Fleming-Bocelli ticket in 2008
The Washington National Opera has announced their 2008-2009 season will feature headliners Renée Fleming and Andrea Bocelli under the artistic direction of Plácido Domingo. According to an article by Our Own Anne Midgette in today's Washington Post, The Beautiful Voice will grace a new production of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia, an opera that has deep personal significance for the diva. Directing the opera will be "John Pascoe, a friend of Fleming's." Pascoe designed the leather jerkin Erwin Schrott sported in last season's Don Giovanni at WNO, so his credentials as an FOF are already well-established.Alas, Fleming and Bocelli will not actually share a performance at WNO, since his vocal contribution will be limited to a pair of performances of Rossini's "Petite Messe Solennelle."
Family values will be honored this season as Domingo's wife Marta will direct La traviata and Keri-Lynn Wilson (Mrs. Peter Gelb) will conduct Turandot.
Labels: domingo, fleming, gay gay gay gay gay, gelb, midgette, our own
POSTED at
10:36 AM
20 Comments:
If you let me conduct in your opera house, I'll let your wife conduct in mine. OK? OK!
"The Beautiful Voice will grace a new production of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia, an opera that has deep personal significance for the diva."
Personal significance? How many members of her family has Renaaay poisoned?
And in honour of Mr Bocelli, shouldn't the Rossini work be redubbed the "Petite Voix Solennelle"?
And who, pray ell, will clean up that "Messe"?
I love Miss Ann - "Turandot starring the very loud, Russian soprano, Maria Gulaghena"
I don't know if DC is ready for her? Miss Migette, that is. She certainly has given them a smart-ass account of their upcoming season. Looooove her.
i wonder if renay's people will try to spin the LB as an alagna-esque tale of personal triumph over the loggionisti of la scala. It would be a good way of distracting everyone from the fact that she has absolutely no business singing the role. When will the renay who sings such a wonderful marschallin, arabella, countess, etc. come back to us?!
Also, i've heard a clip of sondra singing the end of lucrezia and lemme tell you, that last e-flat is downright scary! Does anyone else think she has a rather strange voice btw?
Schade.
Sondra's quivering, narrow-bore voice is a little weird, but she is a wonderfully honest performer, delivers the goods and the has a great deal more soul than a certain other US pretender to the bel canto throne ...
It's apparent that AB, directly or indirectly, is being associated with opera, and he tries to be part ot the opera world. AB has a lovely small voice well suited for a pop-crossover artist who has many fans and has earned millions in the process. To legitimised his "operatic" voice, one way or another, is an insult to many barely-making-it young operatic singers who are committed to the art and are going through arduous training during their entire singing creer. I'm not an opera singer, and this not sour grapes, but I respect those who are and face so many obstacles and disappointments despite the fact that they are much better singers than AB.
In Mr.Gelbs world, there is always another FREAK SHOW waiting to be exploited and shown on movie screens nation wide.
If Bocelli had had to work his way up in opera the way most other singers do, we wouldn't be talking about him now. He doesn't have a strong enough voice or technique. However, he didn't and here we are. This stunt is a way to capitalize on his cross-over fame to attract an audience, and opera companies are bottom-line businesses like any other. In an ideal world, they would only care about art; we don't live in that world. If the choice were selling tickets and staying in business or going bust for your art, wouldn't you want Washington Opera to stay in business? Constantine, I understand your point, and as a former opera singer, I'd resen it like hell if I lost out on a job because of someone like him, but I'd also want the opera company to stay in business so they could hire me when he flames out.
As for Marta Domingo, she's been on stage for as long as Placido; she has plenty of experience.
It's a shame about Renaaayyy. Back in the day, when she recorded for Opera Rara, she was really fine bel canto singer.
I like Sondra's voice. I can't judge what it sounds like live, but I've enjoyed what I saw on Youtube.
I just listened to Fleming sing "Ah, Non Credea" and "Ah, Non Giunge", from her Bel Canto album. She hits all of the high notes, but she's got more glottal stops than Ghoul as Lady macbeth. And she sings non-standard coloratura, porbably because she couldn't sing the standard stuff. Altogether, pretty yucky.
I stand corrected. Mrs. Domingo has only been directing for 17 years. And John Pascoe, Fleming's friend? Since the 80s.
if you all mean sondra as in radvanosky?
pick a note, any note.
never met a note she could sing in pitch.
If sopranos had a rich husband, I guess pitch wouldn't matter either.
hideous voice.
If I'm not mistaken, Mrs. Domingo directed the LA Opera's Traviata, last year with Fleming, from which Hvorostofsky pulled out. Talking about nepotism and family support...
Did Washington not announce the full casting for these shows? This is one of my pet peeves, and should not be tolerated in the "better" houses - as if anyone cares about what's on offer independent of who is singing - often only the production team is listed nowadays.
Amen, old fashioned! I live in Washington, and the annual press release for the next season always mentions the names of just a few star singers. I then have to wait for the brochures to come in the mail weeks later to find out, for example, the cast of next year's Siegfried. You'd think it featured Francesca Zambello and no one else.
Aw come on prima la voce don't get too carried away.
There's nothing freak show about the HD broadcasts that I've seen so far. Give credit where credit is due.
Thank God Mr Gelb IS trying to widen support etc otherwise there wouldn't be an opera.
As far as Boccelli is concerned- considering he is BOX OFFICE and doesn't have an unpleasant voice (although small) I can understand opera administrators looking for ways to capitalise in some way. That's fine- that's what they are paid for - to keep the art that we love financially strong and available.
I would only start worrying if they didn't continue to be creative.
As far as Senor Gelb is concerned - judging from the size of the movie audiences at the HD broadcasts (and the enthusiasm the performances are receiving) it seems likely its going to be a huge financial success for the Met. They deserve praise for doing it- not silly empty slogans that are patently ridiculous.
The reason Washington Opera announces its season before all of the casting has been finalized is that Domingo has to (or wants to, which is in effect the same thing) be there for the announcement, so the company has to do it when Domingo is available.
Except this time, when he dictated it to his assistant at about 3am because he's in Europe or Asia... someplace far,far away.
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