Lesley Garrett

Mark · June 23, 2007, 04:34:31 PM

I'm generally pretty ignorant of how high or low most singers are held in terms of critical opinion, so I'd be interested in members' thoughts on this British soprano.

Cheers.

Montpellier · June 24, 2007, 04:50:05 AM

I would consider her a popular lyrical singer. She seems to concentrate on 'easy listening' standards these days. As far as I know she hasn't been staged in an opera (please correct me if I'm wrong) perhaps prompted by her success in the CD album market, initially with operatic arias. She has a pleasant mezzo voice not very powerful. So I'd suggest she has not been taken seriously in the operatic world. Among popular easy-listening singers, she isn't disctinctive in my view. I met her once at Farringdon Records (now closed) when she was doing a signing, bought the two CDs she'd released then but after an initial play I wan't prompted to listen too often. From her appearance now it looks as if she's had a facelift considering she looks younger than what? ten? twelve? years ago.

Mark · June 24, 2007, 05:06:11 AM

Quote from: Anancho on June 24, 2007, 04:50:05 AM
... she hasn't been staged in an opera ...

Not staged, but she does appear as Papagena in Mackerras' Opera in English 'Magic Flute'.

QuoteI met her once at Farringdon Records (now closed) ...

They closed Farringdon Records? The one at The Barbican?

knight66 · June 24, 2007, 05:11:49 AM

She used to be a member of English National Opera, but has not been in a staged production for many years. She had quite a good technique, good enough to shine in Handel. However, she has been away from the serious end of singing for some time and on TV I have heard her murder, among other arias, Casta Diva, never a piece she should have attempted anyway; but it came out like Rachmaninoff Vocalise. Imagine the sound of someone gentling their way around that aria.

She no longer has good breath control, her tone varies from good to shallow, phrasing is for convenience and not to the musical sense. She has gone headlong into a populist career, she could have gone in the other direction. I cannot take her seriously as a singer, but she is presumably doing what she wants to do and is making a lot of money doing it. She is also making a lot of people happy.

I have had at least one of her discs through my hands, but she offers no insights, just easy listening. I would not buy any more of her stuff, even if at a give away price.

Mike

Montpellier · June 24, 2007, 11:31:56 AM

Quote from: Mark on June 24, 2007, 05:06:11 AM
Not staged, but she does appear as Papagena in Mackerras' Opera in English 'Magic Flute'.

I look again and find she did in fact perform in Handel's Aridoante (DVD) in 1996.

QuoteThey closed Farringdon Records? The one at The Barbican?

Not sure about the Barbican. I meant the one in Leadenhall Market. Something happened - Farringdon's changed hands...one day they were their usual selves stocking just about every new classical release (and a few interesting popular and jazz items). Suddenly everything was rearranged and the obscure items had gone to the "Sale" table with the browsers filled with Classic FM-styled fare. Thereafter they went downhill and closed a few months later. Shame.
That must have been in the mid-90s - unsure exactly. I know they closed before the Piccadilly Tower's.

bricon · June 24, 2007, 09:32:02 PM

One of my favourite G&S videos is the famous ENO production of The Mikado directed by Jonathon Miller; set in a 1920s English seaside hotel. Lesley Garrett is a wonderful (vocally an dramatically) Yum-Yum in that performance, which also featured (Monty Python's) Eric Idle as Ko-Ko.

I don't know much about her more "serious" repertoire, but (on the evidence of that 1987 Mikado) she was a first rate performer in operetta and musicals.

Mark · June 24, 2007, 11:30:06 PM

Quote from: bricon on June 24, 2007, 09:32:02 PM

I don’t know much about her more “serious” repertoire, but (on the evidence of that 1987 Mikado) she was a first rate performer in operetta and musicals.

No surprise, then, that she's now doing 'The Sound Of Music' in London's West End.

bricon · June 25, 2007, 01:00:53 AM

Quote from: Mark on June 24, 2007, 11:30:06 PM
No surprise, then, that she's now doing 'The Sound Of Music' in London's West End.

My hunch would be that she'd be a superb Maria in SoM.

Mark · June 25, 2007, 01:14:21 AM

Quote from: bricon on June 25, 2007, 01:00:53 AM
My hunch would be that she'd be a superb Maria in SoM.

She's playing the Abbess.

Tsaraslondon · June 25, 2007, 03:36:49 AM

Quote from: bricon on June 24, 2007, 09:32:02 PM
One of my favourite G&S videos is the famous ENO production of The Mikado directed by Jonathon Miller; set in a 1920s English seaside hotel. Lesley Garrett is a wonderful (vocally an dramatically) Yum-Yum in that performance, which also featured (Monty Python's) Eric Idle as Ko-Ko.

