Comments on: the end

GS commented

GS — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:17:10 +0000

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.

Cantantelirico commented

Cantantelirico — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:42:39 +0000

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.

ariel commented

ariel — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:10:13 +0000

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 .

kashania commented

kashania — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 18:35:43 +0000

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.

harry commented

harry — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:43:10 +0000

Sutherland even sung an Eva in Meistersingers under Kubelik.

Sanford commented

Sanford — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:03:41 +0000

Ian, how sweet of you to ejaculate while telling me you love me. I can be had.

prosti commented

prosti — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:36:08 +0000

All in all, I say: Good riddance!

alexythymia commented

alexythymia — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 03:25:09 +0000

@ 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.

armerjacquino commented

armerjacquino — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 01:26:45 +0000

@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.

Ian commented

Ian — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:38:13 +0000

@305- Sanford, every time you comment I think I fall a little bit more in love.

wotan_in_inman commented

wotan_in_inman — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:49:08 +0000

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.

The Logical Tenor commented

The Logical Tenor — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:42:13 +0000

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.

sandytheslayer commented

sandytheslayer — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:34:09 +0000

Anyone else read the link at #273??? I mean seriously…Sutherland, the racist fag hag!?

maria commented

maria — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:31:50 +0000

“I hear complaints about many of todayâ€™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.

wotan_in_inman commented

wotan_in_inman — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:15:21 +0000

Sorry, Maria, our posts crossed. I like your idea better.

wotan_in_inman commented

wotan_in_inman — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:12:42 +0000

#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.

maria commented

maria — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:12:12 +0000

“Imagine one of our Cieca blog listenings to a Sirius broadcast and all our commentaries on a live performance by Callas, Tebaldi, Caballe, Priceâ€¦”

That would be a lot of fun. But it would be far more exciting if we were listening to Ponselle, Rethberg, Muzio, Galli-Curci…

iltenoredigrazia commented

iltenoredigrazia — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:46:08 +0000

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.

ariel commented

ariel — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:58:15 +0000

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 .

messa di voce commented

messa di voce — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:30:19 +0000

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.