Linda Esther Gray
MezzomanUK
http://www.singbelcanto.com/
including 4 from idomeneo (Elettra) as well as Wagner,Verdi,Tchikovsky and
Puccini
as well as details of her book `Behind The Curtains` which can be ordered.
Trev(UK)
AlisonC
wrote:
> There are 41 splendid audio clips onhttp://www.singbelcanto.com/
> including 4 from idomeneo (Elettra) as well as Wagner,Verdi,Tchikovsky and
> Puccini
>
> as well as details of her book `Behind The Curtains` which can be ordered.
>
> Trev(UK)
Have you read the book yet, Trev? I was planning to get it - went to a
talk she gave at the local music club recently and she had a very
interesting tale to tell.
The clips on her web site are worth listening to because there don't
seem to be (m)any of her recordings available commercially.
MezzomanUK
with the best Act 1curse ever imho, and Die Feen. Worth searching out is a
complete BBC broadcast of her ENO Tristan in English (I have it)
Oh that the BBC/ENO Carmen would be issued on dvd with LEG as Micaela and
the marvelous Katherine Pring as Carmen, and if my memory serves me well
Robert Ferguson as Jose.
Not got the book yet but it lok sinteresting
Trev(UK)
"AlisonC" <acl...@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1180731555.7...@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
MezzomanUK
will issue?!
"MezzomanUK" <trevor(nospam)col...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4V08i.55373$4a....@fe3.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
Brad M
In some respects it is not your normal opera singer autobiography -
she has a dream sequence involving Kirtsten Flagstad and others, and a
chapter which mainly consists of a dialogue between Isolde, Aida and
Tatyana. Both are important in developing some of the themes in the
book, such as the different demands on the voice of the repertiore she
sang and the increasing difficulty she found in keeping her top voice
and chest voice together. Alongside these imaginative chapters, there
is the story of a young singer developing her career and building a
happy family life and rapidily rising to international stardom, only
for the whole thing to collapse around her. The later chapters, as
she comes to terms with this and moves on, are moving. It has clearly
taken a lot of strength for her to write the book, which is also about
putting the past in its place and moving on with the rest of her life.
The book does tell us what ended her career - a serious illness (which
almost killed her) which led to physical, emotional and vocal
problems.
Brad
MezzomanUK
reading it. It`s not that easy to find though-there is a long wait on
amazon-but then I discovered it can be ordered from Miss Gray`s website! I
have always wondered why her career ended quite so suddenly. Rumours of a
nervous breakdown, vocal breakdown and too much too soon abounded, but if
you say it was a serious illness that seems all the more tragic that her
career ended as it did
Trev(UK)
"Brad M" <mediev...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1180801084....@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
AlisonC
wrote:
> Thanks for your mini review of the book. I am really looking forward to
> reading it. It`s not that easy to find though-there is a long wait on
> amazon-but then I discovered it can be ordered from Miss Gray`s website! I
> have always wondered why her career ended quite so suddenly. Rumours of a
> nervous breakdown, vocal breakdown and too much too soon abounded, but if
> you say it was a serious illness that seems all the more tragic that her
> career ended as it did
> Trev(UK)
>
>
> news:1180801084....@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > The book is a great read and I warmly recommend it.
>
> > In some respects it is not your normal opera singer autobiography -
> > she has a dream sequence involving Kirtsten Flagstad and others, and a
> > chapter which mainly consists of a dialogue between Isolde, Aida and
> > Tatyana. Both are important in developing some of the themes in the
> > book, such as the different demands on the voice of the repertiore she
> > sang and the increasing difficulty she found in keeping her top voice
> > and chest voice together. Alongside these imaginative chapters, there
> > is the story of a young singer developing her career and building a
> > happy family life and rapidily rising to international stardom, only
> > for the whole thing to collapse around her. The later chapters, as
> > she comes to terms with this and moves on, are moving. It has clearly
> > taken a lot of strength for her to write the book, which is also about
> > putting the past in its place and moving on with the rest of her life.
>
> > The book does tell us what ended her career - a serious illness (which
> > almost killed her) which led to physical, emotional and vocal
> > problems.
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
Yes, from the talk I went to I got the impression that she was rather
annoyed about the rumours that she'd lost her nerve, when it was
really the illness that was the problem. She seemed an ebullient
character in spite of everything and she was talking about giving a
future concert - as a mezzo I think. Something else to watch the web
site for.
I have been looking out for the Tristan CDs but they seems to be hard/
expensive to find, unfortunately. Maybe I should spring for Die Feen?
MezzomanUK
supervisor at ENO telling me that she could use a good few expletives when
necessary ! die Feen is also a bit hard to find now (it`s the one on Orfeo)
, and rather long winded, but she does have one superb aria.
Trevornews:1180817815.6...@u30g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
Brad M
and the audience is clearly very excited by the performance (lucky
them!).
The T&I appears on ebay now and again - there seems to be a japanese
edition out, which is cheaper than the Decca recording has tended to
go for.
I have found dead links to a recording of Die Walkure from Dallas in
1981 when she sang Sieglinde (there is a clip on the website). If
anyone out there happens to know where I can find this I'd be very
grateful.
Thanks
Brad
AlisonC
wrote:
> As far as I know her only commercial recordings are Tristan (under Goodall)
> with the best Act 1curse ever imho, and Die Feen. Worth searching out is a
> complete BBC broadcast of her ENO Tristan in English (I have it)
> Oh that the BBC/ENO Carmen would be issued on dvd with LEG as Micaela and
> the marvelous Katherine Pring as Carmen, and if my memory serves me well
> Robert Ferguson as Jose.
> Not got the book yet but it lok sinteresting
> Trev(UK)
>
>
> news:1180731555.7...@m36g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > On 1 Jun, 20:49, "MezzomanUK" <trevor(nospam)coll...@blueyonder.co.uk>
> > wrote:
> > > There are 41 splendid audio clips onhttp://www.singbelcanto.com/
> > > including 4 from idomeneo (Elettra) as well as Wagner,Verdi,Tchikovsky
> and
> > > Puccini
>
> > > as well as details of her book `Behind The Curtains` which can be
> ordered.
>
> > > Trev(UK)
>
> > Have you read the book yet, Trev? I was planning to get it - went to a
> > talk she gave at the local music club recently and she had a very
> > interesting tale to tell.
>
> > The clips on her web site are worth listening to because there don't
>
> - Show quoted text -
This thread made me get my finger out and order the book from her web
site - it arrived almost instantly which makes it well worth paying
the extra 51p or whatever it would be by the time one's paid the
Amazon "sourcing fee" :-) Haven't started on it yet though.
Brad M
I do hope that you enjoy the book. Please let us know what you make
of it.
Best wishes
Brad