Mara Zampieri / Livia Budai
ASKaCHEF
Does anyone remember the above singers being fired from the MET? Does
anyone know more than that?
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Principessa di sangue!
Principessa di Jell-O!
Charles Handelman
Hi..One of the very FEW example of "good taste" by the Met is the firing
of these OUTRAGEOUS singers.,BUT they did employ Theresa Scrrreeeeech-
Randall and have also allowed Milnes to sing there so horrendously the
last 10 yrs...so they cannot be ALL smart! as ever Charlie
Charles Handelman
"Principessa di JELLO....Thatis a MIGHTY FINE suggestion..CH
DSETIN
Mara Zampieri never actually made a Met debut. She was fired during the
rehearsals of Don Carlo and replaced by Aprile Millo. Some friends of
Millo told me that Zampieri at that time was not so bad, but that Jimmy
wanted to make a major splash with Aprile and paid off his contracted
diva.
Budai was let go after a series of execrtable Azucenas with Sutherland and
Pavarotti. She was replaced by Shirley Verrett.
Both of these ladies had very strange voices with very little in the way
of redeeming features.
WGray64403
Both Mara Zampieri and Livia Budai were "released from their contracts"
with the Met. The difference is that Budai actually sang one or two
performances as Azucena in the then-new production of Trovatore before she
was dumped. Shirley Verrett, among others, was brought in to replace her.
Zampieri never got beyond the dress rehearsal of Don Carlo. She was
replaced by Aprile Millo. In both cases, I believe, the problem was
perceived vocal inadequacy. I don't think either one has sung in the
United States since, although Zampieri continues to have an inexplicably
successful career in Europe..
Bill Gray
Tannh
mara zampieri did not sing at the met for internal political reasons. She
sang a superb dress rehearsal and it should seem odd to all of you tghat
an artist who has been very successful for twenty years in Europe, and in
leading houses, would not be good enough for the Met. Yes, her voice and
production are individual and not to everyone's taste but that could be
said of many great artists such as Magda Olivero,Leyla Gencer.
William Prien
In <4pa0v6$b...@newsbf02.news.aol.com> aska...@aol.com (ASKaCHEF)
writes:
Don Carlo-everyone at the Met was apparently appalled at how awful she
was!!!
As for Budai,I was at her Met debut. It was hideous!!! She sounded
like some sort of hoot owl or some other creature. DREADFUL!!!!
She was roundly boo-ed!!! Pavarotti(the wonderful Manrico of the
evening)was rumored to be quite angry at having to sing with sucha
sub-par Azucena. She was promptly fired and they brought in Obrahtsova
for a few performances and Verrett for the rest-WOW!!! Why weren't they
brought in for the opera in the first place? BTW-the Leonora was
Sutherland!!!(Her Met Opera Farewell!)
Cheers,
William Prien
ca...@ix.netcom.com
Sergio Henrique
In <4pb2mp$n...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, dse...@aol.com (DSETIN) writes:
>Mara Zampieri never actually made a Met debut. She was fired during the
>Budai was let go after a series of execrtable Azucenas with Sutherland and
>Pavarotti. She was replaced by Shirley Verrett.
When I first heard Zampieri (in Macbeth-DG alongside Bruson) I had the
same impression people usually have about her : no vibrato, a "strange" low
range. But even then I thought her interpretation was "particular" that is
she stamps the character with some nice personal insights.
In Fanciulla del West she was almost the same, "strange" singing, but
a very nice interpretation.
But when I had the chance of watching her live in Zurich singing
Adriana Lecrouveur (alongside Neil Shicoff) I was impressed ! She sang and
acted the role beautifully and in the last act she sang some true pianissimos
(something Freni could not do at La Scala). She is certainly much better
than some sopranos that are currently singing at the MET. (no names, please !!!)
Regards,
Sergio
PS: Budai is really terrible. I saw her in Aida as Amneris to my misfortune.
Giovanni Christen
Mara Zampieri still enjoys a successfull career, specially in German
speaking countries.
She has indeed a very personal voice and technique. A "trumpet-like"
voice, able of
singing in an exceptional dynamic range. I mean she can sing an aria in a
range
<ppp>-<mp> as good as <mf>-<fff>. Also her acting is personal - many
would mean
it is theatrical, unnatural.
On the bad side: her voice seems to need to warm up, and often she is
completely out
of pitch at the beginning of an opera. I remember a "Forza del destino"
where she did
not hit a correct note during the whole act 1. But she was very good in
the acts 2 & 4!
And she is a really thrilling performer when she is doing well.
The kind of singer you love or you hate.
Giovanni Christen
Giovanni Christen
Sergio Henrique writes about Mara Zampieri:
> But when I had the chance of watching her live in Zurich singing
>Adriana Lecrouveur (alongside Neil Shicoff) I was impressed ! She sang and
>acted the role beautifully and in the last act she sang some true pianissimos
>(something Freni could not do at La Scala). She is certainly much better
>than some sopranos that are currently singing at the MET. (no names, please !!!)
Sometimes her voice is without vibrato, but it seems to be her choice:
she can sing with vibrating voice too. BTW that could explain why her
career is mostly in German speaking countries: vibrato-less voices are
more regarded there than elsewhere...
Zurich's "Adriana" was indeed a woderful production, and also Gardelli
(cond.), Chausson (Michonnet) and Kasarova (Princess) should be named.
Zampieri was very effective also in the "spoken" scenes, showing even
there a wide dynamic range.
I like less Zampieri in Bellini and Verdi operas, IMO she is at her best
in verismo roles: Fanciulla, Tosca, Adriana etc. Recently she made her
debut as Suor Angelica at Zurich, and she was *very* good. Some
overacting in the scene with the Aunt Princess (I think a noun would be
more controlled) but fine singing. Her "Senza mamma" was sung pianissimo,
and was excellent until the death scene.
Giovanni
Carmen Z. Catoni
Giovanni Christen <gi...@mvseth.ethz.ch> wrote:
>Mara Zampieri still enjoys a successfull career, specially in German
>speaking countries.
>And she is a really thrilling performer when she is doing well.
>
Does that ever happen??
HAPPY LISTENING!!!
Luis A. Catoni
Miami, Fl