Comments on: Lackluster 6th Episode of America’s Got Talent Except Grandma Lee

By: kitty

kitty — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:00:27 +0000

I also studied in Italy and speak fluent Italian – Italian literature was my minor, but I completed most requirements for the major (my real major was CS). So Italy has always been my love too.

Stevie Cat – if you are really interested in opera, Met has HD broadcasts to movie theaters throughout the year; they are often shown on PBS Great Performances later on. Rossini’s “La Cenerentola” (Cinderella) shall be on PBS Great Performances around August 15th-16th (12pm or 12:30pm) and August 20th (at 9pm), but local date/time may be different in different areas and TV companies. It’s a comic opera and reasonably well suitable for “first time in opera” (La Traviata or Il Barbiere di Sevilla would be more suitable for introduction to opera, but I think this one OK as well). Elina Garanca is Cinderella and an excellent young American tenor Lawrence Brownlee is the prince.

By: John

John — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:42:24 +0000

I’m personally not biased. I’ve never been one that could say I’m country or I’m this that or the other. I like anything that sounds good. doesn’t matter if it fits in some hole. That’s why I think I like POPera singers. They entertain me and that’s all I’m really looking for.

I am biased towards Italy. Lived in Italy for quite a while and speak fluent Italian. I adore it.

By: StevieCat

StevieCat — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:41:15 +0000

Hi, Kitty,
I think John was referring to the POPera singers being fat and ugly…he mentioned they were singing in inappropriate places, such as a reality show I guess. That’s how I took it to mean.

P.S. Thanks for your input on the opera scene. It makes for a very interesting read and is actually educating. Now I don’t feel bad that I thought Neal Boyd shouldn’t have won last year!

By: kitty

kitty — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:35:03 +0000

Agree about the PR. Met is doing quite a lot of it – ads, school trips, discount tickets – which is why the age is down. Most of contemporary opera stars aren’t fat or ugly – Fleming, Netrebko, Gheorghiu, Alagna, Florez, Garanca, Harteros, etc. are not fat at all and most are actually quite good-looking as are the vast majority of today’s stars.

The reason POPera is a pale imitation is that most of POPera singers are not capable of singing opera well. Another is that it removes all drama. Not much expression either. Plus opera is about un-amplified voices and the vast majority of POPera singers wouldn’t be heard beyond the first row.

Oh well… Italy is certainly fun.

By: John

John — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:51:29 +0000

Like I said, Andrea Bocelli does some opera. POPopera sounds about right. I think that’s the future of it.

My personal opinion is that ugly fat people who sing like opera in inappropriate places have given Opera a bad image. Opera needs a bunch of PR work to help dispel the myths.

That said, it’s still my dream to go to La Traviata at the beautiful Teatro di San Carlo with my dear friend Luciano who lives close by. Afterwards, go to the Galleria and enjoy un bel gelato.

Kitty, thanks for the links.

By: kitty

kitty — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:49:21 +0000

John – given how people react to any kind of opera singer on AGT/BGT or other talent shows, I am more optimistic. I think some of the people may have liked opera were they to give it a chance. Also, while small theaters are struggling, Met is doing fine. The average age of audience at the Met came down quite a lot in recent years. Before Gelb (current Met director) came in, the average of audience at the Met was in the 60s. But his various initiatives – HD broadcasts, Times Square broadcasts, etc. did bring young people in. I saw many very young people at the audience last time I was at the Met, and the average age was down. Also – there are still many young people going into opera.

BTW – Bocelli is NOT an opera singer or at least a very mediocre one. He is a POPera singer and his various attempts at singing in operas – small theaters, no major theater has or will ever invite him – were far from stellar. His voice is simply not big enough and he lacks technique.

As to full operas – I would imagine if people had learned more about opera, some people would indeed not be able to sit through the whole operas and enjoy it. At least some of the operas. Others – not so. Keep in mind that not every opera fan likes every single opera. We all have our likes and dislikes. Sometimes people hear one opera and say – oh I couldn’t sit through it. But were to listen to something else, maybe something more appropriate for “first time”, they’d be enchanted.

By: John

John — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:20:28 +0000

I think the days of Opera are done. Kind of like newspapers. I’ll admit that I’m not a huge fan of Opera. However, I enjoy watching someone like Andrea Bocelli who does a mixture of some opera at times. I think that’s the future. People like him that do a mixture of things.

That said, I think that people were more a fan of Neal Boyd’s story than they were opera singing. Most of the Neal Boyd fans would be completely bored if he sang a full opera…imho.

