parterre box

50 comments

• Willym says:

  NEWINNYC – guess we all have our favorites that we defend to the death. Only saw Cossotto once in Paris as Azucena – along with Scotto and Milnes and a tenor whose name I forget – why do I always forget tenors names?? – it was a dynamite performance.

  I understand she wasn’t the nicest person to work with but as a performer she knew how to come out a grab an audience by the balls. And that night grab she did.

  As to the Verrett Macbeth I am eagerly awaiting a DVD of the opening night of the Scala production from Premiere. I just know I’m going to be playing that one until the little lazer can’t take it anymore.

  on October 1, 2006 at 1:05 PM
• newinnyc says:

  I just found it interesting because they asked her about the famous Norma where it was believed she was trying to make Callas look bad because she was holding onto the notes in the duets extra long. She had an answer for it. I found it interesting because it is so embedded in Callas lore.
  I remember seeing her when I was a child watching the Price farewell Aida video (as if I didn’t know I was gay then!!!) and she came out to sing and it blew me away! I thought it sounded unnatural!!! I also love the Cav recording with Bergonzi on DG.

  on October 1, 2006 at 1:27 PM
• Willym says:

  What a gay person on Parterre Box – Quel scandel! Oh sorry wrong opera – that’s Fille isn’t it?

  What was her explaination NEWINNYC? You’re right that it has become part of opera lore – including the Zef apparantly saying he would never work with her again.

  Have you ever heard her as a mere youngster on the Gli Ugonotti Scala – with Simonato, Corelli, Sutherland and a bunch of the guys? Even at that age she had that – you should excuse the expression sinces she was singing the Page – ball grabing way with her.

  on October 1, 2006 at 2:27 PM
• newinnyc says:

  She said that Callas was having trouble but that when they were ‘ascending the scale’ together, Cossotto could not hear that Callas was not singing the C and she was blasting away, etc. etc.

  She also said that Callas knew she was in bad voice so she asked FC to stay around for the curtaincall so it ‘would look good’ to the audience; to put on a good face to cover up for Callas problems. She is still amazed that the story follows her around!

  on October 1, 2006 at 2:53 PM
• la divina due says:

  I agree with so many of you that Netrebko is by no means a coloratura soprano of any sort. I think it’s possible that she sings that rep b/c she identifies more with the characters, b/c they all tend to be young and beautiful. i.e. Manon, Violetta, Elvira, etc. I do not feel this is the best rep for her. Her high notes are slowly but surely beginning to show the signs of wear and tear. She began singing Queen of the Night and I don’t for a second think that she could even begin to pull off those high f’s at the end. I think given 2 or 3 more years the Eb at the end of Traviata will surely go sour. She is singing too far back in the throat. She started off with a much brighter quality, not bright in the sense of bright, but brighter for her. She sounds very old and labored now. In fact, if you listened to Fleming and Netrebko and didn’t know the singers or their respective ages, I think it’s safe to say that Fleming actually sounds more youthful on the Manon. All in all, Netrebko reminds me so much of Moffo…..a gorgeous woman with a beautiful figure and beautiful voice, but their love of life and stardom have a tendency to overshadow their capabilities, thus plummeting them into vocal error. I am hopefull that N. will begin rethinking her rep and focus solely on lighter lyric roles, which is exactly what I think she is, a light lyric. She is doing herself an injustice to the rep she is currently singing as well as doing an injustice to those who have gone before, recreating the role as their own both vocally and characteristically. I am frightened for her on Puritani, truly frightened. Give me Sutherland or Anderson anyday over what I fear her Puritani will be. Good acting only covers up so much bad singing, and then it becomes obvious that you are left with nothing but the bad singing.

  on October 1, 2006 at 9:09 PM
• pacenoia says:

  “In fact, if you listened to Fleming and Netrebko and didn’t know the singers or their respective ages, I think it’s safe to say that Fleming actually sounds more youthful….”

  Youthful, vocally fresh and healthy, musically accurate,intelligent, putting her own individual artistic stamp on it….even if some don’t care for it….
  Netrebko is a HUGE zero in almost every respect. And there won’t be any furniture to hop up on in Puritani either….or at least there shouldn’t be….what WILL she do??!!

  on October 1, 2006 at 10:30 PM
• La Cieca says:

  even if some don’t care for it….

  Yeah, I wonder why they hate America so?

  on October 2, 2006 at 11:33 AM
• newinnyc says:

  Cieca-Non capisco.

  on October 2, 2006 at 4:37 PM
• baryton francais says:

  Netrebko sang Mozart’s Queen? I can only imagine the hideousness…

  on October 2, 2006 at 5:38 PM
• pacenoia says:

  “Netrebko sang Mozart’s Queen? I can only imagine the hideousness…”

  yeah well….just imagine what she will do to Elvira??!!!
  If only the production could put her in a slinky silk teddy and she could tweak her nipples singing ” son vergin vezzosa”….oh yes, while hyper-actively jumping up and down on a bed as if she were on a trampoline….maybe then people would not pay attention to the fact that she is leaving out most of the notes, has an overly darkened wobbly tone and can no longer even scream the high d’s….(forget ‘vien diletto’…oy!)

  on October 2, 2006 at 10:10 PM