OperaNow! #154: No Spin Zone

Opera star Katherine Jenkins joins Dancing With The Stars...Lyric Opera Chicago commisions "Bel Canto"...Paul Potts biopic may get a big pop star cast member...Cover Latonia Moore makes Met debut in Aida radio broadcast...Andrea Bocelli immolates and cancels final Romeo et Juliette in Genoa.

Olivers Corner continues with Romeo et Juliette (Act 2) and clips from Fernand Ansseau, Dmitri Smirnov, Jussi Björling, and Jose Carreras. (Plus the mystery singers...get your scorecards).

Plus Guess Who Died?

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

Comments

[Molly]

Funniest episode in a long time, guys. I snorted my coffee when Doug said "two bandaids and a cork." ...And I might have nightmares about Rollando Villazon killing me in my sleep.

[CruzSF]

"Two bandaids and a cork" is definitely a classic. I laughed out loud and long when Doug said that.

Thanks to Oliver for playing the clip from Ansseau. His version was my favorite of all the selections played.

I'm looking for an angle from which to appreciate "Romeo et Juliette." It took me 3 viewings to finish the Met broadcast (on TV, but it first was an HD) with Netrebko and Alagna because it kept putting me to sleep. I can hear that the music is pretty, but it struck me as so boring. Maybe it's the pacing. I certainly don't blame Netrebko or Alagna.

I really liked the interview with Maura and Jenny. I only wished it was longer and even more in-depth. I love these peeks behind the curtain. Could we also hear interviews from some pit musicians about the dynamics of playing while watching the conductor and trying to hear the singing, learning new music, which composers they like, etc. I once attended a class on opera in which musicians fielded questions from us. The instrumentalists that day said that they liked late Puccini and Wagner because of the odd note combinations.

Another great show. Much thanks.

[AaronChicago]

Was SURE the first clip was Pavorrotti and the last clip was Domingo, and thought "Well, come-on, now this is obvious" Doh!

Also as posted on RantnRave. I think Maura is thinking of when a super plummitted into the pit at the Met's War and Peace.

[bracs]

I only got 4 out of 5. I thought Luccioni was D'Arkor on an off-day. Guess it wasn't meant to be.

[Michael Rice]

Heaven and Christmastime be praised!

[Gianmarco]

A little late to the fray as I see there's already another 1 1/2 hours of fun to come this week...Just want to thank Oliver sooo much for featuring R&J which so often gets a bum wrap from the so-called cognoscenti. I heavily concur that perhaps one of the reasons people don't "get it" is the way the music can be massacred by singers who aren't at least a little acquainted with French style. It's funny; the French I think are still very particular about the way their music is sung...at least that's the experience I've had working on some French melodies with native speaking coaches. But, for whatever reason (internationalization of opera in general perhaps), that fastidious attention to lyric diction detail doesn't cross over to operatic singing in French so much anymore. I love the early recordings you played that really demonstrate, even as recently as the mid-twentieth century, that there were still singers out there who cared about these things. I don't know Oliver...just keep carping about it even if people think your being bitchy! Loved the PR discussions as well, and good to hear a new voice on the show (though all the regulars, including Jenny "Malcontent" Rivera were in top form as well).