Post by postscript on Nov 13, 2006 21:37:16 GMT
Well, here it is, the new topic i have been threatening for some time.
I nearly placed this under 'Comparisons Be Odorous' but I do NOT want to make 'comparisons'. This should be seen as 'observations'.
You can guess the name of the 'Other Kiwi' Technically speaking it is Hayley who should be thought of as 'The Other Kiwi' since Kiri Te Kanawa was brought to international prominence at Prince Charles' wedding to Diana, before Hayley was born.
Somewhere in The World at Her Feet ( I feel certain, although i cannot find the reference as I write here on line) there is a report that the two met. I believe some advice that Kiri gave was the way in which she would be flooded by fans and should not allow herself to be 'sucked in' (not the phrase used) to that 'gaggle'.
It seems that Hayley ignored that aspect of Kiri's advice. It would also seem that Kiri resolutely follows her own advice!
The reason for this observation comes from the night of Sunday 15th October at Cadogan Hall. A date that will be almost meaningless to everyone but a few full opera lovers amongst us.
On that evening I entered the Cadogan Hall auditorium without any HWI support as I have become accustomed to expecting as I am usually only there for one reason!
[As an aside I should be there in a fortnight for Nicola Benedetti but regretfully my American friend is over and I can't make the evening!]
I was confronted with an extraordinary sight. An empty stage.
I do not know what wood is used, but I suspect it is beech. There was this golden yellow stage, the floorboards standing out most magnificently because they were TOTALLY UNCLUTTERED but for a lovely black Steinway grand on magnificent brass wheels and, most oddly, especially as it was an item on its own, what seemed like a high kitchen stool. Odd, because there were two singers booked.
There was not anything else on that stage. No monitors, no microphone stands, no cabling.
It was a mesmerising sight. Oh wow! For the day such a sight might greet an audience for Hayley!
The performance was upmarket in that it was mainly operatic extracts and the pianist (Julian Reynolds) wore full tails. The ladies were effectively in evening gowns. The audience wearing the usual Cadogan Hall mix, some dressing for the occasion some in jeans and open-necked shirts and variations in between.
When the performers came on stage together, the reason for the single stool became obvious.Their sequence for each half was four sets of four or five songs or duets arranged by composers, the singers departing the stage between sets, presumably for their glass of water (or two) as there was not any refreshment on stage.
When the songs were solos the other artiste sat upon the stool, in the main resting just their one right thigh upon its seat and was totally motionless while the other sang. The two, just occasionally exchanging glances.
There was a good rapport between both women and a little play-acting during the duets that on at least two occasions had the audience wondering if the other singer had missed a cue--it was a deliberate ploy and a lively one.
These were two mature women of reasonable but not divas physique and of elegant stature who commanded the stage simply by being. They have been touring the world's stages (and bearing children in the mean time) for half again as long as Hayley has been alive.
The programme was superb, introducing me to some music of which I had not previously been aware, as well as covering the expected better-known-to-less-regular opera-goers arias and duets.
Just two women, one soprano and a mezzo-soprano (Frederica Von Stade). Nothing but the air between their vocal chords and our ears.and their voices filled the auditorium.
The mezzo is necessary for a two-hour performance and by contrast highlights how much lighter is the pure soprano. These two women are closer in age than say Hayley and Kathryn (soprano and mezzo-soprano). I make no comment. I merely observe.
Of course the combination could be soprano and tenor. Would baritone be too strong? I personally prefer baritone to tenor.
What did surprise me was the difference between singing voice and speaking voice. Only towards the end of the second part did the two artistes deliver some linking chat and surprisingly failed to make allowance for the lack of microphone then. But with artistes of such standing, I suppose I have to question if it isn't me going deaf!
Until Hayley it has never been my style to visit the stage-door but I felt I had to say 'hi!' to 'The Other Kiwi'. There is a feeling that having performed, the artiste should be allowed to step from public stage limelight into the twilight of private life.
I remember chatting with the actor Derek Fowlds (PPS in 'Yes Minister') just a fortnight after my first meeting with Hayley. We've interacted over some forty years for diverse reasons and I said to him, 'I know it sounds stupid as we often bump into one another, but can I shake your hand, as the other week I was shaking Hayley Westenra's hand.'
He interrupted me, 'Oh isn't she marvelous..'
'Aha, another fan?'
'Absolutely!'
'So, tell me, Derek, I've never been driven to gather round a stage door before, are fans a nuisance, or are they in fact appreciated?'
'Definitely appreciated... at least by this actor! But it does depend upon the artiste.'
