the art of the euphemism
La Cieca never knows quite how far to go in repeating what she “is told,” but since some of it seems to be leaking out anyway, well, she’ll try to be tactful. Apparently sometimes opera companies choose to use terminology like “laryngitis” and “knee injury” in order to avoid having to say “exhibited bizarre behavior at rehearsals” or “arrived obviously unprepared.”
Thanks, mme. I didn’t want to be the first one to break this, but I heard the same thing from inside the Met. CB couldn;t get through any of Walkuere, and is not terribly well-liked. DOn’t be looking for too many future CB perfs in the future.
I wonder if we should consider diverting the discussion, quickly, to musical annotation, say, before mrmyster notices and begins reprimanding. I suppose Flagstad and Traubel can rest in peace.
I had also heard that she was, shall we say, a little behind in the learning curve. Pity. An amazing opportunity lost.
Huh…that doesn’t like Brewer-I’ve sung with her (albeit as a chorister,) unprepared doesn’t sound like her. She is, however, a big girl-are we sure she’s not just suffering from a knee injury?
Simply because I love CB, I’ve been hoping it was a knee injury – one tat would force her to lose some weight. PLEASE don’t let it be lack of preparation! Major houses will put up with a lot of things – arriving ill-prepared is not one of them.
one would have to have been dreadfully behind the learning curve for the met to dimiss someone so crucial as Brunnhilde at the eleventh hour… prompters and coaching sessions can do wonders for that kind of “knee injury”.
Brandon, you are a nasty snark; be quiet.
On Brewer, I am reliably told it was/is a knee injury. Details not yet available; however, sometimes when off book she can have memory problems. It’s a puzzle so far, as I know she really worked hard with special coaching in London and LA on the Ring; so lack of preparation seems unlikely. Time will tell. “Not liked at the Met?” I wonder why? We’ll see in a year or two if she sings Turandot at the Met, which was offered last year. Too bad they aren’t doing Frau.
I think this rumor is untrue…personal sources have confirmed the knee injury to be real and, indeed, quite serious
I have heard she wasn’t too popular with colleagues and I think she as we in the south say “got a little bit big for her britches”. I remeber reading an article where she said “I have no interest in singing any Puccini or Verdi” and thats her choice alright, but seems she is having trouble with the German so what’s left. Britten?
May Rita Hunter rest in peace.
anonymous: Yeah, “Personal sources have confirmed the knee injury to be real” just like personal sources have confirmed Villazon’s laryngitis to be real.