Cardiff Young Singer of the World, BBC 4

[Lucia]

It's that time again - total and absolute bliss from 7:30 - 9pm for a whole week - tonight's singers were all splendid, but the Japanese soprano was a joy to watch and listen to and proved a worthy winner of the heat - I loved her choice of arias, but I just long to hear her sing one (any one would do) of the Puccini 'show-stoppers'! :D

Can't wait for tomorrow night's heat - this is what I call a 'reality show'! :catwink:

[Carole]

I have problems convincing the philistine OH that it's worth watching - "what are they singing about? Why can't they sing in english?" :roll:

You can learn so much from this For a start, the expert comments actually come from an expert.

[Lucia]

Laughing - you're so right - I'm very lucky that Graham loves opera too - he said to me last night that Cowell et al should be tied into seats in the front row at Cardiff and forced to listen to bona fide opera singers until they can differentiate between a real tenor and a pub tenor! :hysterical:

He drew the line at Lloyd Webber, though - he reckons that the gargoyle has pinched enough from Mozart, Verdi and Puccini, changed the key and a note or two here and there then presented it as his own without encouraging him! :wink:

I'm right with you about how much can be learned - I know very little about Donizetti and Bellini's work, and the comments of the experts last night were a revelation to me! :D

[jeni]

ahh i was desperate to see this .. i may well have to series link and watch in the privacy of my own time ..

i wish my OH was interested too... Chris you are a lucky lady!

[Lucia]

I know I am, Jeni - it's so great that we both love football, opera, cats and reading (albeit different genres of literature) - the only thing he enjoys that I just can't get into, is jazz.

I think with men, it sometimes just takes one aria to move them to tears to get them into appreciating opera - I remember my friend George being simply blown away by the BBC's choice of 'World Cup 1990' music which, of course, was Pavarotti singing 'Nessun Dorma' - anyway, from being knocked out by that he watched 'The Three Tenors' concert and within a year was as into it as I am! :D

[Mochali]

Sounds wonderful :)

[beejay]

I am recording it - to watch when I get some time on my own!!

[Verdi]

Oo thanks for letting me know... Monty and Mimi and I will cuddle up and watch it.

[Lucia]

I was a bit disappointed tonight - I like that Mary King very much and always value what she has to say, but the bloke (how can he be a world-famous tenor when I've never heard of him) was a total misery and pain in the @rse who had nowt good to say about anybody apart from the 'counter-tenor' and the Israeli soprano, both of whom I disliked intensely. Call me old-fashioned (I prefer the term 'purist'), but I really don't want to hear arias about t*ts emanating from the opera stage!

Mind you, I always hate counter-tenors and that Ukrainian bloke tonight (who they described as a male soprano) irritated the life out of me, screeching away - if men intend to sing in that register, they should wear a frock! :angry:

Speaking of frocks, the Polish soprano ( a dead bore) seemed to have made her own frock by stitching two green satin sacks together and borrowing a black sequined belt from her mother! :eeeek:

I liked the Latvian bass and the Hungarian baritone - I don't think the famous-tenor-who-nobody's-ever-heard-of was very fair to either of them - even a virtual musical ignoramus like me knows that it takes aaaaages for the bass voice to settle into its registers - and the baritone had the pipes and the stage presence - they were just both very young, trying maybe a bit too hard, and, in the case of the baritone, that was the first time he's ever sung with an orchestra! Poor bairns! :(

I shall be rabid if that screecher wins the whole competition!

[Verdi]

you know, I enjoy listening to the music of these TV productions and there was some great repertoire and some good singing BUT these snotty patronising presenters (Mary King excepted) drive me INSANE!

In the real world of professional music, folk speak normally sometimes with a Yorkshire accent even! We don't use received pronunciation (can't spell that and not time to look it up) and don't call each other darling. In fact I have been working in the London Music scene for 10 years + and have never heard of that "famous" tenor or that composer in the trendy? shiney jacket.

