OperaNow! #100: #100

We made it. Finally...

This week we look at Domingo's mysterious abdominal surgery...Renee Fleming rocks it out, indie style...Kathleen Battle is back?...Rolando's been clowning around...coming full circle, Deborah Voight lost weight (though they fooled me because it was an old story)...where have the contraltos gone?

Plus Guess Who Died?, some favorite opera clips, some favorite OperaNow! archive moments, some voicemails and a few surprise guests!

This week we feature The OC, Doug Dodson, Ethan Watermeier and Matt Garrett.

Comments

[Craig]

I can't believe Fanciulla del West is your favorite. I love it, spent a month recently listening to it every day because I just can't believe the magic and the modern in it. No one around me even likes it, so I'm pretty much relegated to finding other fans online.

Great show guys and gal. Wish every show was the 100th episode so we'd get 2 hours every time.

[jeanniebeannie]

just looked at the playlist for renee's new album...peter gabriel's in your eyes? hmmmmm. love renee...but this sounds v strange.

[Michael Rice]

Glad to know the piece is appreciated by someone other then myself...

[Your Blue Friend]

I, for one, would like to congratulate the crew on a very successful 100th episode and Sydney on a successful test.

[Francesca]

What a great show! 2 hours and sixteen minutes of rapturous joy. I loved hearing the favorite opera moment parts.

Also I just bought the Nilssen/Corelli Turandot recording. Thanks Oliver!

[Terry]

Alas, I wish I could have heard this live. I was worried there would be tears when you called your parents, that was so touching. I'm ecstatic that Roberta was back on the show, I just love her "aww" moments. I have to remember that fire-alarm battery line! And the All-of-ours Corner was very nice. What can I say about Ethan's choice, it's a classic. I love the music of La fanciulla del West and it is on my list of operas I've never seen that I need to before I die. Although I prefer the end of the second act "Una partita a poker" and I appreciate the message (the only way a girl can win at poker is if she cheats, right?). I was probably most intrigued by Doug's selection, Handel's "Ah me! Too late I now repent." I'm definitely going to have to check that one out. Great show, guys.

I wonder if Laura Quest would approve of this red nose on Rolando: http://www.rotenaseninternational.com/index.php?id=778 Ciao, ciao!

[Lee]

I am relatively new to Opera, although I've loved classical music for some time. Your show is so refreshing and informative, I love it. I don't have any opera-loving friends so your show is a real lifeline to me. Oliver's Corner does go on a bit, but not long enough for me - I could listen to the OC's musings all day. I would definitely make a donation if I wasn't so fucking poor.

I too bought the Nilssen/Corelli Turandot on the OC's say-so, please continue to impart your wisdom

From: Lee (President of the OC's UK fanclub)

[Lee]

Oh, another thing... type "Michael Bolton Nessun Dorma" into YouTube, it is so funny.

[zach]

Oliver, you picked an odd clip as your favorite opera moment, but I have always liked Deutekom's Armida. Something strange I just realized is that Maria Callas, Cristina Deutekom, and Katia Ricciarelli each sang both Turandot and Armida. Don't you think that's a strange combination? Imagine Maria Guleghina singing Armida or Renee Fleming singing Turandot!

[OP_lover]

Loved the musical excerpts -- especially the Handel & Puccini! What was the Handel recording again?

[Doug D.]

The Semele recording can be found here:

http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Semele-Joshua-Summers-Wallace/dp/B000WZ7HWW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267723443&sr=8-6

[Michael M]

Congrats on a great podcast...thanks I love your show! However, as a Chicago resident it's painful to hear the constant bashing from Oliver. It's self-hating Chicagoans like the OC that keep us down. Maybe Mr. Rice has some insight into why all the self hate keeps flowing from Mr. Camacho, could it be that he's really just a closet lover of the Lyric and COT productions?

[The OC]

Ow, ow ow!
I waited a whole 12 hours to see if anybody would come to my defense before I responded to this.

I guess things that I have said about my local companies have merited your attack. I will do my best to separate my opinions from my observations. It is possible to be critical of things that we admire. Opera is not an art that is easy to get perfect.

[Michael Rice]

Just saw this...I think everyone on the show is self-loathing of some sort. It is why they all appeal to me!

That said..."don't be dissing my man Oliver!"

[Sam]

congratulations on show 100. great show.

the bryn terfel's son's finger clip made me laugh so hard that I started coughing...then I threw my back out. seriously. I can't even pick up my kids.

[Michael M]

I didn't mean to diss or attack Oliver, he is a fountain of knowledge, and charm. Without him I would have never heard of Rameau, been able to review a Pucell mask, or gained so much of the knowledge that has made my friends refer to me as the "youngest old opera queen" they know. It was my attempt at using a little humor, please forgive me Mr. Camacho.

[The OC]

no worries Michael. humor/tone is hard to communicate in this medium. glad to know you are fighting the good fight as a militant tiara-clad opera queen.

[chris]

While "self-loathing" is a bit harsh, I am struggling to remember OC saying anything nice about a Chicago production. It would be nice to hear more about Chicago, but I'm guessing most listeners are not from the area.

Of course, the Lyric has been pretty craptacular lately IMHO, save things OC (I'm guessing) wouldn't be into: Lulu and Tristan. While some of the things he's criticized about COT don't bother me I certainly see and respect where he's coming from. I loved Owen Wingrave, but I can see why one would not.

[Michael M]

I can understand, and most of the time I agree with what Oliver has to say (I love his corner almost as much as Doug's Katherine Hepburn impression)...the thing that made me put on my Chicago tiara was the kind of "New York aka THE MET is best, everyone else should just bow down" mentality of the comment made about the current production of Damnation of Faust. I know there were strippers...dressed as mice dominatrix, however I really liked what they did in the show. In the clips of the Met's production I've seen, things start looking less like an opera production, and more like a semi-staged production done in front of one of those cheesey mid 90's holograms.

[Charles B]

Just a comment on Anna Schwanewilms - we went to the Saturday performance of Figaro, and they did make an announcement that she would be singing despite bronchitis. She definitely struggled a bit, but got a pretty good ovation for her effort.

[Shelley]

I've only just gotten around to listening to the episode - great job guys, I can't believe I waited this long! I loved all of the the personal favorites, but I particularly want to thank Doug for the beautiful recording (and his lovely introduction). I don't listen to much Baroque opera, but all of the talk about it on the show has definitely led me to explore it a bit more.