More scrutiny of the 2022-23 lineup. Here are some of the notable omissions:
1 Jonas Kaufmann
2 Asmik Grigorian
3 Bryn Terfel
4 Cecilia Bartoli
5 Elina Garanca
6 Nina Stemme
7 Rene Pape
8 Pretty Yende
Each a leader in his/her Fach.
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What’s the big deal about singing in the U.S. and A?
Was surprised not to see Freddie De Tommasso there yet.
… at the same time the Met unexpectedly offered a really king’s gift to the audience. One of the rarest stars who keeps ( not “is keeping” ) the traditions of “golden days’ opera” yet having the voice of the same rare beauty. I think many from Chicago and Houston will be happy to hear unparalleled Albina Shagimuratova in Idomeneo. Kudos to Peter Gelb for her.
The advertisement does not match the quality of this voice. She hasn’t been so good for several years. An ordinary average singer.
tastes diffEr 😉 apparently I have different ears than you … and that is great 😉
PS can distinguish every single instrument in the orchestra and every single sound she emanates 😉
No big surprise about Bartoli, who has not sung at the Met since 1998. I think she realized that the house was too big for her voice.
She’s terrified of flying, apparently. So once she got past the ‘early career’ stage, she has stayed mainly in Europe.
the yodeling of Norma for instance that has pleased he German/Austrian audience in Salzburg would please the NY public nor the Italian – besides she is passed her time like Terfel and others mentioned here
The MET itself is a monster so let them sing in Europe with its treasures
There were rumours flying at the recent performances of “Peter Grimes” at Wiener Staatsoper that the Met would try to find a spot for Kaufmann to sing some performances of the role in the fall.
Since Terfel was unable to sing a single line without a pronounced wobble throughout the three “Grimes” performances I attended, I believe he needs to rethink his international opera schedule.
Bartoli, who hates flying, hasn’t been to the Met since 1998. With fulltime duties running the Salzburger Pfingstfestspiele (which guarantees her presence a few months later at the summertime Salzburger Festspiele), don’t expect her in staged opera in the US anytime soon.
Stemme (59 on 11 May) is rethinking her career: she has said that she is not sure she will be able to sing the “Ring” scheduled at Wiener Staatsoper in the spring, and her final Brünnhilde may already be behind her. She is currently trying-out the Kostelnička in „Její pastorkyňa“ at Theater an der Wien, and it’s not a good match: the top notes are too much for her, her Czech diction was horrid, but she unleashed a well-formed portals-of-doom bottom range. I fear she is on the road to Klytämnestra and Leokadja Begbick. Erda?
After Oropesa’s ill-fated stab (no pun intended) as “Tosca” at Theater an der Wien – and then jumping into “Lucia di Lammermoor” at Staatsoper – shows a voice in severe disrepair. Uh … she’s on your earlier list for “Rigoletto”.
Angel Blue is also scheduled for some performances as Violetta in “La traviata”.
Lisette Oropesa has never sung Tosca…nor would she. (And her voice is not in disrepair.)
Sorry, sorry, sorry: a stupid mistake: ‘twas Opolais, not Oropesa! And my fading memory and jumbled fingers.
Not only has Oropesa never sung Tosca anywhere, she hasn’t sung Lucia at the Staatsoper either…yet. She is scheduled to (she is not “jumping in”) later this year.
What a ridiculous comment. Have you got her mixed up with someone else or are you maliciously making stuff up?
I doubt your error could be attributed to spell-check (Oropesa/Opolais). Before you spread venom and hit “send”, you should really double-check your work.
Dear Erroneous Bosch: Oropesa has never sung Tosca. And as far as her voice being in disrepair, how do you account for her most recent triumph as Bellini’s Giulietta at La Scala?
Opolais.
Terfel is way past his best days. Hardly a leader in any repertoire
What Fach would that be, in Kaufmann’s case? The Fach of artificially darkened voice, unclear diction, constriction, and inability to sing audible piani? If so I agree.
Bartoli sang last at the Met in 1998. I should think the Met audience has long come to terms with not hearing her in that house. And what’s her Fach? As far as I can tell, her Fach nowadays is personal recital concerts.
Terfel and Stemme are leaders just in their fans’ bubbles.
The biggest is mystery is the Fach in which Pretty Yende is a leader.
