Comments on: Le film d’artifice

By: Lindoro Almaviva

Lindoro Almaviva — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:24:14 +0000

Well, the similarities are there:

Same school of acting for starters. Bumbry’s Issues with Italian are the same that many Americans have. The diction is good but the declamation sometimes gets off. This happens when note values take over in their mind and they end up singing the wrong stress in a syllable. I have heard Arroyo do it, Voigt, Zajick, Bunbry and several others. For some it was a constant, for some it just creeps in every once in a while

Interestingly, I never heard it in Fleming, Millo, Swenson or June Anderson.

By: MontyNostry

MontyNostry — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:32:54 +0000

Lindoro — out of interest, what were Bumbry’s issues with Italian pronunciation? I’ve always assumed her diction was pretty good.

In general, I don’t see how you can possibly compare Gilmore with Grace. Gilmore’s voice is somehow very amateurish by the side of La B.

By: NYCOQ

NYCOQ — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:02:02 +0000

I am sorry but I am LOVING this clip. I’d take her over a certain Russian who has been screaming her way through Verdi & Puccini over the past 15 or 20 years.

When was this performance recorded? From the jheri curl wig and the Michael Jackson epulets on the gown I would peg this as mid to late 80′s?

By: La marquise de Merteuil

La marquise de Merteuil — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 05:35:57 +0000

I lo0ve me some GG!

By: La marquise de Merteuil

La marquise de Merteuil — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:30:52 +0000

I heard GG in Abigaille and she was as crazy as a shit house rat. She sang that music like a woman possessed. She has been a real inspiration to me as a singer.

Are we talking DP?

By: Lindoro Almaviva

Lindoro Almaviva — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:45:30 +0000

After watching the Aida clip all i could think was All of Bumbry’s issues with Italian pronunciation, Same issues with overacting and none of the many virtues Bumby has, like the impeccable musicianship.

By: Lindoro Almaviva

Lindoro Almaviva — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:28:36 +0000

Ant she ain’t doing any better

By: Lucky Pierre

Lucky Pierre — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 01:34:52 +0000

you know that la gilmore is now a soprano, right? amazing. you should hear her sing tosca or abigaille…

the gossip i heard is that she was at one point coupled with a certain dramatic soprano…

By: MontyNostry

MontyNostry — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:33:01 +0000

We should be grateful it wasn’t Gail Gilmore.
This is better than any of the drag queens on the thread discussing Simone Kermes …

By: javier

javier — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:26:01 +0000

Laurali Gilmore

By: No Expert

No Expert — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:13:40 +0000

Sometimes you have just enough talent to appreciate opera…but not quite enough talent to compose one.

By: Baritenor

Baritenor — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:45:04 +0000

I see Laura Vlasek Nolen (who’s very talented!) as Giulietta, and someone named “Gilmore” as Olympia. Who is the mysterious Ms. Gilmore?

By: Baritenor

Baritenor — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:33:36 +0000

who’s in?

By: CruzSF

CruzSF — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:31:45 +0000

Is this the first performance since the HD?

By: mrmyster

mrmyster — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:22:27 +0000

Let’s hope Gubenova stays out!

By: Gianni B

Gianni B — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 23:17:21 +0000

There are many cast changes in tonite’s Hoffman from the MET. I guess there is another superflu. Kim, Gubanova and Okie are out. Anyone remember the Cosi that no one showed up for? What year was that?

By: Nero Wolfe

Nero Wolfe — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:10:05 +0000

I could only hear a few snippets of the music but those sound a lot better than almost all of the new operas I have heard in the last 20 years.

BTW–I never even heard of RW until recently and haven’t bothered to really learn anything about him so I have no axe to grind one way or the other.

By: javier

javier — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:49:41 +0000

he probably has too many real friends, and facebook is just for promotion.

By: wenarto

wenarto — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:43:14 +0000

i am also suspicious, he is my friend on facebook but never talked to anyone…hmmmm

By: Cassandra

Cassandra — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:21:11 +0000

The arrogance stems from a profound insecurity.

By: javier

javier — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:35:44 +0000

I think it’s just gayness.

By: Dawson

Dawson — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:38:07 +0000

How true! the boyfriend seemed taken directly from one of those porn movies from the ’70s. I liked the music, though. Easy, pleasing.

By: CwbyLA

CwbyLA — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:25:19 +0000

For some reason, this Rufus dude rubs me the wrong way. Is it arrogance or ignorance, I can’t put my finger on it.

By: Cassandra

Cassandra — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:04:37 +0000

Well, he doesn’t really compose, does he? He writes pop songs. He vaguely comes up with a tune and then sort of puts it down on piano. It’s not like he knows anything about orchestration, etc.

By: javier

javier — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:01:54 +0000

I watched this on Sundance the other day because I heard Renee was going to be in it, but I actually ended up becoming interested in Rufus and his opera.

The music sounds interesting. But the footage they showed of him “composing” was a bit odd. He was using a computer and the conductor was sitting next to him doing a lot of the actual composing.

Anyway, his boyfriend has the gayest mustache I have ever seen. Some ugly Hitler looking monstrosity on his upper lip.

By: Ercole Farnese

Ercole Farnese — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 13:20:44 +0000

Yes, it’s a hour-long documentary currently running on the Sundance Channel. I watched it a couple of nights ago with a friend of mine, who doesn’t like opera very much, but was fascinated by this kind of music.

By: wenarto

wenarto — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:00:15 +0000

love Rufus…..I hope he does not kill us singing his song, here is Jason and me…