parterre box

78 comments

• Bluessweet says:

  Betsy: When you get to be over 70, as I believe you are, and I am, one sometimes finds that he or she have made the best of their life and, as a consequence, would much rather go out with a bang than a whimper.

  Some people fear death and would rather hang on as long as they can. Younger people often feel that they must cling to life so that they will get the full experience of it. Those of us who do not feel this way (patially because we have had the full experience of life) have trouble getting people to understand that our attitude is a good life is far more attractive than a longer one, especially when one has had as much of it as we have.

  When I get past the point where it’s truly fun, I’m going off the roof.

  on May 30, 2010 at 10:46 AM
  • rysanekfreak says:

    But which roof?

    1. The Metropolitan
    2. L’Opera in Paris
    3. La Scala
    4. Covent Garden

    So many roofs, so little time.

    on May 30, 2010 at 11:06 AM
    • Bluessweet says:

      The only choice I have is the Academy of Music (1857) with a steak sandwich in one hand and a soft pretzel in the other.

      on May 30, 2010 at 12:13 PM
  • BETSY_ANN_BOBOLINK says:

    Bluesweet, (I don’t think this is a rebuttal) two things. One: Yes, I think you grok. thank you.

    But one the other hand, Two: No one wants to be 90 — except the guy who’s 89.

    I shall close this post with a phrase which has become my new mantra. I have loved it ever since it was first uttered to me by dear Pastor Klein in Sunday School many years ago when I dared to question the Noah’s Ark story. “Please spare us the obligatory rebuttal. Period.”

    on May 30, 2010 at 12:28 PM
• wladek says:

  He does bark a lot and yowl in the
  grand Italian manner -singing at this
  stage eludes him — as for Podles
  taking on the role-she probably
  could except for present day opera -
  she sings as in” sing” while the rest
  yowl . shriek, and make stabs at various notes -

  on May 30, 2010 at 1:14 PM
• iltenoredigrazia says:

  I suppose there’s no way to actually win in a situation like this. With all this time available I wish it would serve as the opportunity for a young baritone to make the Met. Surely there most be a few baritones in small opera houses around the world ready to take the challenge. All the baritones mentioned have been around for a few/quite a few/many/very many years. No young Merrill or Milnes anywhere?

  Nucci was an excellent Rigoletto when this production was new. He’ll know how to milk every bit of emotion out of Rigoletto, but we’ll have to wait and see how the voice responds.

  I have also wondered about the Gheorghiu / Domingo paring next season. She’ll sing and conduct and PD will just follow her is my guess.

  Now, Domingo taking over some performances of Rigoletto? Hmmm, I wouldn’t put it out of the question. I’m sure he would love to. The question is whether his schedule allows it.

  on May 30, 2010 at 1:48 PM
  • luvtennis says:

    Iltenore:

    I know you didn’t mean it that way but your comment “we’ll have to wait and see how the voice responds” is an incredible indictment of the current state of opera singing of the great roles at the great houses.

    Nucci was a second rater in his prime. The voice was gray with shades of rust, the diction was mushy, the top etiolated. He had pretty good legato, and he could act. I am now referring to Nucci in the ’90s when he was regularly singing the role at the Met.

    How can this be the Met’s only reasonable choice to replace another second rater!?!?

    Hell, let PD sing the damn role until we get Baritones who can.

    Dmitri CAN sing Rigoletto (I heard him in Houston), but it costs him months off his vocal longevity and stretches him to the breaking point – and not in a good way. He makes an impact only in the lyrical sections and is not good enough to cheat thru the rest of the role effectively.

    on June 1, 2010 at 3:51 PM
• Clita del Toro says:

  I don’t know how Nucci is doing these days, but I did see Carlos Alvarez sing Rigoletto at LOC. It was a total snooze. For example, when he finds Gilda in the sack, he exhibited as much emotion as one would show who just got a bag of potato chips from a vending machine! Not kidding.

  on May 31, 2010 at 8:42 PM
• Buster says:

  Next time Nucci opens the sack Eva Lind will be in it!

  on June 1, 2010 at 7:21 AM