Shy Boy and his Friend Shock the Audience with The Prayer - Unbelievable

http://www.godvine.com/Shy-Boy-and-his-Friend-Shock-the-Audience-with-The-Prayer-Unbelievable-1318.html ^

[keypro]

http://www.godvine.com/Shy-Boy-and-his-Friend-Shock-the-Audience-with-The-Prayer-Unbelievable-1318.html

[AnAmericanMother]

Melchior and Flagstad - the Tristan & Isolde duet. It’s on YouTube and the sound quality’s not bad at all.

[fullchroma]

Hey, did you awake this morning with “Time to Say Goodbye” playing in your head? :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2C2eUi8xnY (More Jonathan Antoine.)

[fullchroma]

Thanks, Bocelli’s wonderful.

[fullchroma]

Thanks for your (invaluable) 2-cents, AAM! I already love Mozart but haven’t paid any heed to his opera.

[fullchroma]

Thanks for the great recommendations. I think I’ll first try to find a Melchior LP or two. (Have become obsessed with the qualities of record-player sound since getting one for Christmas.)

[steve86]

I think you must be much more musically sophisticated than me because I can’t comment on it other than to say there’s something sublime about it (no idea what).

[AnAmericanMother]

Give a listen here.

This is the "love duet" from Tristan und Isolde.

Flagstad's magnificent dramatic soprano is perfectly capable in harness with the great Melchior.

The opera is available in a modern reissue on Amazon here.

[steve86]

I like to think of them as mini-miracles; to see and feel all of those people go from disbelief that someone who *looks* like *that* could have anything to offer,to absolute amazement and joy was incredible.

But it disturbs me to think that if he lost his voice, it's back to the gutter for him, as far as they are concerned.

[AnAmericanMother]

You are most welcome!

I think that Magic Flute is a perfect opera for people who don't particularly care for opera. Mozart's music is completely accessible to just about everybody, and it has something for everyone: the romantic/lyric tenor Tamino, the lovely lyric soprano Pamina, comic baritone Papageno and his elusive wife Papagena, and more comic sparring among the Three Ladies. On opposite ends, you have the deepest bass you will hear this side of Russian in Sarastro, wandering down around low F, and the incredible coloratura fireworks of the Queen of the Night who is up in the clouds with a couple of F6s in "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen".

Even though the Ingmar Bergman film has severe cuts in the music and changes some minor plot points around, it's worth owning simply because nobody else has come close to filming this opera the way it deserves to be filmed. I'm amazed that he found such high quality singers to sing it in Swedish - the Queen of the Night, Birgit Nordin, will stand comparison with the greats like Serra and Damrau, and I love the Papageno, who is simply perfect.

I haven't seen the recent Kenneth Branagh version, so I can't say much about it. The clips I've seen look interesting, though the habit some directors have of putting classic operas into modern dress leaves me cold. There's a French version rolling around that puts everybody back into the ancient Egyptian dress that Mozart intended. The whole thing is vaguely Masonic, but I've never let that bother me. :-)

[Tunehead54]

Great post! There are so many things I might miss without my FRiends helping out. ;-)

Jonny - maybe something for the Idol ping list? I admit I miss Simon ...

[CT Hillbilly]

I believe that once that light inside is turned on, it isn’t easily diminished.

EVERYONE has gifts and if he lost his voice, he would find another gift. I know this by personal singing-voice-losing experience. Happened to me literally overnite. And I was heavy and plain too.

Since then, God has showed me other gifts I have so that my light can shine...and while I didn’t have the life I planned, it has still been incredible.

And just who are “they” that judge him? Simon Cowell? Carmen Elektra? Who cares what they think! I know it’s a show and their opinion matters there, but in the real world, there are people that don’t judge people by their looks. I’m one of them!

The Mrs

[CAluvdubya]

Her part was to get him on stage. She played her part magnificently. Good on her.

I agree. She is his friend, protector, and gives him confidence.