This is proably old news by now but its great and i love great

[+ David-SF]

I actually am not a fan of Opera...... till now

enjoy

 

http://www.flicklife.com/b60adb254a8127a6da8e/Britains_Got_Talent_This_guy_is_amazing.html

love David/SF

[Louis]

We were discussing Paul a few months back. He has certainly done well for himself and since winning the competiton has flown around the world. He was on CBC TV in Canada, and is a very down to earth person, which I think is one of the reasons for his popularity. Critics tell us that his voice is not the best, but he has a very good following, and I enjoy listening to him sing.

[Guest Wetnwildbear]

Glad to hear that he is doing well. I'm not an American Idol fan but

 

stumbled across his performance and thoroughly enjoyed.

 

Nice story too - average guy who works in a warehouse gets

 

his dream - that being to make his living singing.

[a_nice_guy]

>I actually am not a fan of Opera...... till now

>enjoy

>

 

Thanks for the post, David. I have never been to an Opera, but my interest got "peaked" with the scene in "Pretty Woman." After viewing this posted video, I'm even more determined to get to attend an Opera performance some day...

[ariadne1880]

I mean no offense by this but I've been going to the opera for 40 years. That is the worst version of this famous aria that I have ever heard. First, they have added so much "reverb" to the sound track that you cannot completely tell what the guy sounds like as the sound is severely distorted.

 

Second, the guy's pitch is all over the place and he has a wobble you could drive a truck through. Only American Idol fans would think that this is good classical singing.

 

If you think this is opera, don't go to the real opera as you will be disappointed.

 

This is opera for the tone deaf.

 

Mark

[+ deej]

>Only American Idol

>fans would think that this is good classical singing.

 

It's actually from "Britain's Got Talent" but your point is made. Just clarifying which group you're insulting.

[Guest EuropTravl]

The master:

Some had heard him perform it in Milan, some in Paris (where this clip is from) - I had the experience in (of all places) Fort Worth - cowtown!

RIP

[+ deej]

"nessum" wasn't his only talent....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpMYxC_XgMM

 

:+

[Louis]

The critics also panned Liberace, who was so upset he cried all the ways to the bank.

He is no Pavarotti, but he does have a growing fan base. He has been in several countries including Austrailia where people love him, so what ever he is doing its working...:-)

[Guest EuropTravl]

The critics were also panning Pavarotti in the latter stages of his career, which just shows true opera is like fine wine, if it sits around opened too long it goes bad. The other guy is beer (oh, it's GOOD beer....).

[ariadne1880]

I don't think one judges quality or achievement by how many stupid, uninformed people attend your concerts. Liberace made a lot of money by prostituting what was a decent gift. Fine. But claiming he was a great artist is pure silliness.

 

By that standard, Brittney Spears is a great artist.

 

This guy is a joke. American or British Idol is a joke. These people wouldn't know true artists if they assaulted them on the street.

 

The aria, by the way, is "Nessun dorma" not "nessum" but I understand the problem. The guy's diction was another problem.

 

Mark

[+ purplekow]

>I mean no offense by this but I've been going to the opera

>for 40 years. That is the worst version of this famous aria

>that I have ever heard. First, they have added so much

>"reverb" to the sound track that you cannot completely tell

>what the guy sounds like as the sound is severely distorted.

>

>Second, the guy's pitch is all over the place and he has a

>wobble you could drive a truck through. Only American Idol

>fans would think that this is good classical singing.

>

>If you think this is opera, don't go to the real opera as you

>will be disappointed.

>

>This is opera for the tone deaf.

>

>Mark

Gee I wonder what you would have said if you meant to insult him.

So many derive some sort of self satisfaction by setting their standard as the gold standard. You might have as easily made the point by saying while some may enjoy Mr. Paul, a trip to the opera likely will broaden ones expectations of the heights achievable by the very best opera has to offer.

