I don't think many of you on here watch Downton Abbey, but just in case ...
I don't think many of you on here watch Downton Abbey, but just in case ...
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Hope that was enough space.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa had a guest appearance on the most recent episode playing Dame Nellie Melba. It seems there's been a lot of criticism of the historical and musicologic accuracy, as well as criticism of her singing. I will say that, knowing her voice at its best, this was not the most stunning performance Dame Kiri has ever given, nor did it sound like Melba's extant recordings. However, there were places where she had a lovely line, and the main issue with the top notes was vibrato.
Frankly, it's TV, so there are multiple takes and a sound track that can be edited if it seems wretchedly off. Plus, if her acting was poor, where was the director? Why wasn't she coached? I don't think they were looking for her to create a character, they were using her as a plot device. Her intro of the singing in recital format wasn't poor acting, that's just how some people do that. Professionals who get paid a lot of money. I'm pretty sure they could have done her hair and so forth more flatteringly, as well, but that look suited their purpose even if it wasn't Melba.
So, no, it wasn't going to make the entire audience into opera lovers. How could it? Were there 16 total bars of audible music altogether? As for whether Mrs. Crawley would have known who Bartok was, she's a sort of buck the trend kind of character, so it isn't entirely odd that she might like someone not necessarily mainstream popular. Certainly,, she might be likely to attend formal concerts and as Bartok did perform in Manchester and London before and after WWI, maybe she heard his music and liked it. I think the critic who threw that in there was just adding sour grapes over his disappointment with the Te Kanawa/Melba thing. Which definitely had its flaws.
Besides, I haven't seen anyone mention the wrenching nuance of what they had her sing. The Dvorak and O Mio Babbino Caro were direct Melba/Te Kanawa references and predictable choices. What they don't tell you is that she hardly sings any of the O Mio Babbino Caro. What you hear her singing over the rapid intercuts with Anna's rape is Mimi's aria Donde Lieta from the third act of La Boheme. It is the most heart rending scene and there are all sorts of layers of added meaning with that. Someone trying to protect someone they love by pushing them away, the pain of all the little things that remind you of when life and love were wonderful, the choice of living in isolation (or feeling forced to) - what do you think is going to happen to Anna and Bates after this? That whole aria is a cry of pain and it foreshadows terrible things. Even the shift between the two arias is part of this. How come none of the critics seemed to pick up on and compliment those choices?
As for the audience being upset about Anna's rape, they damn well should be, and no, it wasn't too anything. It was real. If what little violence they showed you upset you, maybe you will do something to make sure this doesn't keep happening in future to real people. And as one writer pointed out, it seems to have gotten people talking about what really happened to servants back then, and how they would have been revictimized had they tried to report it. So be upset, and do something constructive about it.
#PeachMelba
#violencereallyhappens
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
Hope that was enough space.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa had a guest appearance on the most recent episode playing Dame Nellie Melba. It seems there's been a lot of criticism of the historical and musicologic accuracy, as well as criticism of her singing. I will say that, knowing her voice at its best, this was not the most stunning performance Dame Kiri has ever given, nor did it sound like Melba's extant recordings. However, there were places where she had a lovely line, and the main issue with the top notes was vibrato.
Frankly, it's TV, so there are multiple takes and a sound track that can be edited if it seems wretchedly off. Plus, if her acting was poor, where was the director? Why wasn't she coached? I don't think they were looking for her to create a character, they were using her as a plot device. Her intro of the singing in recital format wasn't poor acting, that's just how some people do that. Professionals who get paid a lot of money. I'm pretty sure they could have done her hair and so forth more flatteringly, as well, but that look suited their purpose even if it wasn't Melba.
So, no, it wasn't going to make the entire audience into opera lovers. How could it? Were there 16 total bars of audible music altogether? As for whether Mrs. Crawley would have known who Bartok was, she's a sort of buck the trend kind of character, so it isn't entirely odd that she might like someone not necessarily mainstream popular. Certainly,, she might be likely to attend formal concerts and as Bartok did perform in Manchester and London before and after WWI, maybe she heard his music and liked it. I think the critic who threw that in there was just adding sour grapes over his disappointment with the Te Kanawa/Melba thing. Which definitely had its flaws.
Besides, I haven't seen anyone mention the wrenching nuance of what they had her sing. The Dvorak and O Mio Babbino Caro were direct Melba/Te Kanawa references and predictable choices. What they don't tell you is that she hardly sings any of the O Mio Babbino Caro. What you hear her singing over the rapid intercuts with Anna's rape is Mimi's aria Donde Lieta from the third act of La Boheme. It is the most heart rending scene and there are all sorts of layers of added meaning with that. Someone trying to protect someone they love by pushing them away, the pain of all the little things that remind you of when life and love were wonderful, the choice of living in isolation (or feeling forced to) - what do you think is going to happen to Anna and Bates after this? That whole aria is a cry of pain and it foreshadows terrible things. Even the shift between the two arias is part of this. How come none of the critics seemed to pick up on and compliment those choices?
As for the audience being upset about Anna's rape, they damn well should be, and no, it wasn't too anything. It was real. If what little violence they showed you upset you, maybe you will do something to make sure this doesn't keep happening in future to real people. And as one writer pointed out, it seems to have gotten people talking about what really happened to servants back then, and how they would have been revictimized had they tried to report it. So be upset, and do something constructive about it.
#PeachMelba
#violencereallyhappens
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