Treble plus Aled...

[ardcarp]

...anyone seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EH2nfdChGg

Same treble discovered by ROH. Sad incident reported here: https://www.classicfm.com/artists/ro...-child-singer/

[Serial_Apologist]

...anyone seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EH2nfdChGg

Same treble discovered by ROH. Sad incident reported here: https://www.classicfm.com/artists/ro...-child-singer/

Make that heckler a castrato.

[ardcarp]

[Vox Humana]

...anyone seen this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EH2nfdChGg

Utterly fabulous.

[Keraulophone]

Wonderfully sung by Malakai… far preferable to Domingo & Pavarotti in Vienna (on YT)!

[Benjamin]

Puts to absolute shame the ‘perhaps someone only booed him because his performance was sub-par for the opera’ line. So glad this wee guy is getting his flowers now,

[underthecountertenor]

Puts to absolute shame the ‘perhaps someone only booed him because his performance was sub-par for the opera’ line. So glad this wee guy is getting his flowers now,

A lot to unpick here.

I was at the performance in question, and was in fact sitting four seats away from the person who booed Malakai so shamefully.

I don’t think any inferences or conclusions can be drawn from viewing the O Holy Night film. The soundtrack is a studio recording that has clearly been at least somewhat post-produced with added reverb. In the opera house, Malakai’s voice, though wonderful, was inevitably small for the house, and certainly when compared to the other singers who were of course adults with years of operatic training and experience behind them. He also (unsurprisingly) sounded as if he was affected by first-night nerves in his first entry, though he had got into his stride by the time the booer booed; and his last aria (after the booer had left) was little short of spectacular in its coloratura and virtuosity for one so young.

The booer had already reacted derisively to another aspect of the production (though that disturbance would not have been audible much beyond where I was sitting). He was obviously discontented but also, I think, a rather disturbed individual.

In short, I don’t think it’s possible to say what motivated his unpleasant intervention. The words he used referred only (misguidedly on any view) to the suitability of the voice to an opera. There may have been another motivation lying behind his behaviour, but without knowing the man or having the opportunity to question him this can only be a matter of speculation, surely.

[Cockney Sparrow]

A lot to unpick here.

I was at the performance in question, and was in fact sitting four seats away from the person who booed Malakai so shamefully.

I don’t think any inferences or conclusions can be drawn from viewing the O Holy Night film. The soundtrack is a studio recording that has clearly been at least somewhat post-produced with added reverb. In the opera house, Malakai’s voice, though wonderful, was inevitably small for the house, and certainly when compared to the other singers who were of course adults with years of operatic training and experience behind them. He also (unsurprisingly) sounded as if he was affected by first-night nerves in his first entry, though he had got into his stride by the time the booer booed; and his last aria (after the booer had left) was little short of spectacular in its coloratura and virtuosity for one so young.

The booer had already reacted derisively to another aspect of the production (though that disturbance would not have been audible much beyond where I was sitting). He was obviously discontented but also, I think, a rather disturbed individual.

In short, I don’t think it’s possible to say what motivated his unpleasant intervention. The words he used referred only (misguidedly on any view) to the suitability of the voice to an opera. There may have been another motivation lying behind his behaviour, but without knowing the man or having the opportunity to question him this can only be a matter of speculation, surely.

I was also present that night - but at the very back of the stalls so not(for example) in the far away nether regions of the amphitheatre. I heard, faintly, the interjection, it could have been someone taken ill, etc, but what surprised me was quite strong applause crashing in (at the end of the (short) aria). I thought, "well, he did quite well, but that's a bit over the top......" ; of course in retrosprct that applause was to support Malakai. I agree with everything said here - and also admired the aplomb of Master Bayoh in his continued appearances on stage and the confident delivery of the latter aria.

On a lighter note - his role included circulating amongst the island inhabitants handing out "have you seen this man" fliers in the search for his long lost father. On a subsequent evening, I was finishing a drink in the lobby /cafe area before the Linbury opened (7.45, first Alcina interval) for "Rape of Lucretia" when Oberto, not Malakai that night, moved around handing out fliers!