There was a group of a dozen or so outside the stage door with their programmes ready at Cadogan Hall that night. After awhile Julian Reynolds came out and I should have grabbed his autograph to have the threesome but I was chatting to someone about Hayley and did not feel it quite appropriate to chase him down the street and in any case I didn't want to miss Kiri.
She emerged from the stage door, her felt tip pen already in hand with the top off. No face-to-face contact. Eyes were cast towards the level of the proffered programmes. Like an automaton each programme was signed.
'A great evening, thank you.'
No comment, no glance in my direction, she signed.
'thank you for your autograph.'
No comment. Three other programmes had already followed on.
So she passed through the group. The only spoken word being to her driver as she put the cap back on her felt tip pen, 'this the car?'
It was a people carrier as Hayley uses and she slid into the back seat.
Frederica was more chatty, picking up subjects from her interlinking chat about how she and Kiri had known one another for years and how they had decided to arrange this present tour.
Dame Kiri is indeed an illustrious Dame. If Hayley follows through her career, allowing for the break for children on which subject she has said she would give them the undivided attention her parents had given her and her siblings, she too will be made a Dame. Yet she will still be the Hayley we are getting to know. Maybe Kiri is as Kiri has always been, just herself too.
The only thing that will stop Hayley being the Hayley we know and love will be logistics. It will simply be physically impossible because of numbers for her to still be Hayley. But even then, I wonder.
As I said, I mean not to compare, merely to observe. However, I did observe on another occasion, to a voice whose owner should be able to speak with considerable authority, of how magnificent it was to have that bare stage, the piano and a stool and two women without any other paraphernalia.
I posited that perhaps it would be ten years before that was how we might see Hayley.
He doubted it would be that long but intimated that it would not be next year, nor the year after but ...
For Dame Kiri I bought one of the most expensive seats available. For Hayley in that situation, I would pay twice as much without hesitation.
But, it doesn't have to be opera. Chatting about Hayley to my Canadian friend who was once married to an aspiring opera singer, 'Why would anyone want to sing opera? It completely wrecks the voice.'
I know too little to comment more than this. It was a great evening with two mature and very experienced women well balanced with one another. But opera is indeed an arguably artificial presentation and Hayley's voice is so pure, so light... Perhaps she will never ever do opera, or if she does, that will really be ten years away at least!
Peter S.
I nearly placed this under 'Comparisons Be Odorous' but I do NOT want to make 'comparisons'. This should be seen as 'observations'.
You can guess the name of the 'Other Kiwi' Technically speaking it is Hayley who should be thought of as 'The Other Kiwi' since Kiri Te Kanawa was brought to international prominence at Prince Charles' wedding to Diana, before Hayley was born.
Somewhere in The World at Her Feet ( I feel certain, although i cannot find the reference as I write here on line) there is a report that the two met. I believe some advice that Kiri gave was the way in which she would be flooded by fans and should not allow herself to be 'sucked in' (not the phrase used) to that 'gaggle'.
It seems that Hayley ignored that aspect of Kiri's advice. It would also seem that Kiri resolutely follows her own advice!
The reason for this observation comes from the night of Sunday 15th October at Cadogan Hall. A date that will be almost meaningless to everyone but a few full opera lovers amongst us.
On that evening I entered the Cadogan Hall auditorium without any HWI support as I have become accustomed to expecting as I am usually only there for one reason!
[As an aside I should be there in a fortnight for Nicola Benedetti but regretfully my American friend is over and I can't make the evening!]
I was confronted with an extraordinary sight. An empty stage.
I do not know what wood is used, but I suspect it is beech. There was this golden yellow stage, the floorboards standing out most magnificently because they were TOTALLY UNCLUTTERED but for a lovely black Steinway grand on magnificent brass wheels and, most oddly, especially as it was an item on its own, what seemed like a high kitchen stool. Odd, because there were two singers booked.
There was not anything else on that stage. No monitors, no microphone stands, no cabling.
It was a mesmerising sight. Oh wow! For the day such a sight might greet an audience for Hayley!
The performance was upmarket in that it was mainly operatic extracts and the pianist (Julian Reynolds) wore full tails. The ladies were effectively in evening gowns. The audience wearing the usual Cadogan Hall mix, some dressing for the occasion some in jeans and open-necked shirts and variations in between.
When the performers came on stage together, the reason for the single stool became obvious.Their sequence for each half was four sets of four or five songs or duets arranged by composers, the singers departing the stage between sets, presumably for their glass of water (or two) as there was not any refreshment on stage.
When the songs were solos the other artiste sat upon the stool, in the main resting just their one right thigh upon its seat and was totally motionless while the other sang. The two, just occasionally exchanging glances.
