In 2004, Michele played "Shprintze" and "Chava" in the Broadway revival of the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Regionally, she has appeared in the title role in The Diary of Anne Frank.
Since the age of 14, she played the role of Wendla in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical version of Spring Awakening since early workshops; following it up to the Broadway production. Around the same time the show was set to go to Broadway, she was given the role of Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables. She chose to remain with Spring Awakening, which debuted on Broadway December 10, 2006. Michele was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in Spring Awakening, as Lead Actress in a Musical.
On May 18, 2008, Michele left Spring Awakening with co-star Jonathan Groff and was replaced by former Wendla understudy Alexandra Socha. She performed in a reading of Sheik and Sater's new musical, Nero, in July 2008 at Vassar College, also featuring Idina Menzel and Michael Arden. On August 8, 9 and 10, 2008, Michele portrayed Eponine in the Hollywood Bowl's Les Misérables concert.
Michele can be heard on the original Broadway cast recordings of Ragtime and Spring Awakening, as well as the 2003 revival recording of Fiddler on the Roof.
Michele starred in the Fox television show Glee, where she played the star female singer of a high school glee club, Rachel Berry. The pilot aired on May 19, 2009, and the show aired on Thursday nights on FOX. The show ended after 6 seasons on March 20, 2015.
Lea Michele will be making her public debut as Fanny Brice in Broadway’s Funny Girl on September 6th, 2022
Angels We Have Heard On High
Lea Michele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweetly swinging over the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be?
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Angels we have heard on high
In Excelsis Deo
Ooh, angels we have heard on high (angels we have heard)
In Excelsis Deo (angels)
Angels we have heard on high
In Excelsis Deo (in Excelsis Deo)
Angels we have heard on high
(We have heard) (we have heard)
In Excelsis Deo, ooh
See Him in a manger laid
Jesus Lord of heaven and earth
Mary, Joseph lend your aid
With us sing our Savior's birth
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Angels we have heard on high
In Excelsis Deo
Lea Michele’s rendition of Angels We Have Heard on High is a beautiful and joyful song that recounts the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The first verse describes the angels singing joyously and swinging over the plains and the mountains, with their strains being echoed back to them. This describes the biblical scene from Luke 2:13-14 where the angels announce the birth of Jesus to the shepherds and sing “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
The following verse asks the shepherds why they are so jubilant and what the glad tidings are that they are announcing. The answer is given in the third verse where it speaks of Jesus lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph are helping him. The chorus is then repeated, with “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” repeated several times. This Latin phrase means "Glory to God in the highest" which is the traditional Christian praise for the birth of Jesus.
Overall, the song highlights the important message of Christmas and celebrates the birth of Jesus as well as the joy and jubilation brought about by his arrival.
Line by Line Meaning
Angels we have heard on high
We have heard the angels on high, sweetly singing over the plains.
Sweetly swinging over the plains
The angels are singing in a pleasant, harmonious manner over the open fields.
And the mountains in reply
The mountains are echoing the joyous strains of the angels' singing.
Echoing their joyous strains
The mountains are responding with the same joyful tunes as the angels.
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
The angels are singing 'Glory to God in the highest.'
Shepherds why this jubilee?
Shepherds, why are you rejoicing so much?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
Why are you continuing to sing proudly and happily?
What the gladsome tidings be?
What is the good news that fills you with joy?
Which inspire your heavenly song?
What has inspired you to sing a song for heaven?
See Him in a manger laid
Look, he is lying in a manger.
Jesus Lord of heaven and earth
Jesus is the Lord and ruler of both heaven and earth.
Mary, Joseph lend your aid
Mary and Joseph, help us as we sing about our Savior's birth.
With us sing our Savior's birth
Let us all sing together about the birth of our Savior.
In Excelsis Deo
Let us continue to sing 'Glory to God in the highest.'
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Bluewater Music Corp., Integrity Music
Written by: James Chadwick
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind