Dame Kiri puts Hayley out in the cold - NZ Herald

[Dori]

Hello Graham,

Which photo where you talking about when you said 'are these not the same photos reversed'?

Dori :wink:

[gra7890]

dori said:

Hello Graham,

Which photo where you talking about when you said 'are these not the same photos reversed'?

Dori

Hi Dori,

gra7890 said:

grant said:

has the picture of Hayley with black hair as used on some of the Japanese CD's (Wuthering Heights comes to mind).

Hi Grant,

Your post lead me to two pictures in the promo singles thread with the following pictures.


AND
(Thanks Andrew)
I take it one of these is on the CD you have just bought ?

However a further mystery. Are these not the same photo' reversed ? If this is the case which is the correct one and which is the reversal ?
A question for those those that know Hayley well me thinks !
Or perhaps ( as usual ) this has been asked before !
Any answers out there

Graham

A different context but the same thing.
Best Wishes ,
Graham

[grant]

dori said:

They put Elizabeth's photo in the article above and then CAPTIONED IT AS HAYLEY!!!!

This is the most insulting thing in the WORLD!!!

Hi Dori

I totally agree! But doesn't this just show, that these people writing this nonsense couldn't care tuppence about the people involved? - it's a current story and it's going to sell their newspapers. End of story!

By making a hash of it they've shot themselves in the foot the same way dame kiri did.

Best wishes
Grant

[fusilier23]

Oh without question of doubt, Richard. All that she has achieved has simply gone down the pan as a result of that ridiculous outburst and still no one can fathom out what the heck she was talking about, let alone why!

Peter S.

Eh, I don't know if everything would have gone down the drain as a result of this idiotic comment for the simple reason that she made much the same comment three and a half years ago and nothing really changed. However, at that time her comment simply came and went. No one fired back, and it just kinda was left to die on the vine. Hayley was also busy trying to establish her beach-head in the US. However, at this point Hayley is a lot more known and popular, she has many defenders, and they will not refrain from speaking up. Also, Dame Kiri has rather foolishly chosen to try to defend her comments rather than say they were out of context or "apologize without apologizing," which probably would have defused things.

I think it speaks volumes that the only person defending her in print is a vocal coach who doesn't back her all the way, and it also speaks volumes that none of the other classical scholar-singers have come forward to defend her. You haven't heard word one from Renee Fleming or Thomas Quasthoff or anyone on that level agreeing with Kiri, none of them want to get involved.

I think it also speaks volumes that the people producing these latest articles have neither their facts nor their pictures straight. That says that they are just interested in fueling the fire to sell papers, not getting to the truth. Sloppy journalism never helped anyone, and throwing professional standards out the window to move a story can doom a career, just ask Mary Mapes (long story with a definite political bent, pm me if you're curious).

Speaking of professional standards, real professionalism on Dame Kiri's part would have meant keeping her mouth shut from the get-go and focussing on her own performance, why open this door to begin with?

[martindn]

All of this has prompted me to do one of my famous (or infamous) A/B comparisons, playing the same songs back to back performed by two different singers. Actually I did three comaprisons of Dame Kiri against Hayley

Laudate Dominum
O Mio Babbino Caro
Tonight (West side story)

I have to say in all three cases I preferred Hayley. I'm not sure why, but somehow she seems to be closer and more immediate to the listener. So her voice hAs more impact.

Tonight was perhaps the more difficult comparison to make, partly I think because it is a duet and I prefer Kiri's partner. Jose Carreras, to Vittorio Grigolo. But in the end I am sure I prefer Hayley's rendition to Kiri's. I think perhaps Kiri uses a bit too much vibrato for my taste.

There may be something of the mixing confusing the issue too, since especially on Laudate Dominum, the voice is much more to the fore on Hayley's version.

So I'm afraid I just don't get all this stuff about maturity, can somebody explain it to me please?
I am not sure what it is I am supposed to hear in Kiri's voice that makes her a better and more serious singer than Hayley. It is simpy a case of who I prefer to listen to.

Martin

[Dori]

Hello Graham,

Yes, that is the same photo, flipped. I must have missed the photo!

Dori

[Richard]

Hello again folks!

There's a comment from Dave Malvina Major in the Manawatu Standard. I'll post the whole article, and I'm highlighting an interesting sentence towards the end.

Malvina says Kiri didn't mean to offend
By JONATHON HOWE - Manawatu Standard | Monday, 03 March 2008

Comparing Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with Hayley Westenra would be like comparing a rugby player with a cricketer, Dame Malvina Major said before performing at the Wine, Women and Song concert, held at Caccia Birch yesterday.

