gelb gives up “ghosts”
Official word from the Met concerning rumored cutbacks in next season is that Ghosts of Versailles is to be replaced with a revival of Traviata, rolling over Angela Gheorghiu and Thomas Hampson. No word on what happens to Kristen Chenoweth, but Peter Gelb promises that the new productions are going ahead as scheduled. [via NYT]
Gherghiou definitely doesn’t have an “almost spinto” voice and I agree that she tends to overact. One can always tell that she’s “acting” as opposed to her disappearing into the role.
But she has the top (up to a high C) and the flexibility. And the comment about her “inability to ever do anything stylistically correct or in tune” is just not true. I’ve never heard pitch problems and her sense for the Italian style is one of her great strength, IMO.
Gheor-gon does have a top up to high C. Unfortunately, the role of Violetta is written up to touched Db’s, which she never gets.
ChevalierDupin –
Some of us here (and more than are given credit for, as I’ve read some pretty cogent commentary here) have the education and experience to be able to criticize singers/productions/operas, etc. There *are* people on this site with either:
A. College educations in Music and Voice Performance
B. Singing careers? Did we necessarily sing in the uppoer echelons of the opera world? No. But my own career lasted for nearly 20 years.
C. A voice teacher who who concentrated on technique, and also taught style. When singing Mozart, sing Mozart. When singing Bel Canto, sing Bel Canto.
D. spent years listening to CDs, records, Broadcasts, with both great and not-so-great singers
yes, High C’s, you little cutie, let’s forget tgar rancid racette and sour sandra sing traviata, please.
And, Sanford?
I sometimes think Nerva Nelli is me in another life (hers). We are really on the same page and even the same bingo number alarmingly oft …
Although I’m as every bit as sentimental for the Ancien Regime as the next headless queen (but, cara Cieca, the French monarchy was NOT absolute – the Revolution started as a squabble between the king and his very independent minded hereditary legislature – they both lost), I stand with her and La C on Ghosts of Versailles, and I’d be thrilled to see Nina Stemme (or anyone else in reason) which is to say anyone but Maria Ewing) do Lady M of M.
Wexford Opera have just announced that they will be producing THE GHOSTS OF VERSAILLES in 2009.
Perhaps the redundant MET cast will fancy a trip to the Emerald Isle?
What I think a lot are trying to say: in the past divas were successful because they were ‘inside a role’, dramatically living and breathing the whole damn thing. Their life was not ‘a chosen career’, it was what they felt they were born and meant to do in life, and be done with the upmost dedicated passion and sacrifice. Today so much of the opera scene is ‘swinging door’ objectivity, detached, measured and cool. A case of ‘get in, get the success, money and fame’ as quick as you can. The controlled outlook is ‘if the voice should burn out as a result of all this operatic jet-setting’ make sure enough money has been made to retire on.. We do not have to look far for a list of such casualities who caused injury to our aural sensibilities in the process.
May I add: a good litmus test to this theory. Consider the general standard of ‘so called star’ casts on opera recordings today , be it DVD or CD as against what people expected (AND GOT!) back even 20 or 30 years ago. The ‘filth’ being released by the various teamed combos of ‘opera sweetheart couples’ presently, is laughable. The importance of these cocerns as serious and valid, as if some opera house resurrected Nelson Eddy and Jeanette Mac Donald to do Tristan & Isolde or Florence Foster Jenkins to star in Salome. Yet so many are willing to ‘yak on’ about the supposed merits of the latest batch of inadequates and whether ‘really’, they can sing this or that role. What would ‘they do’, if the singing inadequates were not constantly around the opera scene? Be at a loss to complain about totalling up the number of ‘off nights’ they attended of this or that singer. I think it denotes ‘wishful masochism in a grizzler’s paradise’.
Millo says it is not a profession but a vocation to be a singer.
I liked that.