No wonder the general public have an "elitist" view of classical music.

Rant over...
liked the Russian Soprano 2 nights ago!

[jeni]

Ah i saw a bit of it last night!! I saw the polish singer.. i couldn't quite make out whether she was real or not? :)
Wasn't keen on her ... not a bad vioce but poor choice i thought.

[Lucia]

you know, I enjoy listening to the music of these TV productions and there was some great repertoire and some good singing BUT these snotty patronising presenters (Mary King excepted) drive me INSANE!

In the real world of professional music, folk speak normally sometimes with a Yorkshire accent even! We don't use received pronunciation (can't spell that and not time to look it up) and don't call each other darling. In fact I have been working in the London Music scene for 10 years + and have never heard of that "famous" tenor or that composer in the trendy? shiney jacket.

No wonder the general public have an "elitist" view of classical music.

Rant over...
liked the Russian Soprano 2 nights ago!

You're so right about the 'snotty' and 'patronising' presenters - they really put people who I feel would really enjoy opera off the genre by implying that you have to be 'ter'bly caltured, dahling' to even begin to understand and enjoy it. Sheer elitist bollox! :angry:

When I was about nineteen years old, my sis and I went on holiday to Lido di Jesolo, and because my (Italian) grandfather had begged us to, we went to see 'La Boheme' at La Fenice - we didn't have much money so we ended up in the 'gods' with all of the Italians, none of whom were dressed up to the nines and some of whom had brought garlicky snacks and vino which they generously shared with us.

We'd heard the 'plum' arias dozens of times when my grandfather played his records to us - but the reality of hearing them and seeing the performers was just - well, it was like being in a beautiful dream - by the time Mimi breathed her last, our whole row of seats was shaking with sobs - I was crying so hard, the chap next to me had to give me his hankie.
It was magical - and for the first time I realised that it was for real, ordinary people like us, not just 'posh' folk!

Anyway, all that aside, I loved the tone of the Russian soprano's voice, but because 'Eugene Onegin' has never really 'spoken' to me in the way Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and (the glorious moments of) Wagner have, I'd need to hear her sing something like Tosca's 'Vissi d'arte' or Aida's 'O patria mia' to know if there's something in the voice which will cause me to have to whip the hankie out! :D

PS: I know Petroc is a pain in the @rse - but I still think it's disgraceful that he gets bumped on to Radio 3 for the final while Huw Edwards and Aled Jones take over the presentation! :(

[Lucia]

'Twas much better last night - there were three who stood out for me.

I loved the 'look' of the Australian mezzo-soprano who was wearing a frock reminiscent of the Wicked Queen in Snow-white, although I was a bit disappointed that having gone all out to look a stunner, she didn't sing Delilah's aria from 'Samson and Delilah' - she sang a Wagner 'song' for her second piece - all I can say is that Wagner must have been really, really depressed when he wrote it.

The Chilean baritone was great - and resisted the temptation to sing 'Largo e factotum' which no other baritone has managed so far this week.

The Welsh soprano was earnest, but instantly forgettable and the American one wasn't much better - there hasn't been a single soprano so far who's managed to make my scalp tingle! :(

Speaking of scalp-tingling, the Czech bass - wow - what a range and what a voice! When the tears sprang to my eyes as he sang the 'Overcoat' song from Boheme, he was my winner of the heat - and amazingly, the jury thought the same thing! :D

Looking forward to tonight when the line up for the final will be announced - I'm really hoping that Ukrainian shrieking counter-tenor won't go through, but I wouldn't bet the house on it! :(

[Verdi]

Yep I agree, I liked the baritone and the Bass (amazing range for a young chap). Thought the welsh girl was just too young but a promising voice. but HATED the American.

[Lucia]

Still no 'tingling' soprano for me - although there was something about the Portuguese girl who sang last which I liked, but I was very interested in what Mary and Rebecca Evans had to say about her - they were terrific tonight, actually Mary King's been terrific all week - she's sooooooo knowledgeable and so down to earth - and although I don't know how old she is, she looks simply fantastic.

