Surprise "silk purse" for Salzburg!
According to playbill.com, Cecilia Bartoli is replacing Renée Fleming in Salzburg’s all-star concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth on January 27. It seems Renaaay demurred from singing the concert aria “Ch’io mi scordi di te” for “vocal reasons.” (Good to hear it wasn’t because she had objections to the text or anything.) Bartoli will also sing the rest of Fleming’s program (Oh, snap!) consisting of “Exsultate, jubilate” and “Là ci darem la mano.” (Unfortunately, this turn of events means that Ms. Bartoli will not be available to substitute for Placido Domingo in the Met’s Cyrano.)
reg. emma bell and maskerade (what actually was the main topic that started this blog? i think it was gargolitis…) … methinks i said that she sang in it. production was great i found – just the third act dragged on and on and on and on musically.
covent garden casting is bizarre indeed every now and then – why the heck didnt waltraud meier do anything there for ages till her fulminant ortrud of two(?) years back and last years wonderful sieglinde?! oh right i forgot that the ‘old’ casting director vowed that ‘this woman will never sing at covent garden again’ when she happened to fall out with him in the mid nineties as she asked for permission to start her rehearsals for sieglinde in the ring one week later than everyone else, as it would have been two days after a run of isoldes at bayreuth. obviously he refused and that was the end of that. luckily new casting directors change the attitude … and back she was.
strange those politics…
covent garden did some good decisions throughout the years though … who does remember joan carlyle?! she used to be the in-house soprano (unfortunately long before my time) … and is sadly underrecorded. but hey she publishes alot of her old live and radio stuff on her own website … http://www.joancarlyle.co.uk – and by the way, that suor angelica is a killer!
baldtenor, actually, my description of a certain individual as “ignorant, disrespectful and cowardly” is not describing the individuals musical tastes, but rather their choice of vocabulary a posting whiched showed them to be, what seems, a rather immature personality. I think La Cieca would agree that good conversation manners are encouraged in these forums.
I will say for my own personal tastes regarding Studer, I never found her voice quite to my liking. I will admit that here and there she has recorded some very impressive phrases in different arias and roles, but never found myself capable of accolading her for an entire performance. Perhaps the only one is Eva in Meistersinger – I did rather enjoy that when I heard it. But like I said in that other entry, she overused and abused her voice and her musical talents (b/c she is a very talented lady) and it is a shame. I have listened to a large portion of her recordings (I had to force myself to because I was determined to find SOMETHING that I could like) but eventually became far too annoyed and aurally upset to continue searching. I am certainly not adverse to listening to any things of hers that others may recommend as being ‘great’ performances from this woman. I always try to keep an open mind about singers and though I may close the door on a particular singer, I never lock it.
I will say this much. One of the first opera recordings I ever bought was when I was around 11 or 12 years old…and though already well informed of instrumental music and had already been performing for several years as an instrumentalist, I was just begining to explore the world of opera thanks to some operatic complilation cd’s my parents had bought me from time to time. I had a recording of excerpts from La Traviata with Lucia Aliberti, Peter Dvorsky, and Rentao Bruson (I’m sure many of you know the recording) and though I knew nothing of vocal technique or what ‘good singing’ was at the time and was mostly concerned with admiring and listening to the notes put on paper by the composer I was quite taken by the interpolated High Eb and noticed it’s absence from the score.
Well, since I had in my possession a full score to the opera, I was determined to find out what the rest of the opera sounded like and purchased the recording issued by the Met with Pavarotti and Studer. I knew who Levine and Pav and the Met were, I didn’t know who she was – I really didn’t know any sopranos at the time other than Callas and Scotto and Price. And I remember from the first listening – that very first duet, that Pavarotti sounded amazing, the orchestra was brilliant, and that there was something wrong with the soprano. I would force myself to listen to the recording because I was intent on understanding and learning the opera and the music therein…but something always grated on me when I heard the soprano sing.
