You'll be wanting to know that Gramophone gave its opera recording of the year nod to, well, apparently Rossini wrote something called Matilda di Shabran. Seriously, does someone sit around making up new bel canto operas by the formula [Girl] di [Place] knowing nobody will say, "hey, that's not an actual Rossini opera!"? Next year's race, I predict, will be a tight one between a historically informed reading of Shaniqua di Gowanus and a remaster of recently unearthed reel-to-reels featuring the hit of Glyndebourne's 1956 season, Amy di Plano, Texas starring Blanche Thebom in the role of Plano, Texas. (A revival is planned with Susan Graham in mind, a little bird tells me.)
Also awarded a little soccer trophy: Keilberth's Gotterdammerung on Testament. This award was given with a shrug of uncertainty, as several judges opted to make house payments instead of forking over for this recording, whose price tag is apparently not intended as comedy. Me, I ripped the Knappertsbusch from the public library, and I'm feeling fine about that decision.
Various other pieces of plastic were deemed more worth having than yet other pieces of plastic, and appeared pleased at the news.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
My favourite Girl di Place opera (though it's Donizetti rather than Rossini) is and shall probably remain Emilia di Liverpool.
Regarding "Maria di Shabran. Too bad Maury is not better informed. It was one of Rossini's big Naples operas and is not a rehash of anything. Juan Diego Florez mad his debut at Pesaro in it, after learning the fiendish role in just a few days. So it is indeed an actual Rossini opera, is a wonderful composition, and it will be at Covent Garden in 2009! And the recording has received wonderful reviews everywhere.
jlc: Was it not somewhat clear that I was making a joke about it not being a real Rossini opera? Maybe it wasn't funny, but I'm not big on being condescended to, so peddle it elsewhere, pal.
Frankly, I'd pay good money to see a Donizetti treatment of Shaniqua di Gowanus.
I'm sure it would include the big aria, "Oh, no, you di'int," and a rousing female sextet, "You leave my man alone."
Don't forget the brilliant tenor aria, "Know wha' I'm sayin'?" sung by Shaniqua's baby daddy, Tercel. When Tercel rises to the high C on the word "aight?!?" it always brings down the house.
to Anonymous Soprano:
"You leave my man alone" - who composed this sextet?
Post a Comment