49 shades of grey
A singer who was monochromatic long before she started appearing in “Obsession by Calvin Klein” circa 1986-styled music videos, Elina Garanca has just released a new aria recital disc entitled Romantique featuring “a selection of songs of love and despair.” You are invited to guess which (if any) of these emotions is being indicated in clip following the jump.
The problem with Rach is that she’s vocally unreliable -- sings off-key more often than not. But the quality and commitment are there. Garanca might as well be vacuuming while singing. There’s a remarkable moment in the Bolena video when Trebs is singing and the camera is on Garanca -- I’ve never seen anyone look so bored on an opera stage. As Kold as Kiri and Kathleen.
I think it’s important to acknowledge the difference between a (naff, dull) promo video and an actual performance. I’d challenge anyone to be viscerally, dramatically thrilling while doing endless takes of what la cieca has aptly described as an 80s perfume ad. The singing itself is terrific. I wonder how many people who are chiming in to deplore its dullness have thrilled to, say, Caballe or Arroyo or Devia in their time.
My own annoyance, AJ, is at whatever marketing genius thought it would be a good idea to thrust a performer who is notoriously under-expressive into a situation that would only highlight that shortcoming. As the feedback here shows, rather than enhancing her vocalism, the video only distracts from it.
Still and all -- can you imagine Netrebko, who instinctively knows how to make love to the camera, failing to deliver under similar conditions?
For my part, I barely watched the video. I just listened to the audio and found that to be very dull.
Please, give me Grace Bumbry on Jimmy’s 25th anniversary DVD any day.
The way she steels herself for the big top note (which she does indeed nail)is unforgettable. But it does go to show that she was always at her best as a mezzo/falcom, rather than constantly managing her voice as in soprano repertoire.
Dédié à Garanca et ses 49 teintes de gris:
Grand Théâtre de Genève
Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust
1 November 2008
Conductor: John Nelson
Faust: Paul Groves
Marguerite: Elina Garanca
Méphistophélè: Willard White
Brander: René Schirrer
1e partie , 2e partie, 3e partie & le début de 4e partie:
mms://ier-w.latvijasradio.lv/pppy?20091017C210000233000
finale de 4e partie:
mms://ier-w.latvijasradio.lv/pppy?20091017C233000000000
Sorry, it’s already been done . . .
If you had to name a few contemporary singers who are great technicians but who are too distant/proper/bland/goody-goody, who would come to your mind first?
I asked myself that question and, surprise!, Garanca’s name was not at the top of my list. I thought first of Westbroek, Stoyanova, Harteros, Rebeka, Opolaïs…
Isokoski. The dullest major singer I’ve ever seen.
Surprised to see Opolais in your list, oedipe, but agree with the others
A few more:
Kate Royal
Emma Kirkby -- grrrr
Thomas Hampson -- so perceptive in lieder, but bland on stage
Isokoski and whoever sang Dorabella with her in Dr Miller’s beige Cosi
Pre-makeover Mattila
Berganza, but only in Mozart
Any number of heldentenors, but I suppose one must make allowances in that fach
Completely agree that Opolaïs was mesmerising in Butterfly, and also that Isokoski is charisma-free.
I last saw Harteros in the La Scala Tannhauser, and have to agree that although she is a magnificent singer, she does tend to exude a particular froideur. This being said, I am going to see her tomorrow and she has garnered exceptional reviews for her Desdemona which is apparently very affecting -- so I should really reserve judgement.
Harteros doesn’t always rip the scenery apart but her Countess and Marschallin, among other things, are quite completely convincing, almost as much dramatically as musically (though the magnificence of the musical performance really serves the drama well in these instances).
It’s all a matter of degree, the list can go on and on. Maybe I should replace Opolaïs with Marlis Petersen.
Again -- Kate Royal after that Elvira -- no!
And re Hampson -- I think in opera he can be wonderfully ‘giving’ and generous whereas in Lied OMG he has the attitude of ‘I’m mummy’s brightest boy and let me demonstrate what magnificent German I have. He is acting out the Lieder singer instead of entering the song. I saw him live in Winterreise some 10 years ago and wanted to murder him.
Hampson -- yes beautiful singing but for me it is completely ingenuine
Whereas… this guy tears my heart to shreds.
I find it the other way around, though I can see your point; but maybe it’s because my assessment of his lieder is based mainly on recordings especially the great Samuel Barber set. Maybe it’s his live persona whether in concert or opera which just seems too generalised.
Not just generalized -- specifically play-acting. I can’t see any genuine emotion there. Just the Colgate smile and great hair with the downcast eyebrows. This is a “hey I’m a great baritone doing clever stuff” ind of charisma. Lieder is about specifics, text, layers of meaning, texture, shades, you know, that kind of thing. I find that Gerhaher is almost unbearably direct and sings from the text outward, and with Hampson it’s a feeling of OK there’s a general musical contour upon which the text is imposed to I have to give it some meaning. Awful.
