I had no idea until recently that Bernstein had written an opera based on Voltaire’s Candide. Cunegonde’s aria, Glitter and Be Gay, is the only piece from it that I have heard so far, and it’s absolutely brilliant fun.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVsLMxam21I&hl=en_US&version=3&rel=0]
I first encountered Kristin Chenoweth as the idealistic, Gilbert-and-Sullivan-loving, Republican lawyer on The West Wing. Edited to add: Oops, no I didn’t. She was on the West Wing, but she was actually Leo McGarry’s assistant. I had no idea she could sing…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBJn4BHtqqY&w=420&h=315]
… and particularly not in so many different styles and with such an impressive range. The song is composed by Jeanine Tesori (lyrics by Dick Scanlan), a composer I had never previously heard of, probably because she mostly composes for Broadway musicals and I don’t get out much (particularly to New York, of course…). I’ll have to keep an eye out for anything of hers that turns up in Melbourne, however, as she is clearly a clever, clever composer.
As for Kristin Chenoweth, what is there to say but wow. (Admittedly, part of my lack of commentary is because I’m really, really tired right now, but still…) She really is an amazingly talented woman.
And here, as a little bonus, is Ms Chenoweth having a bit of fun with Mozart’s Queen of the Night aria. Because you know you needed a bit more Queen of the Night in your life…