Most “opera singers” can’t sing opera well. Pop stars?
Opera is the ‘extreme sport’ of singing. Most pop stars couldn’t shine the shoes of a trained opera singer. There are exceptions like Steve Perry, Mariah Carey, etc. have amazing voices and skill—but they have/had microphones. Try being heard without a mic in a 5,000 seat theater over a full orchestra.
If you didn’t know, opera is extremely high, extremely long and only a fraction of those who can sing, can sing opera.
This is why Pavarotti’s voice touched people so profoundly—it’s a sound that we don’t hear very often, it’s a one-in-billions voice.
If Grobin or Bocelli is your idea of an opera singer, and Phantom of the Opera is your idea of opera, then this might work for you.
To those who love opera this will likely be a bad joke.
These are opera singers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VATmgtmR5o4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oG4cLyigq8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PYt2HlBuyI
Very good selection - i didn’t know that any Bjorling & Tebaldi “Boheme” was available on video at all.
It’s a pity that Pavarotti’s voice in his later year/recordings had (IMO) deteriorated so. I admit to being partial to Bjorling (and to a lesser extent Domingo & Corelli), but i must admit that Pavarotti’s Calaf in the 1974 recording of Turandot (with Joan Sutherland as Turandot and Zubin Mehta conducting) is absolutely superb.
Thanks for posting.
You’re absolutely right. Most so-called opera singers don’t sing opera well. I thought I didn’t like opera, having been to several local opera productions and not enjoying the singing at all. Then I stumbled on a CD of arias by excellent singers such as Kiri Te Kanawa, Placido Domingo, etc., and I was hooked in an instant. I realized then that I didn’t like BAD opera! LOL!
Touche, Boucheau.
Most people who watch this sort of program probably have no idea what opera is — or how to appreciate opera, which is in itself a bit of an art form.
With rare exceptions, no one can sing properly (much less inspiring) opera, unless they began serious musical studies in childhood and vocal training by age 14 at the latest.
Susan Boyle, Mariah Carey and others like them may be gifted with a naturally pleasing sound. They can be “coached” stylistically and learn little vocal tricks, and be further enhanced by the extremely sophisticated engineers running the sound board.
But put them in a room with no equipment, no mic, and no fancy emotional tricks used on all these “star” programs, and I don’t believe anyone would be impressed.