[Louis]

This is not opera, but I am sure you will enjoy it..

http://www.fullervoice.com:80/cluck/bells/play.html

[pierrot]

The fact that you are NOT a fan of opera is essential to enjoying this guy's singing. For anyone who has heard this music well sung by professional singers it's obvious he is a mediocre amateur. Try listening to Pavarotti or Franco Corelli or Jussi Bjoerling sing this and you'll hear a big difference. Believe me, he has no more future in opera than the other Brit popular sensation of a few years ago who has now fizzled, Charlotte Church.

[Guest EuropTravl]

>>I don't think one judges quality or achievement by how many stupid, uninformed people attend your concerts.

 

OMG, have you ever SEEN "American Idol"? And I just read THE best selling CD of 2007 was from one of the guys who was a finalist and didn't even win. That's an achievement I'd say. I just can't remember his name or hum any of his songs.

 

>>But claiming he was a great artist is pure silliness.

 

I don't think you can compare opera superstars to other genres. Nobody would argue Streisand isn't a great vocalist yet when she was at her peak, pre-90's, she recorded "Classical Barbra" (which I bought of course being #1 an opera fan #2 a Barbra fan and #3 gay) and it was universally panned by classical crtitics as being unlistenable to. And I'd love to hear Kiri TeKanawa or Cecilia Bartoli trying to tackle some of EmmyLou Harris' greatest recordings. They'd sound ridiculous. ANd I think all three are "great artists".

[Louis]

"And I'd love to hear Kiri TeKanawa or Cecilia Bartoli trying to tackle some of EmmyLou Harris' greatest recordings. They'd sound ridiculous. ANd I think all three are "great artists"."

Better still lets hear them sing some vintage Dionne Warwick songs.:-)

[Guest zipperzone]

>Believe me, he has no more future in opera than the other Brit

>popular sensation of a few years ago who has now fizzled,

>Charlotte Church.

 

Well while their future in opera is certainly debatable there is one thing I think they CAN depend on. $$$ Bet they earn more per year than any member of our tight little clan (RockHard being the exception)

 

Speaking of Charlotte Church....... true story,

 

She was introduced to Pres Bush (Jr) at some benefit concert and he asked her where she was from. She replied that she was from South Wales and Bush asked "What state is that in?"

 

Hope this doesn't get the whole thread moved to the politics forum

:-)

[Guest zipperzone]

>Hope this doesn't get the whole thread moved to the politics

>forum

>:-)

 

Can someone please explain something to me?

 

When I posted this previous comment I clicked on a smiley face after the word forum. But it didn't appear in the post.

 

Now, when I go to write this question, the symbal for the smiley :-) is showing up, even although it didn't on the original.

 

I've noticed this in the past when I have tried to use this feature. Sometimes it shows up - sometimes it doesn't.

 

Does anyone know what gives?

[+ deej]

>And I'd love

>to hear Kiri TeKanawa or Cecilia Bartoli trying to tackle some

>of EmmyLou Harris' greatest recordings. They'd sound

>ridiculous. ANd I think all three are "great artists".

 

To that point you do, of course, own the album Kiri TeKanawa recorded with Nelson Riddle and his orchestra? It's called "Blue Skies". All classic American ballads.

 

It's pretty horrid.

 

She's a fabulous singer, in her genre, but she's no Rosemary Clooney.

 

BUT .... she gave it a shot. Two thumbs up from here.

[+ deej]

>Does anyone know what gives?

 

The board software has, at various times and in various versions, had issues with smilies.

 

A not-too-distant version would not display smilies at all if they were the first character on a line, for instance. (The one you're discussing here is exactly that, from what I see.)

 

That bug appears to be maybe-sorta-partially fixed, but there are still dangling bits of the same bug hanging around.

 

For the time being, your best bet for smilies is not to put them at the beginning of a line. If you REALLY NEED a smilie at the beginning of a line, put a space in front of it. The space won't show up in anyone's browser and you'll get your smilie.

