond necklace And show my noble stuff By being gay and reckless! Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha! Observe how bravely I conceal The dreadful, dreadful shame I feel. Ha ha ha ha!
Nope, Candide was the first time she did sing France that way. I just got the date wrong. The production was in May 2004. The Boston Pops concert wasn't until June 2004.
This is lots of fun! But also, look up June Anderson singing this with Bernstein conducting, for a "classical" rendition. You can see Damrau and Dessay etc. but save the best for last: Barbara Cook, the original Cunegonde, sang it the best of all -- what a vocalist she was, both musical and theatrical.
for anyone wanting the original video (hence in better quality since it was not uploaded twice through YT filters, search for "Joshua Bell plays Bernstein" and you'll get the other song as well
I have to say, this is not my favorite performance of this by Kristin. This is more "Opera" Kristin, than "Theater" Kristin. But nonetheless, a great performance. :) (But then again, I cannot really make comments on vocalists, as I am a lowly violinist.)
This one is much better than the other one. The way she acted and sung the words are more with the story of the song. This one really shows the insanity. The one she did several years later didn't capture the meaning of the song. Cunengode is supposed to be going insane. She's covering up the pain and insanity from being held captive with jewls. The song is actually messed up once you've decontextualized the words.
@JunoMacguff2012 i can see what you mean, her facial expressions are like that. watch her performance from when she was in candide, she does it much funnier (u can just watch any of her later performances)
If you never heard of the song before, at first glance of the title, at least to me, it seems like it's going to be comedic. But it's just the opposite.
@jtg10795 Well, I guess a lot of it was very serious and dramatic, and then some parts, mostly towards the end, were comedic. But that's just the way I saw it.
@ichigo0000000000000 no, no i think he was just confused because this was early in her career and she wasn't sure how to really act it yet. Stop overanalyzing, it's Leonard Bernstein, he just wants to be funny, it's a straight forward comedic aria from a straight forward comedic operetta
Natalie Dessay is much is much better, although Chenoweth IS winning and acts it rather well. But really it is all a moot point because the only singer who absolutely "owns" this song is Barbara Cook on the Original Cast Album..........
I like Kristen Chenoweth, but...her voice jut sounds too...nasally and...blended to be operatic. Yes, she can hit the high notes, but they just...I don't know...sound right.
XxAllessariaxX yup, her top notes are thin, her staccato sounds like glissando , she doesn’t have a trill. Great in musical but can never sing bel canto!
Well, she seems like a good actress but i don't think that singing such a demanding piece of Bernstein was a good choice. But since she is American and Americans like this thing that she does, it's fine.
Her country accent is just one more reason Chenoweth’s performance of this aria is horrible, and it sounds horrible, her terrible fast vibrato high notes.
I love this performance -- versus the one she did in the operetta's performance several years later. Here, she's focusing more on the beauty of the voice and a purer, more supported, and fuller tone. She's using her diaphragmatic and abdominal support and she's not pushing from her throat as much. Many more notes are sung lighter and with an easier onset. I approve!
that's because she is able to stand here ..whereas later they have her sitting and running round the stage
Same. This is my favorite version of this song. Still silly but not over-the-top so.
Yes! Some of the liberties she took later were a bit much in my humble opinion. In any event, she is a great performer and a very interesting person. I just read her autobiography and it was great fun...
though the way she says france in that version tickles me
My favorite thing is seeing people who know nothing about singing talking about what They think a trained professional is or isn't doing
Her pronunciation is impeccable, even this ESL speaker understood every word. The whole thing is delightful.
The lightning in the clouds at the end was spectacular, nature's fireworks with her song.
She looks absolutely stunning here!
5:52
Lightning in the distance, because even God was like, "Yeah, that was pretty awesome."
This is relatively early in her concert career before this song became a staple of hers. It wasn't before 2005 for the live performance of Candide on stage that she used that signature Fraaaaance line.
People do realize she started out as a classical soprano, then switched to broadway? I like Damrau too, but I think her voice is a touch too mature for the song I sound wise.
Diana has all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop, it’s unfortunate really.
Someone truly needs to persuade Kristin into recording a Mozart Concert Arias album. Can you imagine her singing "Vorrei spiegarvi Oh Dio"?
Sometimes just for fun I like to squint my eyes and pretend it's Trisha Paytas
ipoundstuff
Jesus Christ hahaha 😂
Im crying lmaoo
STOP
wut ..lol
i love you
This is the best I've heard her sing this!
Kristin is such a lovely lady, what a wonderful piece being performed! simply love this!
She is a treasure.
she is soo amazing. all that talent and beauty. wow.
4 people don't have ears. Cheno is the best singer ever! Love her
I love Kristin.
Nooo why not “fraaaiiince”
This is her singing the song seriously. Lessening the acting and comic timing HAHAHAHA
@Ashtara Totally unrelated but your profile pic is EVERYTHING!😂😍
The wind makes it so dramatic
She's simply amazing...
This was amazing. Chenoweth of course as always. But hats off to the conductor! who is he?
I liked her performance with the New York Philharmonic orchestra better (full production of Candide) but she is amazing as usual. If she had more space to act and perform it would have made it that much better.
MaestroOfHope that was the NY philharmonic! It was from their summer concert series in Central Park.
oh! oops haha. Well i liked the full production better but this was amazing on everyone's part!
Everyone... My idol💖
Glitter and be gay,
That's the part I play;
Here I am in Paris, France,
Forced to bend my soul
To a sordid role,
Victimized by bitter, bitter circumstance.
