I’ve hesitated getting personal with our illustrious visitor, whom many take to be the true His Nibs, but I’ve got a couple questions, just in case.

Number One concerns the RINALDO broadcast. Is there a particular reason it has not surfaced on either Sirius or elsewhere? I’ve been waiting for it.

Number Two has to do with the infamous GIOVANNI. I have no problem with nudity myself, but it’s always been written into my contracts. How did Miller get away with springing it on you unawares? (Or “underwears,” remembering where we are.)

Are you referring to Ramey? You gotta be kidding. He may be past his prime but he’s certainly not “past history.” As to history, his place in Met Opera history is assured along other star basses such as Chaliapin, Pinza and Siepi. Ramey is also featured in quite a few opera recordings. People will be buying those records and hearing his voice well after you and he are gone.

To mephisto: If that really is you, Mr. Ramey, I agree with you completely about this misbegotten Attila, and that you are entitled to speak your mind. (Recall, also, that Juan Diego voiced his dislike of last season’s Sonnambula, and at a Met-sponsored conversation a few years back, with Sonia Ganassi, he expressed his clear preference for traditional productions.)

And your choice of roles at this point in your career is very smart: in particular, your Grand Inquisitor was chilling. (Although I’d leave Leporello to the youngsters now, such as Ildebrando D’Arcangelo, who made him into a hapless bumpkin, or our Attila-of-the-moment, Ildar, who was charming in the part; but how well and pleasantly I recall you and Justino Diaz trading off Giovanni and his servant at NYCO back when!) Onward, Mr. Ramey!

And fellow parterre commenters, “mefisto” in these threads is probably Samuel himself. You may be in a crazy internet thread with an authentic operatic legend commenting sanely in the middle of it.

But something happened. I personally think it was when Suzy Parker was signed to a movie contract. Actors began to feel that if they photographed well, the director would tell them what to do and make them look good. In short, they became lazy, and since nature abhors a vacuum, the directors were more than willing to assume the extra power that the actors had abdicated. Designers weren’t far behind in bailing on “The Team” in asserting their dominant authority. (I don’t feel that particular skirmish has been settled yet.) So what we have now is a highly adversarial relationship in which the Actor has become a mere pawn.

I have lots more to say on this subject, but I will cut it mercifully short, mainly because I despise pissing contests. In other words, if what I say makes sense, fine and good. If not, please attack me and we’ll discuss it if it is of general interest.

Not necessarily. He had a contractual obligation to appear in those performances. The public bought tickets for performances that listed him as part of the cast. He did not fake illness in order to cancel. He appeared and sang as well as he could. For all we know he also did onstage everything he was asked to do by the director. How more professional than that can you be?

And how more honest can he be than to let the public know that he did not endorse the production concept?

I’m doing what I agree to do but I don’t like it. Perfectly honest and honorable attitude to me as long as he’s not abetting a crime. A real crime, that is. Hasn’t anyone ever told his/her boss, hey I disagree but I’ll do what you tell me to do?

I have no idea whether the production is any good or not, I haven’t seen it. What’s at issue isn’t the quality of the production, it’s the professionalism of the performer.

To say I ‘assume everyone reads this blog’ is of course absurd, unless you think this is the only place Ramey’s comments have been discussed- in which case it’s you, not me, who is the insular one.

1. For once, I think La Cieca totally down-played how horrifc it is. The production, direction, sets, costumes ARE rubbish. Even if you read the artist’s statement in the program and you try, try, try to give it a chance, it is sooo bad. The models?

2. I saw it last night and Sam went on and did his role
as Leone. Knowing that he was saying it was rubbish did nothing to alter my view of it or him and I am surprised Armer that you think otherwise when in fact, your gut must tell you that it stinks.

3.You assume that everyone in the audience follows this blog or cares.

4. Sam has performed this opera before in a different role and well, he kinda knows what works from within- from within the production as a performer and not the audience.

5. He does have a right to express what his feelings are- the forum is arguable.

6. As a performer, just think for a moment- you are onstage in a sad little nurse costume and a McDonald’s red hat tryng to be Pope Leo with nothing around you. Um, hello? This is sad stuff. Maurizio Cattelan would be laughing.

7. How is saying what he did a turn against management? They gotta know that this work demeans the artists involved. Marge Simpson/Bride o’Frankenstein Urmana deserves kudos.
8. Also, Sam rocked this out in Chicago years ago and the production was a bit stiff but it was genius compared to this. There was more movement, and the voices were actually warmer. The lyric dance is um models with their hands out? I recall Gruber and Michaels-Moore performed in Chicago and it was powerful not impotent.

Now that he is retiring he can open an Italian restaurant, “Papa Leone’s”.

Give ‘em hell, Sam.