the end
La Cieca really, really doesn’t like to say this, but the truth seems to be staring us in the face, so here goes. We have seen the last of Rolando Villazón at the Met. Even though he’s announced as having canceled only the first two performances of Elisir, it’s pretty clear that he’s just not able or willing (or both?) to get his voice and confidence into solid enough shape to appear in New York.
Nemorino is (as tenor roles go) not a particularly difficult sing, and it’s a role that’s always been central to his repertoire. But now it appears Villazón can’t sing even Nemorino up to Met standards, which means he basically can’t sing anything.
As a friend of La Cieca said on the phone a few minutes ago, “It never happens to the ones you want it to happen to,” and, sadly, that’s the case here.
if you sing for years the wrong parts(carlos, jose etc) and you sing the way he did, then you could hear it for some years that there will be problems and now listen to the new händel cd you will understand what it is going on.
Thank you, La Cieca, for setting the tone for the discussion of this probable, and very sad, outcome to Villazon’s career.
I cherish the many times I saw him, including in recital in Orange County.
Truly, I am devastated.
definitely agreed that there are problems, but what do you hear going on in the handel cd? the voice doesn’t sound in that bad shape to me on it, though he seems to avoid anything high-lying.
when was that recorded? Maybe that is the rep he should be singing and not Don Carlos.
Very, very sad. I hope he finds a way to pull things back together in a year or two.
Don’t fret -there is always Beczala
the only good tenor around and what’s more an artist .
This is sad indeed. I think that he is still young enought to retool his voice and bring it back to health. I hope to see his return one day.
Kashinia, along the line of your posting, I feel it is never too late to work on one’s voice — Ramey still studies with his life-long teacher. BUT, “attitude is all,” and everything I’ve heard about Sr. Villazon suggests he has a severe problem with accepting criticism, correction, ideas and discipline in the vocal sudio. And I also know teachers and others in the profession who say the same about Filionotti — so who is in trouble among tenors? You got it!!!
Villazon is a tenorino, a tiny little man, half-crazy and interesting, but should sing in houses no larger than 1200-seats, and should not sing dramatic repertory, but he does not accept the truth – so much for him. Yes, it IS sad. Next?
Something tells me the WNYC News Room reads Parterre…they just had a news item about Brewer and Villazon.
GIORDANO is the cover, anyone want an orchestra seat for the 31st. rear orchestra $80, email me at paddypig@yahoo.com
Unfortunately, now he’ll go into cross over shit. Insulting Handel with performances that bring to mind Elvis, Las Vegas, etc.
Handel is not for his voice, either. It’s really sad but I don’t know what repertoire is the one for his voice. I think he doesn’t know either…
What sadness. I will cherish the memories of his Romeo and des Grieux out here in Los Angeles from just a few seasons ago. He is scheduled to do Nemorino out here next season (with Gunn as Belcore), but now I wonder if he will show up or not.
If it’s only a laryngitis… why having cancelled the last performance of april too ? Or was Calleja initially scheduled ?
I agree with La Cieca’s telephonic friend…RV seems like a mensch, and I assume years from now I will still recall his 2005 (?) Rigoletto as a highlight of my days as an operagoer. Just as I will recall this season’s Lucia prima as a pretty sure sign it was over. Hope he finds his way to some kind of success, whatever that looks like.
why are we predicting his complete demise?
Hasn’t he technically only cancelled the first couple performances? There’s still a chance he would sing the rest?Or is that wishful thinking on my part?
and also, wasn’t it announced that he has laryngitis?
They wouldn’t say that if he wasn’t actually ill– wouldn’t they resort to some “indisposed” vagary?
I am not surprised at all.
This poor mediocre guy was pushed to his limits by the indecency of placido domingo.
He never had a tecqnique,was forced always and thoght that acting was making the clown.
I am not surprised,neither sad.
Boo hoo…Move over Bocelli, you got competition now!!!!
I’ve been a big fan of RV for some time, and I just can’t believe the sheer tragedy of what has happened. I was really crossing my fingers for April 4th because it would have been my first time seeing him live, but alas it seems like it’s not going to happen. But I would rather wait a few more years, while he just stop everything, recover his voice, and start over again with better roles and smaller venues, than to see him like this.. I mean, I just don’t get it! His idol is Domingo, and he took good care of his voice. RV obviously worships Domingo’s voice, repertoire, acting… why can’t he emulate that self-management? Garr Rolando, plz do something!!
Aha, I thought it might be Domingo’s fault somewhere along the line.
I look forward to hearing how Behrens, Fleming, Dessay, Zimmerman and Netrebko are to blame in subsequent posts.
In case anyone hasn’t heard, Brewer has cancelled.
With all due respect to LA CIECA I think she is being a bit over the top & melodramatic about all this. Obviously Villazon is going through some kind of vocal crisis but to claim “we have seen the last of Rolando Villazon at the MET” seems a bit much. I actually saw two performances of Tales of Hoffmann at Covent Garden in the fall, just a few months ago..in one of them Villazon sounded PHENOMENAL, in the other he had a complete meltdown. There is still something there….
amerjacquino, no, it is actually Studer’s fault for having shown up at DGG’s comeback party for RV in Madrid late last year. Placido was there as well so I guess we can spread the blame between Cheryl and him.
http://www.elcultural.es/version_papel/MUSICA/22899/Kleenex
(-:
I wish he would just take some real time – I mean a complete season, at least, I think the man can afford it – and figure out his voice! I don’t believe this is the end for him, if he does that. God knows he is incredibly appealing as an entertainer, as a heartfelt performer. People need to knock off the comparisons to Beczala, also. Different voices, different artists. Rolando is one of a kind, and he can get through this. All the best to him!!!!!! (There are voices out there right now that are on far shakier ground, imho. He just probably didn’t feel he could risk another scandal at the MET at this point, if he isn’t up to it.)
sterlingkay, I would say that la Cieca’s prediction is more to do with the business side of opera than Villazon’s actual vocal condition. The implication is that he is too much of a gamble for a major house like the Met. The people on the ‘meltdown’ nights have to pay the same ticket prices as the ones who get a ‘phenomenal’ evening, and in a recession you can’t afford to rely on an audience’s optimism or goodwill in that way.
#17 — “Bitter, table for one”….
I stnnd sadly corrected. I’m with So Sad, hoping that it’s just laryngitis, something that can heal and that he’ll finish the run, just as he did for Werther in Paris. I, too, am so glad that I saw him in performance. What a committed, generous performer (and colleague, from what I hear). But I wouldn’t take a chance on buying a ticket to hear him these days. A friend who heard him in small European houses can’t believe how much better those venues suit him, so maybe RV will take the hint. Let’s not even talk about Hoffman–will he be able to do Idomeneo next season in Paris? I’m not in a state of disbelief but I do hope that Rolando can work through the difficulties. Refuat hanefesh, refuat hagufe–I wish him a healing of the soul and of the body.
Massimo Giordano is flying in from Europe for the dress rehearsal tomorrow and first two performances (even though there are a slew of tenors in the house who know it well like Barry Banks, Calleja, Juan Diego). Also, added to the list of Brünnhildes, there is now also Dalayman in addition to Theorin and Watson.
amerjacquino on #26: true but what explains, then, the continued hiring by Gelb & Co. of gambles such as Heppner and Morris and now Voigt. The latter has yet to have a veritable meltdown but she will very soon. Her deplorable vocal state at the Gala was but the tip of the iceberg. And don’t get me going on Heppner and Morris, please!
I meant #25.
Slightly off the topic- but out of Watson, Dalayman and the third soprano sharing he Brunhildes, who do you think is most worth seeing? I like Dalayman when she’s singing lighter fare but as Isolde she sounded strained, and the Brunnhildes are higher.
@28, always follow the management trail…..the money trail, I should say. It looks like Villazon and Giordano have the same management. Actually, an agency has the right of replacement in a situation like this, so they don’t lose commissions entirely. (Massimo’s fee and Rolando’s fee are probably somewhat different, though.)
laryngitis? HA, HA!!!
People, dont be stupid and naive!!
Obviously, they wont say that Villazon is now not even able to sing Nemorino. They’ll just call it “LARYNGITIS”. We all know that this is not laryngitis but a systematic problem with his voice.
He withdrew from Jolanthe in Baden-Baden due on July 2009. I guess he knows in advance that he will also have “laryngitis” those days! ha, ha!
#28 – What an inept bunch you just named .
The Met is fast becoming 2nd. rate show bizz…if it
isn’t already there.
It’s really not funny. It’s too bad. Whatever excuse they give, people aren’t being stupid and naive. I think the reason people feel upset about it is because no matter what anyone says, the guy has given of himself and people have gotten something for the price of admission. You don’t have to like what he does, but you can’t argue about his effort, for Christ’s sake. And say what you will, but this fellow had a beautiful natural voice when he started. He shouldn’t have tried to emulate Domingo, vocally speaking. No singer should ever try to imitate anyone. He can still reclaim a place in this field if he realizes he must learn a technique. Domingo has one. And anyway, the MET is not the center of the universe, as much as people here like to think it is. Sorry. Villazon can perform all over the world, he can still record, he can continue his work. Honestly, how could anyone stop him? His energy and intelligence are irrepressible. He will be “back”, whatever that means.
Who should they be booking for Nemorino or Brunnhilde then, ariel?
Either there aren’t any good enough singers in the world, or the Met is incompetent in its casting of these roles. You can’t have both; you’re going to have to pick a team.
Villazon is still young enough and it sounds to me like his voice is still healthy enough to retool.
I am not sure if the mental toughness to do it and deal with everything that goes along with it, is there however.
I think his problem is a mix of imperfect technique complicated by poor repertoire choices, the passing of youth when minor health things can’t be sung through anymore and a strong dose of psychological component in there too.
it is rumored that somebody is working on a book on Villazon and his succesful yet short and escandalous career. Can someone confirm this? Cieca?
“Rolando Villazon: The Fall of a Tenor”
Who’s writing it??!!
this is such sad news. Fan or not I am always saddened when a singer goes through this ESPECIALLY one of his caliber who has enjoyed so much success. I feel horrible for him and I hope that in some way he can get the voice back together and delight us again.
I wish him nothing but the best!!!!
@37, exactly. It is uncertain, and it is up to him. @38, whoever is doing that is scum. How useless an exercise if the guy is still singing. I would imagine Rolando could go after them. It is worth saying that I think people underestimate the mental fortitude that got Rolando to this level of achievement in the first place. It isn’t rolling off a log, no matter how fun he has made it seem.
OK, a maybe embarrassing question here. I haven’t seen him live, but just what makes Villazon so special? OK, he is an intense guy with lots of personality and the voice (at its best) is not unattractive in a rather throaty and not entirely comfortable way … But I don’t get the great artist that some see in him. Can anyone enlighten me?
Inquest, just repeating what I’ve heard so don’t hold me responsible for the veracity..
“Villazon is an artist // artistically intelligent when it comes to shaping the notes etc.”
^ I hear that quite often. And though I’m a rube when it comes to music, I would agree. He sounds good and throws himself into it.. burns himself up really.
People disagree over the production, Inquest, and I’m not too sure about it myself, but Trebs and Villazon made something special of Traviata at Salzburg. A lot of it is on YouTube- take a look.
This is sad indeed. The only time that I heard him live was in Rigoletto at the Met a few years ago. I was really looking forward to hearing him on Tuesday. I’m not surprised about this but hopefully he can take a long break & come back better then ever.
41 well, for better or worse, one thing is that he didn’t sing like he was figuring out how to make his career last. It’s nice of course when careers do last, but I don’t like to be able to hear those calculations.
To #41, I am not the hugest fan either – I have always found him rather forced and overly frenetic, overly intellectual and with questionable taste.
But I am loathe to see any singer especially a tenor encounter problems.
OT, or OBlog: Can someone please tell Opera Chic that she can’t pin this turn of events on her arch nemesis, Angela Gheorghiu? (That slant is getting so very old and tired, btw.) The said “scooping” was done by some super or other L’Elisir participant – at least this was hinted at on this blog, anyway. The eavesdroppers were not doing her bidding, but their own. Angela’s earlier stated uncertainty about Rolando had only to do with Rolando himself, and I personally think her crossing herself was sincere, from one opera singer to another. His lack of dependability these past few seasons is on the record, to say the least. I am not deluded that the woman is a saint, but please leave her out of it. She now has to adjust to yet another tenor.
Very sad, as others have said. Opera needs stars, and Villazon is a star, even if one without a reliable technique.
When he cancelled all his bookings previously, wasn’t he out for almost 18 months? And he comes back in worse shape than when he left. Doesn’t bode well for the future.
And. echoing amerjaquino, I would also ask ariel to name who he would cast in preference to the singers listed
Obvious as it appears, the Netrebko-Villazon franchise is heretofore finished, leaving Gelb with the Dessay-Florez much more successful alternative. Florez was recently interviewed by a Peruvian reporter, while dining at Fiorello’s: He fleetingly mentioned that the revival of “Fille” will, in fact, team him up yet again with Dessay: Unless he forgot that Diana Damrau is the Marie of choice, it may very well mean that Gelb has bought out La Damrau and has asked Dessay to repeat her winning interpretation of the role.
And where, I wonder, are Carlitos & Rosenkavalier, two of his most ardently vociferous promoters, when Rolando needs them the most
piqued:
Opera Chi is NOT pinning this turn of events on Angela Gheorghiu.
why dont you contact Opera Chic directly?
I’m sorry, I just don’t see this as any great loss. If you are going to have a serious career in this Art you know what you have to do to achieve it. RV obviously is more interested in other things. It’s sort of like Mario Lanza – what a wonerful voice and I wish he had….
BUT, they both chose not to. So lte’s Move on. Who’s next? Let’s see if we can;t nurture the next generation and guide them in the way to a long and fruitful career….
This really is too bad =( I can only imagine what he’s feeling right now.
Here’s one for the new generation. Aprile Millo has embedded a YouTube track in her blog featuring a very promising newcomer. Her name is Maria Aleida Rodriguez. Check it out:
aprilemillo.wordpress.com
Is the URL better formatted now?
http://aprilemillo.wordpress.com/
The Trebs-Villazon attempted [operative word] bel canto pairing was something of a train-wreck, to be uncharitable. Can we please get the Damrau-Beczala couple on-stage more often? Or bah, any couple with la Damrau – Madame Dessay is sounding tired and ethereal these days, though one is still loyal to her. Aside: I’m inordinately pleased that Damrau & DiDonato will team up in Le Comte Ory, anyways – and JDF, what a cast!
Frankly, this seems rather premature – Villazon is still young. The bigger problem is that he doesn’t seem to be able to listen to anybody, nobody seems willing or able to get through to him and he isn’t reassessing his choices and analyzing his mistakes. He is just blundering forward seeing if he can get it together and maybe get onstage and if he does maybe he will finish the evening hopefully in one piece.
As has been said a million times here, the basic voice prodution is faulty. If Villazon keeps singing with his current technique it will indeed be curtains, finito. He will always have “laryngitis” “allergies” “nervous exhaustion” “upper respiratory infection” “sore throat” “elevated blood pressure” – whatever bullshit excuse they can devise to cover his ass.
Take a year or two off Rolando and come back with a scaled down repertory (Anna needs to sing less bel canto, you chico need to sing more) and a totally reworked voice production. Bill Schuman number is out there, Rolandino…
CALL HIM
NOW!!!!
Drammy- I could pull rank and say that the Comte Ory cast you mention won’t hold a candle to Sumi Jo, John Aler and Diana Montague. But I’d only be saying it to be provocative and I don’t think we’re ready for the late eighties Golden Age conversation
I agree with Dame Ernestine Sherman Tank @51.