The others aren’t leaders either but at least they aren’t embarrassing. And perhaps we should stop ranking singers, opera isn’t sports, it’s performing arts, or so I am told.
And your final thought comes right after ranking/trashing several other distinguished artists? Give me a break.
Bartoli has not appeared at the MET in almost 25 years. What, exactly, is her fach? Obscure operas no one wants to hear?
Yes, obscure operas like [checks notes for her 2022 engagements] “L’Italiana in Algeri,” “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” “La Cenerentola,” and “Il Turco in Italia.” Where did Bartoli even dig these up?!
@DB I wish you had troubled yourself with her 2021 engagements too.
Concert: Mozart Week digital
Concert: Cecilia Bartoli
Concert: Cecilia Bartoli
Concert: Cecilia Bartoli et Les Musiciens du Prince
Concert: Viaggio Italiano
Concert: Viaggio Italiano
Concert: An afternoon at the opera
Concert: Cecilia Bartoli et Les Musiciens du Prince, & Carlo Vistoli
Concert: Cecilia Bartoli
Concert, fundation Gianadda
Concert: Neue Konzertreihe Zürich
Concert: Cecilia Bartoli et Les Musiciens du Prince
Yes, there were also a few performances of Le Comte Ory and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Handel’s Il Trionfo det Tempe e del Disinganno, and a Clemenza di Tito. None of them wildly popular but not perfectly obscure either, with the exception of the Handel.
2020 was much in the same vein.
So yes, what exactly is her Fach nowadays? Cecilia doesn’t have a Fach anymore because she seldom sings entire roles. Her Fach, now, is recital concerts. More gratifying for Cecilia’s bank account AND her fans AND those who aren’t wild on her sewing-machine trill and head ticks. Win-win-win.
Her Fach is whatever she says it is, and in 2022 it’s lots of Rossini. You don’t get to dictate to Bartoli what her Fach is, Mr. Man. And all those “obscure” operas you’re not familiar with like “La Cenerentola” seem to be selling out where they are performed, so clearly lots of people do want to hear them. And if what she is doing is a win-win-win for her and her fans, why are you complaining? It’s amazing you’re complaining about someone you hate who is not singing near you. How miserable and jealous of her bank account can you get. What a pathetic person you are.
Also, I don’t think you know what “Fach” is. Bartolo’s “Fach” has been extremely consistent for almost her entire career.
@DB You seem to conflate James Weiss with myself and with another unspecified Mr. Man. James Weiss is the guy who introduced the obscure operas, I am the person who bothered to check her 2021 and 2020 engagements, not just her 2022 engagements.
Who Mr. Man is is best known to yourself. You have overlooked the third “”win” in win-win-win, it’s not only Bartoli and her fans, it’s also her non-fans, and the third “win” is for them, if you read my previous comment again (or at all), you will hopefully understand. Also, chill, fans going up in arms are an unoriginal nuisance. You don’t know where I live, and have no idea whether Bartoli is singing near me or not, whatever that means, considering that she sings her concerts in various places .
@DB P.S. I know very well what Fach is, but if you can’t recognize irony when you see it, I’m afraid I can’t help. And no, her Fach isn’t what she _says_ it is, it’s what she _sings_ , and, even more important, _how_ she sings it.
P.P.S. She may sing Rossini, but she doesn’t sing Bartolo ️ I’m afraid you won’t understand this joke either but I agree Bartolo’s Fach is consistent, it consists of exactly one role ️️.
*Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno
No idea why the spelling was mangled …
Don’t forget “West Side Story”! Old Maria’s flashback …
Kaufmann is a financial risk, he cancels too often.
Does Jonas Kauffmann cancel a lot? I did not know that. That’s unfortunate.. I wish he wouldn’t sing Wagner’s late operas. Because I think he’s pushing his voice on that rep.
Why no mention of Juan Diego Florez?
Diana Damrau?
Sadly, it is not –but should be — Peter Gelb (and his wife). Wifey just bought her gig as a conductor too….
Gelb’s wife is actually a very good conductor. I saw her performances in Florida, many years ago. I’m sure she has resisted conducting at the Met because some people, like you, for example, will accuse her of sleeping her way up.
Why bother with Kaufmann and Terfel when they’ll just cancel anyway?
Very strange programming at the MET. No Rossini?
Where do Alagna/Kurzac appear in
next season announcement?