parterre box

77 comments

• Sanford says:

  La Cieca, is that Dame Gwyneth as Katisha?

  on November 7, 2009 at 2:04 PM
• Quanto Painy Fakor says:

  on November 7, 2009 at 2:16 PM
  • CruzSF says:

    I was afraid we’d see these again.

    on November 7, 2009 at 2:23 PM
    • squirrel says:

      I’m always happy to see this one. Rawr!

      on November 7, 2009 at 2:32 PM
    • Lindoro Almaviva says:

      Can we please give this woman’s tits a fucking break? It was uninteresting the first 4 times we had to see it posted here.

      on November 7, 2009 at 6:49 PM
      • Quanto Painy Fakor says:

        No! Netrebko has become my obligatory Jill-in-the-box pop up birthday toy.

        on November 7, 2009 at 7:58 PM
• Quanto Painy Fakor says:

  on November 7, 2009 at 2:18 PM
  • WindyCityOperaman says:

    I like the Russoanimation with the Gaytor. Very cute!

    on November 7, 2009 at 7:05 PM
• SilvestriWoman says:

  Happiest of birthdays to all, but especially Dame Gwyneth!!! Yes, she most certainly is best experienced live. As one critic described her Elektra with SFO, the voice was like a “blast furnace.” When she’s on, look out! Yes, there were issues, but the power of her performance was undeniable. For all the raw power at full throttle, she commanded an astonishing, utterly feminine pianissimo.

  I agree that, if she’d not moved into heldensopran roles, she’d be remembered as a great Verdiana, perhaps – yes – eclipsing Leontyne.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vvVrB8mTkk

  on November 7, 2009 at 2:19 PM
  • SilvestriWoman says:

    ARGH!!!
    

    on November 7, 2009 at 2:24 PM
  • SilvestriWoman says:

    Further, I’d dare say that others have sung Brunnhilde beautifully, but Wotan’s daughter has never been more movingly portrayed.

    on November 7, 2009 at 2:34 PM
    • SilvestriWoman says:

      on November 7, 2009 at 2:36 PM
• Sanford says:

  Oy, again with the birthday songs?

  on November 7, 2009 at 2:19 PM
• squirrel says:

  Sometimes I think Quanto Painy Fakor is transmitting counterintelligence codes via Youtube urls.

  Or is he/she/it… perhaps… a droid?

  on November 7, 2009 at 2:22 PM
  • Quanto Painy Fakor says:

    Good one Squirrel.

    on November 7, 2009 at 3:14 PM
  • CruzSF says:

    ‘Fess up, squirrel. You are also QPF. Great attempts at diversion. Very Roger Ackroyd.

    on November 7, 2009 at 4:13 PM
    • manou says:

      on November 7, 2009 at 4:23 PM
    • squirrel says:

      It’s not true, I swear! (la cieca, tell them)

      this video is great though! those are some very advanced squirrels

      on November 7, 2009 at 4:28 PM
      • manou says:

        There are indeed some very advanced squirrels – maybe some of them will start posting here…

        on November 7, 2009 at 8:29 PM
  • kashania says:

    Someone had to say it. LOL

    on November 7, 2009 at 4:26 PM
• Quanto Painy Fakor says:

  on November 7, 2009 at 3:28 PM
• kashania says:

  The Libra in me feels compelled to balance out the Gwyneth clips with a Joan clip, taken from the most interesting part of her career (the 60s).

  on November 7, 2009 at 4:52 PM
  • javier says:

    Yea, we need more Sutherland. There is some obvious Jones bias at work here (La Cieca?):

    on November 7, 2009 at 4:59 PM
    • SilvestriWoman says:

      Speaking for myself, it’s not so much bias, but a feeling that Gwyneth is less appreciated than La Stupenda. For the record, to me, this is the best thing she ever did -- and, yes, I saw her glorious Norma live in 1973. Still, this blows me out of the water.

      on November 7, 2009 at 10:47 PM
• Feldmarschallin says:

  Jones gave me some of my best nights at the opera including a stupendous Faerberin with the still good Studer as Kaiserin and Brigitte as Amme. Plus I still remember a Butterfly which was also beautifully sung if a bit loud. Elektra was amazing as well, both in Genf and later in the Nationaltheater. She had an off night in Wien when I heard her Isolde which didn’t fit her as well as other roles did. Happy Birthday!!!!

  on November 7, 2009 at 5:08 PM
  • Baltsamic Vinaigrette says:

    Surely to goodness Geneva is Genève rather than Genf – even if the work in question is sung auf Deutsch?

    on November 8, 2009 at 6:24 AM
• Ruxton says:

  Sorry but to me, nothing is more ridiculous than comparing singers, particularly those at the top of the tree. If you don’t believe me- just take a peek at the innane commments on Youtube. Parterre more resembles youtube everytime contributors get into the inane arguments about “who was/is better than who.

  How can one compare the sublime Joan’s early Lucia’s (and Art of the Prima Donna recordings) with the stunning and powerful Brunhilde’s of La Jones? I reckon thank God for the both of them…and I know why someone once said “comparisons are odious”.

  on November 7, 2009 at 5:36 PM
  • Doberdawg says:

    That’s silly, Ruxton. Gwinny’s Brunnhilde WHUPS Sutherland’s Lucia. EVERY TIME!!

    - Doberdawg. Captain, Team Gwyneth

    on November 7, 2009 at 5:46 PM
  • Steven says:

    You said it Ruxton, comparing Dame Joan to Dame Gwenneth is like comparing champagne to coca cola!

    on November 8, 2009 at 5:58 AM