RV was not commited to the art of Opera and the Art of Singing. He clearly was more interested in other things, precisely: Becoming a STAR. He’s now paying the price…
Oh, those tenors: they never learn not to sing Don Carlos when they shouldn’t (cf. Carreras). They have their own ears and sense of their abilities to blame even before they blame those who offer them such roles, let alone blame Mtro. Domingo, surely …
But Armer, then I’ll just scream “But Maria Callas was better, philistine!” – whether or not she has ever been within a mile of a production of Le Comte Ory – and all of her fans will come forth out of the woodwork to defend her honour, clutching LPs and locks of her hair or fingerbones or something.
To be serious, the only dead ones I’ve listened to are Sills, Sutherland and Callas. I find Sumi Jo’s diction [esp in German, don't know about le francais] exasperating. What happened to her anyways? I don’t see her on the Met roster that often – seems she is singing @ Staatsoper Hamburg currently.
Giordani? a-fucking-gain? What do people see in his strangulato singing worth getting all hot and bothered?
I swear, I would have rather seen a Cinderella story and have the Russian guy do a great job singing a role that is right up his alley than a pushed up tenor strugling to find sweetness in his voice.
As I’ve eluded in my “telediagnosis” before, Villazon has more of a structural problem than a simple vocal crisis. He made a huge mistake to come back so soon. He’s only 36- still a youngster in tenor years. He should have taken at least two years
off under the care of a phonetics MD expert in voice rehab, to built up all the muscles and the strength of the nerves that supply the vocal cords. Vocal coaches can teach when
the instrument is tuned but not when is broken. They can even make it worse. Villazon should stop paying vocal coaches but try to find a voice rehab expert for his own good. I like him, wish him the best and I hope he makes the right choice and stays away from promoters and agents who expoit him.
“Giordani? a-fucking-gain? What do people see in his strangulato singing worth getting all hot and bothered?”
No, Giordano – a different and much younger singer.
I fear La Cieca may be right in this one. Who gets laryngitis a week in advance?
What a shame. I used to see him perform often back in the mid-90’s, when he was a young artist at the Opera Center in Pittsburgh, PA. He was so talented. I hope this is not the end of his opera career.
Messa di voce, RV was out for less than six months. He did a series of Manons in Barcelona in which he came to grief and that was during the summer of 2007. Even before he returned to performing in early 2008, there was a lot of press about his “comeback,” and lately there have been lengthy interviews with him in French and German media. I’d rather hear him sing well than talk (despite his thoughtfulness and intelligence).
I don’t know Dalayman but it seems unanimous that she’s not a Brunnhilde voice – so why does she do it? I have a ticket for the Matinee Gotterdammerung with her but will switch with anyone who has a ticket to hear Irene. If that’s a fair trade to you!
This tragedy illustrates one of the points many of us have been making here for a long time. .It doesn’t matter how great your advisors/management are. If, as a singer, Nemorino doesn’t have as much cachet as Don Carlo, fuck the advice; I’ll sing what I want. From what little I’ve heard of RV, he’s a light lyric tenor. Nemorino should have been perfect for him, or might have been had he been singing lighter rep all along.
“mrmyster quipped:
Kashinia, along the line of your posting, I feel it is never too late to work on one’s voice — Ramey still studies with his life-long teacher. BUT, “attitude is all,†and everything I’ve heard about Sr. Villazon suggests he has a severe problem with accepting criticism, correction, ideas and discipline in the vocal sudio. And I also know teachers and others in the profession who say the same about Filionotti — so who is in trouble among tenors? You got it!!!
Villazon is a tenorino, a tiny little man, half-crazy and interesting, but should sing in houses no larger than 1200-seats, and should not sing dramatic repertory, but he does not accept the truth – so much for him. Yes, it IS sad. Next?”
mrmyster, I have deduced, is Santa Fe’s answer to Alice Roosevelt Longworth: “If you don;t have anything good to say about anyone, come sit next to me.”
And don’t get me going on Heppner and Morris, please!
I hope you do realize that replacing a Wotan and a Siegmung/Gherman is a lot harder than replacing a Nemorino.
Giordani doesn’t know either role yet.
And good riddance. Cancelled performances has been his trade mark for YEARS. I’ve never bought a ticket for anything that he was scheduled to appear in that he actually did.
Bye Bye Rolando.
Opera needs stars
I absolutely disagree with this. Opera needs singers, good singers that can do the repertory justice. THAT is what will (or should) make them stars.
Opera needs singers.
FWIW, I know Filanotti’s best pal who insists he is looking for a specialist in repairing voices and not finding people he trusts. He is reportedly VERY aware of his problems, and listens obsessively to recent tapes. But in the middle of a career, contracts signed three and four years ago, travel, jet lag, colds, nerves, coachings, rehearsals it’s hard to focus. I think he is a fine artist and musician with a very beautiful voice — though it hasn’t exactly gleamed recently. He seems always to have had trouble with the top, he’s not confident about it. But my information is that he’s very serious, though I am only reporting hear say.
Lindoro: Amen! Opera does need stars. But one can’t be a true opera star for long without being a great singer too.
I seem to be out of tune with the majority feeling here. I am not feeling sad at all, since this is honestly forseable from the very beginning and I have lived through many, much more talented artists with better voices that had the same end, though perhaps not as fast as RV did. Carreras for instance, though he managed to retain a little bit of the ability to phonate.
The fact is, RV does not know how to sing. It is not a question of not having perfected a technique. It is a question of HAVING ONE at all. He is an extremely talented person who used to have a great voice and who was thrown into the lion’s pit of the operatic stage and drained of while fortunes were being made (to which he became no stranger as well, but I dont blame him on trying to be sucessefull). I do think that he should have known better, but then again, anyone who cast him should definitelly know better.
In an ideal world, the answer would have been: Go study and learn how to sing. However, vocal pedagogy today is in such dismal state that studying is, most of the times – detrimental to the instrument. I do not write this as if I were a holder of a sacred arcane bit of information about the voice – I WISH I WERE! The fact is, noone seems to hold this arcane information anymore, and most of people dont learn how to sing or do so with very sub par results compared to the schooled singing of previous times.
There have always been “natural” voices that were unstudied. These have always invariably declined extremely early – a few examples are Di Stefano, Corelli, Carreras, Souliotis. Some people are made with platinum larynxs and manage to continue singing – like Domingo for instance (who is certainly unschooled but who managed to get an understanding of his own instrument and its limitations) – however today’s “natural” singers have against them that they do no “naturally” emulate good singers, but very incomplete singers from the voice production point of view.
Domingo says in an interview that he used to immitate Caruso. RV tries to do the same to Domingo – and most probably the young tenor-wannabes of today will try to immitate RV! The vocal standards are thus set lower and lower in a vicious cycle (after all, who is to question success), and the vocal decadence is ever greater. I am speaking specifically from the point of view of the SOUND OF THE VOICE, rather than musicality and musical accomplishments of said singers.
Also, RVs decline is NOT because of the repertory – this is a point on which I disagree with many people here. I firmly believed that had he stuck to singing only Nemorino and Des Grieux, he would have declined anyways. His vocal problems dont appear only as Don Carlos, they are evident in everything that he sings, every time he phonates. To use the voice professionally (in the sense of having to sing with a professional schedule, etc…) regardless of repertory is beyond his techincal means of control. Of course the heavy rep accelerated his decline, however the roots of his decline is on his basic phonation.
It is a different sing when you hear another great voice such as Dimitri Hvorostovsky. If he keeps singing Trovatore and trying to sound like Bastianini, he will decline, however he is in sufficient technical control of his instrument and his basic sound is good enough that he could keep a lighter repertory very sucessfully (such as we saw in the Met gala, when he sang very well indeed). If he could even master his instrument more, he could even find ways to get away with an ocasional heavier role.
Having a great voice sometimes can get in the way of learning how to sing, because many times great voices can sing without learning how to, while more limited voices need to learn and master it in order to sing. And in this world of instant gratification, is is more important to be able to SING NOW than to sing well.
This is all Domingo’s fault. Number one.
Number two, Nemorino is a very DIFFICULT tenor role to sing. Properly.
Number three, Gelb should get Florez to replace this farce who never fooled me. I’ve heard complete pirate recordings of L’Elisir and Florez was always superb. Villazon has always had the ugliest, screamed, most insulting nasal tenor voice since, well, Placido.
The same way I kept saying that Obama was a George W. Bush clone for more than two years during the campaign (and people would chastise me) I repeated many times that Villazon, too, was a fabrication. I was right on both counts. I’m sure his cover tomorrow at the final dress (I’ll be there) will be wonderful. I will now dream of Donizetti and his gorgeous melodies, good night.
#36-some Americans and the Met think they are the center of the world of opera -well it just ain’t so -some of the finest singers have home base in Europe or they are so free that they
choose where they go based on their talents . Coming to the
Met ain’t what it used to be -you can see some wonderful work in Europe that you will never see here -Gelb has turned
the Met into second rate show bizz and this is what you get capons that try to pass for tenors or screaming has been
sopranos -For a start try to get back Beczala- this is a tenor
in the grand tradition – an artist – not a yowling capon .
I believe the Met is one of the most incompetant
houses going , a good performance at the Met is rare
a great performance is but a dream – Podles is another
example of stupid political management -instead
of giving her some roles they drag out Placido retread
him into a lower key and pass him off as wonderful
as at the last dreary gala . It is worse than Hollwood
with even less so called “class”.
#68 = Mme Nelli – you got it exactly right. What’s the point of saying good things, when you can say bad things, especially since they are true. So, come on over; I have a nice place on my couch all warmed up for you.
I recommend the book by Lille Lehmann.. Born 1848-1929..How to sing..
I read it..and i can tell you as a singer,it has alot of great info that all serious singers should know..About the voice and the Art of singing..
oops i selt her name wrong..it is lilli Lehmann
i am a comedy of errors lol
i meant to say i spelt her name wrong the 1st time and i corrected it with the 2nd post..lol
To 41: You never saw him live and think he is not good artist. Can you know taste of chocolate just by reading about it? Rolando is genial Opera artist. Sorry you did not experience his unbelievable performances of Werther, La Boheme, Manon (Look on YT final scene with Dessay) or Traviata and also (this is very important) you did not see faces of audience when he performs. Faces of audience, not critics. After one of the Werthers in Vienna about 300 people was waiting outside on terrible freezing weather just to see him again for a minute and to thank him for such commitment and full incarnation to role. What he does on his best performances is unforgettable and memorable for all life.
the simple truth is that Villazon never had a good production or much of a voice. It was an imitation type voice based entirely on Domingo with the same mannerisms and same technical difficulties but without Domingo’s indistructible constitution and physique. Few might know this but Villazon had already started transposing down Che gelida a whole TONE already 5 years ago…..
His behaviour the last few years has been deplorable. Cancelling performances but not television appearances and interviews which take a big toll on anyones voice let alone an ailing one. A choice has to be made: an opera star or a media personality/clown. Villazon chose the latter. From his own age group there are examples of a good managed career – Beczala and Florez just to mention two. The latter especially never caved in for over promotion and was always wise with his repertoire bar the Rigoletto outing – a role which he wisely stopped singing. However I still retain that the most promising of the group is Calleja – at age 31 with that technique, power and artistry. I hope this guy doesn’t go “heavy roles” anytime soon….
On the earlier subject of whom to blame –
After I heard him since the 2nd performance of Lucia this season — not as awful as the first, but still troubled — the older couples sitting behind me blamed it on the Mexicans!
Why the MExicans???!!!
It would be the “Villazonistas” in that case (who are mainly from Barcelona, Spain and from France) and not the Mexicans.
Just so you know, in Mexico very few people know who Rolando Villazon is!
#25 – Why would an unreliable singer be less of a “gamble” for an opera company that isn’t “major” like the Met. Does the management of, say, the Tulsa Opera have an easier time finding a replacement singer? Are audiences anywhere less disappointed when a name singer cancels?
Just a note, “How To Sing” by Lehmann can be obtained at Project Gutenberg nowadays:
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/19116
Sadie Salome @82:
Blaming it on “the Mexicans” doesn’t make any sense.
With all due respect, it makes more sense to blame it on the audience that pay tickets to see him. i.e. Yourself and the older couples sitting behind you!!
75: Hmm. So I ask you who you’d cast as Nemorino and Brunnhilde and you give me Beczala and Podles? Each to his own, I suppose.
88. Armerjacquino
William Burden sang an excellent Nemorino in Philadelphia a few years back. Barry Banks sings it very well indeed. Lawrence Brownlee is singing it in July at Caramoor. I’d love to see Dimitry Korchak finally make a Met debut- ditto Bülent Bezdüz.
But we get typical Gelb-casting, the pretty-boy nothing “Minimo” Giordano.
To think that because Vilazon is in trouble the World cannot find other tenors…? It is like crying because the wheels fell off an unsustainable PR opera band wagon’ sooner than expected. So what we have here is an argument that there are about 3 or 4 tenors in the World worthy of being accepted in the roles Villazon sings. How stupid and myopic, just like he had HIS chance. Move him aside and give others less known a chance. A chance they probably deserve. The idolatry opera fans gave the ‘3 tenors’ maybe is the reason the Met and other houses now have the present casting problems we see. A case of ‘a stsr born at one house’…then other rival houses start wanting to scream out ‘Me , Too!’. Nothing like building a reliable roster …’ a team’.
The mention of the mastering of phonetics as well as singing technique is important. Just look back at singers that were truly conversant in both those areas. Take lanaguages Elizabeth Soderstrom was known to have sung Emilia Marty from Makopoulos Case in at least 4 languages. or Nicolai Gedda another master in that field., skilled in French/Italian /Russian /German Both had long steady singing careers without all this tarted up ‘mega stardom’ rot….where the light shining, is coming from … being really a dying comet burning up its vocal energy resources, to start with.
Verdilover was right……..where are the truly great teachers of the past who gave a singer a iron clad technique not only in singing technique but phonetics as well, being as equally important.If a singer does not know where to place correctly emphasis,(AND THEIR VOICE!) they are going to be in a f*#k of trouble attempting to sing something.
thank god i don’t like elisir much … so not too fussed – not that i would have flown across the atlantic for it in any case. though i have to admit that i will see it soon in london with damrau. hope the opera wont bore my pants off again!
shame about villazon – really a matter of too much too soon i reckon. he always seems to give 150% on stage, which might have added to the problems of voice production. it is not a big voice after all, but when he is plugged in and in good voice his performances can be quite a happening. but taking 6 months off the last time didnt cure his vocal problems fully, it is a pity – but then there will always be singers that rise high and then burn out too quickly. nowadays many singers dont build their repertoire slowly anymore…
beczala is of course a good option for the italian rep, though when i heard him in the verdi requiem recently he sang the hostias far too loud – such a shame, as when the bass came in piano afterwards it really showed up how far off in volume beczala was beforehand. ok, one phrase doesnt make the whole requiem, but for me it really marred the moment. it was a strange requiem in any case. micaela carosi replaced an ailing frittoli and sang the requiem as tosca … with a plunging neckline that from my seat in the slips on the side of the stage she seemed like a pair of singing jugs! borodina was heaven and so was the bass. mixed bag, but everything nowadays seems to be….
Krunoslav: Well, if you consider the casting-go-round for recent seasons’ Romeo, Lucia or Tristan, who knows — by the end of the Elisir run we may have heard all the tenors you name, plus a few more.
Is it possible that at least part of the reason Giordano was tapped was that he could promise to be on standby for later performances of this series (April 8 – 18) when, as and if Villazon cancels them? La Cieca would not be surprised to hear that the Met and Villazon have already come to an agreement that he will not sing those last four performances, and Giordano has already been told he will go on.
Or, as La Cieca implied above, maybe the Elisir will cycle through three or four tenors in the course of six performances.
What everyone is NOT mentioning is that EVERY singer goes through a vocal crisis at least once. Singing is one of the worst things that you can do to your voice.
But what counts in these situations is HOW you deal with it. There are many famous cases of this happening, eg Lind probably the most well known case, who had to restudy what she did and coming out even better.
The problem is complex, and can happen to anyone. Even if you sing the rep suited to your voice combined with going without lessons/taking bad or/and no advice living in the jet age – Vienna today, La Scala tomorrow and the Met a few days later – can also lead to a crisis eventually.
To site people like Domingo, Nilsson and those who maintained a good estate – regardless what you think of them artistically – is a bit misguided as these people are singing machines and not the norm. They are the exception, not the rule.
Attitude in a situation like this plays a key role. In Callas’s case she lived her life the way she did, and couldn’t and didn’t figure out how to put herself and her vocal technique back together.
RV for a brief time had the world at his feet. Does he have the humility and the common sense to recover himself out of this desperate situation? If he is REALLY clever with the correct help (whatever that may be for him) he may weather this storm. Either way, I don’t give a toss really.
I have been struck by the fact that when Villazon disappeared for a long stretch, cancelling all engagements, complete omerta’ was observed to the extent that even our all-seeing Cieca was not able to etablish the actual reasons for this “resting” period.
The rumour mill has gone into overdrive since then – of course anyone looking for unsubstantiated gossip would not look in this blog (a celebrated model of rectitude) for anything of that kind….
Whatever ails him, it ails him still. I hope for his sake more than ours that he can conquer his demons.
Covent Garden have just started taking bookings for a Villazon recital “of favourite arias” (Pappano accompanist) on June 24. Described in Friends magazine as “an unmissable evening”. We shall see.
His voice was small and unimportant, his manner clownish. I never understood why he was considered a great artist. I hope he recovers and then gets engagements only in uruguay, paraguay, albania, montenegro and mali so that we don΄t have to listen to him.
The late Oren Brown was the master at helping singers rehabilitate their voices. Some of his clients included James King (who was a voice student of his for over 50 years), Sherrill Milnes, Judith Blegen, and countless others. Many of his former students who are still performing today are experts in the teaching of his vocal health-based approach to phonation.
To Ariel at #76 – my dear, you cannot simply blame Americans and the MET. On a recent trip to Europe I saw some pretty dreadful performances at La Scala and Covent Garden. The Art seems to go through a slump every so often until a new crop of singers comes along. I would venture that we are well into that slump! there are some fine singers at the MET – the media and management just don;t seem to know exactly how to use them well. Singers are tempted to take on roles too soon or out of their fach entirely. We have mentioned Nilsson here – THE Wagnerian singer of recent memory. She also sang a few Donna Annas, Toscas. etc. All very well and good, but why sing something others do extremely well when you do something that no one else can? Seems to be the problem again today. Sills once said, “with a voice like oranges why would you want to be every apple on the tree?” The singers are at fault, yes. But so are a lot of others. Renee Fleming – a voice I adored when I first heard it years ago. No longer.
We seem to enjoy bashing the MET here and much of it is deserved. I’d still rather go see and hear an opera there than at most Eurpoean houses. There are still nights when magic happens on that stage. It’s just more fun to poke at the bad nights.EVERY generation has cried for “The Golden Age”. I think that Age is whichever one we missed!
Just my opinion.
speaking of Bruennhildes, what ever happened to Jennifer Wilson? I have never heard her but for a while some were saying she is the next dramatic soprano. Was tht all hype?
Jennifer Wilson was a very creditable Turandot recently at the Royal Opera House.
31, I think Watson is the most interesting of these Brunnhildes. She has sung it at Bayreuth beautifully especially a SIEGFRIED I heard, and very well Walkuere in Washington the second time after she had already sung it in Bayreuth, the first time in Washington wasn’t so good. Watson has a very warm middle register which is perfect for Walkuere. Theorin and Dalayman are less intense to my way of thinking. As for someone who thought Theorin was like Behrens– no way, not the emotional and vocal intensity that she and Jones had in their day. As for some new vocal filth try Domingo and Josh Grobin singing a duet called “Semplicita” or something like that from the new album based on Pope John Paul II’s poems– the tune is insipid and the singing…
@56, no offense, but I seriously question the work of this voice teacher, regardless of what he did for Marcello Giordani. Better RV consult someone well-versed in the approach of Oren Brown, mentioned @98. I know singers who started out using his techniques, and they have their voices 15 – 20 years later. Mostly, though, RV needs to start with a vocal therapist, not a singing teacher. The principles used in that kind of work are exactly what will guide him to a safer vocal technique. He just needs to find the right people. I think it is fairly safe to assume that Rolando did not work on his vocal technique during that hiatus; he admitted as much. He can’t avoid this any longer if he wants to continue. It is hard work, and certainly not terribly exciting. But who ever said great singing was supposed to be easy?
ariel:
you claim that the Met is a second rate house, and give as proof the fact that they don’t engage Podles on a regular basis? By that standard, Philadelphia and Caramoor are at the top of the heap, and Paris, La Scala, Vienna, Munich, Covent Garden join the Met in the second rank.
The Met is far from perfect, but you need better examples than that.
And, again, the original question was, in response to your criticism of Gelb’s substitutions for Nemorino and Brunnhilde, who you would fly in this week in preference to the singers previously listed.
I have heard Watson twice. Ortrud in Bayreuth and Kundry at the Met and wasn’t impressed either time. Then on the radio I heard the Bruennhildes from Bayreuth and found nothing interesting about her either. At least Theorin and Herlitzius brought something interesting to the role IMO. I haven’t heard Janice Baird but some said her Isolde isn’t bad at all.
@96 pushed up mezzo … the villazon recital at covent garden will probably be a missed evening and get cancelled if he doesnt get his voice back in shape. and i say that without venom. i hope he does. somehow.
“At least Theorin and Herlitzius brought something interesting to the role IMO.”
Ja, they are from Mitteleuropa. No one else should be allowed onstage, ever.
isnt irene theorin swedish? that would rather make her northern eurpean than mitteleuropäisch (central european) … just a thought
I’ve never seen him live…but I sure do like that French album of his. That “O souverain, juge, pere” sends me to the moon.
Ever since I first heard Rolando (and was impressed by him), he has scared me with the reckless intensity of his singing–always trying to give 125%, and to paraphrase Leontyne’s famous remark, singing on his capital, not on his interest. I feared he wouldn’t end up like Souliotis. This may indeed happen; then again, it might not. We will simply have to wait and see.
And for all of you offering suggestions for suitable tenors to deputize as Nemorino, indeed there are several available, but Massimo Giordano is a fine choice for next week (I see it on the 31st). His is a sweet lyric tenor, as evidenced in his Bohemes earlier in the season and his Opera Orchestra of NY appearance a couple of years back, and I hope he has a success in L’Elisir.
What I admit I’m curious about is whether the Met will remove Rolando’s photo as Hoffman from the line-up for next season on the Web site. Again, we shall see…
The headline of this post says it all.
#99 -You are quite right -I have also seen some awfuuly
inept performances in European opera houses ,but not a continuous
string of them as at the Met. Nor do european opera houses
exude the air of “this is the place” as we do -much as a teen ager having a first sexual exoerience assumes to having
discovered sex . To wit – refering to Beczala as a new rising
star -in our ignorance we seem to ,overlook that he is an established singing artist in Europe -notoce I said artist
not those Italian -Spanish squawking capons that seem to
end up at the Met .Podles for another has been ignored.
In the past the Met had many tenors ,sopranos etc. to
pick a choose from as we did ,but now except for one
or two imports we are left with”fakes”.or recycled Placido
who hasn’t the class or style to say good bye ,.and hangs
around as some guests do after a dinner party,when you wish
they would go home so you can get to bed . He should take
a page from Flagstad or the great Vickers . The goden ages
were a time when you could pick a stellar artist from a like
groop for that season .To-day at the Met there is little
or non of that . You take whatever hack star they throw at you and if you are lucky you get a Beczala (tenors being the topic)The golden
days in some respects were the golden days. when in one season you could hear Tebaldi , Warren , Tucker , Vickers , Stratas ..Gara and even I hate to say Callas .
It’s quite simple, really. There comes a point. Compare Villazon’s scheduled vs. actual performances at the Met. This includes two high-profile HD transmissions where the scheduled soprano, as maligned as she was, went on as she was supposed to. I’m sure everyone feels bad and wishes this were not the case but there comes a point. Depending on how cards are played and, given his relative youth, we could be talking about a glorious comeback in, say, 5 years or so. But for now as far as the Met goes I agree it’s the end, his only friend, the end.
may I ask someone an off-topic question? how are the side box seats in Dress Circle/Grand Tier/ Side Parterre? Is the view obstructed as bad as the Balcony Boxes are?? THANKS!
On the absurd subject of who is to blame, the singer has finally no one to point at but themselves, despite every effort to look elsewhere.
I’ve sat in side parterre boxes near the stage. What I saw I saw very well, but I could see at most two thirds of the stage, maybe more like 60 percent of the stage.
ugo-
thanks. that is not a resounding endorsement, but good to know!
Side parterre? Forget it! After “Salome”, someone, waiting with me for a bus, asked, “What was with those angels in right field?”. “What angels?”, I asked… Sixty percent of the stage — yeah, if you’re lucky…or in the case of that “Salome” staging, maybe I was the lucky one…
You know? I second the sentiment that the Met has recently lost their track. They seem to be focused on “star gazing/casting” than with singer casting.
I know that Gelb’s main responsibility is to fill the house as much as possible; but why isn’t there anyone who can actually help with the artistic side?
I have said it before and I will say it again: Gelb knows marketing (he is a fucking genius in that area) but he has no clue as to what a singer is. He would not know what a singer is if it hit him with a white hot pan on the face. He is too focused on the star gazing to know the difference.
Actually, the record companies – again – are to blame, in part, at least. The whole idea of “pairing” Villazon with Netrebko was all a manufactured attempt to re-create the real magic of the Sutherland-Pavarotti partnership on disc – in those days it didn’t occur to anyone to insinuate that they might be enjoying a sexual relationship to boost sales – and, to promote RV & AN as the new “love couple”, replacing Bob & Ange. It hasn’t worked and DG only have three audio recordings and a handful of DVDs to show for it. It’s the record business that has been desperate to find “substitutes” for Pav, Domingo and Carreras, and have attempted to push all of their tenors into a heavier repertoire than suits them. This, unfortunately, gives opera managements unrealistic ideas. They want record-annointed stars at all cost, and preferably in the “big” repertory, that sells. Villazon’s Hoffmann at Covent Garden in 2004 was something special – the first night was something magical – but I agree with whoever says he gives too much in performance. One of the reasons why Placido is still singing at almost 70 is that he never gave more than he had to spare and he has often coasted through knowing his adoring fans would go bananas just for turning up. I remember a Don José at the Met when Domingo barely bothered to act until Act IV and just sauntered about. And I have noticed that he often makes his biggest efforts on opening nights – when the critics are in – and takes things a bit easier later on. Rolando never did that and it may be that his intensity, and less than rock-solid technique are now making him pay the price. It’s sad. It’s a voice of really exceptional quality if not size and the fact that it doesn’t sound great at the Met doesn’t surprise me. I imagine it was perfect for the Staatsoper in Berlin where he first came to international attention. People are right to praise Beczala, who has risen almost without trace and no record company hype or big agent pressure, and who seems to choose his roles carefully. He is replacing Rolando in the Baden-Baden/DG recording of Iolanta, so I hope he takes care not to be lured by the siren voices in the record companies. At least he is unlikely to be seduced by the prospect of being the male part of a Nebs-Whoever love couple.
“… overly frenetic, overly intellectual and with questionable taste.”
Can ANYBODY be all those incompatible things at once?
Sounds like the Fox network describing Obama.
ariel: you can lament the passing of the golden age all you want (I was there too), but you’re still not telling us who Gelb should hire THIS WEEK to replace Villazon and Brewer so as to prevent the Met from becoming a second-rate house.
BTW, did you guys see Domingo singing “Chella mi Creda” at the recent Met Gala? It was dreadful! The guy should stop singing altogether. He’s just making a fool of himself.
And now he’s going for baritone roles, what an insult to baritone singers!
This saddens me to no end. I *accidentally* saw what I believe was Rolando’s European debut in a matinee of Manon in Genova years ago. We went expecting Alvarez, and got this guy we had never heard of. By the end of the performance we were in tears and were flabbergasted that this random cover affected us like that. Years later he showed up again in the NYCO “Boheme” and I’ve seen several performances since. I’ve always thought of him with great affection since that first time seeing him, before he was a “STAR”. I’ve always loved his voice, viscerally.
What about Ramon Vargas? He did a delightful Nemorino in LA about 10 years ago with Swenson.
Regarding Villazon’s ‘demons’ — it sounds like the rest period he took wasn’t about voice problems but drug issues?
drug issues??!!! I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that he is addicted to cocaine or something!
#123 When I was in high school (1969) I saw the immortal Ramon Vinay as Bartolo in Barbiere di Siviglia, still going strong in his second career as a bass-baritone. What a great artist! Surely he was a star (or had been in his glorious tenor days) if there ever was one. But he clearly saw his role as being part of a team of seasoned professionals; in this production were also Rossi-Lemeni, Costa and Pietro Botazzo. It was a wonderful lesson in ensemble give and take, the sum of the parts greater than any one of the ’stars’ who were on the stage. What Vinay may have lacked in Domingo’s vocal resources, he more than made up for in the intensity and ‘heart’ that he invested in each performance.
anna notremolo –
I actually liked the black angels in Salome. Thought it was a nice touch! However I was pretty pissed when, from the Balcony Boxes, I could not see any of the Rainbow Bridge or Valhalla at the end of Rheingold. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
i remember the Boheme from a few years back with Netrebko and RV in Boheme (Domingo conducted)… It was a mess. Amateur Hour. Magic Duo my ass — These people seemed like they didn’t even know the opera!
Mr. Gelb is from the “wrong side” of this business, the recording industry/media/promotion/TV side of it -the side an opera manager has to protect his talent FROM.
Ominous.
#125/126….
Atta boys…as long as we’re going whole hog on the rumor-mill here…how about including the teaser that that Placido has been his dealer…and that Brewer is in a vicodin fog ..,??
let it rip….
#130
according to Norman Lebrecht and Johanna Fiedler, that’s all true.
# 122 – messa di voce –alright ! alright !!!!!
Instead of the dreary they are bringing in now -”Beczala”
would save the day .. but I suppose he is busy
And call Adrianne Pieczonka the wonderful American -Canadian soprano
Imagine ! two Polaks to save the day and Podles as an added
attraction why we’d almost have a Polish opera co. to save the Italian -German – French opera repertoire isn’t there a
Polish baritone somewhere on the loose ?
How about Polsh night at the Met -probably a lot
better than the second rate we have now .. Anyhow
the first two names should give you an idea of what a
first rate opera house should have as its house singers .
ThriftyMet…Well, if I’d been able to see those black angels, I might’ve liked them, too. As to everything else you missed, hey, I couldn’t swear they weren’t there…
Ariel is an idiot. First of all you are WRONG about no one wanting to sing at the MET…Gelb’s HD presentations alone make the MET a highly desirable place to work. Everytime this same stupid discussion about Gelb & the MET comes up I BEG, BEG, BEG people to tell me who these amazing, great singers are who do not sing at the MET? Gelb’s job is to get the greatest singers in the world to come to the MET. He does that with greater success than any of the other opera houses in Europe. Look at some of the horrid casts that have been trotted out in Paris, La Scala, London and Vienna this year! Please name the wonderful European houses you talk about that have fantastic casts night after night and I will be glad to go through their schedule this season and point out casts that are horrible. Let’s face it, this is a terrible time for opera singing…is that Gelb’s fault??? He has to work with what he has…
And what about the huge improvement Gelb has made in the conducting ranks at the MET…I defy you to name a European house that can boast Levine, Gergiev, Salonen, Muti, Barenboim, Maazel, Runnicles, Rattle, Christie, Gatti, Gilbert, Dudamel, Luisi, Luisotti, Pappano, Thieleman…all of whom Gelb has contracted.
Now it’s Gelb’s fault that Podles was ignored by the MET for the last twenty years. For God’s sake, HE put her in the GIOCONDA revival this year over the objections of Billinghurst & Friend.
Clearly, Prospero’s banishment wasn’t that effective. A pity.
#135 – isn’t logical tenor an oxymoron – just curious
and you don’t kmow the play …………
ariel: you slam Gelb’s casting by citing three singers who ARE at the Met this year (and I don’t think any of them has any interest in being a “house singer” anywhere). If the Met is so second rate, what are the first-rate houses? And I completely agree with sterlingkay’s comments on the conducting roster.
#135 : “Clearly, Prospero’s banishment wasn’t that effective. A pity.”
Worse yet, she seems to have been banished to Poland and gone into the Public Relations business. Do Beczala and Podles need to be mentioned in EVERY post?
134 -Beczallas’ house was zurich -I don’t know if it is now
since he has joined the ranks of gypsy singers . Hopefully
he settles down again and builds his roles carefully. Pieczonka
is a wonderful singer at Vienna and a court singer at that .Putting Ms. Podles in a most minor role (granted she brought the
house down ) doesn’t speak to astute management.He had to do something, there was so much grumbling about the inept
if not disgraceful attitude towards one of the greatest singers
of the age .As for coductors spare me – a slew of guest
conductors does not make an opera house -no one
is going to ruffle Jimmys’ turf ,you can bet on that !
And when you mentioned Dudamei one knew the game is up . But what the hell -it’s opera .
Lots of loose and unfounded speculation and gossip here.
However, the “end” may or may not be near. Villazon has signed Met contracts for new productions of “Les Contes D’Hoffmann”, “Manon” and “La Traviata” (actually the tired Decker production from Salzburg) all with Netrebko. So, on paper he still has a career. The Met should be and probably should have some time ago lined up an alternate for Villazon’s Hoffmann next year. I was wishing for Jonas Kaufmann but would be happy with Beczala or even Ramon Vargas. I just hope Gelb doesn’t get the brilliant idea of transposing the lead down a third and giving it to Placido…
Villazon despite his vocal crash and burn cancellations lately is still a big name, a media superstar and a saleable commodity. That means more to Gelb than being vocally damaged, unreliable, high maintenance, etc., etc. I know Villazon has fans but his New York fan base really isn’t as big as in Germany and Austria where he has become something of a household name. I saw Villazon’s debut as Alfredo and he was very fine. Vocally one could prefer Ramon Vargas but the acting was revelatory – Alfredo became an equal partner in the tragic love story.
Nothing after that was really a 100% success and the decline in vocal quality was steep. He was sick for part of the “Rigoletto” series and when he did show up his Duke was hardly the stuff of legend. The “Boheme” was underpowered, the gala evening with Netrebko was uneven and rocky and then came the cancellations and disasters.
Really I think that Giordani and Vargas and Heppner are bigger stars in New York because they have a longer and more impressive history of personal successes and greater audience loyalty. Villazon is the product of record company hype and promotion and publicity. His track record at the Met has been rather slim and mostly unsuccessful. Kaufmann and Beczala have made better impressions with their Met appearances.
This fag kike thinks the use of the word Polack is distasteful, to say the least.
Ditto from a fairy redneck hillbilly
@60 – Drammy…ummm, I think you’ll find that Sutherland is still alive…
Same for “frog” and “bull dyke.” I haven’t made up my mind on “blighty,” and I’m quite addicted to “mackerel snapper.” Any comment from the UK and the Vatican?
I don’t get the comments about the Netrebko/Villazon pairing being a manufactured marketing sham or words to that effect. Let me be clear: I consider both of them to be imperfect singers (for different reasons) and while I like both of them, I’m not a die-hard fan.
Having said that, it seems to me that they are a natural pairing for the marketing types to get behind. They clearly have chemistry with eachother and have appeared in a number of operas and concerts successfully together. Who can blame the record companies for wanting to take advantage of that chemistry and the audiences’ enthusiams about the pairing?
Gualtier: You make a good point. Villazon’s career at the Met has been more about expectations that results. His debut as Alfredo (opposite Fleming) was apparently quite well received as was his Duke. But he hasn’t had the success at the Met that he’s had elsewhere. First he had to cancel Romeo, then Edgardo, and now Nemorino.
138 – Graciella – it seems your education is Disney world
and as misinformed as is logical tenors answer .
If this reflects your knowledge of opera ,then you both should refrain from making opinions.Being misinformed is one thing
but being ignorant of one of the worlds masterpieces is another . Maybe this goes in the opera world,where there
is much opinion but little knowledge.
You both should read the Tempest , it would do you good.
This swift business I must uneasy make. Ariel, please. Do not attempt to disparage my education, nor Graciella’s. It is rather sad when a person accuses someone else of having sub-par education while being completely unable to handle punctuation or possessive apostrophes. It doesn’t show them in a good light.
Might I suggest, Logical Tenor, that you re-evaluate your use of the word “them” — plural — in the last sentence. Ostensibly, you are using it to refer to the clause in the previous sentence where you employ the singular. Bizarre, perhaps, but not ruinous.
Damn ! I can’t think of a good preposition to end a sentence with so that you can retaliate.
Has it occurred to anyone, or better, could it possibly be that only a minority of the Met audience (or the audience at any opera house for that matter) hears the vocal deficiencies discussed here? Could it be that the factors most critical for audience response are (1) the overall beauty of the music, (2) the visual images, and (3) the volume of the sound? It seems to me that a good-looking soprano with a big voice will get lots of applause for her Violetta or Mimi or whatever, regardless of her musical accuracy. Has anyone ever witnessed a dreadful performance receive no applause? (And remember that many here do not consider booing proper behaviour.) I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve heard neighboring members of the audience rave over hideous screams. (They were loud and sounded difficult.) Let’s face it, La donna e mobile, Che gelida manina, Ridi Pagliacci, etc. are always a hit with the audience no matter how poorly sung as long as they can hear it.
Now, what is the responsibility of an opera house manager (1) to sell tickets and make his/her theater a popular place, or (2) to present only performances of the highest musical value?
It’s great for connoisseurs to discuss and analyze a musical performance, but is that what an opera manager is thinking of when casting a work? Could it be they are looking instead at the cost, availability, popularity, looks, reliability and personal magnetism of the singers?
Remember that opera may be a not-for-profit business, but it IS a business nonetheless.
Do I like it? No. Does it disappoint me? Yes? Do I know how to fix it? No. Would I like it to be otherwise? Yes
Sanford – Polak is the way Poles refer to themselves
It is not disparaging in any way ‘ as in I am a Polak
As usual, La Cieca’s column hits the nail right on the proverbial head. This is not an occasion for cruelty or joy. This is a sad occasion because La Cieca is probably right: Rolando Villazon’s MET career is probably at an end. And it’s an occasion for sadness.
If he was not yet a great artist, he certainly had shown (occasionally) that he might get there. And as I have said on another thread the LA Romeos were simply spectacular. I saw 3 performances and he and Netrebko were magical. I couldn’t wait to see more of both of them. So far, in the 4 years since, neither has risen to that level ever again. And while Netrebko’s problems aren’t vocal (they are artisttic — she mades horrendous choices and seems to have no clue) Villazon just seems to have crashed and burned.
Perhaps he gave too much when he didn’t have that much “in the tank.” It’s hard to tell. From observing him up close for a number of years he exhibits classic signs of bi-polar disorder. He’s a bull with “his own china shop.” I suspect he has it but who really knows. Are there other physical and mental problems? Perhaps.
But it’s a shame. There are other tenors out there, yes. But that is no reason to not care about this situation or to dismiss it. Whenever we “lose” an artist — and that appears to be the case — in this way it is a very sad day for opera.
As to the MET. They have — to my own personal knowledge — been working for at least 3 weeks to find a tenor to take over this run. I know of at least one leading American tenor who was asked that long ago and turned it down for a variety of reasons. And there are others. The MET has been working overtime to “save the show” so to speak when it became obvious Villazon wasn’t going to do it.
It was entirely predictable since the Lucia when his management asked the MET to cancel the Sirius broadcast of the 2nd performance. They wanted NO evidence of what he sounded like. Then came Werther and Paris. The first performance was canceled. They didn’t want him reviewed. Then he informed the MET that he would not sing the first two performances. Of course, he didn’t want the reviews and he didn’t want the evidence of a worldwide Saturday matinee broadcast. All predictable.
Let’s pray they get someone besides Domingo for Hoffmann.
#151:
As per Wiki-dictionary (not always the final word, however….):
The noun Polack (pÅ’lÅk’, -lÄk’) used in the English language is a derogatory reference to a Pole or person of Polish descent[1]. It is an Anglicisation of the Polish language word Polak (spelled without the “c”), which, in the Polish language, means a Polish male person (feminine being Polka). The noun “Polack” spelled with the “c” however, does not exist in the Polish language contrary to a popular misconception.[2] In the Polish language the English word “Polack” would be pronounced “pÅ’lÄ-tz-k”, a word incomprehensible to a native Polish listener.
According to Online Etymology Dictionary by Douglas Harper, “Polack” meant as “Polish immigrant, person of Polish descent” was used in American English until the late 19th century (1879) to describe a “Polish person” in a non-offensive way (1574). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) based on the Unabridged Dictionary by Random House claims that the word originated between 1590–1600.
Today, in the English-speaking world (though primarily North America), the word “Polack” is considered an ethnic slur:
Slang: Disparaging and Offensive (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a person of Polish birth or descent (The American Heritage® Dictionary)
The only acceptable English language alternative to the term “Polish person” today is Pole (see also: Naming Poland in foreign languages). Nevertheless, in some other languages such as Swedish or Norwegian e.g., Polack or Polakk is an acceptable expression for a person from Poland.[3]
Ariel–
As is always the case with people who don’t know what they’re talking about you have yet to mention SPECIFICALLY the many great singers that Gelb is keeping from us…and also which European opera house you would say has better casting than the MET. You mention Zurich….would you care to tell me when was the last time Podles sang there??…you would think they would have her there every season since they know what they’re doing!!
By the way the two singers you keep mentioning, Beczala and Pieczonka, are singing at the MET so what are you bitching about!!!
We used to have a small pole which we used to close the top sash window – it was known as Roman Polanski. The name became even more appropriate when the pole became very bent.
And now you can all shoot me down in flames.
…my sincerest apologies–it surely wasn’t my intention to make Ariel’s case anymore legit– but I just noticed that the “c” was left outta his use of what most of us took to be an offensive slur..
Logical tenor – whatever help you can get from Wotan ,take it
reread you statements- I stand by mine -
Before you show how clever you are with you zinger
make sure you have your facts straight,as for Graciella
who couldn’t wait to jump on the band wagon and second the first error-in Disney world Ariel is a “she” as you put it -
but in the world of Prospero she is a he -big difference , no ??
as for tenor Ariel was not banished anywhere .
I did not disparage your education as you put it , but your
lack of it when quoting the Tempest .Take it all in fun and read the play.
Might I suggest that Ariel is trying to get a rise about of people and succeeding brilliantly?
iltenoredigrazia: Your last post was far too sensible for this dicussion!
One small addendum to BLP @153. I have noticed that in common usage, the noun “polack” is almost always preceded by the adjective “dumb.” This pairing has been so common through the years that most of us hear the adjeective even when it is not phonated but indicated only by attitude or a physical gesture, such as the forearm extended, the wrist bent upward, and all the digits closed except the middle finger.
There are those who feel that this is an expression of good wishes, derived from the expression, “I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, so I’m giving you the bird.”
Ariel, at the end of the tempest, was freed from Prospero’s service, to return to when he buried his staff and disposed of his book. As Ariel was bound to Prospero’s obedience, which he received by freeing the air spirit from Sycorax’s tree enchantment, the unbinding of a spell that releases a servile spirit is known as ‘banishment’, where the aforementioned spirit returns to its normal dwelling.
(correcting for deleted phrases)
Ariel, at the end of the tempest, was freed from Prospero’s service, to return to the realm of the air. This happened when he buried his staff and disposed of his book. As Ariel was bound to Prospero’s obedience, which he received by freeing the air spirit from Sycorax’s tree enchantment, the unbinding of a spell that releases a servile spirit is known as ‘banishment’, where the aforementioned spirit returns to its normal dwelling.
Rolando will probably be back at the MET one day. If he can show consistency once again, in other houses – and obviously that’s a huge IF – Gelb would have him back in a heartbeat. (Or maybe we’ll be lucky and Mr. Gelb will be off to other pastures by that point. Administrations do change. Here’s hoping.) Last I heard, much of the business still welcomes Rolando with open arms. It’s the added pressure of these damn SIRIUS broadcasts and HD’s that have made the MET such an overwrought professional environment. It’s only my opinion, but I think this “THE END” stuff is a bit extreme. Has it actually been confirmed that Rolando has pulled out of the rest of the run? The site says he is to perform on the 8th. Now that would be funny. Rolando does a show and proves everyone wrong.
Troika 162. From your mouth to God’s ears.
Logical tenor-=-good going !!! nice try -you will probably get Gabriella all worked up . You are right- in the play Ariel was freed and here is the rub (sorry can’t resist) in your context
there is nothing about being freed -it is about being
banished.You wanted poor little me banished in every sense
of the word .To have me free would be not to your liking ..
unless you believe i am under a spell whenever Idrop in
even then I fear you would have me banished . C’mon
admit to it . Smile !!!!!!
“As to the MET. They have — to my own personal knowledge — been working for at least 3 weeks to find a tenor to take over this run.”
They started looking for a replacement the moment he started having trouble with Edgardo almost five months ago in rehearsal. Not three weeks ago. The casting dept. is slow on the uptake, but not THAT slow.
“The site says he is to perform on the 8th. Now that would be funny. Rolando does a show and proves everyone wrong.”
According to my very astute sources in Paris, he got through some Werther’s with hypnosis.
No, I’m not kidding.
Gelb’s job is to get the greatest singers in the world to come to the MET.
So Anna Netrebko was the best possible Lucia in the world; and the best possible Elvira. Damrau, Erin Wall and Laura Claycomb are just amateurs.
And Villazon was the best possible Romeo; Alagna is just an afterthought in that list.
And Villazon was the best possible Edgardo in the world, right?
Natalie Dessay is the best there is as Amina, right?
I think some people here are confused. Gelb’s job has nothing to do with artistic standards. Gel’s job is to put asses on the chairs no matter the cost, completely different thing; that’s marketing.
That also is the reason why the met desperately needs an Artistic director that can counterbalance Gel’s expertise in marketing.
167 -Lindoro – you are spot on -and have proved your point.
The artistic should be Jimmys job ,but he is too busy trotting off to Boston-Tanglewood and back to the Met to protect
his turf against any talented rival -what they need is a modern Toscanini to clean the place up musically. And Jimmy
should be either at the Met or Boston for one of these
is being treated as a mistress to the wife . And like
dinner theatre neither the dinner or the theatre measures
up to what it could be .A neat little racket I would think .
