you don’t wanna burn this bridge….
Just heard of opera diva Jessye Norman's passing yesterday, on NPR Radio today. Strange that news wasn't worthy of the BBC's online daily page. Not even a 'refer' as The New York Times refers to its obit referrals. Clearly a niche there for me:)
Ms. Norman died at 74. Way way too young for such greatness. I was told a lot of things when 'in the know' in opera/classical music circles. I remember someone snubbingly rather pathetically speaking of how Ms. Norman demanded a limo/car to stop precisely at a curb marking at the concert venue's stage door in addition to the request of re-painting her dressing room. Makes you laugh when Brit TV host Graham Norton recounted on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert how an unnamed celeb (certainly non classical) had already commandeered dozen plus dressing rooms thence demanded an extra one to charge their cell phone.
The latter anecdote I totally believe. The one of Ms.Jessye Norman, I doubted back way then, but even if true 'twas a pittance to pay (given her fee) for one of the world's greatest singers.
People said a lot of horrible things about opera singer Kathleen Battle (well she ain't dead yet;) !) Someone I totally trust who worked with her at the Met Opera (and who I had worked with) had nothing but praise for her. Methinks if you rubbed me up the wrong way, which quite a few have in recent years, one would garner similar negativity.
Death is becoming a stranger, stranger thing. We need to invent and programme Kathy Battle robot 'bots' who can be insurgents at post-life occasions and say with factual accuracy: You don't know what the fuck you are talking about. Prick! Let's drink! Here's one in your eye!
I haven't chosen anything by Jessye to link to. What: the recording of Strauss' Four Last Songs that I lived to die for when I was a slightly less emotional teenager than the one I am now?! It is impossible to choose.
So I've gone for this: if it ain't right then smite me down with a lightning rod. (disclosure-whoever objected missed the last time..embedded are my precise GPS co-ords so you don't miss;) I might be fibbing of course….
The music world will forever miss you Ms. Norman.
Couldn’t resist posting this and ‘riffing’ on it. Neil is an Über brain astro-physicist. So if he’s so ‘U’ why isn’t he working for NASA. Good point experimental rat (don’t tell them you talk or else…) U.S. Government departments ain’t quite what they used to be…..ma sherat…
Trolling through the tweets about Jessye Norman. Then realised it would be great to see her sing something…and rather than Mozart’s Porgi Amor, ….Dove Sono. Same opera..
Moreover: was analyzing Nate’s (FUN.) We Are Young. His recitative is really great. Everyone knows the famous chorus but would it work (well clearly it does) but as effectively without the recitative?
Da Ponte was a bit ahead of his time as Mozart’s wordsmith. Moreover: hearing Dove Sono sung by Jessye Norman it could so easily be a man’s lament. History doesn’t change that much over the years…hmmmm..does it Simon Schama...