I don't know much about her more "serious" repertoire, but (on the evidence of that 1987 Mikado) she was a first rate performer in operetta and musicals.

She sang a single performance of Yum-Yum with the ENO last year. Vocally it was a pale shadow of her assumption on the video, and dramatically, well let's say she was a trifle mature. A few years back I saw her as Euridice in ENO's Orfeo ed Euridce, which was vocally appalling. She no longer seemed able to sing in a long line, phrases chopped up and the voice completely unsteady. I was grateful that the role was actually quite small.
Incidentally, she has left the cast of Sound of Music. I beleieve her contract was only for 6 months.

Hector · June 25, 2007, 05:45:47 AM

I agree with all the above.

However, personally, I find her quite sexy.

Mark · June 25, 2007, 05:52:50 AM

Quote from: Hector on June 25, 2007, 05:45:47 AM
I agree with all the above.

However, personally, I find her quite sexy.

I'll go along with that.

knight66 · June 25, 2007, 08:12:52 AM

Quote from: Hector on June 25, 2007, 05:45:47 AM

However, personally, I find her quite sexy.

Until she opens her mouth to either warble or belt out yelling in her comedy Eeeehh, byye gum Northern accent, specially exagerated to help her connect with the great unwashed. Sounds snobby, but she deliberatly alters her accent as part of her Northern good ole lass shtick.

Mike

bricon · June 25, 2007, 03:28:22 PM

Quote from: Mark on June 25, 2007, 01:14:21 AM
She's playing the Abbess.

The Abbess would probably not sit all that well for Garrett – it's not a particularly large role but it does require a voice with a lot of (operatic) heft to really succeed in the theatre.

Tsaraslondon · June 26, 2007, 12:50:46 AM

Quote from: bricon on June 25, 2007, 03:28:22 PM
The Abbess would probably not sit all that well for Garrett – it's not a particularly large role but it does require a voice with a lot of (operatic) heft to really succeed in the theatre.

Not that it would make any difference. She apparently still regularly earned standing ovations, as did Connie Reeves, the distinctly ordinary Maria, voted into the role by BBC viewers. Once hype takes over, then it really doesn't matter how good (or bad) something is.

And, incidentally, I have seen the production, though mercifully Lesley Garrett had been replaced by ENO stalwart Margaret Preece, who was actually rather good. Connie Reeves wasn't bad by any means, just rather ordinary and uninteresting. The rest of the cast and production were excellent.

Hector · June 26, 2007, 04:33:41 AM

Quote from: knight on June 25, 2007, 08:12:52 AM
Until she opens her mouth to either warble or belt out yelling in her comedy Eeeehh, byye gum Northern accent, specially exagerated to help her connect with the great unwashed. Sounds snobby, but she deliberatly alters her accent as part of her Northern good ole lass shtick.

Mike

You have something against Northern lasses of un certain age?

zamyrabyrd · June 29, 2007, 07:11:15 AM

Quote from: Anancho on June 24, 2007, 04:50:05 AM
I would consider her a popular lyrical singer. She seems to concentrate on 'easy listening' standards these days. As far as I know she hasn't been staged in an opera (please correct me if I'm wrong) perhaps prompted by her success in the CD album market, initially with operatic arias. She has a pleasant mezzo voice not very powerful.

No way, "mezzo". Through no fault of her own she is a light soprano. (Are you still around Harry?)

ZB

knight66 · July 04, 2007, 01:54:01 PM

Quote from: Hector on June 26, 2007, 04:33:41 AM
You have something against Northern lasses of un certain age?

Only when they capitalise on it in a music-hall sort of way. As indeed she does. Gracie Fields writ small.

Mike

Hector · July 05, 2007, 05:54:14 AM

Quote from: knight on July 04, 2007, 01:54:01 PM
Only when they capitalise on it in a music-hall sort of way. As indeed she does. Gracie Fields writ small.

Mike

My father hated Gracie Fields. "Our Gracie, pah!"

Personally, Lesley Garrett can wobble over my TV screen as often as she wants in, or out, of the music-hall. Gracie couldn't touch her!

knight66 · July 05, 2007, 02:07:19 PM

Hector, I think you are now talking about sex rather than talent and I admit she is easy on the eye, whereas 'our Gracie' was something of an eyesore.

In terms of entertainment, it is a close run thing as to which I would boil in oil first, though they would both get full broiling time.

Mike