Never mind - I loved the bass ( I love almost all basses except the ones who can scarcely croak), but I thought he should have been a baritone - the poor baritone from Andorra looked practically frozen with stage fright - the Irish soprano wasn't nearly as good as she thought she was - I've already mentioned the Portuguese soprano - but - Oh. My. God. The young Italian tenor - he had me from the second phrase of 'Che gelida manina, and by the end of his third aria, I couldn't have cared less what the presenters had to say about him - I 'felt' him in my heart and I'm absolutely convinced we saw the birth of a wondrous voice in Cardiff tonight! :blush:

It's a pity he'll probably fail to win the competition since Petroc (representing the really snobby Opera cognoscenti) is still plugging away for that bliddy screeching counter-tenor - but he's very, very young - he won his heat, his voice won my heart - and I'm sure we'll hear more of Giordano Luca whether he gets the glass dish or not! :D

[Verdi]

The young Italian Tenor is the ONE for me. I like the Russian Sopranos voice but there is a reserve in her and a coldness in her eyes and her Mozart was a bit insecure in places.

Would be very surprised if the counter tenor gets it. We just need another great Italian Tenor... the others are dying off!! Just hope someone looks after him and the exposure isn't too early for his voice.

[Verdi]

I meant to add that Malcolm (OH) is as sure as eggs that Petroc is,and has never been a Tenor, and that he was actually a DJ on Radio 1 !!

Now I'm not sure about it but as Malcolm says how many DJ's with the name Petroc can there be?

[Lucia]

I meant to add that Malcolm (OH) is as sure as eggs that Petroc is,and has never been a Tenor, and that he was actually a DJ on Radio 1 !!

Now I'm not sure about it but as Malcolm says how many DJ's with the name Petroc can there be?

Howling with laughter - I think your Malcolm is playing the same game as my Graham who always affects to believe that Petroc is a thinly-disguised Tony Blackburn, hired by the BBC to save money! :D

I Wiki'd him and found - zip - so I Googled him and found this -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/presenters/petroc_trelawny.shtml

I shouldn't bother reading it through if you're busy today - he might be a tenor in the shower, but there's nothing there about him ever performing in public - in summary, he's a dead bore and the only thing that made me laugh out loud was the claim that he loves the music of Mozart and Britten! Britten! :eeeek:

I'm confused here - I'm just a 'visceral' music-lover, you're the musician, so tell me, please - how can anyone who's heard the celestial perfection of Mozart see anything to approach his genius in the bizarre cacophonies of Britten? As Solomon might say, "I is baffled!"

[Verdi]

thanks for that Chris! It made captivating reading and I will put Malcolm straight.

Now here is an interesting one. Britten is one of my fave composers, bit of a :freak:

however much as I love the symphonic stuff, ( I adore the violin concerto and love the song cycles) I am not very keen on the operas. Will sit and listen to Cosi, Magic flute, Don G. all day. I have played Peter Grimes and Albert Herring, even went to see Albert Herring at Glynebourne (wasn't paying) but left me cold.

[Joanne]

I didn't watch it, but i'm sure the programme came a very poor second to Chris's commentary





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[Lucia]

Laughing - thanks, Joanne! :D

Thanks for the info on Britten's symphonic works - I might give them a listen!

I think I'm so set agin Britten because 'Peter Grimes' is the only opera I've ever sneaked out of and gone home after the first act - and this is from a woman who toughed it out during a (rather impoverished) Romanian production of 'Aida' in which the Grand March was performed by six people - and a dire Opera North production of 'Lohengrin' where the title part was sung by a bloke, who, according to the programme, had 'recently moved up from baritone to tenor' - only he hadn't - he just didn't sing any of the top notes! :eeeek:

[Lucia]

Great Final! :D
I wasn't much struck on Huw Edwards and Aled taking over and trying to 'sex' it up and give it a more 'popularist' slant, but what the hell - at the end of the day it's about the singing, and actually Aled Jones was much better at interacting with the singers than that Josie bint (who?)

