Wake me up before you catalog
You know, La Cieca lived through the 1980s, just barely, and then imagine her surprise when, midway through the 2000s, there was a revival of all that 80s stuff — shoulder pads, leggings, big hair, glitter. All of it. Well, no, not quite all of it. There was one trend of the 1980s whose revival we were mercifully spared. Until just now.
Off topic, but Rita Gorr celebrates her 84th birthday today. Even Vina Bovy was envious of her whenever they shared a stage in Ghent.
I was lucky enough to catch her 1997 Madame de Croissy in Dialogue des Carmelites. The way she gave everything in a modern staging (Robert Carsen) was incredible -- she sang the part as if she sang it for the first time.
Just love the look on her face here:
Happy Birthday!
Gorr was Azucena in my first visit to the Met in 1963. I remember every bit about her performance, particularly in the third act, where she acted truly demented. Big round voice. A few weeks earlier I had heard her as Amneris in my first broadcast Aida. Have a tape of that and love her. I’m sorry I never got to see her Dalila and for some inexplicable reason she wasn’t given the broadcast.
Also a fearsome Fricka on the Leinsdorf Walküre.
A minor “regional” artist, not a patch on Our Own Linda Finnie.
Caro,
À propos, thought you might want to savor this particular bonbon from yesterday’s Boston Globe, anent an impending student production:
“The loose translation of “Cosi fan tutte’’ is “that’s the way it is,’’ and all we can picture is a cast of opera singers belting out “I like it, uh huh, uh huh.’’ Mozart’s music and Lorenzo da Ponte’s libretto didn’t fit that in, but the comic opera is full of women in disguise, seduction, trickery, and fiancée swapping (uh huh, uh huh).”
I like loose. I like louche, for that matter. And Walter Cronkite of fond memory. So I may end up assisting, as they say en France.
If so, I’ll let you know how many women show up in disguise.
this one is way better than any of your videos above:
ya’ll have to watch it.
oooo shit…LOL
This is erotic film director Tinto Brass’ version of Così fan tutte, also obsessed with the derrière.
Q; What keeps the Pondman home and yard dry?
A: Dikes, ya know.
The really sad thing about the Pondmans is that underneath the awfullness there is obviously a very strong musical streak which possibly could be brought out or developed with a decent teacher. It is likely that what we are hearing is the result of “a well meaning father or mother knowing best” – awful shame.