Stemme’s out tonight
OperaAusrine Stundyte will sing Elektra tonight again at Covent Garden, in place of the indisposed Swede.
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I hate to say this, but I think I’m quite relieved. I saw Nina Stemme struggling on the opening night and am going again tonight. You can’t enjoy a show if you are worrying whether a singer will make it to the end.
Yes, you can – in a strange kind of way though. I once heard Nadja Michael as Brunnhilde in Twilight. It was so grotesque that we took bets in the first interval if she’d make it or call it a day…
I was at the dress rehearsal and thought Stemme was great from my seat halfway up in the Amphi and it’s been fascinating to read completely opposed opinions about her performance that night!
Um, the dress rehearsal was not at night, it was at 11.30am in the morning, Michael, so your opinion is… somewhat tainted?
I was originally making comments relating to both performances, but in making my post more concise I made a mistake: sorry that I “slipped” up, but I stand by my observation that there were very varied reports about Stemme’s performance at both the dress rehearsal, which I attended (at 11:30) and the first night which I did not!
clean your ears or try to hear a recording to learn the opera – she struggled also and she shouldn’t sing it anymore – it was an utter pain at opening night but very polite Brits gave her an ovation
Not sure why you criticise my opinion of the dress rehearsal (which it would seem you did not attend) by commenting on the first night. The point of my post was that there have been very varied views of her performance on both nights.
Even less sure why you felt the need to be so rude about my knowledge of Elektra, opera and singing. As it happens, it’s my “desert island” piece of music/opera/theatre and have seen it dozens of times since the four glorious performances with Nilsson (Monday and Thursday in successive weeks) at Covent Garden in 1972! Perhaps your handle on this site is misleading.
a typical casting of nowadays as Michael never ever had a voice for it
I’m flying to London from the US next Thursday and will see ut on Friday evening. I would be relieved if Stemme doesn’t sing.
Agreed. Sounds similar to the very uncomfortable ROH Tannhäuser last January with a tenor who should have had the sense to stay home.
Stefan Vinke? That was embarrassing. I had to leave after Act 1, it was so bad to hear hi straining and hollering. John Treleaven-bad!
I understand that, but I saw Stundyte last month as Elektra in Vienna and the state of her voice was shocking. She basically spoke on pitch, being barely audible. Nina Stemme earlier last year also had issues but still in a different league altogether.
Last night,18th, Jakubiak and Golinski were outstanding and Stundyte was stunning. The audience rightfully let them know that at the curtain call.