Met Live - Die Frau Ohne Schatten

[Pianorak]

It's not my favourite Strauss opera, but I enjoyed the 1992 ROH production with Paul Frey, Franz Grundheber, Anna Tomowa-Sintow and Gwyneth Jones.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It sounds as if your experienced opera going neighbour wanted more can belto than bel canto.

The tenor was SeokJong Baek who sang the high notes as loudly and accurately as I’ve ever heard them
I wouldn’t have described his voice as Bel Canto but as MJ suggests it’s more of a style and I’m sure he can adjust his voice for the right opera.

[Master Jacques]

All these terms have an ambiguity to them. Shouldn’t all singing be bel canto if taken literally ?
Sat next to a very experienced opera goer the other day who thought the Cavaradossi was too “bel canto,”
I didn’t know what they meant . Too legato or smooth ? .One thing he certainly had an amazing amount of ping in the top notes.

Not really all singing. The Germanic style of voice production resisted bel canto - indeed, it didn't need it, because the verbal diction took care of itself without additional technique. Nor does French opera buy into bel canto, for the same reason - though it can help with late 19th century French opera and opéra comique, it's worse than useless for French opérette.

People these days sadly forget that the essence of bel canto (made clear by its founders, the García family, through Marchesi to the present day) was to let the words take the lead in moulding the vocal production. That is a point many people (including I guess your "experienced opera goer") don't understand about the roots and application of bel canto - it's about allowing the Italian texts to smoothly shape vocal production, to make sure the words come through, not to obscure them.

I'm glad to know that Cavaradossi's squillo was in fine working order!

[Simon B]

The tenor was SeokJong Baek who sang the high notes as loudly and accurately as I’ve ever heard them

This was with Terfel/Romaniw/Baek et al at Covent Garden just recently?

As an ignoramus about the technicalities myself, I wonder if your neighbour essentially meant "doesn't sound enough like the stereotypical Italian Tenor"? There isn't quite the "sob" nor the hint of steel and slightly nasal quality to really closely approximate that. However, I concur entirely with your "as loudly and accurately as I've ever heard" except not just with reference to his high notes. Most of the Cavaradossis in the 25-ish previous live Toscas of my experience were weedy by comparison.

Meanwhile, sort of back on topic, the Royal Opera FrOSch was over 10 years ago? Where does life go?!

My actual abiding memory of that now, aside from the quality of the conducting and orchestral playing of the astonishing score, is that the night I went, Bernard Haitink was in the dignitaries box close to the pit and paying intent attention throughout. Time flies and all that...

[Ein Heldenleben]

This was with Terfel/Romaniw/Baek et al at Covent Garden just recently?

As an ignoramus about the technicalities myself, I wonder if your neighbour essentially meant "doesn't sound enough like the stereotypical Italian Tenor"? There isn't quite the "sob" nor the hint of steel and slightly nasal quality to really closely approximate that. However, I concur entirely with your "as loudly and accurately as I've ever heard" except not just with reference to his high notes. Most of the Cavaradossis in the 25-ish previous live Toscas of my experience were weedy by comparison.

Meanwhile, sort of back on topic, the Royal Opera FrOSch was over 10 years ago? Where does life go?!

My actual abiding memory of that now, aside from the quality of the conducting and orchestral playing of the astonishing score, is that the night I went, Bernard Haitink was in the dignitaries box close to the pit and paying intent attention throughout. Time flies and all that...

Yes the rehearsal thereof. Indeed tenors are a big problem and not just in Puccini. I like Calleja but for some reason ROH don’t book him. Going back many years I saw Domingo in the role at CG . On the A sharp of Vittoria , Vittoria he fell to his knees as if fainting from the torture aftermath . The audience actually gasped as we thought he really was fainting . He then held and held the note . Not so much spinto or squillo as bloodybrillianto . That is live Opera and no other art form comes close for me. The risk taking - stupendous (and a tiny bit hammy)

Indeed all Baek’s notes were spot on.Very impressed with Romaniw - what a lovely voice . Bryn’s voice has worn but he completely dominated the stage. As I said to Mrs H - he looks and sounds so angry and malevolent it’s almost as if he had a big tax demand that morning.The way he kicked her dress away …superb.

I was also very impressed with the conducting and orchestra and above all by the absolutely superlative playing of the ROH principal clarinet in E Lucevan . So much so that post perf I asked a member of the orchestra to pass on my praise.

How indeed time flies. How I wish Strauss was as popular as Puccini . How many more 10 year intervals do we have ?

[Nick Armstrong]

I might try and dip into sections of last night’s relay which don’t feature Ms. Stemme….

I did try but Barak’s wife does keep butting in…

Might have another more targeted attempt… but I might not…

[Ein Heldenleben]

I did try but Barak’s wife does keep butting in…

Might have another more targeted attempt… but I might not…

Theory :
I think people were more tolerant of vibrato before the rise of HIPP vocal singing with its “purer “ singing style. Witness the career of Callas who had a pretty wide vibrato from relatively early on.
And yet how HIPP is vibrato free singing. Some Italian Church choirs I’ve heard still employ vibrato.
It’s very noticeable these days how places like the Royal Opera often go for younger voices in Puccini and Verdi operas . Voices that , although wobble free , sometimes don’t have the heft to fill a large space and over a big orchestra,

[Nick Armstrong]

Theory :
I think people were more tolerant of vibrato before the rise of HIPP vocal singing with its “purer “ singing style. Witness the career of Callas who had a pretty wide vibrato from relatively early on.
And yet how HIPP is vibrato free singing. Some Italian Church choirs I’ve heard still employ vibrato.
It’s very noticeable these days how places like the Royal Opera often go for younger voices in Puccini and Verdi operas . Voices that , although wobble free , sometimes don’t have the heft to fill a large space and over a big orchestra,

It’s why I gave up years ago playing ‘opera roulette’ - paying £100s to have the night ruined by one singer whose presence on the stage set my teeth on edge (and whose imminent return filled the rest of the performance with a lurking dread, even when they weren’t on stage). (All too often there was more than one…)

[Belgrove]

Might have another more targeted attempt… but I might not…

Try the second scene of Act 2, the Emperor’s big solo, which almost compresses the entirety of Siegfried into 15 minutes. It’s preceded by a wonderful orchestral interlude with a ravishing cello solo, beautifully performed here by the Met orchestra. This entire scene is a showcase of Strauss’ talent for gorgeous orchestration, delicately exquisite and awesome power by turns.

[Ein Heldenleben]

It’s why I gave up years ago playing ‘opera roulette’ - paying £100s to have the night ruined by one singer whose presence on the stage set my teeth on edge (and whose imminent return filled the rest of the performance with a lurking dread, even when they weren’t on stage). (All too often there was more than one…)

I think things have moved on. Recent rehearsals of Tosca and La Boheme were , apart from Bryn Terfels ageing voice , a largely wobble free zone . Partly because they now cast younger singers. More of a problem are underpowered singers, There have been many times I’ve been grateful to be in the side stalls rather than the amphitheatre. I can’t remember the last time an excessive vibrato worried me.