Defying Gravity – Wicked
‘Defying Gravity’ marks the climax of Act 1 of the show and is known as the signature Song of the musical. The song was composed by Stephen Schwartz and originally recorded by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth in 2003. It is mainly a solo sung by Elphaba (The Wicked Witch of the West) with 2 small duets with Glinda.
The song appears as the finale to Act 1 when Elphaba discovers that The Wizard of Oz is not the hero she believed him to be and she vows to do everything in her power to fight the Wizard and his sinister plans against the animals of Oz. In the show Elphaba is lifted into the air during the song using a hydraulic launch system surrounded by moving lights, smoke and wind effects to give the impression that she is flying.
Book Theatre Tickets for Wicked, currently playing at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Book online or visit our box office.
One Day More – Les Misérables
‘One Day More’ was written by Claude-Michel Schonberg, the writer of the musical, original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer. The song is sung by the entire chorus at the end of Act 1.
Book theatre tickets for Les Misérables, currently playing at the Sondheim Theatre. Book online or visit our box office.
The Music of the Night – The Phantom of the opera
‘The Music of the Night’ is a major song from The Phantom of the Opera, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. The song was originally made famous by Michael Crawford who originated the role of the Phantom in both the West End and on Broadway.
The song is performed after the Phantom lures Christine into his lair beneath the Opera House and his voice puts her into some kind of trance. He sings of his unspoken love for her and urges her to forget the world she knew before him.
Book theatre tickets for The Phantom of the Opera, currently playing at His Majesty’s Theatre. Book online or visit our box office.
Alexander Hamilton – Hamilton
‘Alexander Hamilton’ is the opening number of the 2015 hit musical Hamilton, written by Lin Manuel Miranda. He wrote both the music and lyrics to the song and it is alternately rapped and sun is exposition. The song sets up who Alexander Hamilton is and summarises the first 2 decades of his life before the show begins. It also introduces the other lead and supporting characters in the show and also tells you a little of what’s to come.
Book theatre tickets for Hamilton, currently playing at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Book online or visit our box office.
Let it Go – Frozen
‘Let it Go’ was originally written for the 2013 Disney animated feature film Frozen and the music and lyrics were composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The song was originally performed by Idina Menzel who played Elsa in the film.
The song reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was the ninth best-selling song of 2014 in the US with 3.37 million copies sold that year. It also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 2014 Oscars.
The song presents Queen Elsa when she flees the kingdom after she loses control of her powers. She then realises that she no longer needs to hide her abilities and celebrates her new found freedom by creating a living snowman and an ice castle.
This is a pivotal moment in the show and there is no wonder why this song is a fan favourite.
Book theatre tickets for Frozen, currently playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Book online or visit our box office.
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