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The Slipped Disc daily comfort zone (174): She’s 60 today

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norman lebrecht

September 05, 2020

Forever Karita,

Comments

Petros Linardos says:

September 6, 2020 at 3:02 am

What a beautiful song! Thank you so much. Wonderfully sung. as one can expect from this great singer.
I cherish my memory of hearing Mattila as a deeply moving Manon Lescaut in 2004.

Leo Doherty says:

September 6, 2020 at 9:29 am

Happy birthday Karita. Her recital this year at Olavinlinna Castle was fantastically excellent.

HugoPreuss says:

September 6, 2020 at 2:17 pm

I saw her years ago as “Salome” at the Met – one of the most memorable performances I’ve ever seen. A stellar vocal performance was met by no less phenomenal acting AND dancing. Not to mention a glistering eroticism she brought to the stage (and I say that as a gay man). At the end of her seven-veil-dance the audience witnessed a split second of full nudity – the ONLY time in my entire opera life when nudity was absolutely necessary on stage, unless you wanted to rob the moment of its logical and dramatical conclusion. All that magic was due to the intensity and artistry of Karita Mattila. Happy birthday.

DeepSouthSenior says:

September 6, 2020 at 4:13 pm

I remember Mattila as Sieglinde in Die Walküre at Houston Grand Opera in 2015 (I think that’s correct). The production cruelly, and unnecessarily IMO, forced her to crawl around on hands and knees for much of the time. I know – symbolism of the unhappy, oppressed woman, blah, blah, blah. Not surprisingly, she overcame the absurd direction and sang wonderfully. I remember thinking at the time as I was nearing 70, “I couldn’t have done that physically for that long in my mid-50’s, not to mention singing and acting, which I can’t do anyway.”