It wasn’t until college that I ended up familiarizing myself with Studer and her recordings and found that I really didn’t like any of them except for Meistersinger and her Queen of the Night (but clearly we know that there are far better Queen’s out there). And I tried over and over again to listen to this woman sing and every time it would anger me and upset me. When I was younger, it actually offended me that she would disrespect so much great music sounding the way she did (this was also during a time shortly before I even knew what fach’s were) – I felt the same way for Janet Baker and Schwartzkopf (sorry to those who like them, but I find nothing beautiful or moving about their singing). Then as I learned about vocal categories and how certain voices just aren’t designed to do certain things and studied vocal pedagogy, only then did I realize that for whatever reasons she had (and I make no claim to know) Studer took it upon herself to sing virtually every type of soprano literature available – that has been her downfall.
My ears are really only most comfortable when she is singing lyric-german rep – the lighter Wagner, Strauss and some Mozart. I believe that if the woman had stayed and specialized in that venue, rather than take on a career as a jack-of-all-trades, she would have been much more successful venturing into other types of opera now in these later stages of her career and quite possibly would have been considered a great artist rather than a mediocre singer – and I mean no disrespect in saying that. From what I have been told, she is an extremely sweet and highly intelligent woman as regards learning and memorizing music.
One last thought: Perhaps I was misinformed, but I was under the impression that this opera-zine was for the intended purpose of learning from each other and engaging in intellectually stimulating and rewarding discussions – not a haven for crude criticisms and name calling directed at either the conversational subjects or contributers. Not everyone in the world needs to share the same tastes – life would be pretty boring if that were the case. Why don’t we all try to be a little more open minded, huh?
ITCS I certianly agree with you – we should have this forum for serious discussion and not abuse.
I have read your postings in the past and you are obviously knowlegeable and intelligent.
I think a good responce to “I hate so and so” is to say “oh she speaks very highly of you”. Its only singing after all not human rights abuses we re discussing.
I do aplolgise if my remarks about Bartoli gave offence (and yes they were too flippant) but they were born out of intense frustration.
Bartoli, despite her faults (and yes all singers have them) is a seriuos artist unlike some other record company manufactured stars.
However in the mainstream Musical press in the UK no adverse critcism is allowed of certain artists. Bad review = no (or certainly less) advertising. Anyone who does nt believe this happens is living in the past. Just read the honest reviews Philpp Hope-Wallace – of just Callas for one. Do you think that this would happen with a major recording star these days?
Things are slightly better in the daily press here where the record companies obviuosly don t have so much power.
I certainly don t blame Bartoli herself. I did nt expect her to say to Decca “Please. Dont make me a star!!”
However I think that it is dentremental to singing in general (and indeed to Bartoli herself) if honest, constructive, criticism is not brooked.
I watched the Exsultate with an open mind and I still think that the faults, which I (and many others) hear spoil her singing, could have been rectified, or modified, a long time ago. It seems no-one is allowed to mention them.
As I said before this is also especially frustrating for me as Bartoli is one of the few singers with the power to get CD s made of the wonderful music of the 18th and early 19th centuries. I love this music and as ITCS says too many artists just record the same old stuff over and over.
well said. and after all tastes differ and its a matter of perception. each singer has their own ‘way’ with performing the written music … and not even being technically immaculate appeal to everyone.
after all that leaves space for discussion – and thats how it should be. if everyone liked the same style there would probably be five singers around that everyone was listening to and thats it … now how boring would that be? diversity is what adds the spice to the musical scene, n’est pas?
ps. and as to bartoli … i think her early recordings are fantastic – same applies to schwarzkopf. but then, thats just me. (strangely enough janet baker never appealed much to me either, i cant fault her singing, but it just doesnt do it for me)
ITSC I m sure many will agree with you about Studer.
Whatever anyone thinks about her (and I dont dislike her) surely hardly anyone merits the huge amount of complete opera recordings made with/for her.
Why did DG choose her for Semiramide for instance? Not exactly the first person that springs to mind when casting that particular role.
This is just one of many examples of the stupidity/corruption?/ whatever in the the classical music recording industry.
I suppose we get so upset by it because we expect something better – but really why do we? Its the way of the world surely.
lm … isnt casting for recordings always influenced by whom the label has ready and available of up and coming rather than who would be best for the role?
just look at teldecs last tannhaeuser and hollaender. elisabeth and senta are not really roles one thinks particularly suitable for jane eaglen (but then which are?) – and she truly succeeds in letting the recordings down. big voices rarely record well, whatever one thinks about her in any case. why not anne schwanewilms for senta (she sang the role on stage under barenboim) or angela denoke as elisabeth (ditto)?
but then there has hardly ever been a perfect recording, and one learns to accept there to always be a ‘what if’ when it comes to casting…
Fair enough, ITDCS. But if you want to hear real vocal abuse and utter disrespect for composers and their music, listen any day to Renee Fleming. That ought to end the stupid slobbering over the creature, once and for all.
