Comments on: Girl of the moment

Ruxton commented

Ruxton — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:40:21 +0000

Oh Dear! Thank you guys! Now I must write 100 times- I must not go on a Friday night red wine binge then comment on Parterre! Of course I meant Bastianini. Lordy..Lordy- what an idiot- so sorry. Thankfully Mr Taddei isn’t half bad either.

MontyNostry commented

MontyNostry — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:15:57 +0000

It seems to be fashionable at the moment to suggest that Aida somehow isn’t a very viable piece — this is probably a knock-on from the fact that there are: i) very few singers around who can deliver the required combo of power, beauty and delicacy and ii) very few directors who can negotiate its combo of formal spectacle and more naturalist intimacy. As I’ve said before on this site, Act III of Aida is surely one of THE great acts in all opera. I love the piece, and the final scene is genuinely moving.

Noel Dahling commented

Noel Dahling — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:56:36 +0000

Aida “totally unbelievable”? I would think it is relatively beleivable, espescially compared to other opera plots. There aren’t all those crazy coincidents of a Forza, for example, with people who are trying their darndest to not run into eachother acros Sapin, yet somehow cant avoid one another.

Nerva Nelli commented

Nerva Nelli — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:54:39 +0000

In 1950 Thebom sang 2 house Met Ortruds with Melchior (including his farewell) and 2 on tour with Svanholm.

The Herrufer was Frank Guarrera, hardly the hairdresser type.

Nerva Nelli commented

Nerva Nelli — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:49:42 +0000

Thebom ( …ya know…) in fact sang 80 Met Amnerii — after Louise Homer, with 97 to her credit, more than anyone else has done. Zajick has 71 so far and is set for three more this season…

Nerva Nelli commented

Nerva Nelli — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:44:09 +0000

Joke, right? The wonderful Taddei will turn 94 in June.

armerjacquino commented

armerjacquino — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:39:55 +0000

Eh? He is still alive and was singing Falstaff at the Met at age 69.

Are you sure you’re not thinking of Bastianini?

Ruxton commented

Ruxton — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:33:03 +0000

Cerquetti – if Taddei ever did anything second rate I’ve certainly never heard it- to me he was always first class… truly an amazing singer. Such a pity he died so young.

sterlingkay commented

sterlingkay — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:57:34 +0000

I don’t know if this will make any difference in terms of his stage presence but I am told that after seeing himself on the HD, Brownlee decided to drop some weight and looks much better now.

Krunoslav commented

Krunoslav — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 01:09:12 +0000

“It took the Metropolitan Opera decades to catch up with the rest of the world and finally stage La Cenerentola. Gioachino Rossini’s opera buffa”

Meanwhile New York City Opera was doing it from 1951 on, often with Frances (”Dyke, ya know!”) Bible. Later Angelinas included Susanne Marsee and Judith Forst.

perfidia commented

perfidia — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:14:26 +0000

Opera is not the cinema or TV, or even the straight stage. It does benefit from these art forms, but it should never adopt their sensibilities (especially those of TV. Talk about suspension of disbelief). Fortunately for the lookists the state of training if so dismal today, and the industry is so geared towards looks, that the exceptional voices that can challenge people to listen a little less with their eyes are not likely to come around. I have a feeling Horne would have never been able to make a career today. Too zaftig. And yet the woman could be a riot on stage. They would have to pry my DVD of her Isabella from my dead cold hands. Good looks help acting, but talent is all that counts in the end. If a singer sings with authority and insight, and has reasonable acting skills, I am more than willing to overlook his/her looks. Am I the only one who loves the pictures of fat Callas with arms like hams in “Norma”? She looks like a caryatid that could have Netrebko and Garanca for lunch, but I am sure it was dynamite on stage.

traumgekront commented

traumgekront — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:46:04 +0000

Only kind of off topic: I just saw a commercial for a nasal spray called “Omneris.”

Dawson commented

Dawson — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 01:24:55 +0000

Well written. Truly. La Cieca has found a true belcanto connoisseur. My only disagreement is that I dislike the production. Perhaps Garanca could sing Aida in a very small European opera house, and not in the very near future. In any case she is already a major star. Brownlee is very good singer, but I want to hear him only in recordings. On stage he is way too gawkish, almost painful to look at, and Juan Diego so elegant and graceful. No wonder he gets the best gigs, and Browlee is going to get whatever Juan Diego can’t or doesn’t want to accept.

traumgekront commented

traumgekront — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:09:58 +0000

Interesting…

BETSY_ANN_BOBOLINK commented

BETSY_ANN_BOBOLINK — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:00:17 +0000

“Thank you” to Nerva Nelly

Bill commented

Bill — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:53:21 +0000

Probably there is no DVDs of Garanca’s Vienna Oktavians yet as she sang in regular repertory performances there.

MontyNostry commented

MontyNostry — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:39:15 +0000

Really?

Nerva Nelli commented

Nerva Nelli — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:37:04 +0000

…. ya know…”

MontyNostry commented

MontyNostry — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:55:09 +0000

http://www.angelfire.com/art/rapunzellonghair/rapunzellonghairarchive/portrait5.htm

Did Blanche ever sing Ortrud? If so, who took the role of the Hairrufer?

traumgekront commented

traumgekront — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:24:37 +0000

I’d never heard of Blanche Thebom so I googled her and all I have to say is WOW. She’s like the epitome of glamor. Now scouring youtube for clips…