Avant le deluge
La Cieca is no big believer in omens, but she must say that within a hour of Aprile Millo's final curtain call on the Met stage Saturday night, all hell broke loose over New York. Not exactly "stars with trains of fire and dews of blood/Disasters in the sun" but certainly a messy and unseasonable Nor'easter. Time will tell whether this downpour foretells the end of an era. Meanwhile, La Cieca will do her job and report that among La Millo's public she glimpsed Elaine Stritch, Rufus Wainwright and Patti Smith, all of whom made the pilgrimage backstage to meet and greet the diva. Also in evidence were Violeta Urmana and Salvatore Licitra, plus of course every opera queen you might care to mention. A few fans attempted to serenade Millo with "Happy Birthday" during her solo bow, but were inaudible over the applause and cheers.Curiously, the great moment in Millo's performance wasn't "La mamma morta," (which was very good if a little hectic) but rather the phrase "Benedico il destino! Benedico la morte!" just before the final duet. If you need a definition of what Milanov called "vocal message," that's what Millo demonstrated in this handful of notes. And need I say she communicated more in those few seconds than many other artists do in a whole season.
POSTED at
11:18 AM
58 Comments:
Is this really it for Millo at the Met? I wonder what the talk is behind the scenes. And surely someone asked Millo about it backstage, or at the stage door. Anyone with more info regarding this issue? Cieca is right; no one does "vocal message" like Aprile. Brava diva.
It sounded like a horse whinny to me.
Too bad! I didn't even see her live. She was the last representation of that "dying breed" of sopranos. I dare say we will never see her like again. Brava, Aprile!
Your man Gualtier Maldé was on the scene at the stage door Saturday night along with Lois Kirschenbaum and Linda and Harriet and... (let's not frighten the small children reading this)
Aprile came out in a big fur coat with her tomboy sister Grace and a large birthday cake to distribute among the Aprile faithful. Aprile was asked if she was coming back next season and she replied "Oh yes, I'll be back, I just have to lose a few pounds...you know there is a sickness going on around here..." So the rumor about Gelb demanding singers lose weight or lose Met contracts seems to have some validity. Her manager Ken Benson however would not confirm that Gelb demanded that Aprile lose weight. (She has lost some weight since the end of last year but has a way to go) Nor did he mention any future contracts at the Met but Aprile has completed had several Met seasons recently where she has no further contracts in hand after the last performance.
What she is doing is three Amelias in "Un Ballo in Maschera" in Paris this July. Go Aprile!!!
Gualtier M,
you sure she is singing Ballo in Paris in July? In the official site of the Opéra de Paris she is not listed, but I am so excited already that I can barely wait!
The new Gelb Met is all about the visual message, not the vocal.
I hope this isn't the end of her Met career. That would be devastating and disappointing. They simply don't make Verdi sopranos every day and there certainly isn't another Aprile Millo running around anywhere to fill her shoes. Does Gelb need someone to send him a wake-up call? I think yes.
La Millo was a glorious mess Saturday night - a glorious mess worth hearing again and again at the Met!
After some comments I made about Gelb , someone asked "Can't we give the guy any credit?"... I still dont know, I just cant understand how can an artist like Millo is not singing more often at the Met, and even worse that this might have been one of her last performances there.
Aprile move to Europe, get a good agent, and start a career here!
The 2007/8 season of the Staatsoper is going to be known today... let's see what does bring.
I am a big fun of Ms Millo, she has one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard. Last I saw her in November as Tosca at the MET - there were certain moments which are unrepeteable. Thank you, Ms Millo, for this experience. I am a production manager of the Prague State Opera and I am really proud of the fact that she is going to sing Tosca here. All the Millo´s fans, come to Prague on 27 May!! I am really looking forward to our DIVA... Radim Dolansky
I was there too, and no she said there is a sickness going on around here, and if Gualtiere had asked her as I did later by the car, she said that she had become too big, and that she is working diligently to lose the weight slowly. That she felt this might be a reason they are delayed in an offer. That times change, and altho she disagreed about appearance being more important than voice, she understood Mr. Gelb's idea because of DVD and Television exposure, and being heavy up close was not a selling point for the opera.
