Estonia sends opera singer to Eurovision

Estonia sends opera singer to Eurovision

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norman lebrecht

March 08, 2018

The soprano Elina Nechayeva will represent her country at the Eurovision song farce in Lisbon this May.

Imagine what might happen if we organised votes for her in all the different nations…. Can we do it?

On the other hand, I can’t find her listed in any working opera directory, so she may be just another case of the KJs.

Comments

  • Pianofortissimo says:

    This is not the first opera singer to make fool of herself in the “Eurovision song farce.” Malena Ernman did it already in 2009, representing Sweden. Malena’s song did at least make use of her bel canto qualities:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSOGhp2mEQc

    • Nik says:

      Don’t forget Ingvar Wixell, who sang for Sweden in 1965.

      • Davud Hilton says:

        Don’t forget Ingvar Wixell actually WON the Eurovision Song contest. Leading to a decades long ban on opera so here being allowed to compete. Goid to see that that ban is now being lifted.

      • Pianofortissimo says:

        Yes, it’s true.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnyw-QUpUo

        The composer was Dag Wirén, known for “listener-friendly classical” Music as he liked to say (unfortunately mostly very boring, I Think, but I did not go on in exploring his works after listening to a few pieces).

    • Jack says:

      Yeah, Malena Ernman sang way better than this Russian-Estonian girl who is not even a professional artist. Somebody mentioned she sang Giannetta at Estonian National Opera, well, that was an academy’s project, she’s not hired to perform there.

  • Razz Matazz says:

    Opera singers have form for this sort of thing. Who could forget operatic countertenor Florin Cesar Ouatu’s 2013 contribution to this schlockfest?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAetGPjTm0g

  • Nik says:

    Apparently she has sung Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore at the Estonian National Opera.
    It’s a bona fide opera role, but hardly a major one.
    But then she’s only 26 years old.

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