Ariel, darling, you honestly need some abilify, or failing that at least some respiredol. You’ve got some very vivid paranoia there.
Lindoro–
You’re the one who seems confused. It’s funny you quote me and then you completely misinterpret what I said. I said Gelb’s job is to get the greatest singers in the world to come to the MET…because Netrebko is one of the greatest singers in the world does that mean she is the best LUCIA in the world?? Of course not. But I hope you’re not claiming that Erin Wall or Laura Claycomb are among the greatest singers out there. I have spoken to any number of dissatisfied Chicago Lyric subscribers who do not share your enthusiasm for Ms. Wall and are sick & tired of seeing her cast in everything and are upset that William Mason has not managed to entice Netrebko to the Windy City.
My point is that in the last two seasons we heard Netrebko, Dessay, Massis and Damrau as Lucia…I think that’s pretty good. Was it Golden Age vocalism? No..but those are the times we live in and Gelb has to make do with the star singers that are out there.
Lindoro, I guess YOU would have built a new LUCIA around ERIN WALL and done the HD transmission with LAURA CLAYCOMB…that’s the way to run an opera house!…into the ground.
Ariel, I forgot to point this out: Once a spirit is freed or ‘banished’, they no longer have any dealings nor interest in the human world, unless they are conjured and bound again.
So, what are you waiting for?
sterlingkay, you continue to hit the bullseye.
I’m not going to defend Netrebko’s Lucia, but apparently, we will now have to add the Mravinsky, Vienna, and La Scala to the list of those needing a modern Toscanini as housecleaner. I’m not holding my breath.
Where is Sycorax when you really need her ?
Him.
Her.
Him.
Aw fuck, on this site what difference does it make?
The notion that the MET casting department has to “look” for a replacement for Rolando Villazon, months in advance, pretty much says it all. And I’m not talking about Rolando here. Shouldn’t they already be aware of all the best talent in the world? Shouldn’t they simply have had to make a phone call, or rearrange some of their other artists? What a mess they must be in if they have to scour the globe figuring out where to find what they consider an adequate Nemorino! It’s the stupid PR, that’s all it is. There are Nemorinos all over the place, but none of them are famous enough for Mr. Gelb. This is a nightmare they have created all on their own.
Logical Tenor now you are being petulent child for having lost.
Here I thought you were a gentleman but not so -you
are a tenor – as you aptly name yourself -so you throw out a
zinger -but it falls on an empty field -you’ve lost , the field
is yours and you no longer matter.
Yes, of course, that’s all they would need to do, one phone call and all the Nemorinos in the world would come running because the world revolves around the Met, don’t you know?? What a horrible casting department! Don’t they have singers just waiting by the phone not under contract to sing anywhere else on the offchance the Met might call? I think my head is going to explode from the very astute comments on this board today.
I thought someone on here was claiming that no one wants to sing at the Met anymore yet now someone tells us everyone should just be sitting and waiting for the call! I actually appreciate that Peter Gelb makes the casting dept look for the best singer they can when someone cancels. For example, I think they did very well by getting Theorin and Dalayman rather than letting the cover do it. But, sorry, I forgot that the modus operandi here is to NEVER give Gelb or the Met any credit because every opera queen on here could do better.
Kids, stop the fight!
We all are distressed to hear the bad news about RV. -Well, maybe not all of us-
At any rate, I invite you all to check out La Cieca’s latest post:
Angela Gheorghiu’s boobs!!!!
Relax and enjoy it. It will make you good!
Wotan, for some reason I am imagining Sycorax as a trouser role. So would Ariel, actually. Any ideas for casting?
I’m nominating Bartoli for Sycorax and Genaux for Ariel.
What fucking genius decided that Nemorino is not a difficult sing? Now I know for certain that this a forum for handjobs. I’ll never do this again.
Well said, daintymouth.
Nemorino is not an easy sing. That said, of course, there are more difficult roles out there, but Nemorino loves the passaggio. He has a steamy romance with it and he can be a deceptive little bugger. Of course, what our Doyenne probably means is that to any SEASONED and well-trained singer, who has a solid technique, Nemorino is a relatively easy sing compared to some of the other things they may have in their repertoire. I mean, just look at Edgardo, if you don’t want to look that far…
LOGICAL TENOR — I’ve got most of that act scored already and it’s Blythe for Sycorax and Lisette Oropeso for Ariel. Bartoli’s my Miranda.
1) I am not an “opera queen”, thank you very much, though I obviously have nothing but admiration for them, at least most of the time
2) Yes, the good Nemorinos all around the world would probably, in fact, come running if the MET offered them a performance of L’Elisir, even at short notice. (Most of them may die waiting, however – just kidding.) It is customary for houses to extend the courtesy of releasing an artist if they are offered an opportunity at such a high level, and anyway as I said there are plenty of Nemorinos to bring in as replacements for the houses doing the releasing
3) The MET has decided that there are about 10 or so big stars in the world worthy of any attention at all, and this is just getting plain BORING
4)Being a cover at the MET remains one of the most thankless jobs ever. Poor people, rarely used, asked to just set aside their professional lives in the hopes of one day getting recognition. No, I don’t live in NYC and no I don’t know any covers. The ones I knew have long since given up and moved on.
5) Nemorino is yes, quite challenging to sing well. No one said it wasn’t difficult. Just that there are plenty of them around. Look on Operabase and you will see. Again, not famous, so apparently invisible and too much of a risk for the vaunted MET. What a joke.
Wotan- Alright, but Caliban has to be a silent role portrayed by a dancer who does everything in pantomime. Deal?
Supply and demand, sweetarts. Nemorinos are a dime a dozen, so that should indicate how simple the role is. Get a sucky Tamino-tenor and you have an above average Nemorino. Trust me on this one: it is an easy sing, and I wanted to record it when I was recording everything under the sun (mediocrity rules!) but those pesky recording executives wouldn’t entertain the proposal. I did get a bag of Walgreens chocolates when they told me “no”, however…
Did I miss something? I was under the impression that Volpe et.al. cast most of the past 3 seasons despite Gelb being at the helm. Gelb’s first true season doesn’t even start until September. So why is he (and he alone) responsible for all these messes (if indeed they ARE messes)?
#147 ariel : ” Graciella – it seems your education is Disney World and as misinformed as is logical tenor’s answer….You both should read The Tempest”
Oh, ariel, lol, throw up that subterfuge. It’s no surprise that you might want to shift the focus but this was never a disquisition of The Tempest, anymore than you are Shakespeare’s airy spirit (or Fidelio a tale of “filial love” for that matter).
Actually, Carabosse might be a better fit; you want to be the provocateur, but when your inflated pose as someone with superior standards is pricked, you turn into just another evil fairy.
My dear people! Let this be a lesson to you all! DO NOT AND I REPEAT, DO NOT LET SINGERS SING ROLES THEY SHOULD NOT BE SINGING SO EARLY IN THEIR CAREERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OK?! whats so hard about that. Thats whats wrong with the opera world today! People are having young promising singers sing roles they should not be singing at all. Cause just like RV, your voice will just be messed up! What happened to the old school teachings? Now grant it, there are still some teachers who do teach the right way. But start of with the roles you can and suppose to sing. I can see it now, you have singers sing roles lets take, Anna Net. ok? she started off great, but then her voice started to mature, but then she start singing arias she should not be singing and look at the poor soul now! She cant even sing lucia right!
Let this be a warning now to all of you!!!! My solution? Is to return to the old school teachings! Opera Companies, give singers roles that they can or should be singing! SINGERS, TAKE CARE OF YOUR VOICE!
I’d like to add a few other sopranos to the list of possible Lucias/Adinas/Norinas:
Hei Kyung Hong (she might have to give up some of the interpolations, but would compensate in artestry
Erika Miklosa (The only role the Met can give her is Queen of the Night?)
Sumi Jo (still wonderful but shamefully ignored)
As for Nemorino
Eric Cutler
Ramon Vargas
Juan Diego Florez
Matthew Polenzani
Aquiles Machado
And speaking of shamefully ignored (and in reference to a different thread concerning Eva Podles):
Jennifer Larmore (I know she’s scheduled for Gertrude in Hamlet, but how about Mignon, Marguerite, Cenerentola, Barbiere, L’Italiana)
@186 I said the MET casting department, and Peter Gelb runs the show, never mind what Volpe did or did not plan. You honestly don’t think the insanity that has been going on at the MET this season is any big deal? At the MET??????? Wow, you’re easy to please. They should be so lucky that all their audience members would follow your lead.
I saw his Werther in Paris, and while it was not his best performance, it was definitely acceptable. He sounded quite tentative in the first act, and shied away from any holding high notes the entire night. However, he was musical, and committed to the role. By the final act, he was actually sounding quite wonderful.
He did act bizarrely in the first act, waving his arms around, running around frantically, and looking a little bit confused as to what he was supposed to do. Again, that went away by act II.
I would not be surprised at all if he was suffering from horrible stage fright. I have heard from several people who have worked with him that he consistently sounds incredible in the rehearsal room , and then implodes once onstage. I would question that piece of gossip, but I have now heard it from three different people from three different productions in the past year and a half.
You know what this is what i’m getting sick and tired about the MET! THEY DONT USE GREAT ARTIST! like Jennifer L. Or HKHm or Sumi Jo, or erkia Miklosa? I would love to hear Erkia in Ariadne as zerbinetta, or susanna, or other stuff. COME MET! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! USE SOME ARTIST THAT ARE KNOWN! I DONT UNDERSTAND THE MET ANYMORE! I REALL DONT!
Cassandra: name one tenor the MET contacted 5 months ago to take over the role of Nemorino in this run. Just one. YOu’re really full of it but I suspect you already know that.
183 tells us: “Being a cover at the MET remains one of the most thankless jobs ever.”
Unless they like to eat. You can make more by covering at the Met than by singing your guts out in a leading role at the NYCO.
What do you people know about the rumor that Villazón and Netrebko will make their debut at la Scala in 2011 with “Lucia di Lammermoor”? I read on a magazine about her singing it and a friend of mine told me he saw an interview with Villazón where he said he would sing Edgardo in Milan…but with Damrau!!! I am also very impressed to read that he will be singing the title role of IDOMENEO in PARIS in 2010.
Comments, anyone?
@194 That’s not saying much, from what I understand about cover fees right now at the MET. Maybe artists can pay NYCO for the privilege of singing there in the coming seasons? Believe you me, I am not looking down my nose at MET covers, I am saying they are ill-used. And I can tell you there are many decent voices now refusing to do cover work at the MET entirely. They’d rather just get out there to be seen and heard elsewhere. And to make a living! @195 Rolando is not finished just because things at the MET are a little dicey for him at the moment. The above-mentioned plans are probably still on, though Edgardo is surely a risk. Check his website for the minute-by-minute changes…. And listen (can’t remember who said it up there somewhere), if people use hypnosis for smoking cessation, why is it so far out to imagine a top level performer turning to it for performance anxiety? That’s about as benign a practice as I can imagine. It actually makes RV sound like he’s not in total denial.
187– How astute of you to notice ! it is just that you jumped on the band wagon of a pretenious ass – and had less knowledge of the subject than he did – Fidelio is not about
filial love ,you are correct and that it was the wrong word
was acknowledged -at least one knew Leonora was female
and Florestan male.But you did not know Ariel was male
in your me to , me to jump on the band wagon and the point was that you didn’t know what you were agreeing with. As for
evil faries or good faries ,I’ve never thankfully come across
any , but have heard they do frequent the opera .
Ramon Vargas is indeed a wonderful Nemorino still (someone mentioned him singing it ten years ago at the Met). His SFO performances in November were utterly delightful and beautifully sung. He did however cancel the last two performances which were sung by Alek Shrader, a member of the SFO apprenticeship program. He was very charming as well, and though I preferred Vargas overall I think Shrader is going places. You can see a video with clips of him singing elixir at the sfopera website or on youtube…
Blimey, I spend a day or so away from my computer and when I come back there are a million new posts…
To wotan: I don’t think ‘blighty’ is offensive in any way.
To ariel: Even though you’re trolling, I’m still amused enough to ask you who should be replacing Brewer as Brunnhilde. You’ve been asked several times now, and as far as I can tell the only soprano you’ve mentioned is Pieczonka- a treasurable artist, but I’m not sure she’d thank you for suggesting her for that particular role.
So again, and one last time- who should be playing Brunnhilde at the Met in order for it not to be a second-class house? Enquiring minds want to know.
armerjacqino @199.
“Not offensive”?
Then I must never use it again.
I was just looking at operacast.com and I see that France Musique is broadcasting the Paris Werther tomorrow. It says Villazon is Werther, but it’s possible this is one of the performances he didn’t sing.
Concert donné le 28 février 2009 à l’Opéra Bastille à Paris,
en simultané avec l’Union européenne de radios
Jules Massenet
Werther
Opéra en quatre actes sur un livret d’Edouard Blau, Paul Milliet et
Georges Hartmann, d’après le roman “Die Leiden des jungen Werthers” de Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Rolando Villazon : Werther, poète
Ludovic Tézier : Albert, jeune homme
Alain Vernhes : Le Magistrat
Christian Jean : Schmidt, ami du magistrat
Christian Tréguier : Johann, ami du magistrat
Susan Graham : Charlotte, fille du magistrat
Adriana Kucerova : Sophie, sa soeur
Orchestre de l’Opéra National de Paris
Maîtrise des Hauts de Seine
Choeur d’Enfants de l’Opéra National de Paris
Direction : Kent Nagano (4 hrs.)
“Just so you know, in Mexico very few people know who Rolando Villazon is!”
So what? In the U.S. few people know Julius Caesar from Julius Rosenberg. What does that prove?
I agree that Villazon has made HORRIBLE choices concerning his rep, and is now clearly paying the price for those choices. No matter what any agent or fellow singer or whoever pushed him to do. The responsibility for a singer’s voice rests with the SINGER ALONE. Period. End of Story.
And can someone PLEASE explain to me exactly how this is Domingo’s fault? Villazon clearly has his own mind…I’m at a loss to understand how the implosion of his career is the fault of Domingo.
143, Pardon me, I guess I’m a bit too eager to throw the still-moving bodies onto the wagon…
RE Sutherland, anyone here read “A Prima Donna’s Progress”?
Look, Domingo wouldn’t have become the famous tenor that he is had he put limits to his rep. He took whatever work opportunity came up to build his career. Villazon wanted to do the same while emulating his voice. Furthermore, Domingo has been Villazon mentor since Operalia 99. They have sung together a number of times and there are still more recitals scheduled for them to appear together in the near future. This is endorsement.
Domingo with his network and influence in the industry succeded in making Villazon a star but failed in making him a singer.
@202 Alto,
My point is that he doesn’t have many supporters in Mexico. So it’s ludicrous to blame it on “the Mexicans”.
He is almost unknown in Mexico. To give you an idea he has never been on Mexican TV or radio! I wouldn’t call Villazon a Mexican product but an European one. To be clear, we don’t want him in Mexico! =)
because Netrebko is one of the greatest singers in the world does that mean she is the best LUCIA in the world??
Actually sweetheart, you are the one who is confused. Netrebko is not even in the best 50 list on anything: Laura Claycomb and Massis outsing her in Lucia, Hei-Kyung Hong outsings her as Mimi & Musetta, both, and as Antonia, Pamina & Zerlina; Lisette Oropesa would outsing her as Sophie, Servilia, Susanna, Nanetta, Despina (if she were ever to take these roles in her rep, I doubt it) Renee Fleming outsings her as Donna Anna, and Elvira (if she were to take on that role) Carol Vaness outsings her as Fiordiliggi (if she were to ever go there). Eglise Gutierres outsings her as Violetta, and so does Hai-Kyung Hong, Angela Gheorghiu, Mary Dunleavy. Renee Fleming and Christine Schafer. What does that leave for her? very little.
