Comments on: you’re an old smoothie

By: Henry Holland

Henry Holland — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:28:27 +0000

Oh, for fuck’s sake, Melot’s Younger Brother, I don’t even like wine.

By: Henry Holland

Henry Holland — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:27:13 +0000

Merlot’s Younger Brother, hahahaha, perfect.

By: Melot's Younger Brother

Melot's Younger Brother — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:20:49 +0000

OK, Henry, I’ll bite:

“Domingo is much too old to be singing at the Olympics. Let us hope he drops this idea before 2010 and 2012.”

By: Henry Holland

Henry Holland — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:25:36 +0000

I’m surprised, a bit, that our doyenne hasn’t posted about Mr. Domingo’s appearance at the closing ceremonies of the Olympics last night. I trust she will, thus prompting a 200+ post thread.

By: Hugo Santos

Hugo Santos — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:20:25 +0000

So mean, Henry…

By: laciecafan

laciecafan — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 07:53:16 +0000

PADDYPIG:
Sorry to disappoint you, but the costume designer won’t cooperate. He insists that Adriana MUST wear a little black dress – so Amara is OUT. They’ve been talking to Licia again.

By: Henry Holland

Henry Holland — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:48:37 +0000

Hey kids! I know you've just been DYING to hear about this: Birtwistle's The Minotaur is being released on DVD in September. Also: the ROH Salome that looks very bloody and nasty and so forth. PLUS! Britten's "opera" Billy Budd, with the "music" being sung by Parterre Box favorites Ian Bostrdige and Nathan Gunn. Oh, and for those of you who think music died in the 19th century, there's some "opera" recordings of "music" by alleged "composer" Donizetti to waste your money on. Have fun!

By: pushedupmezzo

pushedupmezzo — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:59:36 +0000

Wonderful!
Then we won’t need to make the journey as walls will shake for miles around to the sound of Fiorenza. Bump up your home insurance.

By: paddypig

paddypig — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:34:18 +0000

I hear that GulgehÄ±na has been replaced. They offered Ä±t fÄ±rst to OlÄ±vero. then KabaÄ±vanska and Albanese. who all refused. but I happy to announce that the great obscene LucÄ±ne (amara that Ä±s) wÄ±ll return to the MET Ä±n the role of adrÄ±ana wÄ±th Cossotto makÄ±ng a comeback (she hates that word) as the PrÄ±ncess. they wanted PlacÄ±do to sÄ±ng wÄ±th sÄ±ngers hÄ±s own age. Gelb has decÄ±ded to have the greatest nÄ±ght of opera Ä±n hÄ±story (1970 that Ä±s)

By: Regina delle fate

Regina delle fate — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:44:04 +0000

Cocky! You’re sooooooo young! Which is very nice for you…but, you missed Domingo’s glory years which were from his Royal Opera debut in 1970 (Cavaradossi) until about the mid 1990s. I think I have seen him all but two of the roles he has sung at Covent Garden (Rodolfo in La BohÃ¨me and Loris in Fedora) although two of them, RadamÃ¨s and Don JosÃ©, I saw in other places (Verona and the Met). I have to say that he is the most CONSISTENT singer I have known in more than 35 years of opera going and if that sounds like faint praise, well, yes there were nights when he “faxed” in a couple of performances, but I have only heard him sing poorly on one occasion, the Otello with Kleiber when he was clearly ill and cancelled to be replaced by Jeffrey Lawton (even an ill Domingo was better than that!). On the other hand there have been nights when he was simply magnificent: the first Otello with Kleiber and Margaret Price in 1980, the three series of Fanciullas (no-one, but no-one in my experience has combined his vocal allure with thrilling commitment to this tricky, not always grateful role), and the first Hoffmann’s in, I think, 1982. He sang the role a lot around that time and he was right inside the role. In latter years, I have often seen him coast through his parts without much dramatic engagement, but he still sang beautifully. So he never had much of a high C – well maybe not, but opera is more than about a few high notes, thrilling as they can be, and Domingo’s career adds up to one of the most brilliant since recordings began. Possibly he has recorded too much and too late, but the stuff from his prime – the 1970s and 1980s – is often magnificent. If you want to know how much he is missed, try catching a broadcast of the Salzburg Otello with Alexandrs Antonenko – Charles Craig was a great Otello by comparison, so Vicar can stuff himself!

By: ruxton

ruxton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:21:39 +0000

Cocky thank you so much- but I have to admit I’m really not quite as nice as I’d like to be – the bitch in me frequently pops out (Like with the Vicar)- basic self got out there- he’s ok he’s just stuck in a groove. If he qualified his bald statements a bit more he would probably be quite interesting.
Tustuprof- funny you should mention your experience with la Riccarelli etc – with her I had the opposite experience. When she was at her peak she was doing a stadium Aida here and I was really looking forward to seeing her. As she opened her mouth to utter the first phrase the heavens opened and we all had to scatter, only to come back three nights later- when we did, she was gone, replaced by a local

By: rysanekfreak

rysanekfreak — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:37:39 +0000

and let me guess…the understudies for Guleghina, Borodina, and Domingo are going to be Verrett, Bumbry, and Bergonzi.

By: rysanekfreak

rysanekfreak — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:19:24 +0000

“Cocks and Vicars and Dead Bears!–Oh My!” is my absolute favorite Noel Coward song. I play the Bea Lillie recording all the time. Now if we could only get Rufus Wainwright to translate it into French for us.

By: High C's @ 4:20

High C's @ 4:20 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:35:48 +0000

COCKS AND VICARS AND DEAD BEARS oh my

By: The Vicar of John Wakefield

The Vicar of John Wakefield — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:25:52 +0000

Handing out gold stars for conduct are we, Cocky?

Since when do you speak for “people in general”?

