We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming…

A new treat from an old favorite

In my ongoing tribute to the women shaping music today, I have lots of artists queued up, and will get to them, including your requests.  But Floor Jansen just posted something from her recent solo tour that won’t wait. 

“Phantom of the Opera” (Andrew Lloyd Webber)

This is a reprise of Jansen’s performance of “Phantom” with Henk Poort, who played Erik (the Phantom) in the original Dutch production of the show (he was said by Webber to be his favorite in the role).  Their first performance of “Phantom” left a lot of people, well, floored.  Here, Henk makes a guest appearance to recreate the magic with her, and ends by giving her an appropriate accolade.

“Storytime” (montage of live performances)

Just days ago, we passed the 10th anniversary of Floor Jansen’s first appearance with Nightwish.  That appearance was fraught with risk for both her and the band.  She had gone into hibernation after suffering burnout, had disbanded her own group, and was considering retiring from doing music professionally.

Meanwhile, Nightwish were in crisis.  After a bitter parting with their original vocalist, Tarja Turunen, they were trying to make a go of it with a new singer, Anette Olzon.  They put out two albums with her that would later be recognized as among their greatest, but Olzon was breaking under the stress of comparisons to Turunen and the band’s brutal touring schedule.  In the middle of their 2012 Americas tour, she fell ill and could not continue.  Nightwish called Jansen, whom they knew from the touring circuit, and asked her to help them out.  It meant flying on short notice to the U.S., learning their setlist in two days, and diving in.

This is an anthology made by the band, splicing together cuts from performances of “Storytime” over the years, starting with that first anxious night.  They just posted it for their 10th anniversary together.  It captures just a little of what makes them a black swan.