Fuzzy logic
Of course you’ve all heard of the Afro, the Jewfro and the Gayfro. So allow La Cieca to introduce you to the latest variant of this curly coiffure: the Castratfro, as modeled by countertenor Philippe Jaroussky in the opera Agrippina.
In the interest of fairness, La Cieca should point out that the big hair was probably not the countertenor’s idea any more than the “Pippin” makeup. In fact, as himself, Mr. Jaroussky is quite the cutie!
In the words of Nomi Malone (Showgirls), “It doesn’t suck.”
Bravo.
What’s the point of hiring such a cutie and then burying his face in all that drag? Also, parts of the aria sound a little like Vivi Tiranno doesn’t it?
Check out this clip of Philippe singing Tamerlano’s aria in just a plain suit. Might he be the new Stephen Costello of this blog?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdbMArQyTyU&mode=related&search=
But unlike Costello, this guy already has a recording contract on Virgin singing Vivaldi.
Is that where Sanjaya got the inspiration for his hair? Did he see this production and say to himself, “Wow, now THAT’s hair that gets attention!”
That said, Philippe Jaroussky has an unusually beautiful counter-tenor timbre. It sort of reminds me of Brian Asawa.
It might not be of much use to you, (but perhaps of interest), that side of the Atlantic but Mr Jaroussky is singing in a concert of Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso at this years Edinburg Festival. He is also making three appearences at the Theatre Champs Elysees in Paris,a recital on May 17th, arias by Handel Gluck and Mozart, is appearing as Osmino in La Fida Ninfa, again by Vivaldi on May 5th and also in a staged version of Il Sant’ Alessio by Landi with, wait for it, eight, yes eight other counter tenors and two bases. Any one know anything about landi or Sant’Alessio?
Many thanks steven for U tube refs.
La Cieca,
Just want to say a hearty thank you to you. Although I didn’t get to be in town for Millo’s performance (I’m still very bummed about that), I did make it in just in time for that gigantic rainstorm and stayed through Tuesday.
What I want to thank you for though is posting the fact that Dame Kiri was going to be signing autographs at the Met Shop on Tuesday. Thanks to you, I got to meet her for the first time, have her sign a thing or two, and get a photo with her. A gracious and very kind woman.
She was even so nice to deal with a certain professional diva stalker known as Lois Kirchbaum who was in line directly ahead of me. Some may recognize Lois from the “Beyond Music” documentary DVD on Caballe (I did). There was Lois, with magazines upon magazines to sign, and she made poor Dame Kiri sign what must have been a good dozen pages as she talked the Dame’s ear off, lol.
Oh, and keeping with the thread, Dame Kiri sported a coiffe of nicely highlighted blonde hair. No fro in sight, save possibly for my “fuzz” due to the windiness outside.
Baryton Francais, I have that Caballe DVD and it’s been spinning relentlessly ever since it arrived. I became “acquainted” with La Kirchbaum through Sieglinde’s Diaries, they are more like “neighbors” at the Met. And, oh, Mr. Jaroussky looks a bit like Mel Gibson.
Ahhh…La Kirchenbaum. It wouldn’t be an “opera” event in NYC without her presence. I saw her the other night at the Matilla recital at Carnegie Hall. I had heard and read about her for years before I moved to New York. And yes people, she can be identified by the same red Chanel-esque (or is it a St. Johns?)outfit that she wears in the Caballe: Beyond the Music dvd.
You have to admire her for being out for EVERYTHING. BTW does anyone know how old she is? One word of warning though – give her a ticket at your own risk. I have given her a total of 3 tickets in the past. The last time was definitely the LAST TIME I will extend that courtesy to her. I had 4 tickets for a concert performance of Ariadne auf Naxos a few months back and one of my guests didn’t show. There she was, as usual, out in front of the venue “begging up” on a free ticket. I gave it to her and she was completely rude once we had gotten seated – she was sitting in the wrong seat and became really nasty when one of my friends asked her to move over one seat. I have sat beside her before on the occasions that I had given her tickets before, but she has definitely gotten even crankier since the last time I had the “pleasure” of attending a performance with her.
Oh, my! Is she really like that? I hope I won’t cross her path.
alanr – there is a recording of the Landi by Les Arts Florissants – its an interesting work but not something I’d throw on the old CD player often. Saw it back in 2000 by the Warsaw Chamber Opera, where it is part of their permanent rep. Again interesting though the leading countertenor sounded a touch like that old 78 of the last castrato. I spent 2 nights a week at the WCO when I lived there and must admit I have some pretty esoteric stuff under my belt: Hasse’s Zenobia anyone???
is anyone else listening on holy sirius? wish we had a live chat tonight. FANTASTIC night of opera. revelations all over.