Joan Sutherland, RIP

[papeetepatrick]

What about La Scala and Covent Garden or at the Paris Opera? I suppose if you find such things at Glyndebourne, you'll find them anywhere. Thus far, you've mentioned some mainstream houses, but not the very biggest, or so it seems--although Glyndebourne does seem to tip the balance even though it's not a metropolitan house. And Bayreuth? I also wonder if Wagner has anywhere ever been subject to these carnage/sewage treatments. If they'll do it to Mozart, though, I would think it even easier to 'go for it' with Wagner, and even some of the conservative productions have Siegfried and Brunnhilde madly passionate at the end of the 3rd act, as I recall (although quite clothed.)

[kfw]

What about La Scala and Covent Garden or at the Paris Opera?

Tannhäuser: La Scala, Milan, 27th March 2010

It seems the domain of Venus was an early outpost of Cirque du Soleil, only with better music. As Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man circled above their heads, gymnasts ran vertically across the backdrop, naked nymphs wound mid-air in draperies, a tank appeared and we were treated to a water ballet faintly reminiscent of Kiki and her Dolphin at the old MGM Grand in Las Vegas. And over it all loomed a gigantic hand flexing and turning as those naked, shaved dancers performed sex acts that make you question what goes on in the minds, if not the bedrooms, of theatre directors.

[richard53dog]

What about La Scala and Covent Garden or at the Paris Opera? I suppose if you find such things at Glyndebourne, you'll find them anywhere. Thus far, you've mentioned some mainstream houses, but not the very biggest, or so it seems--although Glyndebourne does seem to tip the balance even though it's not a metropolitan house. And Bayreuth? I also wonder if Wagner has anywhere ever been subject to these carnage/sewage treatments. If they'll do it to Mozart, though, I would think it even easier to 'go for it' with Wagner, and even some of the conservative productions have Siegfried and Brunnhilde madly passionate at the end of the 3rd act, as I recall (although quite clothed.)

How about the Salzburg Festival?

Here's some shots of Don Giovanni

http://operachic.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451c83e69e200e553db04118834-500wi

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRv4AnPIcdIBvGzAQTIgdKQkcUiGyGI-7IiKg451cpD7lixobU&t=1&usg=__MUChu7mqPybjdRqDgHsn-5FM0UI=

It's not easy to "rank" opera houses to determine which is the "very biggest" but how about ticket price? I think Salzburg is about the most expensive ticket you can buy. At least for general seating, some house now "package" special premium tickets at astronomical prices, similar to what's done at big stadium events and that skews the "most expensive" threshold.

But Salzburg Festival prices are very, very high.

I think it's pretty clear that a lot of what Sutherland was complaining about is seen quite commonly in European opera productions. And certainly in "mainstream" opera houses.

[papeetepatrick]

What about La Scala and Covent Garden or at the Paris Opera? I suppose if you find such things at Glyndebourne, you'll find them anywhere. Thus far, you've mentioned some mainstream houses, but not the very biggest, or so it seems--although Glyndebourne does seem to tip the balance even though it's not a metropolitan house. And Bayreuth? I also wonder if Wagner has anywhere ever been subject to these carnage/sewage treatments. If they'll do it to Mozart, though, I would think it even easier to 'go for it' with Wagner, and even some of the conservative productions have Siegfried and Brunnhilde madly passionate at the end of the 3rd act, as I recall (although quite clothed.)

How about the Salzburg Festival?

Here's some shots of Don Giovanni

http://operachic.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451c83e69e200e553db04118834-500wi

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRv4AnPIcdIBvGzAQTIgdKQkcUiGyGI-7IiKg451cpD7lixobU&t=1&usg=__MUChu7mqPybjdRqDgHsn-5FM0UI=

It's not easy to "rank" opera houses to determine which is the "very biggest" but how about ticket price? I think Salzburg is about the most expensive ticket you can buy. At least for general seating, some house now "package" special premium tickets at astronomical prices, similar to what's done at big stadium events and that skews the "most expensive" threshold.

But Salzburg Festival prices are very, very high.

I think it's pretty clear that a lot of what Sutherland was complaining about is seen quite commonly in European opera productions. And certainly in "mainstream" opera houses.

Richard, I was asking a question, not trying to argue further about the Sutherland comments--I frankly don't care what she thinks about these matters beyond noting how archaic I find her attitudes--she's not supposed to be a great thinker, that doesn't always happen with artists. I know that you know more about opera than I do, and the information has been interesting; I didn't know a lot of it. Maybe somebody else will answer this regarding the specific houses I was asking about. I assume you meant that those were conservative too.

