General Opera News

Started by uffeviking, April 08, 2007, 06:49:51 PM

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knight66

The voice is darker than ever, but although I have heard her sing colouratura with some approximation, the swoop and wobble are a newish development. Move over Dame Gwyneth Jones.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Guido

Why does she do the Bel Canto rep? She is completely unsuited for it. She's better in more traditional lyric acting roles, though I've never really got her appeal - I'm too concerned with the sound she makes. But I can't see her going on too much longer, with so much out of tune (she's sharp at the bottom and really flat at the top*, that huge wobble (someone hear said it perfectly - she seems to sing around the note, without ever hitting it fully), and the pure bellowing when she sings loud. Not good signs.

Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

jlaurson

Quote from: knight on January 01, 2011, 12:57:26 PM
Heia! Hieeeeyaaaa! Bloody hell. It is awful.

Mike

Beginning of a Wagner Aria, I reckon?  ;)

Still, probably not fair to judge her in music like that, in a circus concert like that, especially if it is true that she took over the concert from Renee Fleming with just a few hours of notice.

Btw. That's the concert that made Luisi quit his job in Dresden.

Guido

No but it doesn't reflect well. This should be a party piece, easily whipped off, and yet she's struggling. Just because you've been given a short time to prepare, that doesn't mean that flaws in basic vocal technique such as pitch and vibrato are understandable. I guess you could say 2 days could be counted in hours, but one would have to be very generous.

Also what language does she think she's singing in?
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

kaergaard

Quote from: Guido on January 01, 2011, 05:19:07 PM

Also what language does she think she's singing in?

Not too difficult to understand: She is singing in German.

sospiro

http://www.seattleopera.org/tickets/2011-2012.aspx

I really like John Relyea and would love to see his Attila but Seattle's a bit too far for me.  :(
Annie

knight66

Quote from: jlaurson on January 01, 2011, 03:39:45 PM
Beginning of a Wagner Aria, I reckon?  ;)

Still, probably not fair to judge her in music like that, in a circus concert like that, especially if it is true that she took over the concert from Renee Fleming with just a few hours of notice.

Btw. That's the concert that made Luisi quit his job in Dresden.

I don't agree with that judgement call. I was involved long enough to know that some concerts do get thrown together, but I don't think that has anyhing to do with poor vocal technique. Having fun with the music does not involve carelessness.

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: Guido on January 01, 2011, 12:31:45 PM
Netrebko performing yesterday. Is it just me, or is this just awful?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH5Kmoh9JHI&feature=player_embedded

Is this what passes for good singing these days? She may have been a substitute for Fleming, but in no way was she a replacement.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

jlaurson

Quote from: knight on January 02, 2011, 01:52:03 AM
I don't agree with that judgement call. I was involved long enough to know that some concerts do get thrown together, but I don't think that has anyhing to do with poor vocal technique. Having fun with the music does not involve carelessness.

Mike

The point is that this was presumably not the repertoire of her choice. The fact is that she's one of the finest opera performers around, and for the most part a more-than-decent singer. This wobbly mess is surely no better an indication of her performances than  any number in which she pulled things off admirably.

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: jlaurson on January 02, 2011, 03:44:42 AM
The point is that this was presumably not the repertoire of her choice.

Isn't it? I remember her mauling Lehar's Meine Lippen sie kussen so heiss at the proms a couple of years ago. I'm with  Mike, a last minute substitution does not excuse bad singing. The voice sounds to be in big trouble to me.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

Guido

#530
Quote from: jlaurson on January 02, 2011, 03:44:42 AM
The point is that this was presumably not the repertoire of her choice. The fact is that she's one of the finest opera performers around, and for the most part a more-than-decent singer. This wobbly mess is surely no better an indication of her performances than  any number in which she pulled things off admirably.

No this is what she chose to sing - it's what she does instead of "Lippen" these days.
Geologist.

