Those of you who know me will know that I am definitely not an opera fan. I don't go much on musicals that you need a plot synopsis to understand what is being screeched about. It isn't that I don't acknowledge the years of dedication that it takes to be able to sing that loudly & memorise all those words in Italian or German or what ever, I do. I just don't see the point is all. Everyone criticises Dylan for his lack of diction, but at least he sings in English & if you actually LISTEN to him, you can understand him. Herself on the other hand is an opera buff.. She loves the damn stuff. We have reached an accord where she is free to listen to it as long & as loud as she likes, so long as its while I'm not home. We have reached an accord where she does that, & I listen to some of my more eclectic music under the head phones, generally while she is watching Miami CSI or some other programme that I find particularly mind numbing. You see, the monotone delivery that American actors seem to affect at the moment bores me shitless, But thats a whole other blog post in itself.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, our world renowned opera singer, has caused discord in the Cathouse. You see , I find her comments regarding Hayley Westenra's style of singing extremely offensive. Herself, on the other hand, apparently believes that KTK has a direct link to God & can do no wrong. For the record, Westenra's style of singing doesn't really appeal to me either. Given my druthers, I would rather listen to a bit of down & dirty Joplin, or the dulcet tones of Joan Baez, or even a bit of hard rocking Stevie Nix.
I rate KTK's comments about on a level with kicking a Labrador puppy. Westenra has that "cute " factor that has little old ladies dribbling over her left right & center. OK, so the old Dame may not particularly want to share a stage (read limelight) with her. Maybe she is scared that Westenra may get a better reception than her, I don't know. The whole deal smacks of a large meal of sour grapes & professional jealousy. I mean here's KTK with all these years of training & a huge overseas career, (remember all the denigratory comments re her NZ heritage?) versus a kid from the South Island that was discovered by a country & western singer & has proved to be a huge local success, selling heaps of music.
Dame Kiri is welcome to her opinions, as are we all, but under the circumstances, I think she would have done her public image a lot more good had she just quietly refused the concert without the gratuitous comments. Kind of ironic that the whole deal was rained off anyway. Even Herself, after seeing the shitstorm that the whole deal has created, is starting to grudgingly admit that Kiri has screwed up badly on this occasion. Now THAT really IS something...
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4 comments:
Kiri always was rather arrogant where her talent and fame was concerned, but that seems par for the course for the prima dona nob set she inhabits.
Hayley, on the other hand, has a lovely voice that appeals to a different audience (I generally echo your thoughts on Opera, as you know) but at no point could be called an opera singer - she doesn't have the voice for it.
The trouble with comparing coconuts and bananas is that real comparisons CAN'T be made, so everyone comes off as being a one-eyed idiot without a clue when trying to.
Or something *whistles*
Personally, I can't stand Kiri but, like, who gives a crap anyway? lol
OK, Flattie, being unfamiliar with almost ALL opera singers, I'm completely in the dark with regard to both Dame KTK AND Hayley Westenra. Sounds more like a "soap" opera than anything else.
Although I share your opinion of opera IN GENERAL, there are a few exceptional arias that I don't hate. For example, have you heard of Paul Potts and/or know his story? If not, you might consider giving him a listen. He won "Britain's Got Talent" last year, and is a sensational singer whose humble nature is both charming and endearing.
That said, however, my musical tastes are also more in line with Joplin, Baez and Nicks.
K
Dame Kiri is a local Maori lass who has done exceptionally well in the international world of opera, professional training etc., Hayley Westenra is a local lass discovered by a professional muso who is quite the darling of the Blue Rinse Set. She makes no pretensions as to any operatic abilities & has come out smelling of roses as she has remained silent about the whole deal. Beautiful girl, beautiful nature.. Bad Juju picking on her really..
A quick Google search on Hayley Westenra yielded for me the information that she had toured with Celtic Women recently. Tawny and I saw them in concert two years ago, and they were fabulous! I don't believe, however, that Ms. Westenra was among them at the time.
One of my voice students just saw Celtic Women last week. I'll ask her this week if she had the pleasure of hearing Hayley Westenra.
K
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