parterre box

93 comments

• ruxton says:

  Poor Cocky- don’t get too jealous though- I’m a terrible liar

  on July 1, 2008 at 10:50 AM
• High C's @ 4:20 says:

  Im on my knees RIGHT NOW!!!

  Theres just no one in front of me.

  on July 1, 2008 at 3:26 PM
• BeauBoi says:

  ***ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZIP***

  on July 1, 2008 at 10:55 PM
• Sanford says:

  Ruxton *is* a liar. Remember he boasted how long his tongue was? It’s true. This New Yorker will never be the same. Of course, he swallowed so much seawater, levels dropped to new lows.

  on July 1, 2008 at 11:50 PM
• ruxton says:

  *gasp* It’s all lies Oprah, lies- I never went near those kids, I mean Sanford. I never put my tongue where there isn’t the slightest chance of ever touching the sides!

  on July 2, 2008 at 1:55 AM
• GiacoPucci says:

  I suppose this is another one one of mu naive questions: what is mean by “vocal production”? Someone above criticizes Anna for poor vocal production. Paul

  on July 2, 2008 at 8:11 PM
• Sanford says:

  Vocal Production is a catchall phrase that includes breath support, placement (headvoice, chest voice, falsetto, bel canto, can belto, Florence Foster Jenkins-o, but I digress…)

  Some things are instantaneously noticable, such as the glottal attacks of someone like Virginia Zeani, as opposed to the nearly pure headvoice of Joan Sutherland or Beverly Sills (except for the Three Donizetti Queens, where she uses chest voice to great effect). Sometimes, it’s the difference between a bright voice like Roberta Peters or Mady Mesple, as opposed to a slightly darker, warmer voice, like Anna Moffo.

  Sometimes, bad vocal production can produce a gargled sound, like the voice is coming from the back of the throat (or the singer has a hair caught down there).

  Good vocal production, or technique, can determine how long someone sings for. Sutherland and Sills sang for about 40 or 45 years. Moffo had about 10 or 12 good years.

  Thank you. You all can now get 4 college credits.

  on July 2, 2008 at 9:22 PM
• GiacoPucci says:

  Thanks, Sanford. Glad it was you who did the teaching. I have such a mental picture of what I thin you look like. Someday I’ll pass iot on. Paul

  on July 4, 2008 at 12:08 AM
• Nerva Nelli says:

  ” Sills sang for about 40 or 45 years”

  Only if one counts her childhood radio career. She sang opera professionally beginning in 1947 or so, and retired in 1980.

  on July 5, 2008 at 12:08 AM
• La Cieca says:

  Nerva: And it should be noted that until the mid-1960s Sills did not have a particularly busy or demanding career. In her 20s and 30s she was singing attractively but (if the recordings from the time are representative) not very excitingly. The “big” Sills career amounted to a little over a decade, which is about average for star singers. The Nilssons and Sutherlands who sing consistently on a high level for more than 20 years are rare birds.

  Moffo enjoyed a decade of almost uniformly excellent singing from about 1958 to 1968, and then had quite a few good nights until around 1974-75. So she was hardly a “meteor” unless (again) she’s compared to a Sutherland.

  on July 5, 2008 at 1:48 AM