parterre box

105 comments

• calaf47 says:

  #60. No..Dessay is just a poor singer at this point..and her “coloratura” antics are as labored as her “acting” skills.

  on March 3, 2009 at 11:28 AM
• Cosmo di Montevergine says:

  The choice of Mary Zimmerman for Sonnambula reveals Peter Gelb’s achilles heel: not believing in opera as an art form and relying on Broadway success stories. I’ve always found Zimmerman’s stagings facile and superficially populist. She doesn’t seem particularly fond of opera and constantly works at excusing the form and the content.

  on March 3, 2009 at 11:39 AM
• Sanford says:

  I enjoyed hosting the chat; thanks to all who participated. I have not seen such hateful comments, though, particularly about HIV, since the start of the plague back in the early 80s.

  on March 3, 2009 at 11:41 AM
• williams says:

  Bill: We were in center parterre and the “bejewelled dowagers” were not pleased. Renee was there and applauded the singers vigorously then bolted to avoid boos. She looked stunning in an off white fur wrap.

  on March 3, 2009 at 11:44 AM
• calaf47 says:

  #64. Renee was probably running to get out of her ARMIDA contract…as Ms. Zimmermann is down to direct that one too. Gelb needs to get rid of Ms. Zimmermann ASAP.Now we’ll have to wait another 37 years to get another SONNAMBULA production.

  on March 3, 2009 at 12:08 PM
• tair says:

  #61. “No..Dessay is just a poor singer at this point.”

  Well that’s subject to opinion….

  Plus that goes back to my original point about listening versus watching:
  as a radio listener, the main question is : is she a good singer?
  watching it in the house, the main question is: is she a good all-round performer?

  on March 3, 2009 at 12:14 PM
• paddypig says:

  a certain great diva often discussed on this website and who sang Amina all over the Europe and at the MET with great distinction and who has also staged the opera was overheard saying “scandale, but what do I know about Sonnambula!”

  on March 3, 2009 at 12:14 PM
• tair says:

  “Reviews are coming in, and they are all absolutely scathing.”

  Can you provide links to some? I’m dying to read them.

  Thanks much!

  on March 3, 2009 at 12:17 PM
• Graham says:

  For Christ’s sake, it wasn’t that bad. The venom from the commentary, etc. is really getting to be worse than the actual offense.

  on March 3, 2009 at 1:11 PM
• mj says:

  Good Lord, the nitpicking and Schadenfreude here and on opera-l is sickening. Yeah, Natalie Dessay is not Joan Sutherland, but neither is Joan Sutherland Natalie Dessay. If you can’t enjoy her for what she is, why are you listening? Incidentally, I don’t think her voice records very well. Have all you haters actually heard her sing in the theater?

  on March 3, 2009 at 1:15 PM