Her agent would never confirm that he was told she is too heavy because they would never say it, facing law suits really if they did. For those that like Millo, as in 2002, with nothing for 2003, this is an absense. She then returned in 2004-2005 season. For those that want her gone, that never got her, that said she was finished from day one, enjoy yourselves. Be content to hear the "slim" pickings of today.Don't throw any dirt yet folks, I think she will be back. Do what you have to Aprile, we need you!!!
People, you are leaving out two big, important details regarding Millo. 1.) She is CRAZY. Maybe it's "good" crazy, but still, it's crazy. 2.) Even in her BEST period (80s), she canceled A LOT - presumably because she either had fear issues, or was unsure of her voice from a technical standpoint. Now, I LOVED her singing - back before it became so inconsistent and unsteady. But why should Gelb sign her up when she has such a spotty track record? And for those who say she needs these "one off" performances rather than an entire run: what kind of career is that? And even with Eve Queler (one-time performances), Millo canceled several times. She is/was a treasureable artist in many ways, but come on, opera is a business, not a hand-holding, baby-sitting service. If she can't display the professionalism required, then she has to pay the consequences. And yes, this is sad, because she is unique, gifted, and a hell of a lot more interesting that most of the sopranos who will replace her.
Sometimes singers whose contracts -for whatever reasons - in the past have not been renewed or extended ended up being called back. Examples: Malfitano, Scotto, Steber, Arroyo...
We should remember that even during the last Volpe years, Millo was getting sporadic dates here and there. It's not as if she was given entires runs. Sounds like she's being smart and not openly lashing out at Gelb. I'm sure she'll be called in for the occasional verismo or heavy Verdi role. It's a shame that she's not doing more at the Met but she hasn't sung more than a couple of performances a season there for years.
Worth clarifying here -
She's been getting single performances in the last couple years because she's been covering the lead soprano in the rest of those runs - quite a comedown for a former leading soprano of the Met, but very lucrative, and considering her limited schedule elsewhere during these periods, I'm sure she needed the money.
While I luvs me some Millo now due to her eccentric 'beloved diva' status in the world of opera, doing 1 or 2 performances during a run has been PLENTY - her voice is a complete mess, albeit as mentioned above a glorious mess, as it's fun to see how the hell she's going to get thru her one performance with the remnants of voice she has left (she accomplishes this by adapting or leaving out whole passages of singing at various points in the opera - hence the fun in betting on when that will be). But the idea of listening to her do an entire run of, say, Gioconda at this point is insane, and the boxoffice would soon show it. She sings little and covers alot at the Met because that's the most efficient way to use her there - her claque gets a performance or 2 in which to verbally lick her, and the house gets a reliable cover who knows the staging, while never having to expose her to the greater public or more importantly, the critical community. I'm sure she'll be back as soon as she looses a few pounds, in the exact capacity in which she's been there now for years - covering.
does anyone else think millo would make a killer turandot right now? She has such a huge top, i think it would be so thrilling! According to La Millo herself, none other than Birgit Nilsson told her to try the part. In that capacity, i'm sure gelb would have no choice but to engage her since he basically has no one else to sing it.
La Millo is indeed a unique treasure, and I see no reason to believe that she's being permanently pulled from the MET roster. I think Gelb will continue to hire her for a few performances each season - he HAS to know there's a huge audience of opera queens who will show up. On the other hand, she's not going to turn out the sort of packed house that a Fleming or Netrebko will. Don't blame Gelb for that - blame the audience taste. Also, in fairness, while La Millo will turn out a far more exciting performance than those two, her voice ain't what it used to be. I have to disagree with the poster who said that it's "all about the visual message, not the vocal". From a purely vocal standpoint, La Millo is way past her prime. What she can bring is what Gelb keeps saying he wants - a gut-wrenching theatrical experience.
Incidentally, what's wrong with asking her to lose weight? If she does it, it will likely keep her around and singing longer.
I don't understand why professional singers don't spend more time going back to their teachers for a vocal "tune-up." Especially if they're experiencing some kind of vocal crisis, or there is an impending crisis. Sills continuously studied with Liebling even up to her death.