First up was the Japanese soprano - I really liked her, but she chose the wrong 'Liu' aria from 'Turandot' - although later in the programme, I realised that the Russian soprano had nabbed the best one, "Signore, ascolta'! If I'd been the Japanese girl, I'd have physically fought the Russian for it, or done a sneaky about turn and sung 'Un bel di' from Madama Butterfly! :wink:

The Italian tenor was next - Giordano Luca - remember the name, because in a few years time, if the voice is nurtured to maturity and barring any vocal disasters, this boy might well be the hottest tenor on the planet.
I bow my head to Mary King's expert opinion that he needs to mature - but - he did it for me! I sobbed like a broken-hearted child during his 'Una furtiva lagrima' - so much so that the hubba, passing me a hankie, remarked, "Nothing furtive about those tears, my delight!"
Sarcastic s*d! :roll:
The tears had scarcely dried when they started to flow again in deadly earnest for 'Che gelida manina' - gorgeous - Oh, to hell with it - I adored his whole performance and he might have a way to go (he's only 21), but he sings Puccini like an angel! Bravo, bravissimo, Giordano! :D

The Czech bass was also wonderful - I love basses - but I sort of knew when they mentioned that he'd already won the song prize that he was unlikely to do the double! Pity - but I think we'll see more of him on the world stage - I certainly hope so! :D

Next up - the bliddy counter-tenor from the Ukraine! :roll: I've come to the conclusion that counter-tenors must be like Marmite - you either love 'em or hate 'em! I found his whole programme excruciating, but the audience and the experts who know ten million times more about singing than I do, absolutely adored him - so there you go, you pays your money and you takes your choice! :D

The Russian soprano - a fabulous singer, but a lousy chooser of repertoire in my humble opinion, (apart from nicking the most beautiful, meltingly poignant aria from 'Turandot' which she performed flawlessly) - Margeurite's 'Jewel Song' from 'Faust' isn't one of my faves, and I hate Stravinsky with a deep and abiding passion. Apparently, she sang it in English - news to me - the only words I could make out were 'No news of Tom' at the very beginning! I suppose I have to admit she was excellent, even if a bit 'frosty' for my taste.

Anyway, next the jury all tottered on stage as well as poor old Joan Sutherland who looked very frail, then the chairman bloke with glasses struck up - I thought he was singing more Stravinsky, but it turned out he was speaking Welsh! :blush:

My angel tenor won the audience prize - and, finally, the winner of all the marbles and the crystal fruit bowl for 2009 turned out to be the Russian soprano - hooray - I was convinced it would be the counter-tenor! :clapper:

And that's it for another two years! :(

[Verdi]

Chris, thanks for your wonderful synopsis.

I MISSED IT !! out working and forgot to record it. Glad the Russian soprano won as she was one of my 2 faves from the earlier rounds . the other being the tenor.

Britten- try listening to the Sea Interludes. Imagine the East Anglian mist coming off the sea in the early morning.

I'm a firm believer that you like what you like tho. Malcolm (OH) works for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and he cannot abide Beethoven!!! The orchestra play it all the time!

[Carole]

The Russian had everything you need to be a great opera singer these days - slim, beautiful (stage lighting will love those cheekbones), oh, and she can sing a bit.

Opera really isn't my kind of thing - the gene to appreciate Mozart, like the one to appreciate Harry Potter completely passed me by - but the two that stood out was the soprano - very polished and very finished (to my ear), but then she is 32, and the mini Pavarotti, who I'd like to hear in 10 years time.

I'm lukewarm on Britten. I'm very much an early Vaughan Williams gal meself. I'm also about the only person I know who likes Edward German. I own his penknife and the builder's plans to sound proof his last house (amazing what you can get on eBay!)