Those stills of the Salzburg Don Giovanni don't bother me at all, in fact they don't seem at at all stupid as some of the others, like the men on the toilets--although they do look sort of 'metrosexual-friendly'--but they make sense in the context of 'Don Giovanni'.

[Mashinka]

Sutherland refers to the ugliness of a version of Trovatore and I can remember a production at Covent Garden some twenty years ago that was visually bizarre with almost all the action taking place on a kind of mountain side with almost no flat surfaces resulting in all but one of the cast unable to keep their feet. They tripped over their swords, cloaks and hems of dresses or just the wretched set: so ugly and ridiculous in concept.

I miss the sumptuous productions of the past that drew you into their world with their attention to detail and historical accuracy. Frankly I'm getting tired of the minimalism and anachronisms and downright ugliness that are such a feature of much present day opera going. Before long I'll give up opera going and just buy CD's.

[papeetepatrick]

....that "the world ain't what it used to be" hits most of us sooner or later.

I have to agree with you bart. I haven't fallen in this trap yet (at least I hope not), but my age is rapidly getting to the level where I am at least susceptible .

I've often wondered why older people seem to indulge in this "the world ain't what it used to be" or "the younger generation has no respect" type of world view. It seems a pretty common occurrence. Fear of loss of control perhaps? Hindsight only remembers the good stuff? I'm going to try to resist this particular pitfall in the coming years. Wish me luck!

I did this in reverse, was 'old-fogey' when young, and now am enjoying a kind of controlled-hysteria older-youth number. Nice work if you can get it, but not necessarily a bed of roses either. I think it's only a year now that I've started getting more tolerant of youth-culture--even cellphone poseurs don't bother me as much as they used to.

[dirac]

Sutherland refers to the ugliness of a version of Trovatore and I can remember a production at Covent Garden some twenty years ago that was visually bizarre with almost all the action taking place on a kind of mountain side with almost no flat surfaces resulting in all but one of the cast unable to keep their feet. They tripped over their swords, cloaks and hems of dresses or just the wretched set: so ugly and ridiculous in concept.

I miss the sumptuous productions of the past that drew you into their world with their attention to detail and historical accuracy. Frankly I'm getting tired of the minimalism and anachronisms and downright ugliness that are such a feature of much present day opera going. Before long I'll give up opera going and just buy CD's.

The productions sounds charming....

Sutherland may never have become "Sutherland" with the guidance and prodding of her husband. But similarly, I wonder if Marilyn Horne would have ever become "Marilyn Horne" without Joan Sutherland.

Yes, I can picture Sutherland becoming the really good house soprano at Covent Garden without Bonynge. But she did a great deal for him, too. A nice double interview from 1985.

BD: Is there anywhere today that a person can do their career like you did - stay seven years at Covent Garden doing lots of big and small roles?

JS: I don't know that there really is. The Australian Opera was like that to a certain extent.

RB: There are houses, more in Europe than here, where you can actually sit for months at a time. It's hard in America because the only house that plays all the year round is the Metropolitan, but they are a company which is made up principally of guest artists who come in and out. And a major company like the Met is not where you should learn.

JS: It's the same at Covent Garden. When I went there, it was a basic company and some guest artists. There were four or five sopranos who sang and covered everything. They had guest artists to sing a majority of roles, but that company core learned everything.

[papeetepatrick]

This is close to perfection. I don't know if she'd be my favourite Violetta in the whole opera, but out of context and sung alone, it's hard to imagine any improvement. I think this sounds as superb as anything I ever heard her do--and to think that it's 1965. Just glorious. Not to mention that this piece never gets old, no matter how famous it is!

[bart]

Wonderful, Patrick! Thank you.

This afternoon I turned on the car radio to catch as much of Fresh Air as I could. It happened that Lloyd Schwartz was just beginning his own tribute to Sutherland. Schwartz, like me, was at that wonderful Boston Opera Semiramide long ago.

The subjective experience -- including such things as the effect that an artist has had on you at a particular time of your life -- is so important. I can't think of Sutherland without smiling ... and tearing up a tiny bit. It happened this afternoon listening along with Schwartz.

You can click the audio selections: "Let the Bright Seraphim," from Samson, and Son Virgin Vezzosa," from Puritani. If there had been time for "Bel Raggio Lusinghier," from Semiramide, it would have been even nicer.

http://www.npr.org/t...oryId=130512423

There's a beautiful photo, with Sutherland glamourous and glowing, taken at the time of her 1961 Met debut.