[a_nice_guy]

>I mean no offense by this but I've been going to the opera

>for 40 years. That is the worst version of this famous aria

>that I have ever heard. First, they have added so much

>"reverb" to the sound track that you cannot completely tell

>what the guy sounds like as the sound is severely distorted.

>

>Second, the guy's pitch is all over the place and he has a

>wobble you could drive a truck through. Only American Idol

>fans would think that this is good classical singing.

>

>If you think this is opera, don't go to the real opera as you

>will be disappointed.

>

>This is opera for the tone deaf.

>

>Mark

 

Mark,

 

I could have respected your input had you not digressed to insults after having prefaced your post with “I mean no offense…” Geeezzz, did we get you on a bad day? I hope that’s all it was.

 

It appears that opera is one of your passions. I would have truly appreciated your comments had they been more constructive than offensive. You could have suggested that, while this novice is obviously popular to the crowd/judges in the video, he would have a long way to go before becoming a star. Then, perhaps you could have suggested particular operas that we may attend in order to get a more satisfying experience (now that our interests have been peaked)…That’s ok, though; you prompted others to speak out and because of that, I still plan to attend an opera performance someday.

 

I happen to be an American Idol fan—the show entertains me. I make no apologies for that. Art is subjective. I could not proclaim to differentiate between a fine wine and a “simpler” wine; but, I respect those who can. The same goes for music—while I’m not tone deaf, I know what I enjoy and what I don’t enjoy—I respect those who do not agree with my “tastes.”

 

Thanks to Purplekow for tactfully stating what I was thinking…

[Epigonos]

I have avoided becoming involved in this discussion until now but “a nice guy’s” last comments are so “right on” that I felt it necessary to put in my two cents worth. I am a somewhat knowledgeable fan of opera and a very knowledgeable fan of ballet. The fact is I write dance reviews for an online magazine. Now with that out of the way I would like to state that ANYBODY who popularizes opera or ballet and thus brings in a wider audience to these two art forms is invaluable. Without a constant influx of new fans both opera and ballet die. Granted singers like Andrea Botachille and Paul are not Enrico Caruso’s or Luciano Pavarotti’s BUT they expose an entirely new audience to the joy of opera and for that reason alone they deserve our respect and appreciation. A number of years ago there was a danseur named Patrick Bissell with American Ballet Theatre. He was a 6”1’ tall extremely handsome stud. Whenever he danced the audience was full of non-regulars who had come just to see him. Now at times I wondered if Patrick knew his left foot from his right and he certainly never seemed to know to end a solo in fifth position BUT the audience loved him and by damn that was the important thing. Patrick increased the dance audience that was therefore invaluable and wonderful.

People do let’s try to get opera and ballet out of the hallowed halls of elitist snobbery and into the popular halls of the everyday world.

[+ deej]

>People do let’s try to get opera and ballet out of the

>hallowed halls of elitist snobbery and into the popular halls

>of the everyday world.

 

I could not agree more.

 

The elitist snobbery surrounding opera, in particular, is a fairly modern phenomenon. In the days of Rossini, for example, opera *was* popular music.

[Louis]

My organ teacher was quite upset when I bought a Virgil Fox record. He call him the Liberace of oranists. The thing is I liked the way he played a lot of pieces. Stompimg Tom Connors has had a huge following in Canada, but is not the greatest Canadian singer by any means. I think people fall in love with performers who don't seem to make a big deal about themselves, and who are doing what they are doing because they are having fun and enjoying themselves.

[Lookin]

> I think people fall in love with performers who don't seem to make a big deal about themselves, and who are doing what they are doing because they are having fun and enjoying themselves.

 

 

I think that's true of posters, as well as performers. I really love the class and self assurance shown by so many posters in this thread.

 

I was also blown away by Paul Potts when I saw that video. His joy in singing what he loves adds so much to the beauty of the music it just pulled me in, and made me want to know more about the music, the composer, the singer, and about opera.

 

I’m very grateful to David for sharing this, and hope to thank him in person one day soon. :-)