Renee Fleming in Manon

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 4:49pm

Seeing it tonight. Peter Davis in New York magazine said:

"What a relief to hear Renée Fleming sounding something like the singer she was a decade ago, before superstardom arrived and “The Beautiful Voice,” “America’s Soprano of Choice,” and all the other silly promotional labels were glued onto her. Her deluxe instrument is right now at its ripest maturity (savor the moment—it never lasts long enough): an easily produced, warmly vibrant, smoothly textured voice responsive to anything she cares to ask from it. Most of the annoying cooing mannerisms, glottal exaggerations, pitch bending, and annoying rubato excesses that have disfigured her singing lately have been toned down for the current Manons, and her most musical instincts come to the fore. With Marcelo Álvarez as an elegantly considerate Des Grieux for her duet partner, Fleming takes her place as one of the Met’s great Manons, in face, figure, and charm of manner as well as vocal distinction."

Anyone see it?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 4:56pm

Well...

Having caught Act Three and Four (ran from rehersals - so I missed Act One and Two) it was indeed "nice" to hear La Fleming singing without her usual sassy bag o'tricks...the french seemed foward in sound....the style was indeed idiomatic ....the acting, well thought out..

However, either, she was using 65% of the voice she normally has OR she has lost 35% of her overall sound...(a frightening thought)

The high notes had no ping, no heft, and did not carry and the middle (her calling card) seemed to be handled very, very cautiously...

yet, still, a better performance by her than I've heard in at least two seasons...

What is this really saying though..

I'm a Millo guy myself! She may not always have the notes, she may not always be intune but my GOD, there is her blood left on the stage when she leaves..

Fleming just leaves cold cream....
Updated On: 10/7/05 at 04:56 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 5:23pm

Don't hold back, VA. Just say what's on your mind.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/7/05 at 11:53pm

Do I ever hold back? Not when it comes to Ms. Fleming and her supposed greatness...

I'll say this - I went to a Carnegie Hall recital in 2001 by her that was outstanding in every way including a "thrown in" version of Casta Diva that was astonishing...

but then she got even worse with her vocal glitches - no Handel should NOT sound like that nor should Joni Mitchell....she adapts the material not to her voice but to her mannerisims...

Imagine Bette Davis playing Lady Macbeth,.... as Bette Davis - and thus - you have Ms. Flemning....

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 12:40am

Careful, tiger. You're losing credibility.

Anyway, she was great tonight. But what a slut that Manon is! Girlfriend wants EVERYONE to have sex with her!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 1:14am

OMG Joey I thought you were talking to yourself and then I remembered the blessed Ignore User function.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 1:26am

Don't worry. Voiceanth was just being bitchy about a diva.

Updated On: 10/8/05 at 01:26 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 1:29am

Personally, I couldn't care less.

Glad you had a good time at the opera.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 9:18am

Is so nice to see Namo is still as obvious, as well, an elephant in the room..

Not being bitchy - just giving my thoughts..

As I said, I'm a Millo fan and people loathe her and never find anything in her performances to praise...

I praised Fleming just noted what my ears heard in the dress circle...and Joey, where once I was a lone dissenter, there is now an army...Miss. Fleming has sung strangley, one too many time (note: The Opening of NYP, where she did hip hop dance movements to "Let the bright seraphim" and as one person put it "sexed it up"

Sexed up ?? Let the bright Seraphim????

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 9:20am

An army?

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 9:25am

When I used to say:

"Hey does anyone here the bad diction, or the scooping or the weird attacks, or the swooning or mooning or the lack of any tempermant".

It seeemed as if I was talikng of a sacred Inca Goddess who could do nothing but let out vocal drops of whipped cream..

Now, people (as evidenced by Peter G. Davis) hear the abnormalities and are mentiong it..and prasing her when she drops them..

Look, her beloved teacher used to tell her "Renee, for god's sake, just SING it"...once she died, things got REAL bad.....
Updated On: 10/8/05 at 09:25 AM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 9:30am

Are you saying that after she killed her singing teacher, things got so bad they had to call out the Army?

Wow. I had no idea.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 9:34am

That is EXACTLEY what I AM saying!!!

!!!!!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 12:18pm

Saw her do the role several years ago and she was absolutely stunning. I felt she was sheer perfection in the part. Note, however, that this was "several years ago".

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 5:05pm

Opera has to be the last blood sport left. It aint safe for anyone. On or off the stage.

[BoxFive]

Posted: 10/8/05 at 11:57pm

I found her to be quite able and sometimes magical. The entire production was superb, my husband adored it.

Little voiceanth seems to have it out for her, has there ever been such a bitchy queen when it comes to operatic opinions? I mean has it ever sung opera? Has it ever "hit" all the notes itself?

I DO however quite enjoy the new avatar, he looks like Gollum at the Shire, and my GOD those eyebrows! Milo O'Shea aint got nuttin' on that aging opera hag gnome!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 10/9/05 at 12:36am

Oh my dear bo five - I am thrilled you went to Manon of ALL the operas one would choose ....so unusual a choice?

What was your favorite moment the night you went?- what was your favorite part?

Can you spell it out - in french! ?? Do you know who wrote this opera? What was his real masterpiece? Iguess in the age of the internet that should bean easy one...

Right!

Your dealing with opera people here and its hard to hoodwink us unlike lies told to broadway dopes or dupes...I mean if you don't know if the aria ended on a C or an out of tune D flat - well it pretty much gives it all away!

You DO know most opera reviewers have never sung a note of it (unlike myself) yet give their opinions at will..Some have never even taken a lesson or know how to sight read (I did ! I have).

AS I stated, I came from some sort of run through - so that just may concern singing - real - not made up!

Your short and totally unbelieveable review proves that the only french you would know concerns fries..

As for my looks,(and YOUR photo is where??) I agree, so horrid.... yet people always seem to want to meet me..or know me or buy me a drink - I guess they take pity on me!!

Real ones too! Not made up ones..

Well, If you do post a photo just try not to SMILE in any of them.... it will make matters even worse than they already are..



Updated On: 10/9/05 at 12:36 AM