[richard53dog]

This afternoon I turned on the car radio to catch as much of Fresh Air as I could. It happened that Lloyd Schwartz was just beginning his own tribute to Sutherland. Schwartz, like me, was at that wonderful Boston Opera Semiramide long ago.

The subjective experience -- including such things as the effect that an artist has had on you at a particular time of your life -- is so important. I can't think of Sutherland without smiling ... and tearing up a tiny bit. It happened this afternoon listening along with Schwartz.

Ah, this can become habit forming....

My favorite of all the recordings Decca released with Sutherland was a 2LP recital set called French Opera Gala (in the US.... in England it was called something similar)

This was made around 1970, the end of Sutherland's absolute peak, although she sang very well into the late 70s.

She still has almost all the dazzling quality that made her famous but in this set she sounded like she was just really enjoying herself. It was mid 19th French opera and operetta; Thomas, Meyerbeer, Gounod, Auber, Offenbach, and so forth.

Very effervescent stuff and sung with a great deal of charm and wit.

Here's one of my favorites from the set, a little ditty from Offenbach's Robinson Crusoe.

It's a fun little tune and Sutherland sings it with a lot of panache, but listen to the swell she makes @2:55 and then how she completes the cadenza when by rights her breath should have given out.

This whole set was just wonderful and I love to remember her this way, she was a charming lady with a great sense of humor in addition to having a dazzling voice.

[papeetepatrick]

Those were all good, spectacular. I heard 'Semiramide' on Classic Arts Showcase a few years ago, yes, that is wonderful too. Of these just posted after 'Sempre Libera', the Offenbach is the most impressive to me, and her technique in a certain virtuosic way is incomparable, as well as it's a beautiful sound. But I do prefer Kiri's 'Let the Bright Seraphim' as she sang it 29 years ago (!!!) in the wedding of Charles and Diana--the sound of the voice itself was richer (she was still at the height of her vocal powers), and she rose to the occasion (by staying alone at the Savoy for a couple of days.) That's not to find any fault with Sutherland's, though. I read something in one of the obits about her 'Turandot', and I can easily imagine her being majestic as CHINESE PRINCESS (she already had the hair almost naturally the way it was styled), although I am not a big fan of 'Turandot'. I also liked the Tomassini's article called her 'flawless soprano', because she certainly sometimes was (someone on a blog who likes music and opera a great deal put a 1960, I think, youtube of Alcina, but that had lots of pitch problems, possibly not fully polished at that early date. These are totally absent from these we've posted here, which is why I got so knocked out by the 'Sempre Libera'.)

[kfw]

Former Washington Post classical music critic Tim Page talked about Sutherland to NPR.

Page's praise is generous. He says there has been no singer who comes close to Sutherland, either before or after her.

"I can't think of anyone I've heard live in my lifetime," Page says, "who combined the strength, agility and the ability to do these amazingly florid, almost super-human soprano turns."

But his criticisms are sharp.

"I couldn't stand the fact that she enunciated as if she were on Novocaine," he says. "You could hardly understand what she was singing most a lot of the time."

An old criticism, from what I've read.

[bart]

Tim Page: "I couldn't stand the fact that she enunciated as if she were on Novocaine," he says. "You could hardly understand what she was singing most a lot of the time."

One of the worse examples of this is on the Offenbach clip posted above. It is impossible to recognize moe than a couple French word in that number.. A classic example of what used to be called "Sutherland mush."

Enunciation was much discusssed during Sutherland's career. She worked on it, and it could be much better (especially in Italian) than she was given credit for. "Could be." Not "always was."

[dirac]

She did work on it, but Bonynge apparently thought that it was good enough, and he didn't want her to risk compromising her sound production.

[richard53dog]

Her diction was much clearer in the earliest preserved recorded materials from different BBC concerts from the 50s. The mushiness seemed to be the thickest during the 60s and this was constantly commented on by reviewers.

Then as the 70s wore on, the clouds lifted a bit and her diction was again a little less recessed.

I agree the mostly likely source of the problem was the way she produced her sound. Something that always bothered me a bit as well as the limited range of dynamics she used, she did very little really quiet singing. But again her way of producing her sound seems pretty complicated and it may have made it impossible to do a lot of really soft singing.

Here'a an early example I found on youtube. I think is is about 1960, I looked for something earlier but couldn't find anything.

It seems to me here that her voice is more streamlined sounding in this clip not only is there less of the mushiness, but the singing is a bit less "droopy", another persistent comment on her singing.

I can make out a reasonable amount of the Italian here, her diction is clearer than it was later, but her pronunciation unfortunately doesn't sound very accurate!

[papeetepatrick]

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2010/oct/22/la-stupendissima/