By: kitty

kitty — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:42:56 +0000

Musekit – my reasons for thinking that people who go on such shows pretty much given up on opera are as follows:
a) By itself shows like AGT/BGT cannot lead to an opera career only a pop-era career. OK, maybe if we had something earth-shattering like a real dramatic coloratura singing Casta Diva (with cabaletta) very well, but anybody who can do that is likely to have made it without AGT. To get an opera career singers need to go the usual way – opera competitions, performances in small opera theaters, young artist development programs.
b) Opera career is very demanding and requires a lot of traveling. It’s unlikely that any of these young singers performing in small theaters even have time to go on AGT or BGT. After all auditioning for these TV shows is time-consuming — they audition for producers first, they wait for hours in line.
c) The whole environment of AGT is probably not very pleasant to a serious singer – being judged by people who know nothing about opera (we don’t even know if the judges are fans, they certainly aren’t experts), not having an opportunity to warm up (as Barbara’s husband mentioned somewhere on the internet), people’s shouting and applauding while you are still singing — a no-no in opera unless you count booing at La Scala . I’d imagine Barbara Padilla is much much more qualified to judge opera singers than any of the judges.
d) Having appeared on this show may be detrimental to a serious career; many an opera professional consider doing pop-era as ‘selling out”. This is a pure supposition.
e) age – these competitors aren’t normally young. I’d imagine it is extremely difficult to start or re-start an opera career at 30-something. By this age most singers have either made it or have given up.

Now, this is just a totally ignorant opinion, you know as much as I do about it, your opinion is as good as mine.

As to the links – I agree it should be flattering to Barbara Padilla to be compared to these singers. But while you and I may know that, most of AGT or BGT audience does not. Every time an opera singer appears on these shows, the audience is blown away. You can see remarks like “why is this person not at the Met?”, “the Met will be calling…”, etc. I thought it may be interesting to those who aren’t familiar with opera to listen to good opera singers – both stars and young singers.

BTW – while people are blown away by a performance of an opera aria on AGT or BGT, small opera theaters are closing all over the US, NYCO is in trouble, an average age of the audience at Met HD Broadcasts to movie theaters is probably 65 (although the average age of Met audience did come down a lot, many young people at the Met). Why oh why aren’t more of those who voted for Neal Boyd last year bothered to listen to real opera singers?

BTW – I do agree with John. I imagine there are many more opera singers auditioning for producers and only a couple of token ones (and with a good background story) are allowed.

John, Stevie Cat – totally agree about the prize. Ridiculous. NBC makes a killing on this show, they could’ve offered a decent prize. Even 500K after taxes is better than an annuity: invested in say municipal bonds at 5% you can get 25K a year tax free and still preserve your capital. I guess they figure the exposure is good enough.

By: John

John — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:14:49 +0000

I imagine there are probably at least a dozen or more other opera singers that audition and just aren’t put on the show. They have to have their token opera singers for variety I think.

I agree about the prize money. It feels a bit ingenious when they think that the million would change their lives. Kind of makes me cringe when they say it on the show. Although, I must admit that $25k every year wouldn’t be bad. Plus, if they paid them the full $1 million up front they’d really only have $500k after Uncle Sam did his thing. Like you said, it’s still good entertainment.

By: StevieCat

StevieCat — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:49:55 +0000

I don’t know why, but all of the opera singers seem to make it on this show as well as Britain’s Got Talent. I didn’t think there were that many opera lovers who also watch a show like this (nothing wrong with it, just pleasantly surprised that’s all). There were times last year when Crying Neal Boyd was truly not good enough and yet was put through anyhow by the voters. I don’t think he deserved to win. But then again, I’m a HUGE Eli fan, so you can’t take my opinions as unbiased. Anyhow, when Barbara Padilla started to sing opera, I thought “Oh, no, why don’t they just call this show “America’s Got Opera” and get it over with.”

On a new thread, does it bother anyone other than me about the bogus million dollar prize? If you read the small print (well it’s a little larger this year, but last year you’d have to pause the dvr to read it), it’s a 40 year annuity that is paid out over time or else a substantially smaller amount could be paid out in one lump sum. That’s what kills me when you get these dance troups in. The million dollar prize money breaks down to something like $25,000 a year so when yo have 10 or 20 people in your act, you’re really talking about $2,500 or even $1,250 a year in prize money. Totally bogus. BUT, I love this show anyway and will continue to watch it everytime it’s on. Just got a beef with the prize money and the huge member acts talking about how this prize will change their lives. No, it won’t.