parterre box

102 comments

• deviafan says:

  More Meade…..

  Angela Meade -- Giudici, ad Anna -- Anna Bolena -- 2008

  Angela Meade -- Bel raggio lusinghier -- Semiramide -- 2009

  on July 14, 2010 at 9:54 PM
• Arianna a Nasso says:

  I wonder if we all are letting things get a little out of control. Here’s a young singer barely into her professional career who sang two semi-staged performances in a relatively intimate setting outside of a major metropolitan center. Personally, I think she ought to have waited to have more life experience before taking on the role, much as Sutherland, Caballe, and Scotto did, so she would have more to say about it, but let’s be honest, attempting Norma gets a lot more attention than one’s first Beatrice di Tenda or Ermione, and everyone seems to be in a hurry these days. Why not let the girl develop and sing some more performances of the role (hopefully not soon) before we have to analyze whether she is a great Norma (or the right voice for Norma) or not?

  This reminds me of all the hang-wringing here when Stephen Costello sang ONE PERFORMANCE of Edgardo at the Met. He sang it, he survived, life went on.

  on July 15, 2010 at 1:04 AM
  • rommie says:

    but Arianna, everyone here almost made it seem like she was the one to rid the role of Callas’ spectre!

    on July 15, 2010 at 7:10 PM
• Eman says:

  tancredipasero and quoth: thank you both for setting me right on this, the Bonynge Norma was precisely my (faulty) source.

  on July 15, 2010 at 6:50 AM
  • quoth the maven says:

    There’s no definitive “right” or “wrong” answer here, actually. Meanwhile (according to Crutchfield’s notes), a much-needed critical edition of the score is being prepared, which will clarify some of these textual issues.

    on July 15, 2010 at 9:53 AM
• Bart says:

  I have listened to the Caramoor Norma up until the 2nd Norma/Adalgisa duet (have visitors, so I have to listen when I can), and so far I am impressed that this is a young, up-and-coming singer. I was very suspicious of all the raves. Although I am not yet convinced that Angela Meade is a great Norma, I think it is a very promising first attempt, and if she gets better with experience in the role she may just become a great Norma. I feel that Crutchfield saddled all the singers with a bit too much embellishment. Meade sounded like she had a hard time getting all the ornaments in, but for a young singer to sing this role for the first time and throw in all these ornaments, it is pretty good. It is just that ornaments should sound easy as pie (even if it is hard). I feel the tenor comes to grief everytime he has to embellish. I feel Crutchfield should have recognized this was too hard for the tenor and told him he was going to cut the repeat. Forcing him to sing the repeat with embellishments and having it sound like this does not do the score, performance or tenor any good. I think the mezzo embellishes a lot, but even she sounds like she’s having a hard time fitting them all in. I like some of Crutchfield’s embellishments, but some seem excessive. It will be interesting to hear if tomorrow’s performance goes a bit better.

  on July 15, 2010 at 7:51 PM