By: Rukidn

Rukidn — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:46:09 +0000

a God is Corelli singing the forza from naples, that is a god.
Domingo? Gawd maybe.

By: tustuprof

tustuprof — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:39:03 +0000

Point of interest, ironic perhaps in view of the discussion above. Years ago I had tickets to hear Otello at Covent Garden with Domingo and Ricciarelli and I think Silvano Carolli (sp?). I’d been dreaming about hearing Domingo in Otello for years, since his earliest recording with Levine and Scotto. On the day of the performance, Domingo cancelled and was replaced by Charles Craig! In the event, Craig was amazingly good-he was then well into his 60s I think–and it was the other artists who disgraced themselves. Absent Domingo, the others acted as though it no longer mattered and they treated Craig and the audience with barely disguised contempt–Ricciarelli grievously so. Even Colin Davis, whom I’ve always admired, rushed through the performance with little evident respect for either Verdi or his performers. A sad occasion.
On Domingo. I’d just like to second Ruxton’s very fair and reasonable assessment of his career. I am one of those to whom his voice speaks loud and clear–his Fanciulla–also at Covent Garden in the early 80s– remains one of the benchmark operatic memories of my life. As an American, I also feel a genuine sense of gratitude for the devotion he’s shown to the art form in this country. We owe him a great debt of gratitude. Cocky, you seem more than reasonable about all this. If you don’t respond to the voice or the artistry, you don’t respond. Its really as simple as that. No need to explain or apologize. I feel that a voice either touches your soul or it doesn’t and no amount of argument for or against can persuade you otherwise. Good luck to you all.

By: pushedupmezzo

pushedupmezzo — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:29:55 +0000

You lot are now so obsessed with “fragrance” that the Google ads in the corner are now displaying nothing but! Where have all the wedding singers gone?

By: Cocky Kurwenal

Cocky Kurwenal — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:28:54 +0000

Vicar, I think many of us would be relieved if you stopped alienating people in general, and 2 of our best mannered and most eloquent posters in particular, Ruxton and Scaramuccio.

By: Scaramuccio

Scaramuccio — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:07:40 +0000

Well, I am. So why not do the thing with the dead bear he recommends? Bye now.

By: The Vicar of John Wakefield

The Vicar of John Wakefield — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:01:49 +0000

Perhaps Ruxton is a die-hard fan of the incomparable John Mitchinson?

By: quoth the maven

quoth the maven — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:29:51 +0000

Ruxton may be bowing out, but I’d like to address the quality of Domingo’s singing. It isn’t just that he’s been around so long that you’ve got to give him credit for longevity; it’s that so much of what he has done during these many years is so outstanding. Sure, he never had an easy top, but the velvety timbre, the scrupulous accuracy and above all the liquid phrasing make him a very special tenor indeed. If he has ever barked or approximated a pitch, I haven’t heard it.

For all that, I’m willing to put up with a few truncated high notes. But even the top could be thrilling–when he would nail the b-flat (I think) on “O gioia!” in “Dio mi potevi” (is that an b-flat?), the sense of a hurdle surmounted added to the intensity. It was a great moment.

By: ruxton

ruxton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:27:34 +0000

Vicar- with respect, why don’t you go and shove your head up a dead bear’s bum? Then, have a nice day!

By: ruxton

ruxton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:26:03 +0000

No all’s fine Cocky – I know you didn’t accuse me of anything and I know you’re not bitter or confrontational. It’s just not my bag to explain what I think is akin to “feelings”. Someone else might give you the information you need better than I- good luck with it.

By: The Vicar of John Wakefield

The Vicar of John Wakefield — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:18:18 +0000

Charles Craig was indeed a fine Otello.

But the greatest British Otello ever was dear old Frank Mullings. He could tear a passion and ring the rafters!

By: Cocky Kurwenal

Cocky Kurwenal — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:09:40 +0000

Dear Ruxton, I haven’t accused you of being a bully, or had any beef with you at all. I was up for a dialogue. I just wanted somebody to say ‘listen to the way he phrases such and such a 4 bar stretch in this ensemble from this opera’ and if you don’t believe in doing that, that’s absolutely fine. I’ve had my mind changed about a few people over the years that way – I don’t agree that a voice speaks to one or it doesn’t, because I think there are so many factors involved. One can initially be too focussed on one of those factors, which in my case with Domingo is the fact that his body is so tension-laden leading to a vocality that doesn’t appeal to me. But when an ardent enthusiast helps one see what else is going on, it can change one’s mind.

I’m fine with you staying out of this if you want, but I wanted to explain myself to ensure you don’t think I’m being bitter or confrontational with you.

By: hndymn

hndymn — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:59:44 +0000

quoth the maven—I KNEW somebody’d catch me on that. After I posted it came to me that while Marton had been the Ortrud, the Elsa was lost to memory. Thanks. I do remember her as being very fine. I seem to remmember her (Tomowa-Simtow) as a wonderful Marschallin, too.

By: ruxton

ruxton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:54:51 +0000

Cocky- that’s it. Sorry but I said right at the beginning I was talking about the man’s overall achievements – I don’t believe in trying to “sell” the specifics of a voice because in my view it either speaks to your soul or it doesn’t…so I’m not wasting my time. As you can see some jerk’s already accused me of bullying you (crap).

In short, from the facts I spouted, if you can’t see why some of us think he’s a God now, no offence, but too bad. It doesn’t matter and I couldn’t care less.

I’m outta this one now.

By: ruxton

ruxton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:29:10 +0000

scaramuccio – ahh right. Vicar is so stuck in the one subject groove I never noticed.

By: ruxton

ruxton — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:23:56 +0000

Rukidn I wasn’t aware that I was a bully. I only responded to a question. Never even expected to change his mind and couldn’t care less whether he did or didn’t.