parterre box » the people’s diva http://parterre.com where opera is king and you, the readers, are queens Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:18:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 When I haven’t sung my songs http://parterre.com/2009/11/04/when-i-havent-sung-my-songs/ http://parterre.com/2009/11/04/when-i-havent-sung-my-songs/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:15:53 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=9228 fleming_south_bank
“Renée herself seemed as if she’d rather be somewhere else. Kicking off with a fussy rendition of Tatiana’s long letter scene from Eugene Onegin, her voice only clicked into gear towards its end. (Wasn’t there any time to warm up?) At which point she took a twenty minute break while the orchestra slugged through their Tchaikovsky…. Then it was CD promotion time, with three brief arias by Leoncavallo and Giordano followed by Manon’s ‘Sola, perduta, abbandonata’ from Manon Lescaut. And that was it.”

Sister blog Intermezzo and her coterie of cheesed-off public bemoan the “scant” programming last night’s “concert” by The People’s Diva — though her “gorgeous and flattering biscuit satin gown… designed by regular concertgoer Vivienne Westwood” escapes unscathed.

]]> http://parterre.com/2009/11/04/when-i-havent-sung-my-songs/feed/ 17 Carry my bust with pride http://parterre.com/2009/09/23/carry-my-bust-withpride/ http://parterre.com/2009/09/23/carry-my-bust-withpride/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:29:18 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=5495 Photo: Cory Weaver/Metropolitan Opera

Is it just me, or is Patricia Racette on the cusp of turning into Aprile Millo?

(Oh, and while we’re on the subject: it certainly took her long enough, but finally The People’s Diva really looks like a diva! Brava, you go on like this!)

]]> http://parterre.com/2009/09/23/carry-my-bust-withpride/feed/ 26 “mi” a name to call herself? http://parterre.com/2009/09/16/mi-a-name-to-call-herself/ http://parterre.com/2009/09/16/mi-a-name-to-call-herself/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:39:42 +0000 La Cieca http://parterre.com/?p=5347 fleming_people

Just texted to La Cieca:

Am at Philharmonic dress. Her Messiaen was luminous. Far the best thing I’ve heard her do.

Which is excellent, brava, you go on like this. But, La Cieca being La Cieca, you know she is going to harp on this little gem:

Known as “the people’s diva,” she continues to grace the world’s greatest opera stages and concert halls, now extending her reach to include other mediums.

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