You always need another set of ears, and someone whom you trust to give you honest feedback.
Millo is only 49, if she takes this opportunity to go back and study, lose the weight (I understand she's already lost around 40 lbs.) and get everything working correctly again, there is no reason that she couldn't have a major comeback as a force to be reckoned with...
Yes, it is always important to have the "trusted ear" out there keeping a voice in shape. However, no matter how great that teacher and how often they are seen, they can not be psycho therapists. The voice is also controlled by the soul and the mind. If that combination is not balanced, then there is no amount of lessons that will help, no matter how glorious the voice. It only makes those of us who have 150% admiration for the last bridge to Italian tradition all the more sad.
Speaking of Turandot, has anyone seen Erika Sunnegardh sing it yet? I am going to miss it - out of town - and I am SOO curious to know the outcome.
Ummm...someone posted that she was a "glorious mess". That sums up her performances that I have seen over the past few seasons. Face it people - she has seen better days vocally and I bet that lose weight thing is just somebody's way of saving face.
The girl is smart - as I stated before on this site - she gets paid good money to cover and is thrown a bone during the run.
I must state again that I love, love, love her - but she seems to have moved from a parody of the great divas of yore to self-parody. It pains me to see an artist of her mettle devolve into self indulgent "glorious mess" that she has become. I hope that in her down time she works on some of the vocal issues she has. PEOPLE she has not been reingaged because of her vocal estate - NOT her weight.
FunkyDiva wrote: "[Gelb] HAS to know there's a huge audience of opera queens who will show up."
From my vantage point that night (grand tier), the rear orchestra and dress circle were hardly filled and the side boxes mostly empty. The lobby also felt eerily sparse before curtain and during intermissions. I was shocked there wasn't a stronger turnout for La Millo, given her legendary cult status. However, the volume of those that did attend sure made up though for the lack of attendance.
scifisci: Love the Millo as Turandot idea.
it might have been empty, but none of the cheniers sold well at all.
I think that is the real rason why some of those ladies are not being asked back. RAS, Hong and Millo all have a following, but none of them can sell the house to capacity.
Do the math. Give all the Traviatas to a person who will guarantee empty seats? Or divy the performances up with a proven mega seller - IT IS SHOW-BIZNESS!!! I have an intense dislike for Fleming, but I would choose to see her Violetta over Hong or Swenson's, if only to see what has gotten worse or better.
La Millo will be back - there just aren't that many voices out there in her rep. Do we really need to hear another Eastern European/Russian in this rep? Those schools/systems seem to be the churning out the larger voiced sopranos these days. While Guleghina and the rest have the heft of voice - BUT IT JUST AIN'T ITALINATE!
Maybe this will be the wake-up call that La Millo needs to pull it together or get out of the game. The voice is not unsalvageble, but she pushed herself into the spinto rep about 5 years too early and it shows.
I would crawl over broken glass to see the Millo Turandot however. It would be either dementia or "glorious filth". I am betting on a bit of both. But the girl does knows out to stand and deliver - just not consistently.
She did sing Act III of Turandot a year or so ago in a Puccini concert. However, singing Act III AND Act II of Turandot is completely different. Not saying I wouldn't pay to hear a Millo Turandot, but everyone screams about how she entered into repertoire that was too heavy, too soon - but now everyone is dying to hear her sing TURANDOT?? Let's think about this...
It can't be any worse than Gruber's. I think that we all just want to get a chance to hear her sing again - flaws and all.
Millo does actively work with coaches and is trying to pull things together. I think to say that she "leaves out large chunks of the score" is way off. Even given her seeming mental black about Vissi d'arte, I'd rather hear her "Tosca" than Mattila's.
Her "Ballo" a few season's ago was quite good - she sang the ENTIRE score, too.
I'd love to hear her a "manon Lescaut" - and it's a damned shame she never sang Mini. Oh, and "Suor Angelica!"
the only mess I see is the so called "critics in here" what a merry band of misfits. Spewing half baked stories of some mental deficient who didn't check his facts. She is experienceing exactly what Zinka went thru when she fell out of favor with Johnson. Zinka took off for a while, a long while, and came back as Tosca and then never left.
