"Singing Norma Today"
(with apologies to Stephen Sondheim)
NYC OPERA FANATIC:
Bless her soul,
Bless her golden throat,
All her fans can gloat.
Renée's preparing to chant
The bel canto role.
SIEGLINDE:
Today is for Norma
Norma, the role of the divas of choice.
America's soprano will honor us forever.
Today is for Norma,
As sung by the Beautiful Voice.
RENEE:
Pardon me, is everybody here? Because if everybody's here, I
want to thank you all for coming to my Norma, I'd appreciate
your going even more, I mean you must have lots of better things
to do, and would you please inform my fans, remember fans you know,
they're called the Fleming Flappers, but they're not, because they wouldn't flap
at anyone as wonderful as I am--
Change of plans:
I'm all wrong as a pagan,
Change of plans,
I'll do Eugene Onegin,
Tell the fans,
That I'm not singing Norma today.
NYC OPERA FANATIC:
Bless her soul,
Bless her golden throat,
All her fans can gloat.
Renée's preparing to chant
The bel canto role.
SIEGLINDE:
Today is for Norma
Norma, the role of the divas of choice.
America's soprano will honor us forever.
Today is for Norma,
As sung by the Beautiful Voice.
RENEE:
Pardon me, is everybody here? Because if everybody's here, I
want to thank you all for coming to my Norma, I'd appreciate
your going even more, I mean you must have lots of better things
to do, and would you please inform my fans, remember fans you know,
they're called the Fleming Flappers, but they're not, because they wouldn't flap
at anyone as wonderful as I am--
Change of plans:
I'm all wrong as a pagan,
Change of plans,
I'll do Eugene Onegin,
Tell the fans,
That I'm not singing Norma today.
POSTED at
8:26 PM
12 Comments:
oh bummer what happened to her plans of joining Paul Potts in a concert of international favorites in Parsippany, New Jersey?
Brava to you, La Cieca, to sticking to your guns. As much as I may not agree with your "disdain" or "ill-will" or whatever you have against La Fleming, it's your blog and you'll do whatever the hell you want with it.
That was fantastic!! I love it!
Go, won't you go, why is everyone listening?
Goodbye, go and cry at somebody ele's Fach.
It's so swell Peter Gelb tries to fight off this blog dissing
Don't ask why, I might try and give it up for Bach.
Listen everybody I'm afraid you wouldn't hear me
And I'm really not so good at playing crazy pagan priestesses
It isn't Robert Wilson who'd be wrecking his career
You know we'd both of us be risking getting blogged about,
I telephoned Levine to see if I could maybe start with Tosca but when Tosca gets revived it's going to be that bitch Kate Mattila
I'm not well,
So I'm not singing Norma--
You've been swell,
But I'm not singing Norma--
Clear List Hall,
'Cause I'm not singing Norma--
Thank you all,
But I'm not singing Norma today.
Echo julio...I've had my issues with the Renee Bashing (and more), but someone who remains fast in her opinions even in the face of adversity is to be respected, especially when humour is used (and if the opinion is backed up by informed precedence.) That aside, I love Fleming's voice; that is, the voice itself, NOT the way she uses it. (THAT'S not coloratura...THAT'S not "Ach ich leibe", et al...) More romantic German rep, PLEASE, Ms. F...
Brava. Hilarious.
It was us denizens of this and other blogs, not Renée's PR machine or the New York Times, who kept the Norma buzz alive - through our anticipation, our outrage, our curiosity or our hostility towards what never was and may never be. We ourselves turned it into news.
And now that she's said NO we affect surprise and mock the non-event. I mean, come on.
I don't see what the big fuss is about. I am happy that the woman has chosen NOT to sing Norma and has made whatever public declarations about it. The PR machine hyped it up too much - many of us already knew that it would "fit" her - and so now, unfortunately she needs to undo the hype. One can argue that perhaps it's a bit overboard, but journalists are journalists and so it's to be expected that there will be several covering this 'issue' in many periodical venues.
I think we should have a LITTLE more respect for Fleming not going through with the role and having had the courage to acknowledge that it was not appropriate for her voice.
And yes, La Cieca's layout has been all too amusing!
N.B. That should read {wouldn't* "fit" her}
Brava, Cieca -
That was fantastic. Of course, in Company Amy does get married. Does this imply that there will still be a future together with Renee and Norma?
Words Can Be A Powerful Weapon
So Please Choose Them Carefully
Because What You Say Matters.When You Tell A Reneephobic Joke
Or Use An Anti-Renee Slur
You're Spreading Prejudice
And You Can Be Hurting Someone Close To You
Without Even Realizing It.
These Words Send A Message
That It's Okay To Hate And To Discriminate.
You Have The Power To Make A Difference
Just By Treating Renee With Dignity And Respect.
Choose To Be An Ally And A Fleming Flapper.
(Very funny La Cieca. A lyrics fantasia worthy of MY blog!)
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