Attendo, attendo nè a me giungon mai!
La Cieca has to admit that what she thought would be a bang-up notion turned out to be a total damp squib: the “Letter” competition failed to rouse much interest. The sole (albeit very fine) entry follows the jump.
This video was sent by Our Own Lindoro Almaviva, and he can expect to be the recipient of an amazon.com gift card in due course.
So, while we’re on the subject, cher public, let’s hear from you. What sort of competitions do you like, or (more to the point) what sort of competitions are you up for competing in? All suggestions are welcome!
Well, if we’re going to do “favorite operas with ideal cast” kinds of things……
Die Tote Stadt (Korngold)
Paul: Jon Vickers (without all the crooning affectations)
Marie/Marietta: Leonie Rysanek
Frank: Eberhard Waechter
Conductor: Karl Bohm
Der Ferne Klang (Schreker)
Fritz: Fritz Wunderlich
Greta: Lucia Popp
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
I have to say that I love the aria with many singers competitions – it usually ends up educating me, including on the avaliability of recordings of some singers that I never knew had sung some of the material.
How would Bette read the TRAVIATA LETTER??I think La Cieca should do one of his/her/its podcasts where famous actresses read opera scenes…….I can just hear Tallulah in the Adriana Phedre Scene or Kathy Hepburn reciting
“Nel di della vittoria”…Unmannered of course…
Henry Holland, I applause your TOTE STADY casting but draw the line at the idea of Dr. Boehm slamming loudly through Korngold’s score (which he coincidentally would have endorsed suppressing 1933-1945). It needs someone willing to linger! How about Kempe, or Kleiber *fils*?
In re Zinka’s idea: How about Paul Lynde and Alice Ghostley doing Balstrode and Ellen’s final scene with Peter Grimes? Or Wanda Sykes voicing the lead-in recit before Marzelline’s aria?
I think for release of a major video/recording/book maybe have a competition of who wrote the best review? Reviews can be posted on the blog and votes emailed La Cieca’s way?