23 years of singing is not, as the legendary ass of the New York times with his PETS he praises, a cautionary tale. Hardly.
She did not sing rep too heavy for her and there is little or no wear on a voice that has high D's...get a new story. Voices that sing out of rep or too heavy LOSE the top. She obviously has not. Leaving out chunks of score? An occasional phrase, maybe this is a common practice, but I have never heard her leave out music.
What you are hearing is rust, the confidence to sing, the ability, the guts. She has guts yes, but you can only do so much when you get a chance only every few months. Every time she sings it is usually after months have passed. Work in the studio or not, it is ON STAGE under the nerves of a show that you get your stage legs as she calls it. All over the world people are casting for LOOKS not voice.
The sumof it all, no one knows how important that voice is, nor can they judge it.
That is the last of a school replaced now by vapid, INSIPID sing the note pretty girls who MAY or may not last 23 years.and if they do, so far, who cares. I for one hope they do, and develop some style along the way.
I know a friend who is close to Millo's family, and she accepted this disjointed cover deal for the last years or so to be here in NEW YORK and not separated from her mom who was dying from Cancer. Saving face my ass. Once you make a decision to turn down work, heads of houses need to put on shows and they lose the momentum and go for other people who are pushing in from behind. That is show biz, as one said here.
No amount of info or intelligence can alter the hate she illicits from people, lovers of some of her rivals, of which she really has none, just folks who sing the notes. They HATE her success and I love it. Every time someone cheers for Millo it is a victory over the BORING crap that passes as opera now.
As for empty? It was the best attended of the whole run, and if you do not advertise, like Gelb loves to do for the , oh my goodness, actually one night stand of Traviata for Ms. Alagna, if Gelb had given her a big ad a week or so before it would have been sold out. I thought her Tosca was fabulous this year, and that came one month after the Gioconda which was a lesson in Italian style. Rysenek had nights of inconsistent singing, so?
Millo, for all the inaccurate crap that flys about her cancelling, has not canceled a performance in the last four or five years. Enough with this cancelling "spin", that is the first thing floated when you want to destroy a person.
I hope she doesn't stay away too long. And a Turandot would be fun, Lose the weight Aprile, and don't give up. You are amazing. Let the snakes hiss.
Are there any Millo recordings that give an accurate impression of what she sounds like in person? I have never heard her, and the only recordings I have heard are her early EMI recital disc, which I like very much, and her complete "Luisa Miller" on Sony, which is unlistenable on all counts, but primarily because of the conducting.
The third act of the, what did you call it?- "unlistenable disc", you just gave me me a good laugh there Drew, hardly unlistenable. It is some of the finest singing I have ever heard recorded of this opera. Young Katia, Montsy, and Millo. The best.
I loved Millo in Luisa, and the broadcast in 88 from the MET- a great, great work of beauty and Italian style. Much better sound and Santi at the reigns.
Hear a person live if you can, recordings are vinyl cages. Live is best.
Find a live "Chenier" with her. It is one of her very, very finest roles. Also- the OONY "Fanciulla" is very fine. Of her studio recordings, I think the "Trovatore" is the best. There is a great "Aida" from Verona. The MET DVD is better than the CD recording with similar cast.
Drew80:
Aprile Millo sings Rossini, Verdi, Dvorak, Beethoven and Cilea.
Aprile Millo sings again! Scenes from I Lombardi and La Gioconda
Rukdin:
Except for a rabid fan of one of the participants, that "Luisa Miller" recording on Sony is execrable.
The sound engineering is terrible (and I grant you that the inhospitable Manhatten recording venue no doubt greatly contributed to the unlistenable sound), the orchestral playing lacks subtlety and refinement and characterization, the singing is loud and coarse, and the conducting, which puts the whole project out of court, is lumpen, heavy-handed and unmusical. One would never guess that these same participants had ever performed the work in the theater.
Even you, an acknowledged Millo fan and friend, would surely agree that there is no way that Millo successfully impersonates a young, sweet, fragile Swiss girl in that recording. But Moffo, Caballe and Ricciarelli have managed to do so.
