We'll need no castles in Spain
Autumn in New York means many things to many people. To some, it's glittering crowds and shimmering clouds in canyons of steel; others reflect upon upon jaded roués and gay divorcées who lunch at the Ritz. To singers it's the height of the allergy and cancellation season.
But to us, the most echt of all opera lovers, autumn in New York heralds the announcement of "The F. Paul Driscoll Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence." Luminaries receiving this accolade for 2007 include Stephanie Blythe, Olga Borodina, Thomas Hampson, Julius Rudel and "retired soprano legend" Leontyne Price.
TFPDAFOAITFOE, or, to use its perhaps less amusing but certainly cumbersome original title "The Opera News Awards," will hold its annual gala reception and dinner at the Hotel Pierre in New York City on Thursday, January 24, 2008. In what La Cieca applauds as a heart-warming effort at outreach to the lesbian community, the ceremony will boast Sigourney Weaver (above) and Susan Graham (not pictured) as co-hostpersons.
But to us, the most echt of all opera lovers, autumn in New York heralds the announcement of "The F. Paul Driscoll Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence." Luminaries receiving this accolade for 2007 include Stephanie Blythe, Olga Borodina, Thomas Hampson, Julius Rudel and "retired soprano legend" Leontyne Price.TFPDAFOAITFOE, or, to use its perhaps less amusing but certainly cumbersome original title "The Opera News Awards," will hold its annual gala reception and dinner at the Hotel Pierre in New York City on Thursday, January 24, 2008. In what La Cieca applauds as a heart-warming effort at outreach to the lesbian community, the ceremony will boast Sigourney Weaver (above) and Susan Graham (not pictured) as co-hostpersons.
Labels: diva, gala, opera news, tfpdafoaitfoe
POSTED at
8:18 AM
7 Comments:
It's amazing to me that it has taken the third round to include an African-American artist. Leontyne Price is a great choice, and she should have been among the first groups who received the award.
Re: Thomas Hampson, OK, he's helped raise interest in (mostly boring) American songs. But operatically, he's pretty much a cipher. BAD choice.
Although he is a tenor, Jon Vickers would have made much more sense as this year's male singer representative.
TFPDAFOAITFOA
Shound that be TFPDAFOAITFOE??? Or am I missing something? The latter is all too possible, I'm afraid.
Right you are, Micheal, and deserving of a TFPDAFOAITFOE of your own for pointing out La Cieca's blunder.
Now to make a few corrections!
In what parallel universe is Hampson known only for "boring" American songs and for being an operatic "cipher"?
Where I dwell, he is -- among other things -- the leading Romantic baritone of his operatic generation and a recitalist of distinction.
Why do Mesdames Weaver and Graham represent outreach to lesbians?
They are both tall, strong and good-looking; Sigourney (nee Susan) was quite butch as Ripley and Susan looks good in trouser roles -- but I think they are also both into men.
Re: Dirkva's comment, Hampson's Boccanegra was clueless. Boring, vapid.
Yeah, he's got a reputation as a good recitalist but I'd hardly call him the leading romantic baritone of his generation. For starters, ever hear of Dmitri Hvorostovsky? He's the kind of romantic baritone I admire in my parallel universe.
Ah, the famed variants of the C. Montgomery Burns Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence Awards. As you may recall, Homer Simpson won the first such award. Perhaps his (brief) operatic career may make him eligible for TFPAFOAIFTOE award. Hell, his Rodolfo was better than most...
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