parterre box

90 comments

• Ercole Farnese says:

  A while back Renee announced (or threatened) that she was going to add another belcanto role to her repertoire, without saying which one. I am dying to know…anyone can shed light?

  on August 28, 2010 at 1:38 PM
• SilvestriWoman says:

  Monty, I know what you mean. Back in the 90s, I saw Lott’s much-admired Marschallin in San Francisco, and was quite underwhelmed. Something’s wrong when, from my dress circle seat, I can barely hear the Marschallin in the final trio. (Schafer and von Stade were her Sophie and Octavian, not exactly helden voices.)

  Her Rosalinde, though, was exquisite. Again, the vocalism was first-class -- effortless top notes, easy coloratura. As evidenced in this clip, she also is completely at home with dialogue. In fact, I doubt La Fleming’s Hanna will be so natural.
  

  on August 28, 2010 at 5:59 PM
  • Cocky Kurwenal says:

    I saw her do a Belle Helene and it was bloody marvellous. Such a natural actress and musician.

    I do find it hard to believe that she was an inaudible Marchallin, having found her perfectly audible in London’s largest theatre, even in late career when her relatively insubstnatial middle voice still projected perfectly well, but whatever.

    on August 28, 2010 at 6:03 PM
    • MontyNostry says:

      I saw her as the Marschallin on the first night of a Covent Garden run about 20 years and remember nothing about her. I eternally regret that my tickets weren’t for a later performance when the divine Lucia Popp was eingesprungen!
      I have to confess she always annoys me in interviews too, always saying how she lacks confidence etc etc. She must be tougher than she says to have made a 35-year career.

      on August 28, 2010 at 6:08 PM
    • SilvestriWoman says:

      For most of the opera, she was fine, though she did not live up to the hype. At that time, she was one of the pre-eminent Marchallins. The voice got lost in the final pages of the Trio. I think the reason was that both Schafer and von Stade had more point in their upper registers.

      I believe it was Flicka’s final Octavian, but Schafer was making her formidable US debut. Of the three, she made the biggest impression. Vocally, she was not the finest of Sophie’s – point to burn but not the loveliest of timbres, especially after Donath and Popp – but, when on stage, you couldn’t take your eyes off of her. Looking like a tiny Dresden figurine, her Sophie was so passionate, I expected her to combust on stage.

      on August 28, 2010 at 6:15 PM
      • armerjacquino says:

        I saw Lott, Murray and Lillian Watson in Rosenkavelier at CG in my late teens. There’s a cast for the Vicar to be snide about. Lott sang gorgeously, if archly (and was never inaudible). Murray, as ever, was terrific dramatically and musically without quite having a good enough instrument. It always helps if Oktavian has one of those rich, semi-soprano sofa voices like Von Stade, Ludwig or (my favourite) Troyanos. Watson was fine, ok, adequate- a house soprano in a house soprano role.

        I’m fascinated to hear how Schafer was a great Sophie back in the day. I saw her in the most recent Met run and she was dramatically smashing, while having utterly the wrong voice. I was gutted to have missed Persson.

        on August 28, 2010 at 8:56 PM
      • SilvestriWoman says:

        armerjacquino, even then, she was not vocally right by a long shot, but she sold me on her dramatic interpretation -- a fireball of energy in a doll-like body. Still, for me, no one touches the definitive Sophie:
        

        on August 28, 2010 at 10:31 PM
      • Krunoslav says:

        I was at that SFO debut and I thought Schaefer was dreadful– the worst Sophie I had heard up until then. I thought she was even more dreadful vocally this year at he Met, however.

        And who is it that Mr. Gleb thinks wants to hear her sing Gilda???

        on August 29, 2010 at 12:00 AM
  • SilvestriWoman says:

    Here’s an even better clip --

    on August 28, 2010 at 6:08 PM
    • MontyNostry says:

      There’s only one answer to that. A couple of rough moments vocally, mais …

      on August 28, 2010 at 6:35 PM
      • SilvestriWoman says:

        Monty, I won’t argue!!! It grieves me that so many young singers know little or nothing of the stupendous Crespin. My God, what an artist!!!

        on August 28, 2010 at 10:26 PM
• Clita del Toro says:

  Crespin’s Marschallin was divine as was her Senta and other german roles at the Met. I also saw her sing a wonderful concert version of Spontini’s La Vestale (en francais) as well.

  One funny thing during her Rosenkavalier performance–a friend noticed that she had cleavage on her back! lol

  on August 30, 2010 at 1:27 PM