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Post by Richard on Apr 26, 2006 8:32:46 GMT
Hello everybody!  Hayley's version of "O Mio Babbino Caro' is included on a new double-CD compilation, 'The Opera Album 2006', released this week on the UCJ label. The album also features Katherine Jenkins, Russell Watson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Aled Jones, Lesley Garrett, Bryn Terfel, Sissel and many more. For further information, including full track listings, click on the following link:- www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000F6ZFCC/026-2883847-9318819Best Wishes, Richard  |
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Post by postscript on Apr 26, 2006 9:36:29 GMT
Thank you Richard for that tip-off.
Partly because I'm in a hurry and partly because there is only one Hayley on the two disk programme I have added it to my wish list--I always have something up my sleeve for Amazon to ensure free delivery but I wish to review my wish list.
I had a feeling Hayley would record O mio Babbino Caro. By implication had recorded as it is a piece she needed to\ sing, in my view.
In my criticism of her rendering on 'Friday Night is Music Night' I felt that if she recorded now she would again in a few years time when her voice had further matured. If she were to record in a year I felt her voice might have had that extra colour and that would be a recording for all time.
I have a problem in that it is a favourite of mine and i was introduced to it at a very young age. So there is a wealth of subjectivity in my hearing.
Since then I have been grateful for its availability on this web and I have returned to it time and time again.
It is right for her. What I would love to hear is her sing it a capella. I think she is also right to sing without the 'extra' emotion so many artistes give it. She chooses to let the music carry the song. Hers is a lighter, more gentle, arguably a more 'reasoning' plea to her father and her voice is absolutely crystal clear. I just wondered, and I cannot make up my mind, if another few months would further add colour, or it may have been just that one night. There were one or two occasions when the higher notes seemed to lack the warmth of her voice's usual colouring. But, this is a recording in a studio, so ...
But I am glad she has recorded it and I would love to hear her sing it in concert--and especially a Capella.
Peter
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Post by roger on Apr 26, 2006 11:59:06 GMT
Of course, 'O Mio' wasn't recorded especially for the Opera Album compilation. It appears on the UK Special Edition of Odyssey and was no doubt lifted from that.
Roger
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 26, 2006 12:23:01 GMT
But I am glad she has recorded it and I would love to hear her sing it in concert--and especially a Capella. Peter Hello Peter! And to add to what Roger said, Hayley has (of course) sung "O Mio Babbino Caro" several times 'live' in concert since her first public performance of it before several of us at... Kenwood House, London, in the summer of 2005 (serenading us from across a small lake!) . That 'premiere'  was with full orchestra and I well remember how the conductor complimented Hayley's performance "and especially for one so young" he added. It was then that I realised Hayley wasn't going to stop including classical music in her repertoire any time soon. I thought doing this particular song was a bold move - Hayley has made a good start with it but as you suggest, I am sure she will be able to sing it even better in a few years time. I do like the existing version though! I may buy this Opera Album to add to my copy of The number 1 Opera Album 2004 - which is also two CDs and can still be purchased in the UK. Hayley sang "In Trutina" (from Carmina Burana) on that one.Very nice too but when Universal Classics & Jazz keep including Hayley in their Opera compilations, it does make it harder to resist the uninformed media when they say Hayley is an Opera singer!  My main criticism of this latest "Opera" selection is that there's too much Pavarotti (4), Domingo (3) and Russell Watson (3) and not enough Carreras (1) Georghiou ((1) and Netrebko (1). You can't really criticise the inclusion of only one 'Hayley' aria because, as *we* all know, Hayley isn't in fact an Opera singer!  Nevertheless, I see Hayley is again one of only six singers shown on the album cover; Universal records certainly seem to think that Hayley helps to shift albums!  Cheers, Dave |
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Post by postscript on Apr 26, 2006 12:53:09 GMT
Hi Dave.
You raise a very good point and in my present high spirits I am feeling very mischievous! When her input is so small in relation to the whole, how come she has prominence on the cover? Surely, it is a statement that her name and image SELLS!
Yes, admittedly, she isn't an opera singer specifically and seems to have no wish to be classified other than as Hayley Westenra singing. She has a small frame and she is shrewd in working within the talents she has, recognising their pluses and minuses yet pushing those 'limitations' as she may, pacing herself carefully. But heart and lungs do not necessarily relate to overall body size even if we are used to opera divas being 'big' women. Who knows, but you tweak my nose unintentionally (I'm sure!) :je by pointing out I missed our on Kenwood!
Cheers Dave.
Peter
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Post by postscript on Apr 26, 2006 13:11:05 GMT
Of course, 'O Mio' wasn't recorded especially for the Opera Album compilation. It appears on the UK Special Edition of Odyssey and was no doubt lifted from that. Roger In my present overload I waxed lyrical over the design of the cover but haven't yet looked at the detail.Tonight, in cool and calm I shall listen MOST attentively. What is interesting is that having raised an arguably contentious issue no one has yet come back to disagree with me--unless I missed that too! Perhaps I am being over-sensitive. I remember Jill saying to me over a matter not relevant here that my ears were too darn sharp. Did she use the word 'darn'? I can't now recall, perhaps she left out the adjective! It is interesting that Hayley did include the aria here, which I think means she has included all four of the songs she sang on Friday Night..They were a superb selection as well as being excellent each in their right. In fact I nearly started a thread on the composition for Hayley's 3rd CD and was going to suggest all four should be on it. I am gaining a horrible feeling there is a sort of semi-circular rest under neck and something like a companion piece above the top of it!!!! Do we have a guillotine smiley? Oh, sorry Roger, that's the suggestions thread!!!! Peter |
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Post by roger on Apr 26, 2006 14:08:11 GMT
Do we have a guillotine smiley? Oh, sorry Roger, that's the suggestions thread!!!! Peter Hi Peter, A suggestion as good as that can be posted anywhere! Roger |
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Post by Richard on Apr 26, 2006 15:05:21 GMT
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Apr 26, 2006 19:59:52 GMT
Well guys, I went into town today and bought.... an opera album! But it was NOT The Opera Album 2006, it was Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album Why? Simple economics, that's why! The Opera Album 2006 cost £14.99 from Woolworths and Andrea's 19 track album cost... £3.97. Yes, that's three pounds 97 pence! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifThe other one can wait until later but if anyone in the UK hasn't got Andrea's Opera Album, get yourselves down to Woolworths tomorrow!!! Cheers, Dave *senses Richard approaching* Oh, while you're there, you may as well buy The Opera Album 2006 as well, I hear it's very good! (phew, got out of that one neatly! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif ) |
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Post by Natasha on Apr 26, 2006 20:42:44 GMT
Cool Hayley and Russell on the front!! |
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Post by postscript on Apr 27, 2006 12:19:39 GMT
Do we have a guillotine smiley? Oh, sorry Roger, that's the suggestions thread!!!! Peter Hi Peter, A suggestion as good as that can be posted anywhere! Roger Oh Dear. How much emotion can be expressed in a simple sentence  . ???Thank you Roger for the reassuring(?) laughing smiley at the end of it! Peter |
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was with full orchestra and I well remember how the conductor complimented Hayley's performance "and especially for one so young" he added. It was then that I realised Hayley wasn't going to stop including classical music in her repertoire any time soon. I thought doing this particular song was a bold move - Hayley has made a good start with it but as you suggest, I am sure she will be able to sing it even better in a few years time. I do like the existing version though!
. ???Thank you Roger for the reassuring(?) laughing smiley at the end of it!