I took a break from work yesterday afternoon and spent an hour listening to current YouTube clips of Dame Eva Turner, British soprano absoluta.
Why? Because her “In questa regia” never fails to move me.
Listening to the glory of her deep, rich sound, the resonant freedom of those high notes evident even in 1920‘s & 30‘s recording technology. . . always uplifts & refreshes me.
That’s what grand opera used to be all about.
Petite Dame Turner didn’t need deafening amplification, strobe lighting, or smoke. She did it with her vocal technique and her inspiration.
The secret in singing lies between the vibration in the singer’s voice and the throb in the hearer’s heart… Kahil Gibran
A look around the trio of web sites from this prolific blogger reminded me of a story about a soprano singing on the streets of San Francisco over one hundred years ago.
Memory proved accurate, and I can now suggest another site for piccies next time she’s on Market Street with a camera.
Famed soprano Luisa Tetrazzini (1871 – 1940) loved San Francisco, and had a knack for creative programming. During a contractual dispute on New York City, she reportedly said, “I will sing in San Francisco if I have to sing there in the streets, for I know the streets of San Francisco are free.”
On Christmas Eve in 1910 she did just that.
To an audience of somewhere between 200,000 and 300,000 San Franciscans, she sang ~ no microphones in those days ~ for 30 minutes. And was heard blocks away. The lady had technique. She had heart.
The concert also recognized the rebuilding of the city after the 1906 earthquake. Her final song was “Auld Lang Syne.”
From all I could gather, the bronze plaque commemorating that concert is still attached to Lotta’s Fountain, on Market at Geary & Kearney.
José Carreras click for photo sourcePlácido_Domingo click for photo source
Was reading over at Uncle Spike’s blog, and came across his Nessun Dorma post, which immediately reminded me of a video with more behind-the-scenes details.
Wonder of wonders, and perhaps because it’s still only available in VHS, the entire piece is available on-line here.
I guess the 58-minute video is too large for wordpress to upload. My apologies for making you click over to watch, but please do. It’s well worth it!
It shows the original three tenors meeting for the first time, discussing possible repertoire, clowning & rehearsing with conductor Zubin Mehta – long before they rehearsed with orchestra. It also details some of the obstacles event producer Mario Dradi had to surmount.
Event producers, be aware of those details. And of how many rehearsal hours were scheduled with these four hugely successful artists.
Was their rapport infectious? Yes. Why? Those maaany hours of rehearsals, besides lifetimes of study and performing.
Don’t think it can be equalled without those rehearsal hours!
Mr. Tavis Smiley, courtesy tavistalks.com click to go to web site
“Mr. Tavis Smiley: … the reason why I love music artists is that you get the most authentic conversations with them… Because what’s in them typically comes out in one way, shape, or form.“
From Mr. Smiley’s interview with Mr. Ben Harper and Mr. Charlie Musselwhite earlier this month.
Au*then”tic, a. [OE. autentik, OF. autentique, F. authentique, L. authenticus coming from the real author, of original or firsthand authority…] 1. Having a genuine original or authority, in opposition to that which is false, fictitious, counterfeit, or apocryphal; being what it purports to be; genuine; not of doubtful origin; real; as, an authentic paper or register…
actor Luca Zingaretti from wikipedia click to go to article
If you haven’t seen Detective Montalbano, try looking around your local telly channels. In the U.S., MHz stations frequently include it as part of their international mystery series.
The opportunity to watch and learn from a meticulously crafted ensemble of performers, both behind and before the camera, is invaluable to anyone involved in the performing arts. And the music is great!
Now there are 2 hours of videos on how it’s done, led by insights from actor Luca Zingaretti (Montalbano).
Series viewer caution: This is an Italian television series. Some viewers may find portions objectionable.
Conversation with Luca Zingaretti (45 min) A subtitled in-depth conversation with Luca Zingaretti on theatre and screen acting, the importance of one’s soul, the character of Montalbano, and much more.
here’s an article from last july’s losangelestimes about more research into music’s special effects. it seems music, and singing in particular, can have specific health benefits.
“The new research… is the latest to explore the health benefits of making music.”
i’m not a doctor, but i know what students have told me for decades: “you’ve done it again.” done what? “i came dragging in here, and i’m leaving feeling great.”
An entertaining 2013 TED Talk on education and the arts, given by Sir Ken Robinson. Takes about 20 minutes, and was recently on public television stations in the U.S.
Any experienced, professional performer will tell you the only way you can appear in front of people looking unrehearsed is to practice-practice-PRACTICE.
Otherwise the uh’s and awkward pauses as one tries to remember their next line or action come across as amateurish, whilst the audience becomes increasingly embarrassed, uncomfortable, and possibly even angry. (After all, it is an imposition on their time and intelligence!)
A friend and experienced theatre audience member called recently to ask about just this subject. They’d suffered through an hour of an excellent example of how lack of rehearsal affected a public presentation.
Assuming it had been a failed attempt to appear ‘natural, informal and friendly,’ they called and asked: Doesn’t it take practice to appear informal or unrehearsed?
This question from someone who’s attended workshops of top Broadway and international performers, directors, producers, playwrights, choreographers, etc. In other words, they already knew the answer.
This doesn’t mean that a professional, with years of experience behind them, cannot give an excellent ad hoc performance; however, one must remember they’ve often decades of performance experience to rely on. Amateurs have no such thing.
Moral?
No matter what your level of experience, nothing substitutes for PRACTICE.
And yes, your audience DOES know the difference.
Curls n Skirls 
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