OperaNow! #206: Jenny Is On Fire

Maestro Wants Mozart Turned Down...Brokeback Opera Coming Soon to Madrid...J&R Classical Section Shuttered (didn't know it was there)...Anna Netrebko Apparently Skips Out on Elixir Final Dress at The Met...NY Times Critics List Modern Operas They Like...Lesley Garrett Plans Changes on Home in Epworth...Shitty News.

This week the Polar Vortex and Unnamable Indiscretions have resulted in Oliver's Corner examining the beloved American coloratura soprano Roberta Peters  with examples from La Sonnambula, Hamlet, L'Elisir d'Amore, and a song by Debussy.

Plus OPERABUSTERS!

This week features Michael, The OC, Michael Mayes (he's like a bad penny) and Jenny Rivera

Comments

[Molly]

I'm so happy that Mike Mayes has become a regular on the show. Hope he sticks around.

You know, I like a cool, perfect voice like Peters' when it comes to this kind of bel canto rep that requires a great deal of precision. I think that that rep is all about treating the voice like a piccolo, and that's what it should sound like. And as an obsessed voice student, I like hearing that kind of technical perfection. So, I'm with Oliver on this one...until he played the Debussy. Then I could have used some more warmth and drama. I mean, get French with it, you know?

[Arthur]

I enjoyed having both Mike Mayes and Jenny on the show. What a trip in the Way-Back machine: I didn't know J&R Music World still sold CDs, and vividly remember those long boxes to fit the CDs in the LP display cases.

Thanks to Oliver for mentioning the production of Maskarade. We're going to be in Chicago next weekend, and I couldn't muster any enthusiasm for Die Fledermaus at Lyric Opera. A chance to see Nielsen's opera, on the other hand is much more interesting. Back when the Twin Cities had an orchestra, the last director made a big point of programming Nielsen along with other Scandinavian composers, so at least I've heard the overture to the opera.

[zach]

My impression of Roberta Peters is that she was competing with Beverly Sills, not intentionally, but at least to the audience for their attention. Both Sills and Peters were American colorturas and they sang similar roles. Roberta Peters started singing at the Met much earlier than Sills, but she never became a real Diva who commanded Met premieres. On the other hand, Sills had man struggles to deal with in her live and she built a strong technique and international career before ever setting foot on the Met stage. While both Peters and Sills appeared on television, Sills was more memorable and she collaborated with celebrities who weren't opera stars and that gave her move name recognition and appeal. Also, after retiring from singing Sills served as the GM of NYCO and chairman at both the Met and Lincoln Center so she was recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors over 20 years ago. Other opera singers who have been recognized by the Kennedy Center are singers like Joan Sutherland and Leontyne Price was were also remarkable in some way. Roberta Peter's problem is that she is very similar to Sills because she was also an American coloratura soprano, but she was not that remarkable, at least in any way that you can learn from her back story. The Kennedy Center usually doesn't just honor someone because they had good high notes and coloratura -- here has to be something more. I don't want to dispute Roberta Peters had some technical skills, but I will agree with Michael that her voice is a bit dull.

[The OC]

@zach
thanks for your detailed and comprehensive argument against the case for Roberta Peters.

Who does she think she is!?

[Craig]

I usually feel 150% gay most of the time, but wonder if I'm missing a crucial gene when it comes to singers like Roberta Peters. I lean toward Michael and Jenny's opinion: the voice was technically fine but leaves me a little cool. I'm not terribly excited about it, nor about light, high notes for the sake of high notes. If there was some bite (or blood, as Michael calls it), she'd stir passion in me. I do appreciate Oliver's history lesson in singing style and casting from earlier years.

Great to hear Mike Mayes and Jenny again, too!

[Craig]

That final note on Prendi from Elisir was just plain vulgar. Held much too long. She's got great lungs. Confirmed. She should take up swimming, then.

[Anton]

Hi, I've been trying to leave more than one comment on iTunes page but it seems that I can only leave one rating with one comment.

[Michael Rice]

Could be.

[Timothy]

Thanks, Oliver, for introducing me to another interesting singer. While I agree that her voice lacked bite, I will NEVER be disappointed by a voice with such obvious technical prowess. Sure, I'd probably rather hear her singing music requiring less emotional intensity than the Thomas, but until I've seen a video of her performing, I can't pass judgment. She may very well make up for some of her vocal sterility with stage presence. There's a certain excitement that comes when you're listening to singers like Dessay and you know that their larynx could explode at any moment, but it's also incredible to hear a singer who has mastered the other side of the voice and possesses a rock solid technique. It is, of course, even BETTER to listen to singers who can offer both technical security and moments of vocal passion, but if I'm only offered one or the other, I won't be too upset. They just better be fucking rock solid at whatever their primary talent is.

[dave]

I just finished this podcast, and wanted to agree with Michael and Jenny. Roberta Peters is technically proficient and impressive, but there's something cold and a bit of a show-off about her. I appreciate her, but I don't prefer her. I know tastes were different back in the day, but her recording of Rosina with Merrill and Leinsdorf is so over the top, ridiculous ornamentation, the tune gets lost in it. Saw her Donna Anna, must have been 1976 or 78, she behaved herself in that. I was in chorus for a Merry Widow that she did, she and the maestro got into it during rehearsal, and then in performance at the end of Vilja, she did the same thing as in that Elisir but went up a third above the tonic, and held it so long, she could have cooked a pot roast and done her laundry while she held that note. It was impressive in the moment, but in such bad taste and defeated the point of the song. The audience went gaga for it though, so I guess that's what counts..

[dave]

After trashing her Vilja, I should add that I do love her Queen of the Night, both the DG recording and in performance. That's where her technical precision and "no blood" style are a perfect fit for the role (but I like Popp's recording even more). There's a clip from Salzburg with Peters and Lorengar, Popp and Renate Holm were in that cast too.