parterre box

44 comments

• Facundo says:

  Varady was a fine singer… Her Sieglinde (Götz Friedrich production)in the early 80s in Berlin is almost historical.
  Other Wagner roles in her reportory included: Senta, Elisabeth, Eva.

  on April 23, 2007 at 3:35 PM
• Kashania says:

  I love von Stade but to my ears, her voice sounded quite frayed in the Volpe gala. She’s had a good, long career but I don’t see much opera in her future. Some recitals — why not?

  on April 23, 2007 at 5:02 PM
• virginblogger says:

  Can I be the dissenting voice on Racette? I heard her three times in Los Angeles over the past year and a half. She did “Butterfly” in a numbingly dull, Robert Wilson (Emperor’s New Clothes, in my opinion), weird kabuki-hands prodution; the “Tosca” previously mentioned at the Bowl, and in an Opera Gala performance of the fourth act of “Otello” with Domingo. Maybe she was hamstrung by the “Butterfly” production – there was no movement, and no direct interaction with any of the other singers. In such a production, if the vocal goods dont’ deliver in a huge way, the evening is a blowout; she was only okay. Urmana had sung Tosca here in the same season, and though a bit zaftig, she made a mighty sound (Ramey was a FANTASTIC Scarpia). The sound system at the Bowl can homogenize sound, so again, maybe the circumstances of the production diminished her for me. Her Desdemona was lovely…

  on April 23, 2007 at 5:26 PM
• leontyneschiava says:

  I so desperately want to be a Racette fan for many reasons- but the Don Carlo this year only drove home this point- Borodina has all the voice and no instincts- Racette has all the instincts and just not enough voce.

  on April 23, 2007 at 11:28 PM
• paddypig says:

  I agree with the last two comments about Racette. I think she is basically a decent singer, but not that moving, best thing I have seen her do was Nedda, I see it as a sorry lack of real star power that she attracts so many fans. thirty years ago she would have been a dependable house soprano, nothing more. Saw Trittico last night. What are people raving about?????? I thought the Tabarro was the only opera that delivered the goods. Pons veteran sound and musicianship was always a lesson in style. Guleghina and Licitra may not be subtle performers but they gave real performances with gusto. Blythe stole the show in all three operas. She deserves more attention from the MET. I hated the modern costumes and toilet flushing in Schicci. Dull, and cheap humor. This brings me to my favorite of the three. What was the MET thinking when they engaged Fritoli to sing this role. Yes, she can sing the part, but brings absolutely know emotional life to the character. it was the dullest suor angelica I have ever seen or heard. I have seen Scotto, stratas, Soviero and Kabaivanska do this role. Fritoli is not in the same category., The whole scene with the Prinicipessa and the Senza Mamma had absolutely know emotional weight. It was just sung with a pretty voice. She registered some emotion at the end ,but then the director brings out the stupid kid in his Freddy Barthalomew outfit and killed any emotional value. The kid should not appear. Watch Scotto for a lesson in style and poetry in this role. This brings me to O’Brian’s direction. The man obviously knows nothing about opera and is more interested in creating stage pictures than in directing drama, Zefferrelli-itis in the grand manner. oversized sets that are a big step down from the beautiful intimate production that it replaced and direction that never emphasized the human relationships or intimacy of these operas. In Tabarro people were too busy singing from great distances to each other. dull, dull, dull

  on April 24, 2007 at 8:54 AM
• Drew80 says:

  I am in agreement with the three posters above: Racette is one of many, many, many capable, competent singers, but she is not special in the least, either in terms of voice or artistry.

  on April 24, 2007 at 12:09 PM
• Kashania says:

  I haven’t heard too much of Racette but what I’ve heard makes me agree that the voice is nothing special. However, I think that as a singer, she is more than just mediocre. I think she’s a very fine singer with a pretty good voice. I’d like to hear more of her, however, before I fully pass judgement.

  on April 24, 2007 at 12:16 PM
• sugarmezzo says:

  There was an interesting interview with the cast of Don Carlo, where the interviewer (MJ?) was asking the cast, specifically Rene Pape, about dramatic work on a role, and he said something like he gets it all from the music. He felt that the music had to come first, and the drama grew from that – if you obey what the composer gave to you, the drama is all there waiting. And Racette interjected and said, Oh I completely disagree, I think so much of the musical interpretation and how I attack something vocally comes out of the drama of the piece… Whatever, I’m getting their words totally wrong, but that was the point.

  And I could only think that between the two, Pape is BY FAR the better, more powerful dramatic actor, not to mention his amazing voice. I thought it was so interesting that they approached the work from such different places, and the result of Pape’s position is obviously more potent.

  on April 24, 2007 at 1:29 PM
• winpal says:

  Rather than Racette, I would really love to see Daniela Dessì in Il Trittico. There are some wonderful clips of her in a variety of roles on YouTube, and I think she has the right voice, temperament, and style. I think she is vastly underrated, and don’t understand why she does not sing more in the US. Anyone know?

  I’ve thought perhaps it is because she may now be past her prime, but this recent clip of Vissi d’arte from last Nov. suggests she still has it.

  http://youtube.com/watch?v=nb3sMjKkGJk

  She is also superb in the DVD of Aida from the Liceu, with the exquisitely beautiful and unique paper trompe-l’oeil sets originally painted by Josep Mestres Cabanes in the 30s and restored for this production. Definitely worth checking out!!

  on April 24, 2007 at 1:49 PM
• Baritenor says:

  Racette, I will admit, isn’t the most demintia-prone singer there is, but she’s got the goods. I don’t know what people are complaining about. I’ve never, ever seen Racette do a sub-par performance, and some of what she does is just mind-blowing. She’s probably the best Cio-Cio-San we have today. I’ve seen her Butterlfy three times (once in the awful Robert Wilson production someone above mentioned) and each time, Un Bel Di was just heart-stopping. She’ll do fine.

  on April 24, 2007 at 2:49 PM