OperaNow! #227: Parpignol (Needs To Go Cafe To Cafe To Let Them Know...)

Is NYCO on the way back?...Anna Netrebko steps in it...The Opera News awards are back!...New roof for Tri-Cities Opera...Opera gets undressed.

It's Christmas Eve in Oliver's Corner. Quick, add these two bills together.  The gentleman who was with me will pay.

Plus Guess Who Died?

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

Comments

[zach]

An Opera News should really go to someone who is currently making opera news, like Radvanovsky. It should not be a lifetime achievement award to go to a soprano whose career is over or otherwise has not sung in decades. Someone like Grace Bumbry, who was recently honored by The Kennedy Center (2009) really doesn't need it.

[Mazer]

I thought that it went to whomever's publicist applied the most pressure...

[bobo]

La Boheme tenor excerpts for comparison from ACT 2 were interesting. Thanks for having each singer completely sing the excerpt and not making a mess of three singers doing part of an aria and patching it all together (like you did for "Che gelida manina") which was unbearable to listen to. Oliver, Stop Doing That.....please!
Also, thanks for identifying the singers at the end of the segment, instead of the guessing game with answers on the website. The podcast grinds to a stop if everyone has to go to the website to identify the singers.
I am curious why the hosts/guests on the podcast seem to have so little to say about the Oliver's Corner segments when they are asked for an opinion....you need to put a ban on "Oliver, I think you covered it all." Please get some opinions and discussion going about the singers; enough with all the time wasted with the junior high school quality japes and jives(we graduated). I vote for more singing & more talk about the singing.

[gianmarco]

Agreed bobo! I've mentioned this before as well - it would be sooo great to have a bit more input when Oliver asks for it, especially when there are singers on the panel. I'm really hoping for some interesting commentary for your all-Marcello episode when I'm sure Michael Mayes will have lots to contribute. I get the impression he might view this role as a sort of necessary evil but it would be cool to know - is it a difficult sing? Is there anything gratifying about it (given no arias) etc. I actually don't mind waiting to hear the identity of singers chosen for Oliver's examples. In fact, since I'm usually listening to the podcast on my bike commute, so I'm often struggling to turn then damn iPhone off if Oliver starts revealing names too soon as I enjoy the chance to figure it out myself.
As for your Musettas:
1. Kiri te Kanawa
2. Anna Moffo
3. really, no clue at all
Not sure I agree that Kiri's diction is so much inferior to Moffo's. Maybe on a non-condensed recording, that point is clearer but I didn't detect it as much. I know it's fashionable to criticize our Kiri for perhaps not having the most incisive words, but in this example I thought she did pretty well.
Thanks for continuing to provide us with so many hours of fun guys and gals.