Glyndebourne loses its resident star
OperaThe soprano Danielle Deniese has pulled out of the leading role of Blanche in this summer’s production of Poulenc’s Dialogue des Carmelites.
Deniese is married to the Glyndebourne owner Gus Christie.
Glyndebourne told slippeddisc.com: ‘Danni has withdrawn from the production owing to a conflicting engagement.’
So that’s all right, then.
Her replacement is Sally Matthews.
* de Niese
**de bee’s Niese
That‘s surprising.
Beyond the issue of it being her husband’s company, how does one get a “conflicting engagement.” She puts the date on the calendar and then realizes it overlaps another engagement? Don’t they have an intern to keep track of these things?
Intern? I’ve heard them called many things from leeches downwards but never interns. In polite musical society, they are generally known as agents or managers and they take a large commission. They have been known to encourage artists to duck out of one contract if a better one appears. This though seems a bit odd in these particular circumstances. Something doesn’t smell quite right here.
It’s always easier to blame an underling for mistakes…or to make excuses. Agents and managers learn to duck responsibility early in their careers, if they want a career. Underlings are expendable.
But in this case, given the association (it isn’t exactly nepotism since Ms. DeNiese is qualified), I agree, it doesn’t smell right.
There is not need for conspiracy thinking as this is a standard response to only one situation:-
«I received a better offer»
We without doubt will need to wait and see what it is.
Headline made it sound like she was leaving the company. Clickbait.
Perhaps she saw what Kosky’s Concept was and couldn’t face all the tap dancing that he had planned
She should only be so lucky to be in a Kosky production.
and the jazz hands.
Some facts
1. Daniele de Niese has never been frightened of dancing on stage.
2. Sally Matthews management is Owl Artist Management of London.
3. Sally Matthews has worked at Glyndebourne many times, most recently as Rusalka.
4. Sally Matthews has sung Blanche in Carmelites at Covent Garden and at the Bayerische Staatsoper.
In short, having tickets for a performance of Carmelites at Glyndebourne this year, I look forward to the performance.
Toi Toi Toi to Sally Matthews.
Wonderful singer. Saw her in “Rodelinda” over a decade ago in Vienna and she can act as well as sing magnificently!! She’d be in demand and that means choices for her.
Sally Matthews is superb.
Where else does she sing nowadays?
Covent Garden and ENO recently, Boston next.
A serious question. I’ve heard or only once or twice. How good is she really as a singer? I know she is a “star.”