parterre box

77 comments

• Anonymous says:

  Now if only you could learn to spell. Hank Custin

  on October 2, 2007 at 4:39 PM
• Anonymous says:

  Mr. Constantine My-Interest-In-Opera-Is-For-Real Papas –

  Really, I have rarely been so fascinated as when I read your bio just now. Honestly. No really, I mean it. Thank you for sharing. But what did this have to do with RAS singing Stuarda in Lyon and/or Paris?

  on October 2, 2007 at 4:49 PM
• Constantine A. Papas says:

  Dear Anonymous,

  This is an informal site, and I don’t do proofing, plus I’m a two- finger untrained typist and I make mistakes. Next time I’ll be more careful. At least, with all respect, I have the guts to use my real name!

  on October 2, 2007 at 5:02 PM
• Brightshadow says:

  Mrs. John — we have disagreed much over the years, but that “no solid core to the voice” about Sills was flawless, to the point critique. Just what I have been trying to put my finger on about her for 36 years. I’m also charmed that you mention Patty Brooks, whose Traviata hooked me on opera when I were but a lad and the notion of paying for sex had not quite penetrated. (It’s still obscure.)

  Crutchfield is the best writer on voice that the Times has had in my lifetime. Nowadays, for vocal issues in New York, I stick to Jorden and Shengold, who DISCUSS such things and are usually right besides.

  In days of yore, of course, there was Henderson, still a great read.

  I heard Scotto in SF in Butterfly and a lousy Trovatore with the French ending (one of Verdi’s worst afterthoughts) well before 1979. She was not a great Leonora. (A tricky part.)

  Reneigh is the Lucrezia? I think you just saved me a trip to D.C. (That would be a good role for RAS.)

  - Hans Lick

  on October 2, 2007 at 5:06 PM
• Constantine A. Papas says:

  Dear Anonymous # 2?

  My response was for Balabanov 11, on this blog, concering RAS, vocal technique and “support from the diaphragm.” I did not mean to “show off,” but since the validity of my opinion was questioned, and rightly so, I had to respond.

  on October 2, 2007 at 5:23 PM
• Geronimo says:

  Thanks, La Cieca, for drawing attention to the previous Nellie Miriciou broadcasts. I worked with Nellie for 3 productions, and although I won’t pretend that her natural instrument ever gave me much joy to listen to, she’s a serious, intense and very musical singer. Her voice has been damaged by too many Toscas; she never was the singer for this repertoire. But she was a superb artist for bel canto, with many colors and ideas, as well as superb technical control 15 years ago.

  But to my main point- Nellie is a kind, lovely colleague, much beloved by her family and friends, and for a poster to suggest she needs to be shot against a wall because they don’t “like” her singing is reflective of some of the recent posting on this site, by posters, named and unnamed alike. It isn’t neccesary, nor humorous to write about singers like this. Save your hatred for politicians.

  on October 2, 2007 at 9:36 PM
• mrs John Claggart says:

  Why, Mr. Lick I am honored. Alas, I stood in line (I refuse to say I queued) all night for the Scotto/Pav/Verret Gavazzeni Trovatore and it was horrible on all counts. She sadly mainly gave a display of her dexterity on dwarf shoes, he was a porcheria disgraziata, and Shirley had lost her voice, simple as that. Poor Gav looked lost. I went back twice (!!!!!!!!) and it was worse!!

  Luckily life went on and they all recovered (Shirley, perhaps, not so much)but that was an unlucky opera for Pav, I seem to recall a Marton Trovatore with him, after the run of which she fled New York, and was he in the Joan performance where Livia Budai was booed to the echo and with such force that Joan got upset (I think it was Pav)?

  I have only seen two great Manricos, Franco when I was in Junior High (I actually don’t think he ever matched the three performances I bullied my father into taking me to that year — fabulous enormous D flat but B’s in the pira, no trill but GREAT infamia, infamia) and more or less the same period, Carlo, who trilled TWICE (and shocked me senseless since I was following with score and flashlight), phrased like an angel, mixed head and chest like a miracle and did a good pira too (B, but I heard him sing C’s, and of course Franco would just pop them out when in the mood but not in Trov). McCracken believe it or not (when I was in the Opera Queen club in High School) got out two very loud high C’s and carried on well but neither he nor the well equipped Tucker quite did it. I did see Bonisoli’s circus act (real high C’s too) and Domingo lower the pira far (but he actually stood and delivered the B flat to the audience rather than singing it into the wings or upstage, which was his usual trick) – and cracked.

  Lee was the greatest Leonora for a few years, and Stella was part of a thrilling event — Bergonzi, Simionato, Bastianini — and in Philly Cerquetti and the greatest Irene Kramarach but after that it’s hard to think of who? Millo maybe, I think it was one she went on for Marton and it all worked (an official video tape survives). Goodness, except for Zajick an impossible opera!

  on October 2, 2007 at 10:45 PM
• Anonymous says:

  RAS as Maria Stuarda was extremely disappointing. Clearly the role was beyond her, as she sounded strained throughout the entire opera. “Nella pace” was pitiful (my grandmother could have done better), whilst the greta high notes of yore were sadly missing in the confrontation scene and the finale. I’m not saying that high notes alone are enough, but if the interpretative abilities of the leading lady are evidently in poor supply, why cast someone who is clearly past their best? A substitute for Ciofi was indeed needed, but Swenson?

  Adam (Paris)

  on October 3, 2007 at 7:58 AM
• Perfidia says:

  Swenson in Chicago doing Norina (at least on the radio) was heavenly. I wish she had stayed with those parts. I don’t think she has the temperament for the big bel canto stuff.

  on October 3, 2007 at 8:18 AM
• JATM2063 says:

  Why don’t American opera companies hire in the American soprano Ruth Ann Swenson to sing the roles that lazy Eastern European/Slav/Whatever Angela Georghiu can’t show up to rehearse?

  on October 3, 2007 at 11:21 AM