Comments on: On Waltraud Meier: We’re Sorry We Missed Your Isolde Friday Night!

By: Cissy

Cissy — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:28:50 +0000

Is that true?
What a big wow! Herr Meier is a real heroine!
Methinks she is the greatest female Wagnerian now singing on stage.

By: The Gay Recluse

The Gay Recluse — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:26:13 +0000

Thanks for sharing, Ricky — I also love Brangane’s “Einsam…” so haunting and beautiful!

By: Ricky

Ricky — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:01:48 +0000

This was one of the performances I had tickets for–what a wonderful surprise! Her voice was lovely and powerful, and she acted the hell out of the role. I would have never known she had little sleep and zero rehearsal, though Peter Gelb did come out before the opera began and informed us that by the time she would be singing the Liebestod, it would be morning in Munich.

I really love the design and staging of this production (except for those tchotchkes in Act III; what were they thinking?!). The lighting design is the most effective and beautiful I’ve seen in an opera; the way the gold light pours out of the doors into the blue night at the top of Act II–unforgettable.

My favorite part of the opera was Brangane’s “Einsam wachend in der Nacht.” Michelle DeYoung’s voice is perfectly suited for this section, and it just floated over the orchestra so beautifully, magically.

Five hours never seemed so short a time…

By: John Anthony

John Anthony — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:52:37 +0000

I assume one would prefer only one leaf on a tree, one kernel of corn on an ear, one fencepost clicking by as you ride alongside of it. After all, they’re all the same after you’ve seen one.

By: Arundel

Arundel — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:35:55 +0000

Hi. I forget where I first came across your blog, but I enjoy your posts and insights.
Thank you.

However, this strange thing of repeating the same picture fifteen times in a post is a damned eyesore, an affectation that beats the casual reader over the head with the same repeated image in such a distracting way it’s impossible to concentrate on what you’re saying.

Repeating the same photo over and over implies there’s some importance to the image- believe me, once is enough. We’re not stupid. Repeating it so pointlessly is irksome.

I hope you keep writing insightful things. But readers have to work to find them between the same goddamn picture, breaking up the text for no reason.

Best to you.