There was a good rapport between both women and a little play-acting during the duets that on at least two occasions had the audience wondering if the other singer had missed a cue--it was a deliberate ploy and a lively one.
These were two mature women of reasonable but not divas physique and of elegant stature who commanded the stage simply by being. They have been touring the world's stages (and bearing children in the mean time) for half again as long as Hayley has been alive.
The programme was superb, introducing me to some music of which I had not previously been aware, as well as covering the expected better-known-to-less-regular opera-goers arias and duets.
Just two women, one soprano and a mezzo-soprano (Frederica Von Stade). Nothing but the air between their vocal chords and our ears.and their voices filled the auditorium.
The mezzo is necessary for a two-hour performance and by contrast highlights how much lighter is the pure soprano. These two women are closer in age than say Hayley and Kathryn (soprano and mezzo-soprano). I make no comment. I merely observe.
Of course the combination could be soprano and tenor. Would baritone be too strong? I personally prefer baritone to tenor.
What did surprise me was the difference between singing voice and speaking voice. Only towards the end of the second part did the two artistes deliver some linking chat and surprisingly failed to make allowance for the lack of microphone then. But with artistes of such standing, I suppose I have to question if it isn't me going deaf!
Until Hayley it has never been my style to visit the stage-door but I felt I had to say 'hi!' to 'The Other Kiwi'. There is a feeling that having performed, the artiste should be allowed to step from public stage limelight into the twilight of private life.
I remember chatting with the actor Derek Fowlds (PPS in 'Yes Minister') just a fortnight after my first meeting with Hayley. We've interacted over some forty years for diverse reasons and I said to him, 'I know it sounds stupid as we often bump into one another, but can I shake your hand, as the other week I was shaking Hayley Westenra's hand.'
He interrupted me, 'Oh isn't she marvelous..'
'Aha, another fan?'
'Absolutely!'
'So, tell me, Derek, I've never been driven to gather round a stage door before, are fans a nuisance, or are they in fact appreciated?'
'Definitely appreciated... at least by this actor! But it does depend upon the artiste.'
There was a group of a dozen or so outside the stage door with their programmes ready at Cadogan Hall that night. After awhile Julian Reynolds came out and I should have grabbed his autograph to have the threesome but I was chatting to someone about Hayley and did not feel it quite appropriate to chase him down the street and in any case I didn't want to miss Kiri.
She emerged from the stage door, her felt tip pen already in hand with the top off. No face-to-face contact. Eyes were cast towards the level of the proffered programmes. Like an automaton each programme was signed.
'A great evening, thank you.'
No comment, no glance in my direction, she signed.
'thank you for your autograph.'
No comment. Three other programmes had already followed on.
So she passed through the group. The only spoken word being to her driver as she put the cap back on her felt tip pen, 'this the car?'
It was a people carrier as Hayley uses and she slid into the back seat.
Frederica was more chatty, picking up subjects from her interlinking chat about how she and Kiri had known one another for years and how they had decided to arrange this present tour.
Dame Kiri is indeed an illustrious Dame. If Hayley follows through her career, allowing for the break for children on which subject she has said she would give them the undivided attention her parents had given her and her siblings, she too will be made a Dame. Yet she will still be the Hayley we are getting to know. Maybe Kiri is as Kiri has always been, just herself too.
The only thing that will stop Hayley being the Hayley we know and love will be logistics. It will simply be physically impossible because of numbers for her to still be Hayley. But even then, I wonder.
As I said, I mean not to compare, merely to observe. However, I did observe on another occasion, to a voice whose owner should be able to speak with considerable authority, of how magnificent it was to have that bare stage, the piano and a stool and two women without any other paraphernalia.
I posited that perhaps it would be ten years before that was how we might see Hayley.
He doubted it would be that long but intimated that it would not be next year, nor the year after but ...
For Dame Kiri I bought one of the most expensive seats available. For Hayley in that situation, I would pay twice as much without hesitation.
But, it doesn't have to be opera. Chatting about Hayley to my Canadian friend who was once married to an aspiring opera singer, 'Why would anyone want to sing opera? It completely wrecks the voice.'
I know too little to comment more than this. It was a great evening with two mature and very experienced women well balanced with one another. But opera is indeed an arguably artificial presentation and Hayley's voice is so pure, so light... Perhaps she will never ever do opera, or if she does, that will really be ten years away at least!
Peter S.
but this time I read it closely and I'm glad I did. It made me realise how "another" Hayley (it wouldn't have been "our" Hayley) could have been with her supporters and fans... but thankfully, she is not. Sometimes, I think, we need to remind ourselves of that.