"Luisa Miller" is a charming and moving opera, and there is much to admire in the Maazel, Cleva and Maag recordings of the work, all of which have some semblance of theatricality. There is absolutely nothing to admire in the Sony recording. It should never have been issued.
Thank you, La Cieca.
I will listen to those.
I appreciate it very much.
Thank you, Opera South.
I will seek those out.
I appreciate it.
I'm sorry to inject a soupcon of REALITY into all the Millo-frenzy, but this girl can't string together notes into a line anymore, much less phrases or whole operas, and anyone who has heard her sing without the benefit of the covering sonics of the Met can attest to this - she literally cannot sing in the center of a pitch anymore, and her top does not exist - yes, she can scream in the direction of a sound above the staff, but on the pitch? Not even close. As for omitting sections of music, in one of her final Toscas, she dropped out of the highest penultimate phrase of the unison duet in the 3 act - it doesn't get much more exposed than that, and when her Mario (that big fat Latin guy Eduardo Villa) realized she wasn't singing, he looked down at her like "what the F*CK are you doing?". The music staff was staring in disbelief as well. She the topped off the opera with a fuzzy high A - unfortunately Tosca ends on a Bb. She did jump well. Look, she's fun, she's blowsy, she's a diva, she's drama, but she ain't no singer anymore, and the Met has good reason to drop her.
balabanov -Oh no you di'nt!!
I was at that performance, and recorded it, so I'm not pulling this out of the blue!! She was off pitch on the end of the vissi d'arte and did indeed miss the end of the phrase in the Act III duet, but Villa gave NO such look, they were both total professionals and just went on with the performance. Hardly anything like your characterization of the situation.
She most certainly has ALL her top notes, all the top C's were delivered perfectly and were big, round and full of dramatic intensity. The final b-flat was just wonderful, and I'll be damned to see anyone with a better leap, granted that's not really about singing but when was the last time you heard the audience give an audible 'gasp' in an opera.
Hey Baba whatever, she most certainly is on pitch, get the wax out honey. You have an ax to grind. Check the program you went to, you sure it was her? The problems you attribute to Millo sound more like poor Guleghina.
Millo may have a lost a piano section to that fabulous sound, but there is no fudging. You obvisouly do NOT like her. Move on and adore your Russian girls who really need to buy a note or two on pitch. As for the music staff in disbelief how the fu** would you know.? Wishful thinking there babe, she sounds great.
There are notes in performances that don't go well for everyone especially live. She dropped out of the second part of the "trionfal....di nuovo speme", it wasn't high either, she obviously wanted a faster way with it and the heavy leaden approach of the maestro made it impossible to sing. That is a problem jumping on, tempi aren't individual enough. Live performance. Part of the excitment.
Come close, next time she sings, shhh, you'll love this, closer.
Don't go.
Leave the ticket for someone who goes to enjoy a first rate soprano of the Italian rep. That is what you get with Millo.
I agree about the leap, the audience gasped. It was fantastic.
I am not a fanatic of Millo, when she has a bad night, like the Gioconda in New York at Carnegie, where the voice never settled into the role until a great last act, I felt sorry that she had been less than what I thought she could do. This Met Gioconda also had a nervous first act and for a first staged performacne of it, it really was so much better than three years ago. The duet with Borodina was thrilling LIVE, two giant sounds hurling back and forth.
What I cannot replace in my memory is the absolute understanding of the style and the drama in the words. The right feeling, the Italian way, both in color and sound. For that alone on the occasional moments where someone isn't perfect it counts a lot to even the score.
These recent Tosca's, and the Fanciulla and the wonderful Chenier's of recent memory, she sounded great and lush, and with a full beauty I NEED from this rep. The phrasing, an art all but forgotten in these really amateur days. The words mean something.
Occasional flat notes are in bountiful measure with every show I saw this year at the Met, from other supposedly younger singers too. Millo is a great voice. That's it and in a time where they aren't any of HER kind, it deserves appreciation.
Opera is also a visual art, don't forget, and Millo right now is an eye sore. She hasn't lost any weight, like some have posted here. In fact, she looks like she put on another 20 pounds. Obesity is a disease in America and Millo is a victim, she needs help. Not only her career is at risk, but also her arteries.
