parterre box

37 comments

• opera80221 says:

  I agree with Baritenor…none of them look over extended to the Jane Eaglen, Alessandra Marc field…if they can sustain a tone, make it big, make me cry, then whattahell

  on April 23, 2006 at 4:45 AM
• celticpriestess says:

  I think they’re singing that the costume designer ought to be entombed alive,
  not Radames and Aida! I agree that a good singer can make me cry no matter what his/her figure is like, but the costumes shouldn’t make the singers or the audience cry!

  on April 23, 2006 at 10:01 AM
• paddypig says:

  Well I guess they did not have room for the elephants in this production!!I haven’t heard of Donnie Ray Albert in years, did not know he was still singing. last saw him in 1981 in a production of Faust at Lake George Opera (with Soviero and the third Faust was Jerry hadley) However, after Aida with voigt(large) and Pavarotti, or Margaret Price and Pavarotti, or sharon Sweet or Allessandra Marc (there was no room for anyone else on stage that night) these three don’t look that bad.

  on April 24, 2006 at 6:46 PM
• CALLASORPHAN says:

  Let’s cut to the chase–if the two on this picture were anything but ethnic people of color, size would NOT matter. Girls (and boys) let’s be honest! They are soooooooooooo funny and odd looking because they are …..

  on April 24, 2006 at 7:22 PM
• Michael Farris says:

  “if the two on this picture were anything but ethnic people of color, size would NOT matter”

  Get over yourself already, the only really funny looking one is the white guy. Block him out and the picture looks like a large (but not gigantic) soprano and an average size Amonasro, nothing out of the ordinary.

  But he’s so very funny looking that his ridiculousness rubs off on the others and makes them look funny as well.

  However put the tenor in that costume either _hates_ him (and maybe the rest of the cast) is a fool or a hack or all three.

  on April 24, 2006 at 8:53 PM
• CALLASORPHAN says:

  O.k. Michael, believe me I’m well over myself–the tenor certainly appears to be a “dream girl” or that he should be singing “It’s raining Men” like the two rather heavy disco ladies

  on April 24, 2006 at 9:09 PM
• JATM2063 says:

  A rose by any other name is still a rose…..Call it what you want. “Husky” “bad costumes”, etc. All three of them are fat.

  on April 26, 2006 at 1:35 AM
• Lashita says:

  And I bed your fat too Fat head

  on April 26, 2006 at 4:45 AM
• CALLASORPHAN says:

  Oh now come on my children. This IS an Opera Blog. We really can’t discuss the “Poundage” issue. We opera people are known to carry some extra kilos around. It’s the voice that really matters! Let’s face it, for the most part, you can’t vocally “ride that orchestra” and weight 80 pounds!

  on April 26, 2006 at 1:50 PM
• paddypig says:

  We have had some singers that are quite petite who did ride the orchestra with no problem (Sayao, Stratas, Dessay,older Scotto)and some big voices have not always come in equally big bodies, Simionato (get a look at those heels she wears in the Cavalleria from Japan)was only about five feet tall as was Cossotto, Florez is quite Chelsea boy slim and only about 5″7″ tall. I think the issue isn’t just the poundage, it is just the unfortunate moment in the staging that makes these rather zaftik singers look silly. Also, despite Eaglen’s size, it was never a huge voice, in fact when I first saw her at the Levine gala doing the longest immolation scene I have ever heard, I was quite impressed(not) by how small the voice was for such a big girl who was credited with being the new Wagnerian life saver- we all know how that ended up- years of really mediocre performances with absolutely no dramatic tension or stage presence. I am grateful that she is no longer being used by the MET -that Norma was awful.

  on April 26, 2006 at 4:23 PM