The debut that got away
“After all that, it would be gratifying to declare Petersen’s debut a ‘star is born’ moment. But… she was pretty much a nonstarter, her Ophélie hovering on the cusp of inaudibility in midrange and shrill on the highest notes.” [NYP]
“javier says:
March 21, 2010 at 12:08 AM
If there are still callas for Coburn’s Met debut it’s because her actual debut wasn’t very memorable. Haha.
Were you there, ignoramus?” I enjoyed the telling Freudian slip in your post. But– as usual– laughing at your own attempt at wit shows your callow foolishness in its apt light.
fair. fair. i can’t get callas off my mind and i am an ignorant fool so, i don’t have a problem with being made fun of.
All these calls for a particular singer ‘be given a go’ at the MET monolith overlooks the hazards when / and how a singer wishes to be associated with such a Company. The MET no doubt is working on the big grand model. Nurturing young singers with a view of developing them as MET stars belonging to / and part of a solid HOUSE team appears not the MET’s ‘bag’. Rather, to present the so called ‘best’ the World has to offer every night. Faced with such an approach, the best thing a young focused singer can do is,to quickly get well outside the MET’s clutches, go elsewhere, and make a name for themselves. Hanging around , waiting for ‘go on’ crumbs: time ticks by, and respect diminishes. The MET is not the ‘be all or end all’ of Opera…though I am sure those in power there, delude themselves so. ‘Covers’…is but one slight step above chorus. Once someone allows themselves to be painted with such a brush…..it is hard to get that out of the mind of other opera employers.