The student princess
Which much-recorded singer has developed her use of expressive rubato to the point that she actually “stole” a professor from a prestigious British academy by offering him a veritable fortune to resign his position and devote his time to coaching her most recent CD?
I adore the Caballe Cosi. I think her Come Scoglio is astounding. I think her Giovanna D’arco is gorgeous, though Renata Tebaldi’s live performance from the 50s is amazing. There’s the complete William Tell.
But my favorite Caballe may be the Elisabetta, Regina D’Inghilterra (Rossini), which is just a stupendous piece of singing.
On a side note, I though the Vicar of Wakefield would like to know that Opera Depot now has the following performance available
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
This all-Briton cast features the Amy Shuard as Isolde as well as Josephine Veasey, John Shirley-Quirk and Michael Langdon. Colin Davis conducts
I think Renee’s biggest problem is that she has no Serafin, no HvK, hell, she doesn’t even have a Bonynge!
I think the most gifted singers are often the ones who need the most guidance. Price could be extremely self indulgent during her later prime (’72-82), probably out of boredom and lack of self criticism, BUT listen to her performance of Leonora from Salzburg ’78 with HvK. She is unbelievably disciplined. The line as clean as a whistle. The sloppiness wasn’t due to technical faults. . . .
Most of Renee’s mannerisms are post-Solti. Since his death, she has had no musical mentor (who wasn’t on her payroll). No one to scold when and where necessary. . . .
Leontyne tells about HvK sitting her down during the prep for those ’78 Trovatores and telling her to cut the crap, playing excerpts from the ’62 performances to show her how he wanted it sung. She got the message (temporarily).
Are you suggesting that Levine doesn’t tell Fleming how he wants it done?
I heard Fleming sing Lucrezia Borgia last year, I kept hearing Caballe’s rendition in my head. Only way I got through the entire performance.
Caballe at her best was stunning. And her very best was a relaxed zarzuela late morning recital in Munich in 1979 when she let her hair down and clicked the castanets. Compensation for about a year earlier when I took a train into the city from New Brunswick on a snowy evening only to find Caballe had cancelled a Carnegie Hall recital at the last minute. Arrrgh!!!
I don’t think her fainting just before intermission at the matinee Vespri was faked. She hyperventilated. I was in a side box and could see the chorus ladies catch her as she started to fall. It was a broadcast performance so of course she returned after intermission to finish the performance.
I also saw her Met debut in Faust. Boring! But oh, the joint concert with Marilyn Horne. Sublime. Now if there were only a decent video of the Aix Semiramide with Caballe and Horne to be had…
I ask in innocence. . . can someone please explain why I can’t stand Flemming’s vibrato? It’s so fast and warbly. Obviously, many people find it A-OK. Insights, please?
No one can explain that. If you’re on parterre and you think most people think Fleming is A-OK then you must be new.
Just when I think Caballe is a bit of a joke, I hear this…and, well, I am transported. It’s just so goddamn gorgeous, musical, and intimate.
Caballe’s looking slim in that clip.
88.
A friend of mine was with Caballe when that Cosi was taped. She apparently pitched up a day or two before and cancelled the first recording session as she wanted to go shopping. The night before the first session she took out her score to (re)learn the music and was telling everyone the next day how to sing the recits… LOL. I recall reading somewhere that the recording won awards?