blood wedding
La Cieca hears from several authoritative sources that Diana Damrau will sing the autumn revival of Lucia di Lammermoor at the Met, replacing the gravid Anna Netrebko.
La Cieca at this point can only image the wattage of the dramatic sparks to be generated between la Damrau and her Edgardo, Rolando Villazón!
UPDATE: Although there’s no audio of Damrau singing Lucia (the Met production will be her role debut), here’s something in a neighboring Fach:
Fantastic news! I adore Damrau. She is far more vocally suited to this role than Trebs. And what a dramatic portrayal this will be!
If true, bravo to Gelb who gets a far better replacement than the originally announced “star.” I’ll take a real singer anyday over a glorified hooker.
Sorry for the double post, but I also must add — I can’t wait for her Serail broadcast. What a Martern!
I haven’t seen Damrau in the flesh, so can someone explain to me what is so special about her voice itself?
I understand that she has a strong sense of drama, and that she is clearly an intelligent singer, but – on record and video at least – her well-schooled and high-lying coloratura instrument does not seem beautiful, distinctive or touching. The young Eglise Gutierrez, for instance, seems to have a far more interesting voice per se, even if she is not queen of the high F’s in the same way.
maybe they would bring back Annick Massis for the “off-nights.” She was a real treat.
brett: dude, ‘tete-de-peau’ meets ‘turbans’!
I loved Damrau in Aegyptische Helena but haven’t heard her in bel canto. I know that some people really disliked her Rosina despite liking her Queen of the Night. I’ll be very interested to hear how she does.
As for Massis, I’ve only heard one clip — Juliette’s aria from I Capuleti e Montecchi — and would love to hear more. Based on that aria, I think she’s very special.
well Damrau’s website had dates listed in Sept and October with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Rattle and a few Gilda’s at the Deutsche Oper. They are gone now and the dates have not been replaced with anything else so chances are that La Cieca is right since I don’t see why all of a sudden these other engagements would just vanish. She did tell me that her first Lucia would be in Bilboa (this she said in November) and that she would sing it with the Met in Japan and then also in Spain (I think it was Madrid). She said she wanted a new production for her first Lucia but maybe Gelb promised her enough rehearsal time and another bon bon if she would consent to doing it this fall already. She is much better suited to singing it than the Nebs and vocally more secure than Dessay was. I did enjoy Massis but perhaps Gelb thought she wasn’t a big enough name?
The Ravel with Rattle and the Berliner was also to have been recorded for EMI so maybe they have decided to not record it without her or record it with someone else. Would she give that up for a run of Lucia’s? Difficult to say.
I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!
I too love her Martern!
And her Glitter and be Gay with the additional high f added!
Her Rosina was a little to unique for my tastes, but would still have paid money to see it, if I lived in NYC.
A first Lucia! For the little ol’ Met! How exciting!
Let’s hope they broadcast that into the theatre for next Season!
Great News Madame LC.
Thanks,
Drew