I saw acts 3 and 4 from the wings and Millo gave us good theater, as usual, but the singing was poor. Like her weight, she has also lost control of the voice. No control of pitch, that's a high crime. We never know what's coming out of her mouth on anything above C and neither does she. Also, the sound acquired a metallic quality. The Mamma morta was an imitation of Milanov, the whole drop to her knees business, etc.
Saying that Gelb only cares about looks and not voice is stupid. Levine makes all the final decisions of who sings or doesn't at the MET, and he's no fan of Millo. If she had listened to his advice more than ten years ago, her voice wouldn't be in such a state. Plus where's is this HUGE following that she's supposed to have? Her only Chenier had seats galore in every section! All of Gruber's Turandots, for instance, are sold out.
Millo's lone Chenier performance wasn't really publicises, was it? I think the only people who knew about it were the hardcore opera fans (like us) who follow various on-line groups, etc.
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Regardless, Millo conveys something very special, albeit not perfectly. I would hope we can all agree on that.
Re the sold out turandots: Gruber did not sell out Turandot, Turandot sold out Turandot.
The MET has had a habit recently of banking on the operas to sell themselves, especially puccini, since they do not really have singers that can do the roles justice, or "stars" such as netrebko, fleming, etc. who want to sing these vocal killers. So we have butterfly, tosca, turandot without the title character. Pretty disappointing.
I didn't say Gruber sold out Turandot, I said her Turandots were sold out. Millo's only Chenier had an incredible number of empty seats, considering it was a Saturday night and Millo is supposed to have this huuuuuuge following. If we're at a point that we need to publicize even her only MET performance, then her following is not that huge.
Her intensity is indeed something few have but the technique is in deep trouble. And at close to 50 and the size of Shea Stadium, Millo needs intervention NOW!
You did say, or imply with that viscious sly wit, Countess that people came to see Grubers Turandot, they did not. Don't get shy now,
Countess, you are a wishful thinker at best.
Levine remains a huge fan of Millo, and is curious why she has not done more to lose the weight. If you really knew anything, Levine casts HIS shows, the casting is done by Peter Gelb. That is it. Obviously you hang out in the wings as a bitter chorus or a wannbe something or another.
You WISH you could even offer a Milanov copy. Millo sang an emotional Chenier, aware that she needs to do something to lose weight. A few notes had a mettallic ring, so? That is a spinto, honey.
Aside from Q-tips, Buy some glasses, she has lost weight she was much bigger for the Tosca last season.The costume dept took the dresses in from last season two sizes. I got to go to the party with my friend who is close to her sister, and at the party which had great food, she had nothing except a glass of champagne.
If every effort had been made to let the public know about her singing, like they do for the pretty girls, and it didn't sell, than you could gloat as you try to do. There were more empty seats for the rest of the run, for Millo's night, it was quite full. The house does nothing to support this opera. Me thinks Gelb is not a fan of these types of opera where the woman singing has to have a big voice.
Turandot sells out because of Franco's sets. It is a great opera, and I usually like Gruber. But she is still slightly off, with severe pitch problems and the control is not what it could be. You just hate Millo and that;s it. So?
She is hardly an eye sore, drearie, and let's all hope she does do something postive. I think she will, and hope she will, and that you are gone from the wings and where you belong, with the National Enquirerr making up more judgemental crap about things and people you do NOT know. You'd be so happy.
Aprile is that you? lol I know that you stalk chat rooms sometimes (like daily). I think you're a good singer who needs help, that's all, don't take it personally. I'm looking forward to seeing you back on the MET stage singing gloriously like you did some 20 years ago, can you deliver?
Is her meltingly beautiful singing of the "Willow Song" and "Ave Maria" available anywhere on Parterre? I love how she always floats the most exquisite "Ave" at the end.
dear Countess,
dont flatter yourself, I dont think Aprile would be interested in reading a msg from you.
If so, I believe she would read from those people who make smart and constructive critics, so not like the ones you made.
Millo is a fine, fine artist, whether on a good night or not, she has something that very few had (among them Callas, Scotto, Varnay, Olivero), she understands what she is doing onstage, she understands opera, theater and music.
