Comments on: Gentleman prefers brunettes

Sanford commented

Sanford — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:13:54 +0000

Since we mentioned Trovatore.

luvtennis commented

luvtennis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:40:39 +0000

Idiosyncratic? Maybe HvK’s conducting, but Price sings the music perfectly. Follow with a score if you doubt me. In fact she sings it a lot like Maria did when she recorded the role for him in ‘57. Leonora channels Donna Anna. Very Mozartian. Which is just about right if you ask me.

luvtennis commented

luvtennis — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:34:21 +0000

Richard:

Sorr, Dude, but I cannot agree with the Lee comment. HER legato along with Joanie’s was the finest of the post war era.

Dan commented

Dan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:43:43 +0000

No one has said her acting redeems her vocal imperfections. They just don’t. You are pretending we HAVE said that, and that is ANOTHER straw man.

What some DO believe is that she brings some things to the role that make her very compelling, if not vocally orgasmic, a la Devia or B to tha Sills.

The truth is that ten years ago she was NEVER laughed off the stage, in LA or elsewhere. In fact, ten years ago her voice was much more suited to the rep.

Some people just choose not to outright bash people who work very hard but nonetheless may not have the technical control to execute a role as well as Bubbles or Devia (few do). We respect their efforts, acknowledge their advantages AND their limitations and faults, and move the hell on.

Netrebko is not the ideal Lucia. No one I know thinks that. But she’s also very compelling if you stop for one moment and refuse to compare her (or anyone) to the exemplars which no one will likely ever equal. Some of us don’t set her up to fail. We take the bad with the good, and wait with bated breath for someone who will really cause us to cream ourselves.

Dan commented

Dan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:33:42 +0000

I’m glad to hear this. Massis strikes me as one of those performers who really effing cares about the work, and just does it and does it incredibly well. I hope the MET engages her more productively in the coming years.

She is truly astonishing.

Dan commented

Dan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:30:37 +0000

I don’t get the same from Netrebko in every role. There are certain roles, and even acts within operas, in which I do get similar things.

But it depends on the role. There are certain roles which she just does well in, when you see her in the house. Violetta is one of them. Even though at times she is sloppy (mostly in Act I), the rest of the time, she is just absolutely riveting. I don’t know how else to describe it.

Before I saw and heard her live, I had tremendous qualms about the effect she would have on me as a performer. After experiencing her live, I and everyone else in the theatre were actually moved beyond words.

Sometimes she is tremendously sloppy, especially on live recordings. But see her live in the house, and she is tremendously compelling (if you grant yourself the freedom).

dorion commented

dorion — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:22:43 +0000

PS: you admit that Zimmerman didn’t do her homework directing Lucia di Lammermoor, a major staple of the repertory, and you call her “brilliant”? She’s anything but. I’ve worked closely with the woman, she’s an insecure hack who changes her mind every 5 minutes.

dorion commented

dorion — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:14:51 +0000

I saw Massis’ two performances and I agree 100%.

dorion commented

dorion — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:41:30 +0000

Fair, some people hate caviar, they’d rather have a cheeseburger. I think that Callas for instance has an utterly ugly voice, Scotto’s a minor-leaguer, Domingo a baritone, etc., to each his own. Sutherland’s Lucias in the 80s were a miracle for someone approaching 60, sopranos half her age only dream of singing that well. In her prime she was unbeatable.

javier commented

javier — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:29:13 +0000

Also, Beverly Sills sings it.

Ercole Farnese commented

Ercole Farnese — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:15:01 +0000

Yes, the cabaletta was written by Donizetti for a revival of Lucrezia Borgia at La Scala starring Eugenia Tadolini. He inserted this cabaletta while cutting the final rondò Era desso. He disliked Era desso, but was forced to write it by the creator of the part, Enrichetta Lalande, who wanted to end the opera with a proper rondò. When Tadolini sang the opera, he cut the rondò and wrote this cabaletta. Montserrat Caballè sings both the cabaletta and the rondò in her recording.

Lindoro Almaviva commented

Lindoro Almaviva — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:40:57 +0000

I do honey, but her recording this material was inevitable. Her trying it on stage can still be prevented.

javier commented

javier — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:12:47 +0000

I never heard about Fleming doing Il Trovatore so I think that is false. In any case, we will get to hear some more of her Leonora very soon because a new DVD she has coming out with Dmitri Hvorostovsky has scenes from Il Trovatore on it. Shudder, Lindoro, tremble!

Lindoro Almaviva commented

Lindoro Almaviva — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:45:31 +0000

You are right, there has not been talk about how she is the savior of bel canto. We have been talking how her acting redeems every imperfection and how it is ok to be just good enough in repertoire that just 10 years ago, her efforts would have been laughed off the stage.

messa di voce commented

messa di voce — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:38:38 +0000

Straw man. Please give one example of anyone here saying that Netrebko is the savior of the bel canto rep.

Lindoro Almaviva commented

Lindoro Almaviva — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:32:08 +0000

Then she doesn’t need to be talked about like she is the savior of the bel canto rep; even by her acting standards.

Dan commented

Dan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:56:53 +0000

Lindoro, I love you, but this is getting a bit much. I’m not a Netrebko fanatic, but I do like her.

We get it, Devia runs circles around Netrebko as Lucia. No one disputes that.

Also, I’m sure Netrebko has tremendous respect for Devia, Bubbles, La Stupenda (aka she-of-the-weirdly-incessant-smile). She probably listens to them in awe. She probably KNOWS that “this is how it’s done.” No one needs to tell her. She is a professional and she tries.

Whether she should be trying in different rep is another question, but I don’t think Netrebko or those who like her are deluded one bit that she is the gold standard of bel canto singing.

enzo commented

enzo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:46:10 +0000

testing

Camille commented

Camille — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:39:43 +0000

About two weeks ago, while driving home, I turned on the radio to find a Sirius broadcast of Lucia, circa late 80’s or thereabouts. I actually had to pull over and stop the car, arrested, not by a policeman, but by the incredible sound of Devia’s in the Lucia first act. What an absolute ideal of sound that was, and how it transported me into a ‘besser Welt’.

Well, than was then, and this is now.
Instead of champagne, we’re drinking coca cola, and diet coke, at that.

Also, when the subject of ‘beauty’ is broached, Mr. Sanford’s Miss Moffo STILL, after all these years, wins by a landslide. In her case, it was possible to have, mirabile dictu,incredible beauty of voice, face and figure, AND to not execute fioriture in an unconscionably slovenly manner.

How could that be?

Lindoro Almaviva commented

Lindoro Almaviva — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:54:19 +0000

And by the way, can someone tell nebby this is how it’s done?