parterre box

22 comments

• Eileen Feral says:

  Tristan without the first act is merely two acts too many….

  on December 13, 2008 at 10:27 PM
• eugene says:

  Thank you.

  on December 14, 2008 at 12:37 AM
• James says:

  Thanks so much for this. I didn’t see the note in the NY Times until it was too late. That’s what I get for not reading the paper first thing in the morning.

  on December 14, 2008 at 7:09 AM
• Curvy Nal says:

  Good to see Melot’s younger brother (10) keeping up the family pro-sunlight tradition. I suppose by rights I ought to kill him in a loyal but gormless manner but I’m feeling friendly today.

  Many thanks La Cieca – and get well soon, New York City; hope the cough clears up soon… (or did someone bring a dog into the stalls?)

  I dragged myself up off my own Act 3-style sickbed (traditional Xmas flu) to the Kampe-Smith-Jurowski Act 2. I know what Sir Morosus means – a bit cold, is another way of describing Jurowski. But he’s always interesting, and sometimes I thought I was getting onto his “zen” level (as he’s called it, I gather) and it got really good. The orchestra (LPO) seems to be getting better and better and at times was amazingly eloquent. He doesn’t seem so interested in building things gradually. His technique of marking sforzandi a beat or two before they happen can be very distracting! He’s still ludicrously young, remember…

  Kampe’s voice seems bigger and warmer than before, if not quite as abandoned as I’d like it in the loud, high bits. I know she’s capable of wild ecstasy from Fidelio (Namen-, namenlose freude etc.), so let’s see. She looks great, of course – the new Meier? RDS – pretty good but also holding back a tiny bit I thought. Good old Laszlo Polgar for a touching Marke when he was obviously not well

  on December 14, 2008 at 7:11 AM
• Curvy Nal says:

  This should start a fight or two, by the way – famous Wagnerians choosing their favourite CDs and DVDs. I found the link on the “intermezzo” blog. Irene Theorin recommends herself! But with an ironic wink…

  on December 14, 2008 at 7:18 AM
• Alessandro Visconti says:

  I cannot stand some opera queens. They’re almost always looking for something to fight about . Curvy, do not even rouse them to a fight. It can get very ugly.

  on December 14, 2008 at 10:08 AM
• jatm2063 says:

  well I listened to both clips. She does indeed have that loud top people are talking about, but I still say she sounds like a pushed up mezzo soprano. I also still find it rather ugly.

  on December 14, 2008 at 1:09 PM
• Barbara says:

  She is the best. I am assuming this is Waltraut Meier.

  on December 14, 2008 at 1:21 PM
• schweigundtanze says:

  No, it’s Waltraud Meier.

  on December 14, 2008 at 1:35 PM
• billy says:

  any word as to whether meier will be singing isolde on tuesday?

  on December 14, 2008 at 11:45 PM