Rolando Villazon never amounted to much in the grand scheme of things. There were a myriad of tenors who could outsing him in his chosen repertoire. The list is too long to point out.
The difference between these 2 singers and the rest already mentioned is marketability. Netrebko happens to be more marketable than Erin Wall, Lubov Petrova and Laura Claycomb, who are both MUCH better, sing cleaner, accurately and with a lot stronger sense of style. And those are only 3 of her contemporaries, since it would be unfair to bring Freni into the mix.
As arists, AN and RV have proved to be disappointments. As marketing pieces they are fantastic. As singers, they are run of the mill. I have already mention way to many who could sing better to go into any more details.
and done the HD transmission with LAURA CLAYCOMB…that’s the way to run an opera house!…into the ground.
Funny that you mention that given the wealth of performances that have been telecast with her in Europe:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT2Qo3×4bZg (Olimpia)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZTzoRFzTGc (Truelove, and a DVD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bysg60C5dp4 (Cleopatra)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jXG90PhtSY (Gulietta)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7yh6sZ7FnE (Ilia)
s that in the last two seasons we heard Netrebko, Dessay, Massis and Damrau as Lucia…I think that’s pretty good.
I agree with you, but let’s not mix the girls with the women. Massis and Dessay are both artists of high caliber; not ewveryone agree with their choices, but their artistry and the control that they have/had on their instruments is unquestionable.
If we are talking BEST, AN and RV are not even a mile within any of them. They might sell tickets, but they do not represent the best there is in their particular repertoires. There is a BIG difference in those 2 statements.
That is Gelb’s genius; he has made the world believe that he is bringing the best of the best. In reality he is bringing the most marketable (or the ones with the most name recognition) and audiences go ga ga. In that he is a genius; but do not confuse marketability with worthiness. AN is a well marketed amateur who can not sing her repertory of choice to its full potential. RV turned out to be a sorrier story than Carreras.
Erin Wall? Please. I don’t care much for Netrebko but Erin Wall makes Nebtreko look like the reincarnation of Maria Callas. Wall is a total bore. I saw her recently as Konstanze in Chicago. Boring voice, screechy top, acted like she was in a different opera than the rest of the cast. She gets hired because she’s cheap. That’s it.
Please don’t wish that mediocrity on us. Or Eric Cutler as another poster mentioned. Egads. He was shirtless in Pearl Fishers and you just wanted to run and cover up those sagging man boobies and flabby stomach.
Oh. And I think Lyric Opera of Chicago needs David McVicar to cast the shirtless guys. In Abduction they had a number of them and almost all of them needed man bras. How hard can it be to cast supers with abs and good pecs? Bill Mason needs glasses.
#199 – Pieczonka is the only one at this point that
I can think of – She has done an acclaimed Fidelio so
to me at least the step isn’t too great – provides she
sings the role and doesn’t yell or shout it out -Wagner can
be sung you know and when really sung it is beautiful…
too many singers bark him out a feel it is Wagner .
And you may be right -I suspect she would turn it
down- she has sung many times with Canadian Opera -and over 100 times with Vienna–how many times has she appeared at the met ? interesting ………
No, Troika (@190), I wouldn’t call what is happening at the MET “insanity” or any of the other border-line hysterical adjectives you’re clearly implying. This sort of thing happens at every major opera house in the world these days, the probably inevitable by-product of a system where casting is done years and years ahead of time and when the day arrives, sh*t often happens. What about La Scala’s Don Carlo, for example? Marcelo Alvarez was hired to sing the title role; he had a disagreement with Lissner over this and that, pulled out of a new Andrea Chenier, the Don Carlo (and maybe some other things). So La Scala was left without a tenor for an important opening night happening in less than a year (not a lot of time in these matters); they hired Filianoti (who wriggled out of a few other engagements and got a gig singing Don Carlo in Zurich a few months ahead for practice) and then he bombs out at the dress and is replaced by Stuart Neill on Opening Night. Or a season or so ago in Paris, Alvarez (again) is sick for the opening of a new Ballo, they run around and find Ewan Bowers (who?) who then sings a few, Alvarez returns, then the final three or so performances suddenly become Neil Shicoff and Aprile Millo (neither of whom were originally announced), then Shicoff never appears and they end up with Bowers and Millo (with many Parisians surprised she’s even still singing). And this season Carlos Alvarez is in the midst of some sort of crisis and pulls out of Boccanegra at the Liceu and the new Macbeth in Paris, leaving both houses running around looking for the relatively rare Verdi baritone. Etc, etc. But clearly you, like so many Met-centrics on this group, think that there’s this perfect world out there beyond NYC and only the MET has “problems” and it’s all Gelb’s fault, blah, blah! Sorry, don’t buy it.
@204: Yes, and it was a total bore. She’s far too ladylike and won’t speak ill of anyone, so the entire book (All 600 pages or whatever it is) reads like a shopping list. “And then I had the good fortune to sing Elvira with Maestro Stinkypants in Zurich in 1970, this was followed the same season by a simply charming revival of L’Elisir with my good friend Boris Snoravitch” etc etc…
I have to defend Erin Wall, she was very good as Donna Anna.
So bringing in Pieczonka and pasting the 3 Brunnhildes (which she does not sing) on her over the course of a week would be superior to what the Met has arranged? Give me a break!
#210 — how right you are !!!
But what is bothersome is that you keep mentioning 2nd. raters replacing each other except for a has been or two.
Of course it is not Gelbs’ fault -what is his fault is that
these 2nd. raters are hired in the first place and the good ones are off to other houses, they can’t afford to wait for a call
from the great Met -as I mentioned before how come
Vienna and Canadian opera can find roles for Pieczonka
and the Met –?? could it be politics
212 — you are correct it was a long shot ‘
It is that Pieczonka “sings” while the other yowl and shriek
thus thinking they are Wagnerian singers .
ariel- I love your logic.
Miah Persson and Lisette Oropesa are both nice singers, perhaps they could sing Brunnhilde? Actually, David Daniels has a lovely voice- shall we see if he’s free?
#207 contains the longest list of small-voiced mediocrities that I’ve ever seen. I’m not a big fan of AN, but she has a better voice than Fleming and Gheorghiu.
Pieczonka is a lyric soprano. She should not sing Brunnhilde. We don’t have a great Brunnhilde today.
Hippolyte, you mistake me for all the MET-centrics on this site. I am anything but, I assure you. It would seem you are the one getting hysterical. I agree wholeheartedly that a number of the big name singers these days are proving to be less than dependable. That’s my whole point. When you focus on just the very few, you leave yourself vulnerable. European repertory houses have a constant stream of singers coming through their doors, and hence are far more adaptable in a crisis situation like the ones you describe. The audiences are generally more accepting of new names, also, though I think Mr. Gelb sells the MET audience short when he and his staff avoid unknowns like the plague. I think the MET audience would appreciate hearing new artists. They are certainly generous with the ones they get to hear on a regular basis. Again, if they can’t find a Verdi baritone, why is that? (I am not sure I agree with that, anyway, there are some decent ones overseas.) Isn’t the MET supposed to be running a training program as well? Shouldn’t they be a good source of up-and-coming Verdi baritones? Were all the candidates a few pounds too heavy or something? Please, don’t jump all over me about any of this. I won’t even be checking this site for some time. Your rant would suggest I have touched a nerve, btw. (Yes, these topics have touched mine, no question!)
Last note: the insanity to which I referred are the vocal meltdowns being broadcast across the globe. From an institution as illustrious as the MET, this is a sad and unnecessary phenomenon. Either get healthier, and possibly less famous, singers to do those performances, or slow the broadcast schedule down.
@213 Hiring is very much a political game. It is not always a matter of finding the best voices for the job. I believe the MET’s casting department is supposed to travel and hear voices so they can make their recommendations to Mr. Gelb, but whether they actually do much of that I don’t know. Now, either they make recommendations and Mr. Gelb has other plans, or the recommendations he follows aren’t so great in the first place. Either way, they are all responsible for what happens up on that stage each season. I believe La Cieca herself has used the term “lazy casting” to describe what she sees as the primary problem. Maybe a new generation of casting staff need to join the ranks, people who have the energy and the will to truly talent scout. Taking an agent’s word for it just might not be enough. They have to see, and hear, for themselves. As people have noted before, the advance contracting can be rendered problematic if a voice goes into an unforseen rough patch. I’m outta here. Happy Saturday, everyone!
Can I ask what Eric’s “manboobs” have to do with the quality of his singing? Seriously, if we’re discussing the quality of one’s singing, than how they appear shirtless has nothing to do with it. Otherwise, we’re talking about who would be more visually appealing in a role, which is a different subject entirely.
I thought Eric Cutler sounded rather good when I heard him as Tamino and Leopold in La juive at the Met several seasons back–and the latter is a very tricky high-lying role. On the evidence of my ears, I would hardly call him a “mediocrity” among high lyric tenors, unless something’s happened to him the past couple of years.
#71 Actually, opera needs singers who are stars
215– don’t be too clever or you may end up tripping over yourself and appear stupid – the point was that the singer in question is doing heavier roles (Leonora in Fidelio) which
is quite demanding – no more so than Brunnhilde -
She has a singing line while most others have only volume.
Is it possible you have only heard a certain type of approach
to singing Wagner at the Met -the huffand puff school ? And
if Mr. Daniels has a voice that can do justice in singing
Brunnhilde , why not -? give him a set of large breast plates
and off we go -I am sure who ever Daniels is ,he wouldn’t
look any worse than the many I have seen and heard .Mind
you — just as long as he “sings” the role and doesn’t yell it .PS – I hate “nice ” singers -beautiful voices -yes!!!!!!!
A passing comment to Indiana Loiterer @221. Yes, Eric Cutler has been a nice, servicable Tamino, badly stretched as Leopold, but Holy Saint Aloysius-of-the-Shingle-Nails his Arturo in I PURITANI, which went largely unnoticed because the harpies zeroed in on the inadequacies of Netrebko’s Elvira. He should be grateful that most opera queens (and critics) can only fulminate on one thing at a time.
Secondly, why the recurrent stress on “the broadcasts are to blame”? I grant that in planning a season some undue preference might be placed on physical appearance over vocal suitability, but I hear also an underlying argument that inadequate performances are fine for the house audience as long as they are not aired to the outside world. If that’s what you mean, then say it and then take your licks.
In the old days, singers could have a so-so performance, or worse, and it wasn’t under a worldwide microscope or reported on the web within minutes. Unless you are one of the singers who is participating in and coping with these frequent broadcasts, then your suck it up argument doesn’t hold a lot of water. The mediocre performances are nothing against the audience present. They just happen. Anyway, I think the MET is mainly interested in singers with recording contracts. They are the top priority. Perhaps that’s just logical, but probably a lot of good voices without these contracts get ignored.
@75, Dorion, I agree with everything you say!
225 feuerfly….Thank you so much. At last a voice of reason and common sense. All the best to you.
In what universe does singing a Leonore in Fidelio mean that one is ready to tackle all three Brünnhildes (hell, even one Brünnhilde role)??? If that’s the case, I suppose it’s time for Karita Mattila, Gundula Janowitz, Christa Ludwig, and Waltraud Meier to hojotoho!! Seriously, I think some of you would function much better in a clean, white, padded room.
218 dictates: ” Either get healthier, and possibly less famous, singers to do those performances, or slow the broadcast schedule down.”
Why?
A broadcast is meant to show what goes on at a house. If it’s good enough for people paying big bucks to hear it, then it’s surely good enough for voluntary listening elsewhere. If it’s too bad for the latter, then it’s the former who are being short-changed.
225 said it first, but I hadn’t yet read it when I intervened.
Sorry, I meant 224.
Sheesh.
223: “don’t be too clever or you may end up tripping over yourself”
That should be beyond your care by now, dear. It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt on the matter.
OperaCast is listing a broadcast (Saturday afternoon at 2pm /edt/ on RadioFrance) of a live performance of “Werther” from the Opera Bastille–from February 28–is that a performance that RV did or didn’t show for?–the listing has his his name, but I just wondered if anyone here knew for sure….
Peter Gelb should be gone by the end of this season.
Actually, opera needs singers who are stars
Stars are a creation of publicity machines. And there are only so many publicity machines which can take on only so many people at a time. Why should we limit ourselves to those few singers who have already attracted star-level publicity, when there is so much opera out there?
At the risk of playing the broken record, what is happening to Villazón only reminds me more of Alfredo Kraus and how he lived his life as a singer. The limits he imposed on his repertoire allowed him to have a long and healthy career- and those limits eventually expanded as he became older and felt he could handle different roles.
True, he was not a megastar- he wasn’t a marketing golden boy and he didn’t sing in stadiums before millions of people- but what an artist, and such a fine musician. I have always lamented the fact that I missed my only chance to meet him due to a delayed flight.
Peter Gelb is hardly responsible for the Met’s star system. The Met has always had a reputation of promoting stars ahead of potential talent.
@235Actually, opera needs singers who are stars
Stars are a creation of publicity machines. And there are only so many publicity machines which can take on only so many people at a time. Why should we limit ourselves to those few singers who have already attracted star-level publicity, when there is so much opera out there?
Yes and no. There have been opera stars as long as there has been opera (or almost anyway), way before modern PR machinations came into being
I would say charisma is what separates an ordinary
singer from a star although publicity can capitalize
on inherent charisma. And the publicity mavens are not going to try to do the very difficult and take a performer without much magnetism and try to create a personality where only a very ordinary one exists.
So actually I agree that opera needs stars, we need to look though at the stars and evaluate just exactly what they bring to their performances.
Ian 211#; Forget Sutherland’s book: I came across a website where a fellow had lived with the Bonygnes in Switzerland for quite a period. He was doing work on scores for the Sutherland crew.He apparently finally left incredibly pissed off and decided to repay them for his grievances. In its mere 25 or so pages it was the most blistering unvarnished tell -all opera ‘biography’ I have ever read. I e- mailed it to a famous singer who had sung with Sutherland many times and they confirmed a few further facts made in the ‘expose’. Being an opera singer can mean life in a gold fish bowl, for some.
“Cassandra: name one tenor the MET contacted 5 months ago to take over the role of Nemorino in this run. Just one. YOu’re really full of it but I suspect you already know that.”
Darling, it’s not about contacting singers directly, it’s about coming up dealing with a list of who is available, or who would be made available to the Met when they knew he was having serious vocal trouble. This did not happen “three weeks ago.” The Met was highly aware of his serious problems in Edgardo, and was considering options then. Whether you understand this or not is immaterial to me.
I’m not going to engage in this little game with you that you insist trying to play over the past few days, and keep losing. It’s boring.
Thanks, alto. I admit I have an agenda; we need to admit a very painful truth and to avoid facing it we find other scapegoats. There was a previous post about a couple who blamed Villazon’s meltdown on “The Mexicans.” I took that to be another example of an attitude prevalent in my area, that all our troubles would disappear if we got rid of “illegal aliens.” Everything that goes wrong is because of “The Mexicans,” or “It was The Clintons” or whoever. Rather than find solutions, we take recourse in easy blame.
