Talking lady
That Eveready Rabbit of a diva, Montserrat Caballe, is going to camp it up once more at the Vienna State Opera when she makes her role debut as the Duchesse de Krackenthorp (the Ljuba Welitsch part) in Laurent Pelly‘s production of Donizetti’s La Fille du Regiment in April 2007. This production, starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez, is skedded to appear at Covent Garden and the Met between 2007 and 2008. No word yet if La Caballe will travel with the show, but La Cieca will be the first to encourage her: do it! (If the Met management is skittish about the possibility of a Caballe cancellation, then the obvious solution would be to engage Mme. Vera Galupe-Borszkh as her cover!)
La Cieca hears that Lorin Maazel is so devoted to “American Idol” that he has become an avid participant in the show’s online discussion board. The Maestro’s online alias (unlike those of several celeb participants in the parterre.com comments section) is not very difficult to figure out.
Speaking of living legends (as if La Cieca knows any other topic!), “Il pirata di Jackson Heights” himself, Charlie Handelman, is now podcasting. His show, “Handelmania,” features live (what else?) excerpts from his vastissimo collection. To hear the shows and to find RSS information, go to The Handelmania Podcast.
Just as long as they don’t bring Bea Arthur back to do it.
I vote for Placido Domingo in drag. He needs to add another role to his repertory, and I’m sure he’d make a lovely Duchess.
If he can’t do it, Pavarotti should try.
Operaguyny:
I agree about Netrebko. I too find her voice to be gorgeous, but to my ear her coloratura does not come naturally. To me, it sounds as if she’d be more comfortable as a dramatic soprano.
Netrebko herself said in Opera News it will a “Freni Puritani,” polite lingo for not a coloratura smash like Sutherland or Sills (or Devia or Callas or …). I know what she means, but depending on how she does, it may be an insult to Freni, who acquitted herself with great dignity and lyrical poise in the role.
I think dramatic may be too much for Netrebko, however I do think she’ll develop into a beautiful Spinto. She should be singing Mimi, Butterfly, etc. eh?
Well guys, Netrebko acquitted herself very well this evening IN Don Pasquale. A little bit of heavy singing in the initial aria. But then she lightened up and let me tell you between her antics on stage and the singing it was a night to remember for her and absolutely for the rest of the cast. She needs to leave off coaching with Scotto and perhaps coach with Sills who really understood coloratura singing. The evening was an event at the Met, filled with good singing and even the last act with Barry Banks who replaced Juan Diego Florez on short notice was extra special.
Oh please please let Monserrat do the Dutchess. Hysterical
So is Florez out for the Opening? Why did Banks (who I’ve seen in the role; he’s usually reliable) step in?
On another note, I just returned from a Master Class taught by Barbara Bonney, who was just great. And I have two names to be listed under the “Singers to watch out for” category:
Jingyoung Jang performed “La Vendetta” from FIGARO, and gave a beautiful(And how often can you say that?) and truely funny rendition of the aria that only improved as he went aloung.
And there was a fantastic “Ah, Ich Fuhls” from Jessica Swink, who I’m seeing as Barbarina next week. And guess who I ended up sitting next too? Kent Nagano!
netrebko…..is not a real coloratura. frankly i feel that she is a lyrico-spinto. Her technique is sloppy and not really all that flexible, but the voice itself is gorgeous, with a warm, mature sound. Maybe she will realize her potential in roles such as butterfly, luisa miller etc.
I really don;t think she has as big of a voice as you all claim (my opinion may be wrong however). I think there is a disctinction that needs to be made between big voiced singers and loud singers. She is not a big voiced singer, she is just loud. That makes her a big house Susanna, she steals the show as Zerlina (I’ve seen her, she does) and a great Norina. However, she tries, at times, to overdarken. That’s what she did in Traviata and it left me unconvinced. Her Donna Anna is pushed and unsteady. I think she realizes that and that is why she is backing off the heavier roles (although Donna Anna is still on the list for this summer in japan) and going back to lighter fare. Manon and Susanna are in the close future for her (and a Mimi, which just baffles me. Why do that, when she is a spendid Musetta)HNorina is a treat, and I am sure she will keep the voice bright and forward for Puritani. It may not be her greatest role, but I expect she will fantastic in it.
It’s what Interpolator was talking about. The center of the voice does vary according to how you are working it, and I have full faith she can work her way into the high Bel Canto rep. Her voice is gleaming on top when she works it. For the dress of Pasquale, she was right on the mark with her “So anch’io la virtu” The coloratura was a *tiny* bit sloppy, but that was gone by the time she hot act 2. Her lines in the act 2 finale were sumptuous, as they were in act 3. Coloratura was spitfire by then! I don’t think there is a performer out there capable of touching her Norina.
Back to the Caballe appearance in Fille – I saw her on four occassions – the incredible Norma at Orange which I remember as one of the great nights of my opera going life. When the DVD came out I was afraid that time had created a too-rosy glow over the event but no – it was as incredible as I remembered. The following week she sang a concert at Aix and it was frankly an off-night. Then saw her in Elisabetta at Arles a year or two later – again the magic was there. And finally the one event that makes me think she will be a great Duchess – that glorious concert where she tried a few fandango steps and took a bit of a tumble. The loudest laughter was hers.