Gruber? I hardly knew ‘er!
Well, cher public, La Cieca thinks it’s safe to say that April 19, 2007 will stand in history as Andrea Gruber‘s Metropolitan Opera farewell. The soprano’s dates for Cavalleria Rusticana, her only appearances scheduled for the 2008-2009 season, have now been reassigned to Waltraud Meier and Ildikó Komlósi.
Elva:
as per #298…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2sMbPbq-EM
Yep, that’s the one.
Getting back to Gruber. I heard her in Elektra in Seattle about a decade ago and she was quite wonderful as Chrysothemis. One BIG factor no one has mentioned is her gastric bypass surgery. Although she is by no means Maria Callas skinny, still such a large weight loss can adversely affect vocal production. So far Voight seems to be doing ok with her weight loss, but many say the voice has lost some of it’s subtlety, stamina and vocal dynamics. Others aren’t so lucky and when you factor in the years of drug abuse Gruber put herself through, it is no wonder she is having trouble. I heard her after her weight loss and it was not the same voice I heard 10 yesrs ago.
Well, in an interview I just read online from a couple of years ago, she speaks of having engagements through 2011. God knows where. I really hope it works out thouugh, because I have really enjoyed her performances as Minnie and Turandot. I was actually at her European debut – Forza Leonora in 1990 or 1991, and OK, I was like 11 years old, but I thought she was fabulous and I can remember it clearly to this day. I can’t say that about much else I heard Scottish Opera do in the early 90s.