festive future
La Cieca hears that Angela Meade, triumphant in this summer’s Semiramide at Caramoor, has been invited back there in 2010 for her first Norma. Other future dates include Les Vêpres siciliennes in Vienna and a return engagement at the Met in Ernani. On the bill at Caramoor for 2011: that grandest of all grand operas, Guilliame Tell.
Update: Caramoor maestro Will “The Trill” Crutchfield just chimed in:
Semiramide was only a first hint of what this gal can do. Everybody should come next year and hold me accountable if I’m wrong. She hasn’t yet tapped her full capacities, but she will.
Oh for Christ’s sake, Angela isn’t singing “Norma” yet. She sings “Casta Diva” but she’s smart enough not to take on the role as of now. I was as skeptical (and slightly frightened) when I saw that she was singing this aria but the first time I heard her I was sold. She had excellent breath control and the sound flowed naturally. It showed Angela’s potential for the future.
And can we at least give these young artists a few years before we pass judgment on their entire careers. All young artists, for that matter. I would like to think an opera career is an evolving one.
#28 – No. Firstly, since you appear baffled by it, I’ll apologise for the typo that resulted in a ‘he’ instead of a ‘the’. With this in mind, I don’t think you’ll find anything terribly extraordinary about the construction. I would like to point out, however, that your assumption that I am English is not, in fact, correct.
In response to your question, how many – I don’t know, please tell us the answer. Clearly Voigt springs to mind, because she attempted to address the issue, and it has all gone horribly wrong. Had she done nothing, she might still be glorious. Who else?
I don’t think being overweight holds a singer back, except in a few limited circumstances, and only then where the attitude of a minority is allowed to prevail. I also don’t think, from the pictures I have seen, that there is anything terribly extraordinary about Meade’s weight to begin with.
To #31, re Norma, well part of the point of the posting is to say that she IS doing it at Caramoor in 2010. This may be only once but if the posting is correct that means she will be singing Norma, not just the aria.
To #27, I am not sold on Gutierrez as a lyric soprano, the middle and bottom or her voice are so far very not remarkable and she has undertaken few if any soubrette type roles. That said, if she has a long career she could land in some lyric roles but I don’t see any Butterfly’s in near future unless they are Toti dal Monte style!
To #30, Swenson has done two Adalgisas already. They were OK. R U hoping she will do it in Caramoor to Meade’s Norma?
To #26, not everyone cares about high E’s. I for one am not overly impressed with brilliant top notes but I don’t knock others for being impressed with them if that is there taste. To listeners who prefer interesting sounds and original interpretations, Meade is so far not the ticket. She has other qualities which will appeal to listeners with other tastes and should enjoy a very successful career though.
Tamerlano @11:
A troll? Maybe a disgruntled diva
Who rhymes with a certain prominent semi-retired diva who keeps her own blog …
poison, I know and like Millo who is a huge fan of all, ALL of Bill Schuman’s group from AVA, and is a big supporter of his group of young singers, so move on little froggie. I am a friend of Miss Millo and
I don’t agree with her “kindness” towards some who clearly do NOT have the talent.
troll is for someone who allows no one an opinion. YOU fit the bill there in all your altered Tam and Poison egos.
33 – Ooops! My error. Let me hedge myself here and say that Angela’s “Norma” at Caramoor is part of a preparatory process rather than making it part of her repertory that she is doing now. I have no inside information on this; just a guess.
I think you can only do so much learning in a studio situation; getting a chance to perform a role in a festival one-off gives the artist and her coaches a chance to see where she is at that point.
And again, Meade, like Gutierrez, Perez, Costello, et al are just a year or two or three out of conservatory training. They are still at the point where technique is being mastered and interpretation is being explored.
Methinks the (very fat) lady doth protest too much …
well poison last time I checked YOU were the fat one.
To #37 – I know what you mean. I agree a one-off festival outing in a concert setting is different from leaping into multiple staged performances.
Also, I agree all the singers you mention have great accomplishment as well as potential that we all hope will continue ro develop.
That said, if someone’s vocal color doesn’t appeal to a listener, that is sometimes unlikely to change. If the artist continues to evolve then sometimes that ends up “not mattering” so much. I am not meaning to diss her at all, her tone just kind of doesn’t excite me.
A singer similar to me is Swenson. I really couldn’t knock her and I admire her from certain points of view. But her voice, just never kind of thrilled me and as her artistry matured her artistry doesn’t excite me either. I woudln’t knock her or her fans but I don’t necessarily seek out her performances.
At a certain level of talent and accomplishment it becomes very subjective!