Facundo, she or he wishes they had access to Millo.
Drop her a message if you dare. She is very kind to freaks.
I just really love her voice.
She knows better than to hang in these places. Mr. Jorden is a friend. Still and all, she may have problems but masochism isn't one of them, I hope!
Your invite means nothing, but stick around to hear when she does deliver. Oh like singing gloriously in the Tosca a few months back? Remember, or is that too far back for you? LOL.
whatever, hate away honey, it is something you do well, at least one thing.
I will always treasure Millo because good, bad, or ugly she is doing something that I think is so rare if not extinct these days- living for art- not publicity.
I am always amazed at nobodys- ie Countess- who think by virtue of the fact they are standing onstage with a great ARTIST- or in the wings for this matter- that they are somehow doing anything approachable to what that person is undertaking.
the real freaks are those who can't accept opposing views, they are worse than Jerry Falwell followers. Millo's technique is in trouble, it has been for more than a decade. And her weight is indeed a major issue, not only because she can't look convincing in roles such as Tosca or Maddalena, but also because her health is at risk. Get over yourselves.
MEEEOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!! DOWN Girls.
Rukdin - You are obviously a most vehement supporter of Millo, which is great. But you needn't denigrate other singers in order to defend Millo. You have done this is almost all of your contributions. I am no fan of Gruber, generally speaking, but YOU are the one with the earwax problem, because Saturday's BCast showed admirable control - much improved from many of Gruber's recent efforts. And your comment "severe pitch problems" is a flat lie. Her pitch was startlingly good on Saturday - I was shocked, frankly. There may be limitations to what Gruber can do, but get your facts straight. And stop bashing other singers just to (rather lamely) defend Millo. Millo has her pluses and minuses just like everybody else.
Point taken. I was in the theater for the opening, you listened on the radio saturday. I denigrate no one. My heart rejoices she sounded better Saturday. She is a very interesting artist.
ide from the question of technique and vocal prowess, which is, to some extent at least, subjective - Millo has absolutely, without question, lost some weight. She was at her largest at the time of the OONY "Gioconda." When I saw her backstage after her May 2005 "Ballo," she was definitely thinner and thanked me for noticing. I saw her again after the Met "Gioconda" last fall and she was thinner still, though by no means thin. All you have to do as look at recent photos of her face - the cheek bones are back.
Countess--
Please stop behaving like a rhino terd. Millo is an excellent artist and she isn't any more flat than anyone else at the moment. NO SINGER IS PERFECT. I am not saying that maybe she has lost some of her edge but let's be fair in our criticisms. Beauty comes in many different packages. Quite frankly, I find her voice to be beautiful and honest. I get tired of hearing manufactured sopranos. When I go to the opera I like to be moved.
As for the comments about her sanity etc., can we please not go there? Is it necessary? Aren't all opera singers a little high maintenance and eccentric? Who gives a shit? Does that have anything to do with how she performs her roles? I beg you to name one opera singer that hasn't been black balled by the press or public in some way. Please name one. Even Netrebko, with all her "vote for me" publicity isn't immune to the public. Get serious.
I believe in telling the truth, but a great many of posts about this artist are cruel. I think attacking her weight and her sanity is the lowest of low. It is one thing to say that she is overweight but another to ridicule her for it by saying she isn't actively trying to lose it. How do we know? Last time I checked, I wasn't peeking out of her refrigerator every time she opened the door. I don't know what the lady does in her free time.
She is a great artist. Rather imperfect at the moment but nonetheless a great artist. Her singing in the late 80s and early 90s will stand the test of time. I hope she relive those glory days and come back better than ever.
note to Rukdin and OperaGuy -
1) I don't know who you're referring to, but check my posts - I am so NOT the guy who loves "Russian girls" at the Met.
2) As I was, oh, 20 feet away from Millo and Villa as they sang Act 3 of Tosca, I think I had a better vantage point than either of you from which to observe both Villa's reaction to her ommission, and her pitch problems at the end. Sometimes the house does cover her pitch trouble with its acoustics - if so in this case, lucky her. It doesn't mean her voice is in shape - it isn't.
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