Here’s Royal in Mi Tradi -- FIRE! (2:00)
I’ve never seen Isokoski in opera, but she is a fine recitalist.
I saw Isokoski in Freischuetz and the acting was nothing. The singing however -- one of the most beautiful voices encountered live, and the pianissimi just bounced off the walls…. Exquisite.
Any comments on Harteros, CF?
Tend to agree with Peter bellow about Isokoski.
I have enjoyed Isokoski in live performances of Lohengrin and Rosenkavalier. I was very impressed by her singing. She’s not a thrilling performer but that’s not something I was expecting and so I wasn’t disappointed. I was moved by the sheer beauty of her voice, her musicianship and her sincerity.
There’s no doubting her musicianship, certainly, and it’s a lovely voice. But on the occasions I’ve seen her (CAPRICCIO in concert and COSI on stage) she has totally failed to connect with any kind of character. In both performances she had one facial expression- a sort of pained frown- throughout. And although her singing is always correct, I’ve never found it at all communicative. Still, different strokes for different folks, and all that!
Isokoski has to be paired with a good director to show all her abilities. I will not forget her two best performances in Vienna: Rachel in La Juive where she was fabulous and Elsa in that strange Lohengrin by Barrie Kosky, but she played the blindness (concept) so well and was so touching that she made Elsa the only mesmerizing character in the whole performance.
Again, I’ve only seen Rebeka in recital, but it felt like she has temperament. The voice certainly has a visceral quality to it. Everyone’s been raving Harteros’ Desdemona -- at least her voice has some spinto metal, which the part needs if she’s not going to be just a lovely wet lettuce.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=wet+lettuce&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=673&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=uGKUlUwx3_m-PM:&imgrefurl=http://foldsfive.blogspot.com/2011/10/oh-i-hate-talking-about-politics.html&docid=y8v4JHSskunUqM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q71KAJQeqTQ/TqHfzvjAWiI/AAAAAAAAAEs/HHoIAeLD3kU/s1600/Wet%252Blettuce.jpg&w=1018&h=761&ei=pHgJUITKJJS86QGnxoWkCg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=182&vpy=150&dur=871&hovh=194&hovw=260&tx=180&ty=63&sig=109199868545843071955&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:75
Phoenix -- meet http://www.tinyurl.com.
Merci beaucoup manou
TinyURL.com/7uqxj87
Tinyurl nécessite une logique que Phoenix n’a pas -- mais merci encore de toute façon et vacance bonne!
Ça marche très bien! Félicitations.
Westbroek? Really? And after THAT Anna Nicole???
There’s acting and there’s acting. Would you like to.see the Marschallin tossed over as if it were Puccini? I wouldn’t. I love and appreciate decorum and under-the surface acting in many roles. Even certain portions of Isolde and Elektra. Sometimes less is more.
Have you seen Westbroek as Didon, CF?
Pas encore. That dissappointing? In everything I’ve seen so far of her,.she’s completely on, charged and erotic.
I was hugely impressed by Westbroek both as Anna Nicole and in TABARRO- I think she’s very charismatic and a splendid actor.
I know it wasn’t me you were asking, but I love both those Marschallins, especially Pieczonka. And I know there’s not much point saying so round here, but I caught Fleming’s 2010 Met Marschallin on TV earlier today (I saw it in the house, too) and found it moving, detailed and gorgeously sung.
Oh -- my -- God, AJ!
You TECHED HER PEAS !
What is your opinion of Schwanewilms and Pieczonka as the Marschallin BTW? Two very ‘complete’ very different assumptions.
Let me see: are people here saying that Westbroek, Rebeka, Isokoski, Harteros, Stoyanova, etc. are tout feu, tout flamme, whereas Garanca is cold, distant, dull as dish water, and can’t act? Also, are people saying that Garanca can’t sing the French rep very well, at least not as well as Blythe?
Just checking to see if I got it right.
“are people here saying that Westbroek, Rebeka, Isokoski, Harteros, Stoyanova, etc. are tout feu, tout flamme, whereas Garanca is cold, distant, dull as dish water, and can’t act? Also, are people saying that Garanca can’t sing the French rep very well, at least not as well as Blythe?”
Well, no, not really. Not unless you collect a bunch of diverse opinions from different people, ignore half of them, and try to lump all the rest together in one.
OK, so I didn’t get it right.
Gee, I would have sworn that a few posters were trying to turn Garanca into a caricature, but I must be wrong.
This is a strange series of comments about the non-acting of several leading singers -- that they are
bland to watch (and therefore also upon the hearing).
Garanca, for me, is a fine actress -- one of the
best Octavians both vocally AND dramatically we have
today -- and this is not an easy role to put over with a woman playing a young man who is playing a chambermaid. If there is not a tremendous amount of gutteral singing in Garanca’s armory of vocal weapons -- all the better.
