“mi” a name to call herself?
Just texted to La Cieca:
Am at Philharmonic dress. Her Messiaen was luminous. Far the best thing I’ve heard her do.
Which is excellent, brava, you go on like this. But, La Cieca being La Cieca, you know she is going to harp on this little gem:
Known as “the people’s diva,” she continues to grace the world’s greatest opera stages and concert halls, now extending her reach to include other mediums.
the people’s diva? who is smokin what at Falcone office these days?
About as warm as a fly swatter. Manage that press honey, or at least try to.
Not only does she absolutely “get” the Messiaen songs, but she knew them so well that, after the complete run-through, a lengthy rehearsal of sections found her — without a score or any other visual reference — she knew exactly the section of this difficult work being rehearsed. She clearly knows this major cycle inside-out. Does anybody here know whether she has performed it before? She sings it as though she has known it all her life. Maybe she studied it at Eastman?
This, note, is coming from a witness whose eye when looking at Renay is usually every bit as jaundiced as the sightless eyes of La Cieca herself. I recommend the broadcast.
(The Magnus LIndberg premiere is a stunner, too — as is he. The same age as La Voce, he manages to be super-sexy without the surgery. One of those people who is not photogenic but is seductive in person — as individually sexy as his buddy E.-P.S.)
This gives me an excuse to reproduce a few words from the August edition of Opera magazine, reviewing her London Traviata …
“Likewise, physical and oral excess damaged the last act … Worst of all was her theatrical speech. The reading of the letter was an embarrassment … To lodge these complaints is not to be vicious or unreasonable … I think that Fleming possesses the most beautiful soprano voice in the world and that she should be the greatest singer in the world. It is this wasted possibility that makes her miscalculations so frustrating.”
“…now extending her reach to include other mediums”
Hey, who here wouldn’t love to see The People’s Diva (Narodnaya Artistka) tackle Menotti’s Mme. Flora?
She could unleash a new fragrance” “Was it YOU?”
I see her more as Madame Arcati.
Surely that would be a Moedlrolle …?
More about the Queen of All Media?
Narodnaya Artistka Flemink could revisit her Elfish RING stylings here:
http://tinyurl.com/dtku7
Ms. Fleming was exquistely beautiful sounding at this morning’s final rehearsal at The Philharmonic…this was a pretty difficult vocal score for any one to pull off….and she did it, very well..
This Opening night will be broadcast on many NPR and PBS Stations…and will also be availible on the NYphilharmonic.org website, for on demand listening, after tonight..AND…they were setting up seating and a Jumbo-tron , outside Avery Fisher Hall, for FREE viewing , as well..
Wow, everyone in NYC is just gonna fall in love with Messiaen. Before we know it, St Francois d’Assise will be packing ‘em in at Madison Square Garden, starring Nathan Gunn (shirtless, of course, in the cause of art) and Danielle de Niese (in little more than a sheer bodystocking and huge golden wings).
It’s years since I heard the Poemes pour Mi. Are they schmaltzy Messiaen or would-be intellectual Messiaen?