When asked about Dame Kiri's recent comments about "popera" star Hayley Westenra "not being in her world", Dame Malvina said there could be no comparison between the two.

"There are people in this world who are strong enough to sing over an orchestra of some 80 to 100 people and still hit the back wall of an opera house.

"And then there are people like Hayley and Suzanne Prentice who use microphones because their voices are not big enough. But they are both really good performers and that is their style and they are very good at it.

"But you can't compare, they are totally different and that is not putting either of them down. It's like my son, who's good at cricket and rugby, but he had to choose one in the end."

Dame Malvina, who regularly keeps in touch with Dame Kiri, said the comments were perhaps misinterpreted.

"I think she shoots from the hip sometimes and then she realises that is not what she wanted to say."

But Dame Malvina is certainly no high art snob. Her first musical loves were yodelling and country music.

"I think we have to enjoy all types of music.

"When I was younger I did a lot of yodelling and listened to people like Slim Dusty."

She has also tried her hand at karaoke, belting out Danny Boy at Parliament with then Prime Minister Jim Bolger.

These days Dame Malvina enjoys the music of Frank Sinatra and Shirley Bassey.

Yesterday's concert was a quick stopover in what will be a busy year for Dame Malvina.

"I will be singing every weekend until April, and then in August I will be going to London to do a concert with Hayley Westenra and Will Martin.

"Every New Year's I tell myself I'm going to slow down.

"I feel while I'm able to sing I will, and if I can help someone out that's great."

Richard

[Dori]

Thanks for that lovely article Richard!

Wow, Hayley and Will are going to perform live together!! That must be so great for them both! And to have Dame Malvina - it's just too perfect. Now i really feel like i live in the wrong country.
Is that on Hayley's concert schedule yet?

Dori

[Dave]

richnorri said:

Hello again folks!

There's a comment from Dave Malvina Major in the Manawatu Standard. I'll post the whole article, and I'm highlighting an interesting sentence towards the end.

Malvina says Kiri didn't mean to offend
By JONATHON HOWE - Manawatu Standard | Monday, 03 March 2008

"Comparing Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with Hayley Westenra would be like comparing a rugby player with a cricketer

I will be singing every weekend until April, and then in August I will be going to London to do a concert with Hayley Westenra and Will Martin."

[/color]
[/size][/quote]Richard [/quote]

Hi Richard and everyone,

I was wondering when Dame Malvina would be asked about this (as inevitably, she would). By the way, I've read that she and Dame Kiri are friends so it's an important part of the debate for that reason, because she coached Hayley for a while and because she is the other top NZ opera singer, well respected Internationally like Kiri.

Well she tries to defuse things for Dame Kiri, as you would expect from someone in her position (in the middle!) but all it does really is reinforce the general impression that what Dame Kiri said was way out of line and ill-judged. She also confirms what we all know and Hayley's dad is quoted as saying when it all started: it's like trying to compare apples and oranges. Now that was a particularly well judged thing to say!

But the most important thing of all to come out of Dame Malvina's interview is that she chose to announce that she would be performing with Hayley and Will Martin in August - something that you could never imagine Dame Kiri agreeing to do after what she said last week (and in previous years). Dame Malvina's actions (the concert - of which we know nothing!) speak a thousand words.

Game over.

Cheers, Dave

[Tin]

Oh I've been waiting for so long to see what Dame Malvina would say. Finally there's someone to justify for Hayley.

[grant]

Hello everyone!

and then in August I will be going to London to do a concert with Hayley Westenra and Will Martin.

Hope I will be able to get to this one to see Dame Malvina perform with Hayley. It sounds amazing!

Best wishes
Grant

[gra7890]

In August Dave Malvina Major will be going to London to do a concert with Hayley Westenra and Will Martin

That will be a concert to consider going to .
Only Lincoln definite, and Shrewsbury ? in August, so it is possible. Watch this space I suppose !

Graham

[Stephany]

richnorri said:

"I will be singing every weekend until April, and then in August I will be going to London to do a concert with Hayley Westenra and Will Martin".

Thank you for the alert, Richard.
I'm obviously very interested by this concert although it will depend on the exact date of course.

Stephany

[Joe]

stephany said:

richnorri said:

"I will be singing every weekend until April, and then in August I will be going to London to do a concert with Hayley Westenra and Will Martin".

Thank you for the alert, Richard.
I'm obviously very interested by this concert although it will depend on the exact date of course.

Stephany

What a grand performance this will be!

Joe

[Ross]

The following column was in todays Christchurch Press berating Kiri about her comments and he also has an interesting view on opera.



His point about people going to see opera after hearing Hayley is true in my case. It was Hayley that got me interested in classical and opera music and last year I saw my first opera Carmen which was excellent.