Opera and Operatic singing style

[walpurgis]

- clearly not read your signature

Everybody seems to miss that. Fair warning I say!

[ceejaydee]

I enjoy listening to Classic Opera performed by Opera singers - Renée Fleming, Angela Gheorghiu, Diana Damrau, Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna, Juan Diego Flórez and the like. Singers and actors who have performed this type of music within context and therefore have the understanding of the story and libretto to be able to convey the emotion in the musical pieces to an audience be that audibly on a recording or together with the complimentary visuals in a performance.

Just as I am not a fan of 'Greatest Hits' albums in pop & rock I am not a fan of Operatic style albums or 'Highlights & Aria' type albums from singers who have never performed in any kind of opera - I'm thinking here of the likes of Il Divo, Katherine Jenkins, Charlotte Church et al

This is the Coffee Table music listened to by the masses that will buy the current #1 Album and the likes of The Canadian Tenors, Jonathan & Charlotte etc... my Mother would probably like it but what does she know; she turned her nose up at 'The Four Last Songs' album I bought her a couple of years ago performed by the superb Renée Fleming.
Nothing wrong with liking Coffee Table music sung in an operatic style if that is your bag but it really shouldn't be compared to real opera and possibly fits in more with the general easy listening genre rather than proper Easy Listening... Sinatra, Bennett, Peggy Lee etc

I don't question or doubt the genuine talent or ability of these people to sing in some instances but just like listening to Susan Boyle, singing and hitting all the right notes in the right order doesn't make it an enjoyable performance.. It needs and deserves so much more, then and only then does it start to make sense and you can begin to share the emotion conveyed.

Now whilst I like Opera and have been to see a couple with my good Lady I really don't get ballet at all!

[Oldpinkman]

I enjoy listening to Classic Opera performed by Opera singers -...
Just as I am not a fan of 'Greatest Hits' albums in pop & rock I am not a fan of Operatic style albums or 'Highlights & Aria' type albums from singers who have never performed in any kind of opera - I'm thinking here of the likes of Il Divo, Katherine Jenkins, Charlotte Church et al

...

I don't question or doubt the genuine talent or ability of these people to sing in some instances but just like listening to Susan Boyle, singing and hitting all the right notes in the right order doesn't make it an enjoyable performance...

Now whilst I like Opera and have been to see a couple with my good Lady I really don't get ballet at all!

Ah - thank Evans - a bit of class in this place. I broadly agree, although the missus is a huge KJ fan - and can't understand why she isn't on the same bandwagon. About 4 bra sizes and the fact the KJ is a mezzo are some of the reasons, but don't tell her I said so

And my earlier offer to accompany her for Gordon's benefit on "I dreamed a dream" - I call it the Susan Boyle song every time. And every time get "Its the Suzanne Williams song - I sung it first on Bob Monkhouse Opportunity knocks". How the mighty fall. I am not encouraging her to get a moustache to compete with SB. (And having recently listened to "that performance" again - and had wet eyes, it ain't great singing...)

Ballet - I'm sort of with you - but I think its probably our loss, along the lines of my earlier post about acquired tastes. Try the DVD or Blue-ray "Black Swan" if you can borrow it for free - I struggled with it cos it had no obvious plot. Sue ached and cried, cos she had a pushy show-biz Mum pushed her into weekly national singing competitions. My ex mother-in-law once took us, when my daughter was 4, to see "The Nutcracker" - the only ballet I have ever seen live, and whilst I find it hard to understand now, I remember I loved it at the time. Maybe because Rachel did.

Keep enjoying your Opera! And pity the plebs

Richard

[ceejaydee]

Ah - thank Evans - a bit of class in this place.

Steady on there... Not sure that I represent class per se I just have a very wide and varied taste in music

Ballet - I'm sort of with you - but I think its probably our loss, along the lines of my earlier post about acquired tastes. Try the DVD or Blue-ray "Black Swan" if you can borrow it for free - I struggled with it cos it had no obvious plot..........

Oh I agree in terms of being our loss; some of the music written for ballet is delicious but I can't quite get the live performance.
We went to see Romeo & Juliet a couple of years back and I just found it tough going... mind you a poxy uncomfortable seat that was barely big enough didn't help which surprised me as the theatre in Milton Keynes is relatively modern.
The suggestion of 'Black Swan' could be a good one as I don't mind a bit of a Natalie Portman and could quite happily watch her for a couple of hours


So that is Opera and Ballet sorted.... Rocky Horror anyone