Police kick down opera singer’s door after reports of ‘terrifying screams’

Police kick down opera singer’s door after reports of ‘terrifying screams’

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norman lebrecht

January 28, 2016

Amsterdam police forced their way into an opera singer’s apartment after complaints from neighbours of a possible assault. The male singer, unnamed, was found singing along in headphones to a recording.

The incident on Tuesday, in the Zuid-Buitenveldert district of the city, was reported by the police with a photo on their Facebook page.

The singer was not named.

Perhaps he’d like to out himself on Slipped Disc? No pressure. Could happen to any of us.

amsterdam police break down

Police report:

Nachtelijke nachtegaal !

Dinsdag 26 januari 2016, nog vroeg in de nacht, kregen de collega’s een melding van huiselijk geweld. De melder hoort een angstaanjagend gegil uit de woning. Ter plaatse horen de collega’s ook gegil uit de woning en trappen de deur in. Op dat moment komt de bewoner naar de deur. Hij blijkt alleen in de woning te zijn. De bewoner was lekker muziek aan het luisteren met een koptelefoon op en was mee aan het zingen met een opera. Zowel de collega’s als de melders (bezorgde buren) en de bewoner hebben erg om het voorval kunnen lachen. Uiteraard is de bewoner verwezen naar juridische zaken.

Comments

  • Dave T says:

    Had the same response to the van Zweden announcement, too.
    [Someone had to say it]

  • John Borstlap says:

    The opera in question was a contemporary Dutch composition, subsidized by the Fund for the Performing Arts.

  • John de Jong says:

    in the report, nowhere is indicated that the person in question was an actual opera singer.
    It was a person who was singing while listening to a recording of an opera.

    • norman lebrecht says:

      Check the UPI report, and some others

      • Max Grimm says:

        It seems there are two definitions of ‘opera singer’ found in connection with this story; 1. any person who sings opera, or 2. a person who is employed and paid to sing opera.
        Be the gentleman a professional or an amateur opera singer, I find the story funny either way.

        • V.Lind says:

          Me, too, but it also has uncomfortable echoes of those ignorant types who, when “explaining” why they “can’t stand opera,” resort to unearthly screeching in exaggerated off-key tuneless sounds. (And these are people who can stand endless techno and dance “music” at loud volume for hours, or think rap is music, or love heavy metal).

          The cop had probably never heard any real opera. Way of the world.

          • Anne63 says:

            Which reminds me of a point I made a short while ago about the lazy way that opera, and classical music generally, is treated in movies and on TV.

            I wouldn’t be too hard on “ignorant types”, I would spread the blame a little. For instance, Wynne Evans and his wretched Gocompare TV ads do a lot a of damage by promoting a ridiculous stereotype, in my opinion. It’s the only source of information some people have.

          • Max Grimm says:

            That’s a good point, Anne. The level at which mostly silly but some grievous stereotypes are formed and perpetuated particularly by the media, television and certain films, is shameful.

  • Alan Lu says:

    I am sure this guy was not as bad as Florence Foster Jenkins.

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