Did anyone get the Ottawa Citizen?

[Richard]

Hello Peter and Roger!

As I've said before, I'm not a great lover of full-blown operatic sopranos who can sing unamplified. I find Hayley's softer voice amplified makes for a much more enjoyable listening experience. A few days ago I went into the Classical Music section in HMV by Bond Street Station and a soprano was singing opera at the top of her voice. The sound was terribly shrill, and I noticed several people grimacing. Believe it or not, they were playing a CD by the late Maria Callas!

I just hope Hayley continues to develop her voice naturally, and somehow I think she is more likely to progress into stage musicals rather than opera. We will see!

Best Wishes,

Richard

[fusilier23]

I agree with Peter and Roger to a point. I have nothing but respect for the "true" opera sopranos like Renee Fleming and her ilk, BUT, the sound can become shrill and uninteresting if the feeling is drained out of it, something many in that genre are guilty of. A big part of Hayley's appeal is that she has the right amount of emotion in her singing to keep it from becoming technocratic, without the emotion taking over.

Much as I do like the technique and some are blessed with great natural voices, it is very tough to handle a whole opera in one sitting, even going to the Met. The "crossover" approach of cutting classical stuff down to bite size is, like it or not, more palatable. Some say that's dumbing classical music down, and maybe they have a point, but to some degree opera has itself to blame for making itself somewhat inaccessible.

BTW, Steve M, you are absolutely right that opera is full of bloody moments. Were the music taken away, a lot of them would be nothing more than overblown and exaggerated emotion and melodrama, with bel canto stuff like Lucia di Lammermoor the worst offenders of the lot.