Alas for me! Had I remained
Beside my lady mother,
My virtue had remained unstained
Until my maiden hand was gained
By some Grand Duke or other.
Ah, 'twas not to be;
Harsh necessity
Brought me to this gilded cage.
Born to higher things,
Here I droop my wings,
Ah! Singing of a sorrow nothing can assuage.
And yet of course I rather like to revel,
Ha ha!
I have no strong objection to champagne,
Ha ha!
My wardrobe is expensive as the devil,
Ha ha!
Perhaps it is ignoble to complain...
Enough, enough
Of being basely tearful!
I'll show my noble stuff
By being bright and cheerful!
Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha!
Pearls and ruby rings...
Ah, how can worldly things
Take the place of honor lost?
Can they compensate
For my fallen state,
Purchased as they were at such an awful cost?
Bracelets...lavalieres
Can they dry my tears?
Can they blind my eyes to shame?
Can the brightest brooch
Shield me from reproach?
Can the purest diamond purify my name?
And yet of course these trinkets are endearing,
Ha ha!
I'm oh, so glad my sapphire is a star,
Ha ha!
I rather like a twenty-carat earring,
Ha ha!
If I'm not pure, at least my jewels are!
Enough! Enough!
I'll take their diamond necklace
And show my noble stuff
By being gay and reckless!
Ha ha ha ha ha! Ha!
Observe how bravely I conceal
The dreadful, dreadful shame I feel.
Ha ha ha ha!
Kristin is AM-A-ZING. I love her so so so so so much.
This is devine!
Nope, Candide was the first time she did sing France that way. I just got the date wrong. The production was in May 2004. The Boston Pops concert wasn't until June 2004.
A--MAZ--ING!!!
This is lots of fun! But also, look up June Anderson singing this with Bernstein conducting, for a "classical" rendition. You can see Damrau and Dessay etc. but save the best for last: Barbara Cook, the original Cunegonde, sang it the best of all -- what a vocalist she was, both musical and theatrical.
for anyone wanting the original video (hence in better quality since it was not uploaded twice through YT filters, search for "Joshua Bell plays Bernstein" and you'll get the other song as well
Thank you!
I have to say, this is not my favorite performance of this by Kristin. This is more "Opera" Kristin, than "Theater" Kristin. But nonetheless, a great performance. :)
(But then again, I cannot really make comments on vocalists, as I am a lowly violinist.)
Opera Kristin is way better than Theater Kristin
Her hair is epic.
for shame i have no talents
Me encanta
Well done from me and ceiling fan
i totally agree
It's Eb6
This one is much better than the other one. The way she acted and sung the words are more with the story of the song. This one really shows the insanity. The one she did several years later didn't capture the meaning of the song. Cunengode is supposed to be going insane. She's covering up the pain and insanity from being held captive with jewls. The song is actually messed up once you've decontextualized the words.
awesome voice and so funny that it comes out of that tiny person!
최고다.
shes a better singer now than she was then
She 's the best singer for this song!
jaja! yo quiero ser como ella, la amo! xD
si 😍
I've never heard of here before I started searching for different versions of the song - and will not be unhappy if I never do again..
she does the same thing with her arms for every... D or E? whatever the high note is... its kinda cute
do you have the other song she did in the show? I believe it was with Josh Bell playing the violin...
How many recognize this as the Dick Cavett theme song?
wrong. she used it a year earlier in her PBS Concert. she based her Candide performance of the song on that version.
The tempo is so slow! Or slower than I’m accustomed
@JunoMacguff2012 i can see what you mean, her facial expressions are like that. watch her performance from when she was in candide, she does it much funnier (u can just watch any of her later performances)
Its an Eb
@dirulovely exactly wut i was thinking
@JunoMacguff2012 how is it just the opposite?
If you never heard of the song before, at first glance of the title, at least to me, it seems like it's going to be comedic. But it's just the opposite.
@jtg10795 Well, I guess a lot of it was very serious and dramatic, and then some parts, mostly towards the end, were comedic. But that's just the way I saw it.
Laura Griffith did this best, at Seattle's 5th Ave Theatre in 2010. Totally outstanding, as was the entire production.
@BroadwayKidNamedJosh Oh. lol *shrugs*
@ichigo0000000000000 no, no i think he was just confused because this was early in her career and she wasn't sure how to really act it yet. Stop overanalyzing, it's Leonard Bernstein, he just wants to be funny, it's a straight forward comedic aria from a straight forward comedic operetta
Sorry... I'v played it for YEARS... It's an E FLAT... and in the key of a flat...
Heard fleming doing this and I think kristen is better
being nitpicky here: E-flat6.
Natalie Dessay is much is much better, although Chenoweth IS winning and acts it rather well. But really it is all a moot point because the only singer who absolutely "owns" this song is Barbara Cook on the Original Cast Album..........
Probably because her fraaaaaance ruins an otherwise perfect interpretation of that song.
I like Kristen Chenoweth, but...her voice jut sounds too...nasally and...blended to be operatic. Yes, she can hit the high notes, but they just...I don't know...sound right.
XxAllessariaxX yup, her top notes are thin, her staccato sounds like glissando , she doesn’t have a trill. Great in musical but can never sing bel canto!
Well, she seems like a good actress but i don't think that singing such a demanding piece of Bernstein was a good choice. But since she is American and Americans like this thing that she does, it's fine.
Her country accent is just one more reason Chenoweth’s performance of this aria is horrible, and it sounds horrible, her terrible fast vibrato high notes.
Dessay 1000 times better
Her voice is lovely, she is beautiful to look at, and her acting is pathetic.