Vienna still leads in worst Christmas kitsch

Vienna still leads in worst Christmas kitsch

Orchestras

norman lebrecht

December 17, 2022

I mean, beat this.

It was shown on Austrian television eight years ago, but the bad taste still lingers.

 

Comments

  • Tamino says:

    I’ve seen worse. Much worse.

    • Una says:

      Lucky you! I’ve never seen anything so awful. It’s like a total take-off of opera singers singing pop music with the most atrocious sound and dreadful English.

      • JPlayer says:

        If you think the English is dreadful, you obviously haven’t listened to Ian Bostridge or Mark Padmore singing German Lieder. 😉

  • Adam Stern says:

    >> …the bad taste still lingers.

    Please pass the ipecac.

  • Serge says:

    Jonas Kaufmann can beat this with his “All I want for Christmas”. Easily.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCSKvXs_f9Q&ab_channel=JonasKaufmann-Topic

  • trumpetherald says:

    At least it is better thanBocelli´s wooden,flat toned howling.

  • guest says:

    Well, Christmas as such IS kitsch: all those gaudy Christmas decorations, awful Christmas sweaters, cheesy songs and what not – but once a year we can indulge ourselves in bad taste, can’t we?
    It’s a return to childhood – and who had good taste as a child?

  • Armchair Bard says:

    Kiri & Roberto, eatcha hearts out!

  • Bloom says:

    Groovy.

  • MacroV says:

    You’re right, that’s pretty God-awful. It might even surpass what I’ve long considered the champion:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCE8HCxlDTk

  • Ursula says:

    Love the thick german accent!

  • IntBaritone says:

    wow. that was truly horrid.

  • sonicsinfonia says:

    Well at least they broadcast concerts on Austrian television…

  • Mather Pfeiffenberger says:

    George Michael never had it so good.

  • Martyn says:

    Well thanks for that, scarred for life.

  • William Evans says:

    I thought the singer in the silver gown seemed to be channeling the Swingle Singers in her ‘give it your all’ interpretation.

  • Potpourri says:

    It looks like a skit satirizing opera on Saturday Night Live, an irreverent comedy show in the US. Even the singers were laughing.

  • Rachelle says:

    It reminded me of a pastische by Peter Ustinov

  • Hayne says:

    Vienna’s taste police that night were away at a Christmas party…

  • Rachelle says:

    Watch French and Saunders with Sarah Walker conductor Carl Davis Opera Classics I should be so lucky

  • Dave says:

    The perfect Christmas nightmare. I mean, the screams…

  • MusicBear88 says:

    It brings to mind the French & Saunders sketch (hilarious) where Sarah Walkers sings Kylie Minogue’s “I should be so lucky” with orchestra…

    https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x38nnqc

  • Helen says:

    Christmas should be fun and kitsch! My 5 year old son enjoyed the Viennesse version of Wham! Here is my favourite piece of excellent Christmas kitsch from choral scholars: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FqGfvtJvaSg

  • Herr Stiles says:

    I was there!

    (my wife sang in the choir)

  • Jobim75 says:

    Bad taste is part of life, there wouldn’t be good taste without it…

  • Tom M. says:

    Ghastly.

  • Robert Holmén says:

    I’m reminded of the lecture where Leonard Bernstein plays a recording of an opera singer trying to do an old Negro spiritual.

    I’m also reminded of a concert I attended in Dallas where a young lady with a severe Texas twang and gen-u-ine Country & Western boots was belting out the standards of Gershwin, Kern and Porter.

    People think that pop music doesn’t have style… until the style is missing and then hilarity ensues.

  • Jessica says:

    I’m in the Wiener Singakademie (the choir) and definitely remember that piece. It was probably the kitschiest year ever, and my husband and I still laugh about it each year! I was also afraid that soprano was going to bust right out of the top of her dress, but I digress… I do recommend watching this year’s (2022) when it comes out – I loved singing it, it was such a lovely program, with some fun, maybe slightly kitschy, moments, but mostly just a good Christmas feel throughout!

  • MOST READ TODAY: