I just got home from seeing "Aida" and I'm so in love with this show. I've had the cast recording for a while and I listen to it all the time. I love all of the songs! Heather Headley and Adam Pascal singing together is nothing short is amazing to listen to.
*SPOILERS*
Nikki Renee Daniels played "Aida." She is so gorgeous!! Her voice is absolute ecstasy to listen to haha That girl has a set of lungs on her. She is so am-fuckin-azing!! I wish I could've met her. Michael Hunsaker played Aida's lover, "Radames." Nikki and Michael sounded fantastic together! His vibrato was a little too much for me, but I loved him anyway. Jacqueline Bayne played "Amneris." She was also very very good. I don't think her voice was strong enough for the part. I still loved her though.
The show takes place in Ancient Egypt. A princess, Aida, falls in love with a prince, Radames. But, Radames is engaged to Amneris...so I loved the beginning of the show. The scene was set in a museum with "Amneris" in a glass case, on display, singing the first song "Every Story Is A Love Story." She stepped out of the case and sang the rest of the song. That led directly into "Fortune Favors The Brave." One of my fave songs was "My Strongest Suit." Like I said before, I don't think Jacqueline had a strong enough voice for this song. Her voice was drowned out by the back up singers and the band. Also, towards the ends, the song really picked up and I didn't feel that energy that maybe should have been there. "Dance of the Robe" was awesome!! Nikki got a lot of cheers at the end for her belting yay! Then my absolute fave song in the show was "Elaborate Lives." That could be one of my fave songs ever! Words cannot describe how good that song was. I had chills throughout the entire song. When Nikki joined Michael in singing "We all lead such elaborate lives..." I almost started crying. It was so beautiful to watch. Then Nikki sang the Act 1 finale "The Gods Love Nubia." This song was absolutely, without a doubt, the best Act 1 finale I have ever seen. Again, I had chills throughout the entire song!! I have to admit, I had tears streaming down my face by the end. It was just another beautiful song. The applause and cheers at the end was crazy! Nikki and the rest of the cast definitely deserved every applause and cheer they received.
Act 2 began with "A Step Too Far." ok so cell phones should be banned from all theatres!!! During "Written In The Stars" (one of my fave songs) some fucking woman, a couple rows ahead of me, flipped open her cell and called someone!!! What the fuck?! Are you serious?? Not only was that extremely rude to the actors and everyone sitting around her, but that was fucking distracting!! I wanted to punch the back of her fucking head, but I couldn't reach hehe The next show you go to please TURN OFF your phone. Don't just put it on vibrate, turn the fucking thing off!!! ok, end of rant..."Written In The Stars" led right into "I Know The Truth" which was Amneris' solo. She sang this really well. It's also another fave of mine =) After this song, Aida and Radames were sentenced to die together by being entombed. This was a pretty emotional scene. Then the reprise of "Elaborate Lives" began. I don't even think I have to tell you I was crying haha This was one of the saddest songs of the show. I was trying so hard to keep the tears in, but I couldn't stop them. Aida and Radames were then put into a tomb and buried alive. It was definitely the saddest ending I've seen =( Then the museum set pieces were brought back on stage and the finale began, the reprise of "Every Story Is A Love Story." This was a really cute ending =) Amneris began singing the song and then proceeded to walk back to her display case. The museum began to fill with people walking around, looking at the exhibits. Michael and Nikki were among the people walking around. Everyone started to leave except them. They ended up on both sides of the tomb, Michael on one side and Nikki on the other. They walked around to the front and started talking to each other. The show then ends...so cute right?
So if you haven't seen this show already, I highly recommend seeing it. Also, buy the cast recording!! You will fall in love with the show like I did. Here's a video for you to watch if you want. This is Nikki singing "Home." You can watch Heather Headley and Adam Pascal sing "Elaborate Lives" on youtube. Please watch it even if you don't want to. If you don't get chills from watching this, you're super weird!!
1 comment:
Agree on the cast! Incredible voices/actors in this production. Huge credit to all of them as they did very well with some very big parts.
I was very let down with a few aspects of it though. Before I say anything...I KNOW Artpark and all the area groups are under budget constraints in the past few years due to cut funding across the board...all that means is that you have to get creative...
That ship in Act I looked like something a 5th grade class could have put together.
For a rock musical, I thought the LED lights that were barely visible up high were ridiculous.
Choreography was weak compared to the standards Artpark has set in the past. And I could not believe Steve Vaughn was behind the fight choreography. He is capable of WAY more than what was up there.
It was worrysome. As was the attendance. I was there Saturday night and it was about 60% capacity.
And the tomb they are in at the end had a paper door!!! At least give me an iris or something closing around them.
I don't know that Jacquiline didn't have the voice for Amneris. I thought she did good. Maybe a bit too imitating Kristen Chenowith. She was perhaps overamplified at points. If you ever see Aida the Opera, Amneris is really an amazing character. (COMPLETELY different from this one)
The cell phone thing sucks, but if baseball players can hit 90+ mph fastballs with 30,000+ people clapping and cheering, I never feel bad for actors, golfers, or tennis players when a cell phone goes off. (all 3 which I have been, and understand the concentration behind)
I REALLY wish I could've seen the recording cast. I saw a national tour of it at Shea's a few years back and it was amazing.
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