parterre box

20 comments

• Sanford says:

  I once found a vinyl record of Dame Kiri’s, made when she was 17 years old, all in English if I recall correctly. It included, among other things, Una Voce Poco Fa. I loved the sound of her voice. You could tell, even at that age, that she was going to be a huge star. As with Moffo, she also recorded a stellar album of Mozart (Exsulate sticking in my memory). I also think her Verdi/Puccini album had some lovely things on it. And, of course, her Countess is gorgeous (although my fave is probably Teresa Stich-Randall, because she was my first).

  on September 2, 2009 at 10:59 PM
• Buster says:

  I’ll be sad when she is no longer around – Late Kiri is great Kiri.

  A long time ago I used to help out a Finnish teenager with her Kiri fan page (the interesting looking green one). The parts I had to “administer” were “Kiri’s men,” “Kiri get your gun,” and her list of performances. Not much happened in them, but we were always very excited when something did.

  “Kiri’s men” was about favorite Kiri accompanists. Mine was James Levine. Never saw her more relaxed and brilliant than with him at the piano. Warren Jones I loved too.

  As with Maria Reining, Kiri’s final Marschallin in Cologne could turn out to be her greatest. Out of the five Reining recordings of the part, my favorite by far is the very last one she did for Knappertsbusch.

  on September 3, 2009 at 2:49 AM
• Santa di Patria says:

  Please tell me “conductor Brian Castles-Onion” is not real…

  on September 3, 2009 at 7:52 AM
• operaguy says:

  Yes, it is hard not to love Flicka, especially knowing how she, from all appearances, put heart and soul into helping a singer in San Francisco facing a most grave health issues. Perhaps more remarkable is that I haven’t heard anyone express the slightest surprise that she did so – a class act who, it appears to me, has carefully and skillfully managed the end of her career.

  As to Kiri – I certainly don’t begin to think I am perfect; I do think I have the smarts that after, say, 15 years or so, I learn to correct my mistakes. I don’t buy the “poor put-down Kiri” bit at all – the witch has the gall to say “I had no one”. What a slap in the face to the London Opera Center, Colin Davis, John Copley and John Crosby, all of whom helped prepare her for the career she had!

  Yes, it’s impossible to know the “real” story behind the divorce. Wouldn’t have been worth mentioning except for what I perceive as the mileage she herself tried to get out of it as a “victim”. (But the logic of how people saying mean things about her somehow explains her artistic and professional flaws, but her failed marriage is “moot” – that logic somehow escapes me.

  A (physically) beautiful woman, one of the great voices of the century, at times a compelling stage personality – yes. A guide for young singers (and especially how to run their lives!) – no.

  on September 3, 2009 at 1:21 PM
• Harry says:

  Santa di Patra’ (comment13#)A reply to your question about that conductor’s name …yes, that name ‘Brian Castles Onion’ is for real! Appears to do work, around New Zealand and Australia.

  on September 3, 2009 at 4:07 PM
• Harry says:

  What is the most frustrating thing with Te Kanawa is the fact that she undoubtedly had a very class instrument. It is in HAVING the capacities and potentials with that same instrument – what she never achieved, possessing it:, that quietly pisses many, off. An anticipated arc of success and role achievement , she never fully realized.. She frugged around, here and there year after year….never going from one proper repertoire development point, to the next. That is what is ‘laziness’ in an artist. What other singers would have given to have had such a voice? Many other singers achieved more , with less and therefore deserve our greater admiration.

  on September 3, 2009 at 4:21 PM
• brooklynpunk says:

  #10 said:

  “and I will never forget that night at the Met concert when she forgot where she was in “Dove sono.” Levine almost imploded…”

  …ummm…DID he…?…that’s reading an awful lot into what appeared on screen, at least, …he actually blew her kiss at the end…and he handled the musical gaffe rather well..it seemed.

  Poor Kiri looked however like a “deer in the headlights”…but only for a second…

  on September 3, 2009 at 4:32 PM
• Harry says:

  opera guy(14#) The mere mention of Von Stade….one of the truly great singers.From her early career forward: you heard, you listened, you believed, and felt for the characters she played. Her recital discs I also treasure. Here was an intelligent person illuminating the work she was performing. Artistry with a capital A!

  Magically, I know of people that normally were not particularly record collectors of opera, but if Von Stade was in the cast….they rushed out to buy it. Says a lot about an artist’s singing ability to ‘humanly connect’ with a listener.

  on September 3, 2009 at 4:32 PM
• Tamerlano says:

  I can’t agree more on the Von Stade front! It’s been posted before, but I think deserved a re-do.

  
  And talk about beautiful opera singers! What a gorgeous woman.
  

  on September 3, 2009 at 5:09 PM
• Alexythymia says:

  @14–yes, that “I had no one” did stick in the craw a little. To say nothing of Vera Rozsa and Solti.

  @16 That comes across as jealousy on your part, IMHO. There’s very much study to be done here of how opera fans feel ownership over women’s bodies. A woman’s voice is part of her body. So Te Kanawa didn’t do what she might’ve, or what YOU might’ve done with it. Neither did a lot of people. What makes her so much worse than a lot of people, or is it possible that the fact that she can still generate comments like this suggest that her legacy is still relevant?

  @18. As it happens, I was the person who first brought Flicka into this thread. Why? According to all appearances, she’s friends with Te Kanawa. If Te Kanawa is such a “witch,” then what does the esteemed Flicka see in her, huh??? Actually, as great Mozartians for instance, I happen to think that they have a few common traits as singers.
  **

  My comments at 10 were on the serious side Most people are not brains or dimbulbs or sweethearts or jerks. They are a funny combination of both.

  on September 3, 2009 at 9:24 PM