(I am not a great fan of Blythe who uses chest tones
so frequently and for me the voice is not all that attractive).
Singers such as Isokoski of course are not dramatically
overwhelming -- but the voice is exquisite. I have
seen both Netrebko and Stoyanova as Mimi both in Vienna
and at the Met (so in the same two productions). Netrebko is somewhat more extravagant and flamboyant but there are all sorts of subtleties in Stoyanova’s acting and vocalization -small telling nuances which quite suit the character of Mimi. Both are wonderful to see and hear.
Of course in a long history of attending operas, there
have been singers who have been riveting on the stage and have to be watched no matter whether they have been
in good vocal estate or not -- among those female singers
I would cite Callas, Varnay, Rysanek, Moedl, Hoengen,
Seefried, Cotrubas, Simionato (as Santuzza anyway),
Welitsch, Silja (sometimes), Pilou, and among lighter sopranos Rothenberger, maybe Stratas. A few like Olivero I only saw once and some, who may have been very commanding on stage, such as Leyla Gencer, I never saw at all.
But yet, if one is complaining about an Isokoski being
a bit bland dramatically as Agathe (though vocally stunning) then look at the role -- there is not a great
deal to be done with Agathe -- some singers such as
Rysanek gave up the role early finding Agathe uninteresting dramatically. One needs to have an
exquisite vocal line of considerable beauty, a certain vocal flexibility, a pure sound without register breaks -and an excellent diction but is that not enough? Of course a certain singer such as Seefried (in recording) can give the role of Agathe a bit more characterization than others through expression and fine diction, but one might still ocally turn to a Gruemmer, a Janowitz, an Isokoski as their voices are so suitable for Agathe.
Flagstad, for example, did not over-emote on stage -- but her movements were few but telling. Benackova had one of the most beautiful voices of her era and was effective on stage in roles which required a certain placidity, Jenufa, Rusalka, Amelia, Katya, Ariadne -- but as Fidelio or Senta, though singing stunningly, she was not as thrilling dramatically as others. Nor was Tebaldi -- but who could forgive her when the sound (at a certain period in her career) as so sumptious and truly beautiful. Janowitz was another singer whose beautiful voice was radiant in certain roles but was not an intense vocal or physical actress. (example Fidelio, Sieglinde and I loved her Sieglinde)
I would surely go to hear Isokoski in almost anything -
for the radiance of voice, the musicianship -- and I would go to hear Waltraud Meier in most everything for
her intensity even if the voice is not always lovely. Who could forgive de los Angeles or Berganza for singing
Carmen when they sing it so splendidly?
So for me -- at least -- the voice itself is of the utmost
importance -- blandness is not a total detriment and some
of the singers criticized above are such good musicians
that they can effectively and discreetly define a role without a tremendous amount of squawking. There are some singers today who have remarkable stage presence but
whose singing is lacking suitability for a role and occasionally downright unpleasant to the ear. I prefer the Isokoskis and she is wise enough to stay away from roles like Tosca where she has the notes though not the temperment.
Very wise words imo Bill.Strange indeed to criticise Garanca, Stoyanova, Isokoski for being bland and boring when there are so many true horrors of “opera stars”, both male and female, being paraded on the world’s leading stages today who either can not actually sing at all, or could sing at one time, but can no longer.
I listened to that Garanca clip of the Samson aria and I think it’s quite beautiful.
Not boring.
Isn’t that a false opposition, though? I’m not saying I find Isokoski dull because I’d prefer to hear someone with a bad technique screeching. It’s her SINGING I find dull; beautiful, correct, but lacking in intensity and communication. Someone like Janowitz or Tebaldi may have been placid on stage, but they were both able to sing with an intensity and a commitment I find lacking in Isokoski.
well, for some people subtlety doesn’t communicate as much as dramatic gestures.
still isokoski DOES communicate through her subtlety. try the dialogues des carmelites from munich. perfect. simply PERFECT, touching and breahtakingly beautiful for madame lidoine.
So for you Bill, it is the ‘voice is of the utmost importance’ -- and that is probably true most of the time for all of us. You mentioned Gencer -- curiously enough I thought of her when this thread began. She had a very beautiful lyric tone when I first saw her in the mid-60′s, but with minimal volume. Many patrons at War Memorial accused her, too, of being bland (can you imagine?).
In all fairness Bill, Octavian is probably Garanca’s best role and she is to my mind a historically great exponent (though you are of course much better positioned to make that judgement). Janowitz varies (I’m afraid I like some of her in Fidelio) but the lack of dramatic intensity can be frustrating. Della Casa can also be problematic int his regard.
personal preference. I prefer her as Berlioz’ Marguerite (that’s why I posted up the link above). I would prefer her a lot more if she would sing the soprano roles …