More sobbing and wailing over the death of the recording industry. We all know it is Cheryl Studer’s fault. Too bad they didn’t engage YOUR personal favourite for this or that role. Surely the damned recording would have triumphed and, who knows, even become a bestseller or praised by the NYT’s Tony Tommasini and his like. But look now, there’s NOTHING left of the little recording industry that would. Wail Wail Wail. And SHUT UP.
at forty comments who the hell is going to read this? but to dear rysanekfreak who worries about global celebrations to mark the year mozart was potty-trained, i don’t think that’s likely to happen. a quick look at the multiple scatological incidences in wolfgang’s correspondence should (dare i say it?) relieve us all.
ginerva, you gave me a good laugh when reading your entry – I’m glad to know that there are other people out there who are aware of Mozart’s “scatological” personality! For those who haven’t read them…they are quite special – a bit distrubing as well.
lamalipasta – I myself have never heard CB sing Arsace’s big aria, but it is rumored to exist somewhere. The Decca website unfortunately isn’t geared towards the artist as much as it is towards Decca’s recordings of her.
It’s amazing to me how defensive fans get about their favorites – whether it’s a singer, a sports team, whatever! You know, I’m a huge June Anderson fan – mainy because she was one of the first sopranos I had ever listened to and the quality of her singing on her albums “Dal vivo in concerto” (which does have the best ‘Bel raggio’ with the most fierce High E naturals ever put on recording!), her Cunegonde in the 1989 recording/version of Candide, and her Queen of the Night all made me fall in love with her as a youngster. I’ve acquired many of her other recordings over the years, some live performances, and even heard her do Traviata at the Met about 2 years ago, I think. Very little have I heard of her subsequently thrills me the way the above mentioned pieces did and still do. Many times I have received adverse reactions from colleagues of mine when I mention that I enjoy her singing. But even as a fan of hers, I can recognize and am not ashamed to admit my dislike for the Trovatore she did at the Met, or for that dreadful Lombardi she did with Levine, and let’s just say she was better off with Puritani and Sonnambula and could have left Norma on the shelf – although her debut in the part in Chicago was quite good. At the very least, I also understand that she has a severe thyroid problem and has made it difficult for her to interpolate those once stunning high notes that she had! I still find much merit to her singing, at least in terms of accuracy and technique even if it isn’t always the most invigorating or passionate performances. I’ve also heard some nasty stories about her work ethic in the opera house – unfortunately so much of it is hearsay through other people and so I don’t necessarily believe everything that has been spread around.
In the case of Horne, even she didn’t sing every Rossini mezzo role – and there were some that she did sing, but sang very sparingly like Cenerentola. It just wasn’t a role that suited her voice nearly as well as Isabella or Malcolm or Arsace did. There is still much to be appreciated from her recordings of the opera, but I don’t find them nearly as thrilling and exciting as some of her other roles!
Marilyn was also a very smart lady, and she admitted that the three roles she should have avoided were Azucena, Eboli, and Amneris. However, she was a great musician and a fine artist that she was able to be convincing in these roles the few times she performed each of them – she also, thankfully, had a large enough voice to survive them.
La Cieca, another addition for your ‘filth’ page (breaks my heart to even think about it) is that broadcast of Don Carlo in the 70′s with Scotto and Horne where, to my complete surprise, Marilyn got lost in both cadenze in the Veil Song. One would have thought that she definitly would have excelled in those passages – sadly, she either had a brain-fart or something because she loses herself on both verses.
Anyone who is a Horne fan or who needs to become one – should all take the time to listen to her sing the complete aria from a Meyerbeer opera. I don’t have time at the moment to look up exactly which opera it is from – either Prophete or Hugenots – “O toi abbandone…something or other” – it’s an amazing display of what this woman was really capable of doing – especially in the cabaletta!
Does anyone know the title off-hand? I’m not recalling it at present.