The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away

knight66

#531
Quote from: jlaurson on January 02, 2011, 03:44:42 AM
The point is that this was presumably not the repertoire of her choice. The fact is that she's one of the finest opera performers around, and for the most part a more-than-decent singer. This wobbly mess is surely no better an indication of her performances than  any number in which she pulled things off admirably.

I am puzzled here. If the wobbly mess here is not indicative of her general abilities and nor are the performances that she pulls off admirably....then what is typical of her standard?

I used to enjoy some of her performances, but found this dark quality to her voice to be unsuited to a number of the roles she took on: eg Guilda. I have also found her ability to get round the notes to be variable in colouratura. Latterly however, what I have heard has been less successful with occluded tone, also different sound qualities shooting out from different parts of the voice. As she moves up and down through her voice it no longer sounds integrated. It also seems less agile than it used to be and clearly evinces intonation problems.

Perhaps I am wrong, but I get the impression of a fair few cancellations. All of these are bad signs. No doubt she is booked up now for five years ahead, so she will not be disappearing any time soon. But unless she retrenches, her best is already behind her.

I have her Russian Arias disc and value it highly. Perhaps Russian Mezzo roles would bring rewards; but who would be scheduling such showcases for her?

Here is what there was seven years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36vm2VoXuXA&feature=related

Perhaps this is what lies ahead: a warning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz_FkqdCZTw

Mike
DavidW: Yeah Mike doesn't get angry, he gets even.
I wasted time: and time wasted me.

jlaurson

Quote from: knight on January 02, 2011, 05:57:27 AM
Perhaps this is what lies ahead: a warning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz_FkqdCZTw

Ouch. That was cruel. To everyone involved.  ;)

Wendell_E

The Met premiere of Nixon in China is tonight.  It'll be on XM/Sirius, or available for free from the Met's website via their "listen live" feature.  Four videos from Monday's dress rehearsal are here:  http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=14928&utm_source=FB&utm_medium=FB&utm_content=videos&utm_campaign=Nixon

I can't wait for the HDcast (and eventually, a DVD, I hope).
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

bhodges

Quote from: Wendell_E on February 02, 2011, 03:45:33 AM
The Met premiere of Nixon in China is tonight.  It'll be on XM/Sirius, or available for free from the Met's website via their "listen live" feature.  Four videos from Monday's dress rehearsal are here:  http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=14928&utm_source=FB&utm_medium=FB&utm_content=videos&utm_campaign=Nixon

I can't wait for the HDcast (and eventually, a DVD, I hope).

Thanks for posting those videos! I'll be in the audience, and very much looking forward. Heard from people at the dress that it was pretty spectacular.

--Bruce

Wendell_E

Quote from: bhodges on February 02, 2011, 08:09:46 AM
Thanks for posting those videos! I'll be in the audience, and very much looking forward. Heard from people at the dress that it was pretty spectacular.

--Bruce

I'm jealous!  Though listening to the broadcast, James Maddalena's in major distress, with a frog in his throat, losts of coughing and throat-clearing.  I wonder if he'll make it through the performance (they're just in Act I, scene ii as I type this).
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

kaergaard

An entertaining, educational and interesting interview with Franz Hawlata:

http://www.kcstudio.com/hawlata.html

Wendell_E

3-D Comes to Met Opera, but Without Those Undignified Glasses

Quotethe Metropolitan Opera said it planned to introduce 3-D projections for its production of "Siegfried" next season, the third installment in its new "Ring" cycle, directed by Robert Lepage.

If the technology works as advertised, the singers will appear to move inside a three-dimensional world created by projections.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

jlaurson

Quote from: Wendell_E on February 16, 2011, 03:27:52 AM
3-D Comes to Met Opera, but Without Those Undignified Glasses

Which would be highly absurd: to turn the three dimensional space of the opera house into 2D with screens... only to make it three dimensional again. Argh...

Wendell_E

#539
Earlier this week, a Met press release announced the next season, including the "Live in HD"s.  I'm particulary looking forward to seeing Rodelinda and Satyagraha, and a bit disappointed that neiter Billy Budd or Markopulos Case will be Live in HD.

http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/press/detail.aspx?id=15282
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain