photo fop
A layout (in the very nearly literal sense of the term) of “seven international opera stars who are putting to rest the ‘fat lady sings’ cliché” graces the current issue of Vanity Fair. Since nobody actually reads this magazine, La Cieca will link to the photo of the The Low BMI Septet.
Now, it’s one thing that Anna Netrebko is Photoshopped in from a different day, a different location and what may well be a different universe from our own, and don’t ask La Cieca why Mariusz Kwiecien is simultaneously checking his fly and treading on the train of Maija Kovalevska‘s gown. (No wonder she look so pissed!)
But just when you think it’s not humanly possible for Nathan Gunn to take a gayer photograph, the barihunk confounds us yet once more, with a pose that falls on the butch scale somewhere between Madame Recamier and April Stevens.
Or maybe Mr. Gunn can just throw in the towel and start programming “Teach Me Tiger” as an encore at his recitals.
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Terrible picture of Nathan…. he looks a little too much like Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde.
actually, la Gunn is a Bi on the road. Where have you all been? There are very real re-tellings of very real orgies (at least in San Francisco) where he tends to the boys just as much the ladies. Julie is busy anyway.
maja who? never ever heard of her…
Maija Kowalewska won Domingo’s 2006 Operalia competition — with a little lobbying from on high, I suspect. She is a nice, classy singer, though nothing to set the world on fire. Has studied with Freni, I believe, and sounds a bit like her. Her Met appearances have included Mimi and Euridice.
You gotta hand it to MET press department and their friends in Advertising/PR for high profile placement of photos like this. I wonder if this group photo required the artists’ approval.
La Cieca, I’ve seen this posted elsewhere, but you are the only one who “embiggened” it effectively, and as a bonus, added some description that I’m still in tears laughing over. BRAVA, Cieca.
They look like a high priced bunch at a dinner party style ‘gold class credit card’ whorehouse. Champagne and caviar is on the bedside table beside the Rosenthal or Spode saucer to place the money. Whatever turns you on….name it and its yours!
” Now, each of you sugars stop looking so grumpy and bored – tell the customers here, your name. After all remember your Madame has high overheads. If you don’t behave by the rules of the house….by putting on a good show by rooting and climaxing at the top of your voice, I’ll tear up your agreements and show you the door”
There’s something very wrong (on several levels actually) with the gown de Niese is wearing. Look at it–it looks like some sort of sack from he waist up and I don’t believe the shadow under her arm or the entire pose for a moment.
I suspect the entire thing of being assembled from a group of separate shots taken whenever any of these singers was available, and put together badly in a setting that would work very well for Sartre’s No Exit because it so effectively drains the life out of the grouping. It’s a stupid puff piece that does none of them any favors.
Opera singers? Then what is Rolando doing there…?
Too soon?
The only way Gunn could look gayer was if he was getting head from Jake Heggie. Taken in the spirit it was intended, a VF fluff piece (is it Leibovitz? god knows she needs the work and it looks like any one of her Hollywood/Music/Sports issue group shots) the photo isn’t horrible.
I would say the only singer who was never really good in the bunch is Danielle de Niese. Gunn is another very pretty face and body with super stage skills with a musical comedy/operetta voice. Same as De Niese above. Schrott is a charismatic stage savvy second rater with a good instrument. Villazon is a wreck. Kovalevska has a lovely voice but hasn’t delivered a diva-making performance yet. Kwiecien absolutely has a divoon instrument but is heading towards Vladimir Chernov vocal oblivion if he keeps oversinging.
That leaves Netrebko as the only genuine vocal sensation of the bunch – if she doesn’t let herself get blowsy and sloppy from lazy overexposure and carelessness.