To pursue my point, I posit that at no point in history have there been more than five men capable of singing Tristan on an adequate scale. Hence, if there are five TRISTAN productions going on simultaneously, those five men will be employed and there is no margin for error. We have reached that point of critical mass. RINGS are springing up like malevolent mushrooms without regard to the fact that right now there simply are not enough Brunnhildes to go around. With all the accumulated wisdom displayed by the numerous posters on this site, we can only come up with one — count ‘er — ONE viable candidate for the role.
We are the victims of our own success. Call it instant gratification or “the Religion of Rising Expectation” or the last gasp of the Me Generation, we’ve got to cut back. We are simply not ALL going to get what we want. It’s not greed, but it certainly is a fool’s paradise. Unless we are willing to experiment with genetic manipulation to produce a super-race of super-women with super voices, the current random selection is not going to increase the likelihood of a new Flagstad.
First, the basic arrangement of DNA must be exactly right. Let’s say that maybe 20 potential Flagstads are being born this week. Of those, 80 per cent will be born in cultures that have never even heard of opera and they will end up swathed in yashmaks behind brick walls. Of the rest, most will lack the basic drive necessary to pursue such a career. Do you get my drift? You’ve got to have so many variables congruent — basic physical makeup, drive, economic support, opportunity, and then we enter the snake-pit of proper training! God help us there. And then add physical beauty to the equation! Merciful heavens, what more do you want?
Our perfect world is NOT going to happen in this lifetime, so face the alternative: cut back on the demand because it cannot be met.
@Harry 239. Do you still have that 25 page scorcher??? iansotherstuff@hotmail.com if you do!
The Logical Tenor : Yes Alfredo Kraus is a good model of a singer that personally knew his own limitations regarding his voice, its capacities and the judgment he exercised, at various stage of what was a long healthy career . How many times today do we see singers as wise? He showed you do not have to be the ‘big mega star’ to be on-going remembered, and admired by tons of fans worldwide. His recorded performances treasured to this day. Can anyone here say that about RV; those that goes ga-ga for him? Honestly, say they admire him for ‘his ART?’ What ‘ART’??? An entirely different thing to liking someone’s voice, in passing.
Wagner’s Ring does seem to have become very popular of late. At least in the US. But I don’t recall hearing or reading of Ring productions for example in Italy, France, Spain or Australia in the last few years. Does anyone know or remember when the Ring was last staged in Paris or Milan? Or Covent Garden? Perhaps the problem is not lack of supply but excess in demand in the US?
The number of singers with recording contracts today can be counted on two hands. The advertising budgets for the classical divisions are minimal. There are no magazines to review the recordings when they come out. Except for cross-over items, sales are pitiful. No major house can afford to be guided today by who or who does not have a recording contract.
iltenoredigrazia 244. We are global; it doesn’t matter where the demand is, but simply that it is. I might quibble that the RING has not become “popular” but “fashionable.” It’s become a civic obsession like those huge sports arenas that become a drain on the public coffers. I wish I could find chapter and verse, but I know the attitude exists, to be specific, that “Los Angeles must have its own RING.” New York MUST have a new RING. Soon we’ll hear that Tulsa must have a new RING. Cedar Rapids must have a RING. Altoona must have a RING.
Maybe a RING is justified in Bayreuth — MAYBE! But I think Denver can live without one. No — make that “Denver is going to HAVE to live without one.”
iltenoredigrazia 244. Covent Garden: Autumn 2007 – Paris: next year – La Scala; 2010/2913
…also Gerghiev’s peripatetic Ring at Covent Garden in July
Ian; (Comment 242#) Unfortunately I don’t. If I ever do, I will be sure to notify this site. It is without exaggeration , explosive. It went so far I thought the Sutherlands would sue ‘the culprit’. The fellow stated that Sutherland sat around like ‘Dickens Mrs Haversham’ listening to other rivals recordings and making very unpleasant remarks indeed. He quoyed a few. How she was mean and docked his pay when he accidentally scraped their car, how the plumbling in the house was ‘f@#ked before repairs’ having virtually seized up due to the couple being away for 8 months a year. and everybody was on a strict time limit shower. How the fellow was initially cheated by Bonygne out of a re-scoring copyright credit by Decca (till proven otherwise) for a opera work Bonygne recorded. The most tantalizing bits were about Chester ‘the servant’, the grand tour of the house intricately, room by room, the china , the collected opera costumes and ‘passes’ being made to him. Certainly not By Joan (read between the lines)!
As for all the myths that for years survived, I will add a contribution of my own. It was always said that Bonygne ‘took Sutherland’s voice upwards into the stratosphere range and to her stardom as ‘Lucia’.. Credit where credit is due: It was a voice coach based in London by the name of Clive Carey, not dear little Richard Bonygne. I know closely the person that dragged that fact out of Bonygne’s own mouth many years ago and Richard sid not like admitting it either.! There I said it!
2013 in the Wagner bi-centenary so every house will be mounting Ring productions. How they will cast them is another question.
To add to Manou’s list recent productions in Stockholm, Adelaide, Amsterdam, Valencia, Florence, Copenhagen, Riga,etc etc…
The Mariinsky are bringing their production to Covent Garden in July. Perhaps wisely they do not even announce a cast. Probably Gergiev decides on the night.
harry, I ran accross that website YEARS ago but I lost the URL when I moved. Could you tell me where I could find it again? If I recall correctly, one of the anecdotes includes Dame Joan placing him in the draftiest, coldest room of her chateau, correct?
Thank you, Manou, Sir Morosus. I think we can look forward to a hodge-podge of mediocrity at best.
Harry and Logical Opera, the site was something like “Stars online” and the author was one Stephan Von Cron, a former musical assistant to Bonynge who had known them since he was a teenager. It is no longer online and has disappeared. I printed it out for a friend but don’t know where I put a copy of it. It was quite juicy. However, the feeling that I got was that this was a young man who was having trouble supporting himself with a musical career. He felt that he found a sinecure with the Bonynges who could be like second parents. However this was at the very time period when Joan Sutherland was retiring and the Sutherland/Bonynge duo was fading away. I don’t think they needed a live-in assistant conductor/musical assistant. He was like the guest after three days, he began to stink and didn’t realize it was time to move on. Meanwhile he did things like scratch up the Bonynges new car and stuff like that. He didn’t see that they were scaling down and unloading stuff and changing their lifestyle. So he got kicked out rather roughly since he couldn’t take a hint. The revenge was a little sad since he hasn’t done much since and that whole episode was the high point of his career.
232 I had thought retired -you are an embarrassment
a classic example of a person not taking his own advice .
but do send a copy of your advice to your admirer -the
one who deals in evil fairies
If you Google Stephan Von Cron quite a lot of this turns up
#198 – I agree about Shrader. I didn’t see the SFO performances, but I heard him sing the role when he was a student at Oberlin and it was stunning back then. As a close friend of his, I can tell you he’s a great guy and a reliable singer. He will definitely go far!
I’m surprised no one has mentioned John Osborn!! I’m convinced there must be something wrong with him, like he’s impossible to work with or something. That’s the only explanation I can think of for someone who sings THAT incredibly, but isn’t appearing on the big stages as frequently as he should.
I’m pissed someone mentioned Machado. He’s like Horatio Sanz on the opera stage.
You know for all these people wagging their fingers about how RV shouldn’t have sung this, shouldn’t have sung that, I say that it’s a very natural human temptation to want to branch out. It’s just like Beverly Sills singing the Three Queens — she says it took maybe five years out of her career, but I wouldn’t want to be without her Roberto Devereux. RV wasn’t singing Otello or Tristan, he was a lyric tenor who sang a whole bunch of Nemorinos, Dukes, Edgardos, Werther’s, and Rodolfos. All standard lyric tenor repertoire. What exactly did he sing that was so unwise? Don Carlo? Well Ramon Vargas, who has the smaller instrument (I’ve heard them both) also sang DC. But since his voice isn’t going south, people aren’t nailing him to the cross.
You could make an argument that Villazon oversang (too many engagements, too little time off) but I really don’t see how he sang roles that were too heavy for him.
#244: Not only is a Ring planned for the Paris Opera next year, there were also several cycles (3? 4?) of the Ring done at the Chatelet 3 years ago.
They are popping up everywhere.
#258 The Chatelet is presenting a staging of Die Feen at the moment under Minkowski. Now that is a rare event. I’m going next Saturday.
Actually, opera needs singers who are stars
You are confused. Opera needs singers. If you want a star you should attend a Britney Spears concert.
The singing should make them stars, not the other way around it.
That is the problem with the current generation of singers, managers and casting agents. We look for people who can be made into stars, not for people who can be made into opera singers.
Does our Konigin Der Feen know this?
#261 to quote Iolanthe “we’re all Fairies now”
220: it’s only relevant because they had him shirtless. Duh? And I don’t care for his singing either. It’s forced and the sound is ugly. So that’s three strikes. He’s out.
240 Cassandra: I see backtracking again when you are called out. No surprise there. That’s not what you said but I really don’t care. You’ve been shown up for the dumb punk that you are.
Go away, you smell.
Gelb has no fault with the Villazon situation. He will have fault if he persists in casting a finished singer in future seasons. The Metropolitan is one of the most historic temple’s of opera and sub par, mediocre, performances cannot be tolerated in the long run. Villazon’s decline is already more than 4 years old with the obligatory comeback (part 1, 2 and 3) charades.. The man might be a showman but a great artist/singer he never was. It was more the case that everybody, including me, wanted him to be the “messiah” . Its not enough to imitate his GREAT mentor and play the part of the intellectual to be an opera star. Above average reading habits and reciting poems mid recital does not an opera singer make. A tenor has to be able to at least hit a comfortable B flat and not have difficulties hitting an A natural at age 38. Without a solid technical base its simply impossible to give any justice to any operatic work. Us the audience cannot continue approving these sub par performances and basically give singers standing ovations just for showing up. If this was Kraus at age 68 or Lauri Volpi at age 80 its of course a different thing. There lies real artistry. Last but not least this man has not taken rest seriously. In countless interviews he mentioned that he has to sing everyday and the more he sings the better he sounds (Domingo anyone??) he also never had any qualms about attending TV shows, press events and other “hype events” whilst at the same time cancelling multiple performances. This is not an tenor wanting to become a great tenor. NEVER in the last 20 years have anyone been so forgiving towards an artist? Why? because people simple do not care anymore and it seems it has become “politically incorrect” to call a spade a spade.
Ok, the Werther broadcast is about to begin on France Musique and they just announced Rolando Villazon is singing Werther.
Harry #239, I recall reading that essay by Sutherland’s former assistant. Where can I find it again online? It really seemed straight out of Mommy Dearest!
No one else is listening to Werther? Susan Graham is so wonderful in this role… it was seeing her as Charlotte at the Met 10 years or so ago that made me fall in love with her singing.
Villazon certainly does not sound like trash that needs to be thrown off the stage to me. At least not so far, He may not have projected well live in the theater (that’s been my experience with him in the opera house in the past), but he sounds good on the radio.
mj 268 – I am listening thanks to you. Susan Graham perfectly lovely and very idiomatic. Rolando…I reserve judgement for the moment.
Sory, mea culpa, etc. I should have remembered the London and Gergiev Rings. I actually saw them both. I guess after years of Seattle and Met Rings and now the Washington and LA Rings my memory got saturated. I think Toronto was also having a Ring, right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoKbQOAKSUA&feature=related
Look at that chemistry. What a pity!!
Hmmm, there was just a rough patch in Werther’s music preceding Sophie’s aria.
It’s sad, it seems his basic sound hasn’t changed, he’s just not able to sing the higher lying stuff.
For those interested in reading a little bit of the Sutherland pamphlet here is a link:
http://tiny.cc/sutherland
it is not the whole thing, but it gives some good details. Note that the link that is mentioned latter does not work. i already tried. Also, the discussion is in Spanish, but the article quoting is in English.
Happy reading.
Pourquoi me réveiller indeed…
He should wake up – he is by no means beyond repair, but so erratic and unpredictable. Plays well in Werther, of course – frenzied hothead.
She is just lovely
“Why should we limit ourselves to those few singers who have already attracted star-level publicity, when there is so much opera out there?”
Brava, Indiana!
“I would say charisma is what separates an ordinary
singer from a star …”
But charisma is not an objective thing. Miss Fleming is a star, but I see no charisma, just posing.
“Let’s say that maybe 20 potential Flagstads are being born this week.”
Surely you mean *potential* Flagstads.
She was not *born* Flagstad. Musical and vocal culture are a large part of the production of such an artist.
256: Isn’t Alek Shrader something of a hottie? I’ve never come across him in person, but we have mutual friends on Facebook, and the pics I see are rather toothsome.
Hey Alto,
Yes, Alek is quite a good-looking guy and that’s definitely a complement to his abilities as a singer and performer. In addition, he’s funny as hell.
Living in Toronto, |’ve heard Pieczonka many times. She is a wonderful singer but a Bruennhilde she is definitely NOT. Her Leornore was quite a success but it was soft-grained — not in the mould of dramatic sopranos. Her Sieglinde is splendid and I’d love to hear her as Elsa. But she shouldn’t and won’t sing Brunnie and Isolde.
Here is his “Pourquoi me Reveiller”. You be the judge…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-p7hMNpJJM
282 – If Piezconka was a success as Leonora -then she was a success , no? must all Leonoras chew up the scenery and
carry on like there is no to-morrow – I’ve seen many Florestans with
Vickers and does he chew up the scenery -and was hair raising
I’ve also seen less “mad” Florestans who were equaly effective.
Are we not conditioned to dramatic this and lyric that too much. Doesn’t Hamlet comment on tearing everything to shreds and tatters as a little much ? Didn’t Wagner like
fine singing ,so I’ve read ,so perhaps if in Wagner they
all sang beautifully we might hear a “different” Brunnhilde
This latest at the Met they “barked” at each other so much
that instead of flowers ,one should send them dog bones .
you are perhaps right ,she may never approach this role
but wouldn’t it be interesting and a blessed change
to hear the Ring sung instead of declaimed in “GRAND ” opera
tradition.Not all pain and grief are touted on high flying banners. A softer Leonora carries as much drama as
a go for the throat one …it is the artistry you bring to it.
that makes it workAnd if she moved you as Leonora
introspective well and good -on another day you may
like an hysterical one . I have heard Flagstad do a “soft”
Isolde and it was beautiful beyond words, and I have heard
her sing it in “GRAND OPERA ” fashion effective but different. Speaking of Poles ,I heard her countryman Kiepura
knock off La Donna -it was off the wall -Verdi would
perhaps have taken an ax to him – perhaps not – but it
did have life and not the same old same old -sometimes
tradition is just the same old mistakes and dreary frozen
concepts repeated over and over until the object is DOA
A tape of Villazon in a Werther from 2006 cannot be considered as evidence for his current season. Things change, always. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Sometimes it’s temporary. Hopefully he will get it together.
But ariel, your original comment was that the Met’s replacements for Nemorino and Brunnhilde proved that this was a second-rate house. That is the comment that has got some of us so riled up. When asked who you would fly in THIS WEEK to sing these roles, you replied Becszala, Podles, and Pieczonka. I’m sure the Met considered Becszala; Podles has no relevance to this conversation, though you always bring her up; and Pieczonka is a non-starter as Brunnhilde in this run. So you still haven’t answered the question: who would a FIRST RATE house fly in this week to sing Brunnhilde?
And I hear his problems back then. Pitch, etc. I am sure he has sung that better, even so.
