baby love
La Cieca has just learned that Anna Netrebko, who is currently awaiting the September arrival of her first child, has withdrawn from her scheduled Met performances as Mimì on December 29, 2008 and January 3 matinee, 6, and 10, 2009.
According to a press release from the met, the soprano “has decided that she will need a few more weeks than originally planned to be ready for her return to the stage” following the birth of the Schrott Tot. Maija Kovalevska will replace Netrebko for the Bohème performances. Netrebko promises a return to the company on January 26 in Lucia di Lammermoor.
65. On August 10, 2008 at 1:13 am, RareGems195 murmured:
“Bel canto is music from the soul written by masters. Netrebko might not be suited for Lucia or bel canto (she isn’t) but bel canto is what makes sopranos real opera stars and smart singers aim for the gold.”
I guess that’s why Leontyne Price, Birgit Nilsson, Galina Vishnevskaya, Renata Tebaldi, Leonie Rysanek, Anja Silja, Gwyneth Jones, Lucia Popp, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Lisa della Casa, Martina Arroyo, Regine Crespin, Gundula Janowitz, Eleanor Steber and Kiri te Kanawa labored in obscuriity.
Bel Canto isn’t what made Sills an overnight sensation. The two operas that put her on the map were Ballad of Baby Doe and Giulio Cesare. SHe’d already been laboring for years, trying to get into NYCO without success.
Caballe had a long career singing Wagner, Strauss and Mozart in Europe prior to the Lucrezia Borgia which made a her a star.
I agree with the comment though that those singers had long apprenticeships prior to stardom. Today, we push young singers too hard too fast and then complain that they blow out their voices too young. And let’s not forget that The Met is ginormous, so people who could do certain roles in a house that seats 700 or 800 might not be right for a house that seats 3000. But then they aren’t considered stars because Peter Gelb hasn’t put his imprimateur on them.
only mildly shocked, you missed my point, the right voice for the right rep doesn’t matter, what matters today is casting a popular singer in an popular opera. So in the real world, not in a fantasy one, Netrebko is perfect for Lucia.
Grimgerde, what an obvious statement, OF COURSE all of those names put in a good apprenticeship and developed technique before becoming stars. But BEL CANTO IS WHAT MADE THEM SENSATIONS. Lucia made Sutherland, Lucrezia made Caballé, Puritani, Norma, and Lucia made Callas, Devereux put Sills on the cover of Times, Pavarotti became the King of the high Cs, and look at Florez and Dessay today.
Krunoslav if Leontyne Price, Birgit Nilsson, and Renata Tebaldi lived in today’s opera reality and forced their voices to sing bel canto like Netrebko does, believe me, they would sing it way more often than the rep they actually sang. And I was talking about STARS who on Earth is Gundula Janowitz compared to Callas, Sutherland, Sills or Caballé?
Krunoslav, the past exceptions to RareGems’ “rule” you name are of course significant. But I do think that the musical and dramatic structure of bel canto puts a very strong spotlight upon the intrinsic quality of the voice and, perhaps even more important in creating stardom, upon the personality and star quality of the singer.
RareGems’ bit about the music from the soul written by masters is pretty much a subjective value judgment, so we can agree or not agree with that point. But surely it’s apparent that the popular bel canto operas are effective vehicles for a charismatic leading lady?
yeah, raregems, it does matter. it just isn’t cared about anymore.
and haven’t read so much piffle in a small space in ages?
Haven’t been reading any of your stuff there lately, Rux?
raregem: I’m not sure where you get this impression that bel canto operas are so very “popular”. Puccini and verdi operas have always been the most “popular”, certainly when it comes to the general public. It would be a much safer bet to be in a boheme, aida, tosca, etc. if one wanted to become a star today and gain the widest exposure possible. Succeeding in a bel canto opera, however, would garner much attention from the opera community, but would make little difference to the press or general public.
And your logic regarding “stars” is flawed. For most people, joan sutherland and montserrat caballe are as equally obscure as gundula janowitz as compared with maria callas. How many people who know the name “maria callas” know what she actually sang and what she accomplished artistically? Her singing norma really had nothing to do with the controversies and persona which made her a “star” to the general public.
And if price, nilsson, and tebaldi tried to fashion themselves as bel canto artists, they wouldn’t be stars. period.
scifisci bel canto is not more popular than Verdi and Puccini, (though Barber, Lucia, L’Elisir come right after these two and Carmen), my point was that bel canto operas are what made Sutherland, Caballé, Sills and Callas stars overnight and that’s why Netrebko, Dessay, Fleming and Gheorghiu want to sing those roles, regardless of their vocal suitability.
Bel canto composers gave sopranos unique showstoppers, they’re the only one shining on stage for up to 20 minutes in some operas, the melodies are gorgeous and there’s no heavy orchestration to fight against. For a singer looking for enduring stardom, believe me, it’s GOLD.
Since we can’t agree on which roles Trebs should sing, I suggest that La Cieca arrange an online séance (or would that be an E-séance?) with Zinka and have her tell us and Trebs which roles would be appropriate for her.
“She sang VOT??? Vell, she is certainly no Aida!!!â€
only mildly shocked- when I take a day or two off there’s plenty more to take my place.
In going through Tube looking for videos by sopranos it would seem that the most popular aria of the current age is the La Wally aria–Ebben.. It’s even included in the album of Nilsson Rarities. Not having heard the opera(it was broadcast years ago on NPR I remember) I assune the work is Verissmo. Who has an opinion of whose rendition of the I’ll Go Away through the Snow aria is the best on records? Callas, Ren Tibs, Dmitrova! even Trebs I think recorded it.