Cardiff Singer of the World 2015

[Mary Chambers]

As a member of the audience for opera, I think stage presence and the ability to act are absolutely vital. The most marvellous voice in the world isn't much use if it doesn't communicate the character and affect the emotions. I suppose people go to opera for different reasons, though - and as someone once said, some operas are more about singing and some are more about drama.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I really wasn't at all sure that he knew the first thing about acting, and that really is important!

But how many singers who appear in operas do? I'd far rather see a singer motionless on stage with his eyes closed than that risible ham-dram gurning that passes for acting in so many productions.

[LHC]

What worried me about Enkhbat was that his stage presence, in the final at least, was zero-dimesional! He was addressing the Evening Star: did he seem to be singing in any particular direction where it was shining from? No! Most of the time he had his eyes shut - a superb way to fail to draw in an audience.

OK. I think we were told he had learned his arias for the final in a hurry, but such a lack of physical imagination and projection! The same went for the other arias, especially the Ballo one where he was addressing a new enemy (whether in the flesh or his imagination I'd need to check). Did he persuade us that such a figure was vividly present to himself? Not at all.

I really wasn't at all sure that he knew the first thing about acting, and that really is important! (IMHO anyway, unless he's just going to do broadcasts and CDs...)

I thought Enkhbat was more engaged and engaging in his heat than in the final. Carlo Gerard's aria was simply fantastic and nothing in the final came close to that. I think the key difference was that he had sung Gerard on stage so could relate to the dramatic situation, whereas the arias he sang in the final were all new to him, and were thus treated largely as concert arias rather than as dramas.

We should also remember that the other singers are all members of young artist programmes at some of the top opera houses, and have therefore benefited from dramatic and vocal coaching and tuition that, with the best will in the world, won't have been available to someone who has only really sung at the opera house in Ullan Bator. I am sure that, with access to the best technical and dramatic support, his acting can be improved.

[ardcarp]

any suggestions for the identity of the "tattoo of a Beethoven score" apparently on the winner's leg

Your mind should have been on higher things....

[Nick Armstrong]

I'd far rather see a singer motionless on stage with his eyes closed than that risible ham-dram gurning that passes for acting in so many productions.

Same goes for conductors!

[visualnickmos]

lowering the tone somewhat (blame Petroc) - any suggestions for the identity of the "tattoo of a Beethoven score" apparently on the winner's leg ???

Whatever it is, it cannot be the whole score - not even Fur Elise!!!!

PS unless she has a massive leg...

[LeMartinPecheur]

I thought Enkhbat was more engaged and engaging in his heat than in the final. Carlo Gerard's aria was simply fantastic and nothing in the final came close to that. I think the key difference was that he had sung Gerard on stage so could relate to the dramatic situation, whereas the arias he sang in the final were all new to him, and were thus treated largely as concert arias rather than as dramas.

We should also remember that the other singers are all members of young artist programmes at some of the top opera houses, and have therefore benefited from dramatic and vocal coaching and tuition that, with the best will in the world, won't have been available to someone who has only really sung at the opera house in Ullan Bator. I am sure that, with access to the best technical and dramatic support, his acting can be improved.

LHC: I'll certainly be cheering if he comes good and allays all my concerns But I do feel it was a gamble by the jury that may or may not come off...

[Flosshilde]

Whatever it is, it cannot be the whole score - not even Fur Elise!!!!

PS unless she has a massive leg...

Perhaps it goes up one leg & down the other?



Whatever it is, presumably it will be played Legato?