OperaNow! #129: The One Without Much Michael

This week Oliver and Jenny take the reigns. 

Richard Lugner shocks the Viennese with his exotic hooker date...Julie Taymor is out from Spider-Man: The (Supposed) Musical...3-D Carmen hits the UK screens; will that and the regular HD productions change the way singers perform?...Angela cancels yet another production...why do they ignore the music when they review opera?...according to Dick Wolf, opera singers drink in uncomfortable places (and I don't mean the back of a volkswagon.)

Oliver's Corner continues his look at audition rep with "Salut! demeure chaste et pure" from Faust. He plays tracks by Georges Thill, Leopold Simoneau, Jonas Kaufmann, Francisco Araiza, Matthew Polenzani, Nicolai Gedda, Jussi Bjorling, and Laurence Dale.

This week features The OC, Doug Dodson, and Jenny Rivera.

Comments

[Devon Estes]

Is Richard Lugner the John Waters of opera? Just trying to disgust the Viennese elites?

[Daniel]

OC, thanks for that amazing tutorial about voix mixte. I'm a die-hard opera fan who is trying to learn the more technical aspects. The examples you gave for the Faust aria were so helpful. Thank you!!! Oh, and I find it helpful to hear crap versions against the good versions so keep it up! Haters gonna hate ;)

[The OC]

Thanks Daniel.
"Crap" versions will become easy to recognize. The point is to tune our ears to the Well-sung and Stylish.
I do feel bad pointing out people's flaws knowing how hard it really is to sing, act, pronounce, and remember all the words and details. It makes those who I champion on this podcast artistic heroes in my mind.
My Detractor makes a good point in that I should use the time to introduce the young singer/neophyte fans to the best. I only wish that I could have faith in the ability of the teachers and opera administrators who may also be listening to recognize style and good technique.

[Josh Quinn]

I must say again that I love this new format of the 'Corner'...and of course I loved when you did full operas as well. As a young singer, this way of tearing apart an aria is so helpful. :) I think people who think that by playing 'bad examples' and 'pointing out flaws' in recordings are just jealous that you are able to actually tell the difference between good and bad singing. It IS SO important to be able to hear the difference. So, people, get a life. We love the OC and the way he does his shit - DO NOT CHANGE! I came to listening to the show late (January of this year) and I've already been through all of the episodes. (yes, I'm kind of a freak) This is the kind of podcast we NEED as singers and opera enthusiasts alike!
Ok, so what's with the hating on Jonas?? His technique is obviously stellar and his musicality as well! Just because he makes a choice to float the C at the end of the aria doesn't make his version 'wrong'...I think there is a fine line between deciding whether a performance is bad just because it doesn't follow all of the strict 'french style guidelines' or because the performer gave his all in the performance. My determining factor is if when I listen to a performance, if I can feel that the performer is giving everything in order for the listener to 'go there' with him/her and feel what the character is saying, even if it means sacrificing stylistic 'guidelines', so be it. That is usually where the thrilling and most moving performances happen. (ok, now I'm rambling)
ANYWAY, I love OperaNow, I love the panelists, I love the OC and the Corner, and I think that I am actually addicted to the show. I have the app on my iPhone and have almost wrecked multiple times from getting so into the episode...could be a problem. :) Anyway, it's a problem I don't mind having. :)

[The OC]

Thanks Josh. If you listen carefully, I only expressed Surprise, not Disdain in my commentary on his final phrases of the aria.
And a larger point I have been making over the years is the Disappearance of Style and Lack of Risk-taking amongst the crop of singers who are on all the rosters of top opera houses. So that makes both Kaufmann and Polenzani particularly unique amongst this generation of tenors for having enough technique and intelligence to do something worth commenting on.

your chinese girlfriend

[Josh Quinn]

That's true. Sorry to have clumped all the panelists into the 'Jonas haters club' lol...I remember you and Jenny love him! ;) .... and you left out 'princess' in your 'title'...;)

[Gianmarco]

Great job hosting Oliver and Jenny! I think one of the things that makes this podcast GREAT is the fact that you guys are not afraid to skirt controvsey, and risk pissing people off. O's Corner could be very neutral, only playing the very finest examples, not pointing out anyone's flaws etc. and...it would be very boring. Sure Oliver says things that are at times a little opinionated but I'd much rather that over most of the commentary and criticism about singing out there. At least Oliver's comments are coming from the viewpoint of knowledge, both as a singer and a very seasoned listener of recordings. Who else bothers with that? I do think Anne Midgette's reviews are some of the best in the media only because she at least tells it like it is most of the time (her silly article on acting in opera notwithstanding!) Finally if I have a vote - do the Romeo aria vs. the Dalila and if you do the former, don't overlook Judith Forst's great rendition - the recording that first brought this aria to my attention.

[Rossana]

Hi Opera Now team! I'm from Honduras, a tiny country in Central America, where as you can imagine there's not much support for art. Still we manage to have a Philarmonic Orchestra and a Musical School and it's these folks love for music and opera what saves people like me from dying of a reggaeton overdose. Enter Carmen in 3D. I mean, obviously it's never the same as watching it live but just to be able to experience the whole thing and not just bits of it is great, especially in my country where I've never seen a whole production being set. So, I think there's value in it, the difussion of opera and the effort to bring it to the mainstream and captivate more people and hopefully make them aware of the "live" options that you can find in your city or country.

Thank you for the love you put into the podcast.

[Katie]

I live in Los Angeles, and every time I read an opera review in the LA Times, the comments on the website say "ummm...but how was the singing"?

I think that the live HD screenings are a really good gateway drug--I'll be more likely to make a point of seeking out local companies to see an opera I liked the screening of, or to catch someone's recital because I saw and liked them on screen. So I wouldn't worry too much about it taking away business, I think it's just going to create more interest.

OC, I don't mind you shaking up the formula, as long as you keep it interesting for yourself! Your passion is what makes it fun to listen to. And as someone who's still newish to opera, I do find it helpful to hear examples that you dislike, because it helps me learn what to listen for.

[zach]

in my opinion, the less reviewers talk about singing the better because in most cases they get it all wrong. they can write pseudo-intellectually about concept productions all they want. when i want to review singing i just listen to a recording of the performance if i wasn't able to attend. for instance, for the metropolitan opera reviews in the new york times people like to complain about tommasini, but nothing he says about singing matters because we have the sirius broadcasts to hear for ourselves. also, if you want honest opinions you can easily go to blogs where instead paid reviewers, you have actual people who attended the performances or listened online giving their real opinion (not fluff) freely.

[Michael]

@Zach But don't you think that the singing should be appraised with the action?