In the almost four years since La Cieca pointed out Anthony Tommasini‘s curious penchant for “strapping,” the NYT scribe has been forced to reach, well, a bit farther back on the shelf for his modifiers. TT’s current pet adjective, as La Cieca is sure you all have noticed, is “earthy.” 

Thus far in 2009, Tommasini’s averaging a solid one “earthy” a week.

• “The soprano Anya Fidelia made a melancholic and earthy-voiced Angelica.” (June 6)
• “The mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung, a proven Mahler singer, brought an earthy yet sumptuous voice…” (May 19)
• “The bass-baritone Alan Held sang the role with intensity and earthy, if sometimes hard-pressed, sound.” (May 16)
• “Ms. DiDonato’s luminous singing and Mr. Braun’s earthy authority made them effective soloists.” (May 9)
• “The players vividly captured the earthy, foot-clopping character of the rustic scherzo.” (May 8)
• “In the final movement, a robust, earthy and fitful dance…” (May 6)
• “Mr. Bermel’s piece begins with earthy, foursquare tunes and rhythmic riffs…” (May 4)
• “I admired the way the composer amassed earthy, electro-acoustic sounds, evoking flood disasters and dizzying chaos. ” (April 9)
• “Polish contralto Ewa Podles is an indomitable singer with a big, earthy, intensely expressive voice and an artistic personality to match.” (April 5)
• “The bass-baritone Eric Owens was the earthy-voiced soloist…” (March 19)
• “his sound is robust, earthy and still powerful.” (March 13)
• “her voice, with its earthy timbre and pulsating vibrato…”  (March 5)
• “the earthy soprano Janinah Burnett as Nonnie” (March 3)
• “the quiet sounds — ancient and earthy — carried beautifully in the hall” (February 23)
• “Still, her sound has a hard-edged quality that is either earthy and emotional or grainy and pinched, depending on your take.” (February 18)
• “the oblivious violin breaks into what could be some earthy folk song” (February 4)
• “the earthy mezzo-soprano Jennifer Hines as Marilyn Klinghoffer” (February 2)
• “She is endowed with a lush, warm and earthy voice…” (January 31)
• “Her earthy, subdued expressivity had me thinking of Callas.” (January 28)
• “the mezzo-soprano Viktoria Vizin, in her Met debut, brought an earthy voice and sultriness to the short but crucial role of Sparafucile’s sister, Maddalena”  (January 27)
• “Though Ms. Flanigan’s singing had rough edges, she brought intensity, myriad colorings and earthy richness to Cleopatra’s long-spun lyrical lines…” (January 24)
• “the earthy richness of her mid-range singing sometimes turns breathy, and her low voice is curiously weak”  (January 2)