parterre box

68 comments

• taminosboyfriend says:

  Yes, she sang Arabella at the Met in 2001

  on November 14, 2008 at 11:43 PM
• primodon1 says:

  I personally like what she does I think that the people that critizize her ornaments are really nit-picky it doesn’t sound that out of place to me I personally like her lucrizia more than others I’ve heard although my personal fav is gruberova

  on November 15, 2008 at 12:43 AM
• Dubist Derlenz says:

  This is so bad and mannered it’s almost camp. I could understand the lukewarm applause at the end. Ms. Fleming is just riding on her fame nowadays, as the singing has really gone to pot.

  on November 15, 2008 at 10:39 AM
• Harry says:

  Where’s the late Mado Robin when we need her, like now? A G sharp above top C, no problem! Well the twitter bird fans can go back, bask in, and glorify the efforts of their divas THAT DID NOT follow the requests of what was printed on the composers’ original scores. I am taking about the practice of transposing downwards, but the ‘silly things’ listening away, appear to know no difference. Old divas get old….what’s a semitone here , a tone there…maybe even one and a half?? Let’s not go there….please!

  Instead it is NOW ‘Renee – bashing’ time, folks! The opera darlings have nothing better to do with their silly minds at the moment, except bemoan like Wagner’s rhinemaidens bewailing the loss of the benefactor gold to keep the opera doors open, so they can ‘bash someone else as well’. Perhaps I can set a task exercise for them: ‘someone else who used to be big, except the opera productions are going to get small’ due to the current financial difficulties. Now there is a convoluted mixed message opera topic to navel gaze about.

  on November 15, 2008 at 11:19 AM
• LVPO says:

  Cieca I must agree with DirkVA @ 53 that your comment @ #39 is utter inspired genious.

  You’re no strager to a certain “gift o’the gab”, but sometimes you dish out a ‘channelled’ “coup de grace” which makes me laugh outloud ( I still am!) and which always make me think I should evah be so inspired… sigh.

  Thank you.

  on November 15, 2008 at 11:51 AM
• BeauBoi says:

  I was never a huge fan of Fleming (although for some reason her recording of “Ain’t it a Pretty Night” always makes me cry – probably because of the music, but I digress). This is not as bad as I thought it might be, nor is it as good as it should be. I always get a little sad when I think about the dearth of truly great voices around these days. It hasn’t been all that long since the “big guns” (Sutherland, Price, Pavarotti, et.al.) were still mid career, and if you compare the current crop, you’re left with….Fleming. Netrebko. Alagna/ Gheorghiu. Blah blah and more blah. Isn’t anyone inspired and truly thrilling anymore.

  Cieca, your comment at #39 had me laughing. I loved it, as usual.

  And as for recording during a performance…If you’re going to complain about it, maybe your hypocritical ass shouldn’t ever listen to it. Many people would never have been exposed to opera without a pirate recording or two, and they are OFTEN the only record of how truly thrilling a singer can be (since studio recordings are…usually uninspiring).

  I guess someone always has to be the turd in the puchbowl.

  on November 17, 2008 at 12:36 AM
• WindyCityOperaman says:

  #45 – Sony has stopped manufacture of its MiniDisc recorders – too bad, but it’s the best for doing the pirate routine. You can go for up to 4 hours in LP mode and use a small stereo lapel mic covered with a mini windscreen and pinned inside your coat. You have to try not to “move” too much. Sevearal MP players will record via mic as well – but don’t know how good the sound is and if its in “stereo”.

  on November 17, 2008 at 9:06 AM
• kashania says:

  #56 is a pretty good zinger too!

  on November 17, 2008 at 3:10 PM