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2009 in review: Classical | Music | The Observer
It was the year of falling singers: Rolando Villazón dropped out to have throat surgery, Plácido Domingo plunged from tenor to baritone, Ana María Martínez fell into the orchestra pit at Glyndebourne, Joyce DiDonato slipped on stage at the Royal Opera House but sang on heroically from a wheelchair. And Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna, once the Posh'n'Becks, now the Katie'n'Pete of opera, fell out of wedded bliss and announced their divorce. The opera stage in 2010 will be a duller if safer place without them.
Thomas Allen's long journey to stardom - Times Online
The 'real Billy Elliott'. Sort of!
My first opera, by those in the know - Times Online
I am gobsmacked that Simon Keenlyside didn't hear an opera til he was in his twenties.
I think I like Sarah Tynan's comment best!
Review of the decade: Classical | Culture | The Guardian
Definitely worth a read, if only for the politics. If you don't notice it, it spells out in big letters that a conservative government will do much to destroy classical music and opera in Britain!
Carsen tells some lavish Tales
Get set for “the greatest opera film ever, filmed in 3D and HD video, featuring 1000 extras, 150 musicians and chorus members from the Paris
Opera, 50 dancers and 20 of the world’s greatest singers.” No kidding. It’s the all-new Tales Of Hoffman, an extravagant film debut for director Robert Carsen.
Rolando, Renee, Bryn.
It should be good!
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Opera’s push into the mainstream
They really do employ idiots in the BBC Entertainment website. Very strange segue from discussing the ROH/ENO marketing strategy to discussing Katherine Jenkins and:
Take That's Gary Barlow is music's latest maestro to embrace the classical cross-over, making soprano Camilla Kerslake his first signing to his own record label Future Records. Her debut album is a mix of genres and includes a classically inspired version of Take That's Rule The World.
'Classically inspired'? What, it's got violins in it. How utterly old-fashioned, retread, heard it all before - there really is nothing new about performing pop songs with an orchestra accompaniment. Zzzzzz
Opera Holland Park
A largely appealing season, especially, for me the 3 F*s. Pelleas I shall avoid with a bargepole, Carmen and Don G I can do without, Don G especially with the dates being in such close proximity to Simon B at ROH.
* Fidelio, Forza, Francesca
Royal Opera House introduces edible food
It does seem too good to be true, but time will tell!
Intermezzo: a small portion of Renee Fleming
I am so glad I didn't go to this Renée concert. although, after her shenanigans at the Barbican a couple of years ago with a first half that consisted of Purcell re-imagined as jazz, and Renée blowing into a piano in a misguided belief that it was a) music and b) what we had paid to see, I really don't care if I never hear this over-rated singer again
BBC - Radio 3 Blog: At last! Radio 3 synchronised opera surtitles ...
I'm a bit out of date with this, but nevertheless it's interesting to read, and presumably will happen again.
Hair Man at the Opera: To the left...to the right...
Useful info about navigating the Wales Millennium Centre eg location of loos, how to get past people who get in the way (Also useful at ROyal Opera House!)
Arts, Briefly - Twice-Injured Soprano - NYTimes.com
We've all had weeks like that. True, I've never had a week where I've managed to kick a mugger and been landed on by a dodgy tenor, but you know.
Does she know these things come in threes?
Tenor - History of a Voice by John Potter
Review by 'Random Jottings of a Book and Opera Lover'
Reality TV - News - ITV bosses 'plan popstar opera show' - Digital Spy
Oh I see, they get to sing arias.
Next show, getting people to kick a few penalties (without a golakeeper) and calling them footballers...
Or getting a few celebs to drive a Vauxhall Nova on a disused RAF field and calling them Grand Prix drivers
Pop star opera show to take on The X Factor? | TV | STV Entertainment
Total joke, I assume. Utter car crash telly waiitng to happen. And having Katherine Kenkins and Russell Watson as judges, and Paul Potts as mentor - as if they have any insight or knowledge to bring to the table.
Give me a panel that includes Tony Pappano, David McVicar, Kiri te Kanawa and Bryn Terfel, then we'll take it seriously. Make the wannabes take on some recitative, some ensemble work, and solo singing against an orchestra. Oh, and put them in front of a live audience and take away their mikes.
I have absolutely no doubt that Will Young is capable of singing Nessun Dorma in tune. But what will that prove? That Will young can hold a tune and has a sweet voice. I think we know that already.
Opera? Is she a chat show host ask Brits ignorant of classical music? - Telegraph
One in four people from Coventry think that Beethoven was a dog rather than a world famous composer and one in 10 people from York thought Mozart was a footballer.
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