This is only the second occasion I've witnessed an interjection disturbing an opera (or any other) performance - the first being sustained booing of Lesley Garrett in my early opera going period at ENO in the Elder/Pountney years. It was a Mozart opera, the miscreant was in one of the exit gangways at the side, with a gallery view of the stage, but having made his point he didn't resist and was led away...... Garrett had just continued, and the aria wasn't re-started.

[Ein Heldenleben]

First started going to Covent Garden 50 years ago. There was more booing then than now IMV. Not predictable end of opera booing of the production team but full on mid of opera booing particularly of Colin Davis in Verdi which wasn’t really his cup of tea. Full on booing of Individual singers was and is very rare here, apart from the lamentable panto style booing of Pinkerton , Scarpia etc no matter how well they’ve sung. The quickest booing I ever heard was when one dinner jacketed unfortunate came on to announce Jon Vickers, that nights Tristan, was indisposed . Booing before a note was sounded is a first . Fact is people were a lot more bolshie then. Even the monied middle classes.

[duncan]

A lot to unpick here.

I was at the performance in question, and was in fact sitting four seats away from the person who booed Malakai so shamefully.

I don’t think any inferences or conclusions can be drawn from viewing the O Holy Night film. The soundtrack is a studio recording that has clearly been at least somewhat post-produced with added reverb. In the opera house, Malakai’s voice, though wonderful, was inevitably small for the house, and certainly when compared to the other singers who were of course adults with years of operatic training and experience behind them. He also (unsurprisingly) sounded as if he was affected by first-night nerves in his first entry, though he had got into his stride by the time the booer booed; and his last aria (after the booer had left) was little short of spectacular in its coloratura and virtuosity for one so young.

The booer had already reacted derisively to another aspect of the production (though that disturbance would not have been audible much beyond where I was sitting). He was obviously discontented but also, I think, a rather disturbed individual.

In short, I don’t think it’s possible to say what motivated his unpleasant intervention. The words he used referred only (misguidedly on any view) to the suitability of the voice to an opera. There may have been another motivation lying behind his behaviour, but without knowing the man or having the opportunity to question him this can only be a matter of speculation, surely.

I saw the production, a couple of performances after the first night so we got to hear the lad but not on the night in question. He sang well, without quite the scale, pitch accuracy, or precision of the best female sopranos of course. As UTCT says, his last aria was superbly done and I thought his boyish sound suited the character far more than than a 20 or 30-something woman would have. He also had a lively stage presence, there was a lot happening in the production and he was fully part of the action.

Happily the event, distressing though it may have been at the time, seems to have resulted in opportunities for Malakai which he is metaphorically grabbing with both hands.

[underthecountertenor]

I was also present that night - but at the very back of the stalls so not(for example) in the far away nether regions of the amphitheatre. I heard, faintly, the interjection, it could have been someone taken ill, etc, but what surprised me was quite strong applause crashing in (at the end of the (short) aria). I thought, "well, he did quite well, but that's a bit over the top......" ; of course in retrosprct that applause was to support Malakai. I agree with everything said here - and also admired the aplomb of Master Bayoh in his continued appearances on stage and the confident delivery of the latter aria.

On a lighter note - his role included circulating amongst the island inhabitants handing out "have you seen this man" fliers in the search for his long lost father. On a subsequent evening, I was finishing a drink in the lobby /cafe area before the Linbury opened (7.45, first Alcina interval) for "Rape of Lucretia" when Oberto, not Malakai that night, moved around handing out fliers!

This is only the second occasion I've witnessed an interjection disturbing an opera (or any other) performance - the first being sustained booing of Lesley Garrett in my early opera going period at ENO in the Elder/Pountney years. It was a Mozart opera, the miscreant was in one of the exit gangways at the side, with a gallery view of the stage, but having made his point he didn't resist and was led away...... Garrett had just continued, and the aria wasn't re-started.

Thanks for these observations, CS. Sadly the performance of Rape of Lucretia I had booked (the last in the run) was cancelled because of a Covid outbreak, so I missed it. I’m guessing that a revival is too much to hope for.