Message text written by The Horn List
>The
audience would starting laughing, special when he encounters the 6 feet
+ Bruennhilde of 150 pounds. His voice will not matter then. If he
wears high heels, he would walk on stage quite comical & degrade to a
caricature of the role. But he might be very good as recording artist.<
Dear All
This one reminds me of a famous Welsh opera singer, a vertically challenged
man of slight build. He tells the story of recording an opera with Claudio
Abbado on the rostrum and a certain soprano of ample proportions as leading
lady. They did several takes of a duet, and the two singers were satisfied
with the results but Abbado was not. When Abbado came out of the 'box',
having listened to another take, the soprano turned round to our hero and
said "he want do it again, I no want do it again, he start, I faint, you
catch!" And this is what happened; except that holding up this statuesque
lady was far too much of a TALL (geddit?) order for our hero and both
collapsed in a heap on the floor to Abbado's fury and general hilarity in
the orchestra.
Sorry folks, although the tenor in question loves to tell this story in the
canteen, the names must be withheld to protect the innocent.
But it does illustrate Prof Pizka's point; I do know that this same tenor
once did Don Jose in 'Carmen' with a leading lady who apparently got the
part mainly because she was the only person available who is smaller than
he is. He sang superbly as he always does; but she was not comfortable in
the role and the results were not good.
Cheers
Paul A. Kampen, 4th horn - Orchestra of Opera North (Leeds UK)
Horn Tutor - Leeds Music College
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