parterre box

177 comments

• MontyNostry says:

  I’ve seen Echalaz several times now, and though the voice is not especially pretty, it is strong, shining, true and flexible and there is something wonderfully honest (and perhaps ‘old school’) about her singing. Of course, it helps that she is a good-looking woman and an intense actress. I would hope she is not the kind of performer or person who would attract unjustified criticism.

  on December 30, 2009 at 5:39 PM
  • manou says:

    It’s the tall poppy syndrome – no justification needed.

    on December 30, 2009 at 5:43 PM
  • Regina delle fate says:

    Wait until Echalaz gets to sing at the Met, or even Houston, and the Vicar will be using her name to cast nasturtiums on the reputations of Zinka, Maria and Leonie.

    on December 31, 2009 at 6:49 AM
  • The Vicar of John Wakefield says:

    Boer or no, she is British-based, came up professionally at the English Touring Opera, and is a Puccini singer in the great tradition of Victoria Elliott.

    on December 31, 2009 at 7:08 AM
• MontyNostry says:

  Well, people don’t slag off Christine Brewer, who is also a wonderfully honest singer and a real person, so there’s hope.

  on December 30, 2009 at 5:59 PM
  • Lindoro Almaviva says:

    And a Christine Vissi d’arte ould have been wonderful to hear.

    on December 30, 2009 at 6:19 PM
    • mrmyster says:

      Lindoro, better to say that Brewer is a very “different” singer than Angela, rather than ‘better.’ They are apples and oranges. She and Angela do not sing the same repertory at all, and I think each in her way is quite a distinctive singer. I can, however, see and hear Angela sing Vanessa on stage (yes, it would take lots of patience and hard work for all concerned), but I cannot see Christine sing it on stage, can you? But I cannot imagine Angela in Fidelio or Tristan — nor can she match the best of Christine in recital. They are just very different people and artists; I do wish Angela had Christine’s technical command.

      on December 30, 2009 at 10:13 PM
    • mrmyster says:

      Lindoro:
      “could have been?” It could still be, and you might hear her
      sing it at a party or her Autumn birthday ‘hootnanny’ at her
      home outside St. Louis. But don’t look for it in performance.
      If she records it on Hyperion or otherwise it will be in
      English and that would be too bad; even so her phrasing is
      bound to be interesting and I’d love to hear what she does
      with the so-called three climaxes at the end — Ljuba W. was
      the one for that.
      I would love to hear Angela G. sing Tosca in a smaller
      house – 2000 seats or so, so she would not have to ‘reach’ too
      far or do any pushing. She is imaginative on stage, or can be
      at times, and Tosca should suit her better than Carmen. She is
      just not a cigar roller, is she? She should play to her strengths,
      and I think she knows what they are. I do wish she’d clean up
      those Italian vowels.

      on December 30, 2009 at 10:19 PM
    • Regina delle fate says:

      I’d be curious to hear a Brewer Aida, as well.

      on December 31, 2009 at 6:50 AM
  • manou says:

    Yes but hardly a household name.

    on December 30, 2009 at 6:44 PM
    • Lindoro Almaviva says:

      On what planet? Christine Brewer’s name is in a host of recordings to date: Don Giovanni, Vanessa, Fidelio, Tristan, several solo discs (at least 5), and several in which she is the soprano soloist like the Verdi Requiem and the Mahler 8th.

      Hardly an unknown name, and a much, MUCH better singer than Gheorghiu.

      on December 30, 2009 at 6:57 PM
      • kashania says:

        When it comes to the performers during the tributes, unless the singer in question is a real house-hold name like Marilyn Horne (Sutherland) or Jessye Norman (Sidney Potier), they’re always going to opt for something who looks glamorous and photogenic, like Netrebko or Gherghiou (who looked fabulous in that dress). I think Brewer is a wonderful singer but she’s not a household name to the general public. The average Joe TV viewer saw a beautiful and very slim woman, looking glam in her dress, singing a “song” by Puccini. Mission accomplished as far as the producers are concerned.

        on December 30, 2009 at 7:04 PM
      • MontyNostry says:

        I wasn’t suggesting an appearance by Brewer instead of Gheorghiu, I was just saying that at least there is an example of a world-class performer who doesn’t get slagged off just for being above the parapet!

        on December 30, 2009 at 7:12 PM
      • Camille says:

        Yes, Sr. Lindoro Almaviva. A GREAT singer, but she is fat.
        Please do not say that is irrelevant, ’cause it unfortunately is, especially to the Great American Public watching on the telly at home.

        What Kashania says is just about right, i.e., seeing a glam dress with a slim lady, singing a nice “song” by Puccini.

        This is America, not Europe.

        on December 30, 2009 at 11:23 PM
      • NYCOQ says:

        Kashania I am in total agreement. Angie certainly is camera ready. Glam hair, glam figure and the attitude to pull off whatever she is wearing.

        Brewer while a great singer is certainly not known for her Italian rep and again I say 95% of the viewing audience would have been clueless as to who she was. Let me preface this next statement by saying that I love, love, love her ( I actually flew to Paris a few seasons back to catch her in FrOSch after flying to Chicago to see her and Debbie perform in the opera) but she is not “camera ready”. Ratings people, its all about the ratings.

        on December 31, 2009 at 6:43 AM
• poisonivy says:

  Maybe the organizers also didn’t want a replay of the Etta James/Beyonce Inauguration fiasco, in which James made some extremely angry comments both about the singer and the current sitting president. Just a thought.

  on December 30, 2009 at 6:07 PM
• Ercole Farnese says:

  Schizophrenia: Bumbry sings both Aida and Amneris at the same time
  httpc://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oRpMGQmyG8&feature=related

  on December 30, 2009 at 8:01 PM
  • Ercole Farnese says:

    It didn’t work…let’s hope it works now

    on December 30, 2009 at 8:02 PM
• callasorphan says:

  L have to agree with NYCOQ and always question as to why a performer “of color” Is only compared to another performer “of color”. I can remember in the 1970s that Aretha Franklin was exclusively compared to Dionne Waricke (sp?) and later only to Roberta Flacke (again sp?).

  on December 31, 2009 at 6:48 PM
• Ruxton says:

  Where was Urethra’s hat with the bow?

  on December 31, 2009 at 6:48 PM
• callasorphan says:

  Aretha has never been known to have too much of a “fashion sense”. Down through the years, she has appeared in some rather “frightful frocks”; however, I have never seen her appear in one of those “frights” twice. Grace Bumbry, on the other hand, has always looked ravishing as she did the other night.

  on January 1, 2010 at 12:29 PM