jj meets “fille”
After Natalie Dessay‘s second act aria in La Fille du Régiment, the Metropolitan Opera audience just didn’t want to stop applauding — that’s how much fun they were having. Finally the soprano had to shush them so this new production of the Donizetti comic opera (heard April 21) could rollick to its triumphant conclusion.
Our Own JJ reviews the rollicking in the current issue of Gay City News.
Damrau sounds slightly stronger on the broadcast, then she did in the House…at least on Wednesday…and as the b’cast always perks up a voice, it might be one reason the applause response in the house wasn’t longer.
I adore her, but not in this…
hmmmm..that’s a possibility….and I think her voice has more personality than some other former exponents….Marilyn Mims….remember her?
Next Saturday, WQXR starts broadcasting LOC since the Met is done for the season. I just read the cast for Traviata and Baron Douphol was sung by one of my voice teachers, Philip Krause. He also used to run a company I sang with for several years, Light Opera Works, in Evanston.
Lovely singer- Phil Krause- did the Verdi Requiem with him 15 yrs ago.
I loved working with him at Light Opera Works. I sang in the chorus for Mikado, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, Fledermaus (for which I also was sort of a dance soloist, as some of the chorus also had special choreography in some of the waltzes), and The Sorcerer (for which I understudied Dr. Daly (Time was when love and I were well acquainted, indeed!) He was a wonderful teacher, though I was not a wonderful student. I always took my voice for granted and never worked as hard as I could or should have. I really miss it now. Funny coincidence, though. I wound up singing two different productions of the Sorcerer back to back with only about 4 days off between, and between understudying and actual singing, I learned 4 different parts (Notary and understudy for Sir Marmaduke in one, and chorus and understudy Dr Daly in the other).
we are all wondering what Felicity will sing next… We all loved “Che Faro”…maybe something from Tosca? whatever she does is GOLD…very funny and nicely sung…whatever key she chooses, seems Felicity can do no wrong…and “I’ve never been in a Pub in my life” is often quipped.(no, girls, not on stage during Fille)..LOVE HER
“… but when I think of great French coloraturas, I think of Mesple or ven Mado Robin, and Dessay’s voice doesn’t feel the same in my ears.”
Do you expect all Americans to sound the same? Why should all French people?
“Expecting Palmer to do the Queen of the night’s aria at the piano, (which had gotten quite a rise from the audience on Tuesday) I was deliciously surprised to hear her sing “Che faro†perfectly in marquise-charcter. ”
She has sung a different aria at each performance.
One thing I have not seen in all the many comments about FILLE was something I heard from a Met official at dinner tonight:
Am I the last one to know that all those servants dusting the Duchesse’s salon are men in drag? Having now seen the show from three different points in the House, I still never suspected it. But I’m told that every one of them is a male.
Two other things on the subject of La Palmer’s hastily-begun aria when the Marquise is caught in amorous mode with Sulpice: the varying of selections also means that Corbelli must memorize a different accompaniment for different performances. I found the piano-playing of both Corbelli and Palmer one of the many bonus charms of the production. I’m also told by the Met staffer that the little 4-foot piano that sits on that severely raked stage is part of the production and has been carted from London to Vienna to New York.
Yes, the dusting maids are men…ballet men to be exact, and what a hoot that you thought they were women!
They were men???? I was using binocs from the balcony and I too thought they were women! When the production turns up on PBS on Great Performances (and it better!!) I’ll have to take a closer look. Binocs from my couch perhaps?
I’ll practice throwing my bra at the TV so when I go to La Sonnambula next season I’ll be prepared.