286-You are right I am remiss in stiking to topic -sorry
I mention Podles only in that I believe her to be one of the
greatest singers of the age and I’ve heard them all and
either politics or stupidity or Ms .Podles herself keeps a so
called great opera house from using her better than the last bit they gave her to sing .and she is in the twilkight of her
opera career .As for Bezcala the Met treated him as an upcoming tenor as did the idiot from the times -he is
established and deserved better treatment but in the end
he won the day ,I wouldn’t be surprised politics was
dominant here -imagine the capons hearing a real tenor for a change. He is in Chicago next with Faust ..why not the Met ? do they lack singers for the other roles ? As for our
Brunnhilde there is Jadwiga -but I hear she has no interest in the Met. though she will be in Vienna. So I’m out
Alrighty. After listening to jerk Ariel go on and on, I checked out Ewa Podles (Puddles?) on youtube. I must admit I was impressed. The Drag Queen portraying this role has an impressive falsetto and looks about like any other old troll dressed as a woman. Jeez…. if that is what you, Ariel, consider GREAT singing, I am perfectly content to let you have it, you arrogant, ill-bred, ignorant ASS!
Mercy, Ernie. Such a much ! You must have gotten a bad batch. Most of what I have seen of Podles has been of pretty high quality
#260 Opera needs singers who are stars. In other words, the stars should be people who can sing. Just to clarify things have you fallen into the trap of thinking that only the telegenic can be stars or are you sayig that nobody should be a star?
290 – go easy on Dame Ernestine -it seem she has gotten
her head up her own ASS and thinks her farts are music. it makes her deranged if she isn’t already
unhinged which seems to be the case .
Oh hell, go fight by yourselves.
If anyone wants to hear Podles at her best, find the Tancredi with Sumi Jo. Amazing music sung amazingly well.
Congrats, Ernie, you made Podles relevant to this conversation.
@236. And then there was Schipa, who by his own admission never warmed up beforehand so he’d have enough voice left and sang about 20 roles … wicked, right?! Would he–or Pertile with his “ugly” voice–or Gigli, even, have made it in a world where everybody has to sing and look a certain way???
I remember, in finding this site, why opera as it is today turns me off. It has its stars, but they bear no relation to opera as I remember it–and that is why in the sense we have them I feel like opera would be better without stars :/ I love the stars of the 80s (Domingo included), but I do feel like they had something to do with this … :/
@296 alexythymia,
I agree, Opera today is going down the drain, along with the Art of Singing. But guys, I think that making our voices heard on these blogs andother forums like youtube will have an impact.
Villazon called this “Internet terror and impertinent criticism” at the same time that the youtube video of his terrible performance on Lucia di Lammermoor was strangely removed from youtube. If he doesn’t want negative comments, he should focus on his vocal technique. Clearly he is not commited to his art, he is more interested in becoming STAR (and making good money probably).
Gelb wanted to give him a chance to save face so he let him cancel rather than fire him.
So if I’m reading this thread correctly, Pieczonka is supposed to sing Brunnhilde because she sang Leonore and Podles is supposed to sing Brunnhilde because she is Polish. Perhaps we should have Milnes sing the Brunnhilde since he was hung like Grane.
#1. @289 On Podles: I have never really heard anything where I can find fault in the woman. Her singing has always seemed of a very consistent quality to me, and I would certainly cast her in roles that are appropriate. Your insults, Ernestine, are not well-based. I understand if you are upset at Ariel- by all means vent yourself in his general direction, but vituperating Podles or Bezcala -fine artists but of varying appeal to some- simply because it is Ariel who constantly touts them is missing the mark.
#2 alexythymia @296: I have often thought the same thing. Could good old Beniamino have even made it in today’s operatic environment? There seems to be a strange urge to wish for every tenor to sound like Pavarotti or Domingo– just look at Rolando!
I watched the Werther clip posted above and I had to stop halfway through “Pourquoi me reveiller?” because I couldn’t watch what he was doing with his mouth and tongue without wondering how he kept his larynx from seizing up with all that apparent tension. At times I almost expected him to inhale half the set. There is passion, of course, but it is not tempered by intellect (which is an odd thing to say, I know, because we all know Rolando is not dumb, at most just stubborn but intelligent). He is definitely giving more than 100%, but instead of thrilling I find it uncomfortable because I immediately think of what it’s doing to his voice in the long run.
And he does it why? I guess because America (and a growing part of the world) has had a growing fetish with large voices and where there aren’t large instruments, people want them to become large. Rolando definitely hammers his voice all the way to the back of the hall to increase the size of his voice (which is essentially, and pre-issues, a nice lyric), and to boot he adds on all of these ridiculous roles he shouldn’t be singing in the first place (after all, if he’s a large voice, that’s what he should be singing, right?)…
I am all for power when correctly applied, and with good judgment, in voices of all sizes… but call me old-fashioned (at 30, too, which I turned yesterday) but in many ways I find Gigli’s plaintive mixed voice much more moving, specially since you knew that at the appropriate times he would slip into fuller voice and deliver a passionate, powerful line where it was appropriate (true, in his older age he started getting a little… interesting), but try singing like Gigli in today’s major houses and you’ll be laughed right off. Kraus was also a master of progression, of knowing when gentleness could be applied and when to either progress into full force or shatter it unexpectedly with a new emotion — steel hand in velvet glove, I guess.
Nowadays so many tenors want to sing like it’s their last night onstage, and there’s just no way you can sing like that all the time without repercussions. Opera is about passion, but it is also about subtleness and coloring- coloring and subtleness without passion is simple affectation, and passion without nuance is vulgar.
But hey, what do I know? I’ve been 30 for only 24 hours.
I don΄t understand all the fuss about Podles. Manufactured, small and short voice. Anything above G is a hit or miss. She sings like she is doing an imitation of david daniels. Have you heard her eboli? Filth! In my nightmares I can hear her singing amneris to the aida of olive middleton.
Your own Dimitri Pittas has been in Wales recently getting good press for his Nemorino. He might be a better (and cheaper) solution than other tenors suggested here. I was most impressed with his singing in the Met Macbeth, though he’s not exactly Sarah Bernhardt. Can see the awkwardness suiting Nemorino.
When podles made her met debut as rinaldo, she was inaudible, that΄s why she was not re-engaged. It was Rinaldo-pantomime, really.
#300 Interest in large voices is not a growing fetish and has been in opera for a long time. There aren’t as many big voices as there used to be to sing certain repertoire. The result is that many lyric voices are pushed into the dramatic repertoire to fill the gaps, and many lyric singers tempted by the allure of singing such roles are used up and thrown away only to be replaced by another eager misguided lyric.
I do agree that bigger does not necessarily mean better, but in the case of dramatic repertoire, bigger is required.
And I have to say that we sound like every generation of opera lovers who have lamented the current state of singing while mourning the singing they heard in their youth. But it isn’t just in opera. Any time there’s been innovation or change in the status quo (A chest high C! Major scales rather than modal! Perfect 5ths rather than 3rds! Atonal rather than tonal!), people complain, compare, and lament. For all that I don’t like er singing, Jane Eaglen had the right idea. When Wagner started writing opera, there was no such thing as Wagnerian voices…. there were just voices.
Logical Tenor 300# & albatossity 304# have I believe the same concerns, which we all should worry about. Singers with voices ’seduced’ out of their normal comfortable territory by all sorts of inducements be it money, flattery by various managements, ego, whatever. Fighting the fear ‘if I don’t take this ill suited engagement, they might not ask / won’t ask again’. That is the moment that singers have to resist and have a mind of metal! If some management was so stupid to make an ill conceived offer, ‘what best interest did that oper house have, personally, for a singer in the first place?
Then we have those singers that sing as if ‘nothing matters anymore’ as if they are about to go down on the Titanic in the next 2 minutes every time they open their mouth. You sit there nervously listening, pinned to your seat, making time estimations how much longer some voice will stand the apparent abuse they are doing to it. In such instance there is no joy, just dismay. Singing ‘AT YOU’………….not to you. No shade, no subtlety or finesse, no conserving of voice or proper preparation for a difficult passage. Singers shirt fronting the listener, trying to impress ‘blowiing the barn door off 50 yards away’. All with two precious vocal chors.
Albatrossity, could it be that out standards for judging voice size have changed? I suspect that what was considered a reasonably sized voice a few decades ago would not be acceptable today. We’re used to amplification for just about everything and the human voice may be at a disadvantage in the comparison.
I do wonder how the golden age singers would fare under the note by note scrutiny that our web listening and commenting allows. Imagine one of our Cieca blog listenings to a Sirius broadcast and all our commentaries on a live performance by Callas, Tebaldi, Caballe, Price…
… or making the same derisive commentaries about a Caruso, say, as one reads about any tenor on YouTube. Or complaining about a Flagstad or a Kraus past their prime.
I agree with the remarks about Domingo and Villazon. Domingo strikes me as introverted (in the Myers-Briggs “derives functioning from self” sense, not in the sense of “not outgoing.”) I wonder how much he understands about other singers. But surely one test of an artist worthy to sing at the Met is whether or not they can stand up to the pressures of another personality. Villazon must do what is right for Villazon.
btw, I would hope that Villazon could come back from this. Some people never seem to. I was just listening to some late model Carreras and thinking, cancer aside, he never got the stain of those ill-advised Carlos and Cheniers out of his voice :/ …
“I suspect that what was considered a reasonably sized voice a few decades ago would not be acceptable today.”
Do you actually believe that Flagstad, Traubel, Tebaldi, Milanov, Nilsson, Sutherland, Price would not be accepted today? Do you believe that Martinelli, Lauri-Volpi, Melchior, Del Monaco, Corelli, Tucker, Bergonzi would not be accepted today?
You’re kidding, right? Or do those names mean nothing to you?
“Erin Wall? Please. I don’t care much for Netrebko but Erin Wall makes Nebtreko look like the reincarnation of Maria Callas. Wall is a total bore. I saw her recently as Konstanze in Chicago. Boring voice, screechy top, acted like she was in a different opera than the rest of the cast. She gets hired because she’s cheap. That’s it.
Please don’t wish that mediocrity on us. Or Eric Cutler as another poster mentioned. Egads. He was shirtless in Pearl Fishers and you just wanted to run and cover up those sagging man boobies and flabby stomach.”
On these two things we definitely agree. Cutler and Wall are both totally mediocre. I would also include Laura Claycomb who is randomly a “star” ONLY in Houston, and with good reason.
“240 Cassandra: I see backtracking again when you are called out.”
No dear, you see what you want to see, and that is all.
#280, yeah, Alek Shrader is super cute. His recital in San Francisco a couple of months ago made me (and I think the entire audience) fall in love with him a tiny bit.
@ 311 I wonder if, in this prepackaged, HD world, some of those folks would have taken precedence over a Gheorghiu or a Netrebko … as well they should have.
Fashions change, too, in voices. Would a Tucker have made it today, a Farrell even (and I love these people with every fiber of my being … don’t get me wrong). We’d have different stars now if verismo were in the ascendant (like in Olivero’s heyday); Sutherland (don’t shoot me) might not have had the career that she had had there not been a concurrent rise of interest in the bel canto. Those are two examples that I can think of.
Podles is a great singer. The bizarre arc of her career seems to be entirely her choice. She does not sing regularly in ANY of the world’s great houses, seeming to genuinely prefer to be in Philly, Houston, Seattle, etc. To slam Gelb for not using her more is ridiculous. La Cieca is one of the staples of her repertoire, and the Met was not dissing her in any way by hiring her to sing that role.
316 – perhaps you are correct -but she seems to infer
that she is not asked by the Met powers to be.
politics ? perhaps -her initial debut was not a great success
but the several recent NY appearances plus this last Met
bit all ending in great ovations hopefully will cause both to
reconsider -her Wagner work is a revelation .
Maria, yes, those names do mean something to me. I even heard some of them in the flesh. With the arguably exception of one or two, the singers you mention had big voices. They were giants. But I suspect that many others would not fare as well. My comment, however, was meant more in retrospect. I hear complaints about many of today’s singers having small voices or being hard to hear who I think would have been considered perfectly fine 30 years ago. I won’t give you examples because there’s no point on having a discussion. I, myself, find the orchestras and singers more often than not favoring volume over accuracy or nuances. That’s just and simply the way I feel. Then again, I have no problem whatsoever hearing Fleming, Gheorghiou, Battle, et al.
“Imagine one of our Cieca blog listenings to a Sirius broadcast and all our commentaries on a live performance by Callas, Tebaldi, Caballe, Price…”
That would be a lot of fun. But it would be far more exciting if we were listening to Ponselle, Rethberg, Muzio, Galli-Curci…
#308 iltenoredigrazia. A most excellent idea ! Might I suggest any of three broadcast of DON CARLO with Maria Guleghina, back when she was singing under the names of Dalia Rigal, leonie Rysanek, and Mirella Freni?
In one of them, she even doubles King Philip using her stage name Nicolai Ghiaurov.
Sorry, Maria, our posts crossed. I like your idea better.
“I hear complaints about many of today’s singers having small voices or being hard to hear who I think would have been considered perfectly fine 30 years ago.”
iltenore: I think those complaints are justified, and that’s why it’s getting harder to cast the operas of Wagner and Verdi.
Anyone else read the link at #273??? I mean seriously…Sutherland, the racist fag hag!?
I know Dame Joan had some racism issues going on… but I’m not sure how much of what Von Crof says is reliable or not, I’ve never met the gentleman. If it is true, though, that’s certainly a Mommy Dearest out there.
LogTen@324
I think it is common concensus taht anyone indulging in “kiss-and-tell” in all its permutations foregoes the privilege of being called a “gentleman.”
“Snarky Queen” seems to be the term used most often around here.
@305- Sanford, every time you comment I think I fall a little bit more in love.
@315- I think Sutherland would have had a career even without the bel canto revival. She would have sung a lot more Donna Annas, a lot more Violettas, a lot more Marguerites- but she would have had a career. I’d imagine she would have sung roles she’s not now associated with, too; Fiordiligi, the Marschallin and even Sieglinde spring to mind.
@ 315–Fair enough. Hadn’t thought about it in ages, and there’s something of a cliche afoot someplaces [?] that she swung from Wagner to Norma without so much as a pause, but Wikiing tells me she sang some crazy sh*t in the ’50s. Aida? Really? Well, I guess Sills did, too–miked in an arena …
Today, of course, the Bonynges and entourage might have had a reality show, been outed for racist views on CNN a la Blagojevich, so on.
All in all, I say: Good riddance!
Ian, how sweet of you to ejaculate while telling me you love me. I can be had.
Sutherland even sung an Eva in Meistersingers under Kubelik.
Ariel: If you interpreted my mention of “dramatic soprano” as chewing the scenery, then you don’t really know what you’re talking about — which is fine, except that your posts are so damned opinionated. You criticise the Met’s casting choices left and right and then you suggest that they should have tried to get Pieczonka (who neither knows the role nor should be singing it) to replace Brewer. Enough said.
kashania -you are right -she probably does not know
the role -it just that she sings and one can only hope
to hear the role “sung” and not screamed out as we hear
to-day , I have heard Ms. Brewer , and for me once is enough
for a full life time .O f course I am damned opinionated since 1946 in New york
Vienna , Berlin London, Madrid and even Toronto the good I have heard them all from one orchestra seat or another.
I have heard Brunnhilde sung ,yowled,and screamed . When
Wagner is “sung ” it is something indeed .Lately
all I hear is men barking at each otherand bosom heaving sopranos shrieking for all they are worth . That is not to
say that there are not good singers out there that can match any age.But just now going to the met can be quite disheartening for when youfork out acouple hundred bucks
for a ticket you wouldn’t mind getting back at least 25 for
the singing .
Could it be that some of those who sang Rolando’s praises a few years ago, have now turned their thumbs in a Southernly direction? How fickle and cruel. Best wishes Rolando.
Herr Villazon sang every performance like it was his last. He gave all that he had to the audience and we are greatful. We are lucky to have all the wonderful memories.