I know almost nothing about opera. I mean, except for it being this musical art form where singers of incredible talent act out their dramatic roles onstage.
Since this is a genre that I've never really investigated all that much, I'm more or less stuck at the "I know what I like" stage. I bought some Cecilia Bartoli discs after hearing a radio segment featuring her doing some Rossini arias. Then there's the copy of Catalani's La Wally, purchased after falling in love with the aria performed by Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez in the film Diva. Not too much else, really. Oh sure, I do own a version of Mozart's Don Giovanni...mostly for the sheer bombast. In the "C'mon, are you going to count that?" category, I've also got Philip Glass' La Belle et La Bete, Akhnaten, and Einstein On The Beach. My only opera experience was to see a performance of Akhnaten in Boston.
This morning I'm listening to the last operatic disc on in my little collection: Bach cantatas BWV 82 and 199 as performed by the late Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson. I was very saddened to read this week that she'd passed away at the all too young age of 52.
I know as much about Lieberson as about opera in general. Heck, I don't even really know what a mezzo-soprano is. What was obvious was that Lieberson's relationship to the music was a particularly intense one. During an NPR feature segment on the singer, it was apparent that Lieberson was not your normal "Diva." Anybody who lives in service of the music is OK in my book. My interest was piqued.
So all I've got to show for this interest is a single, stunning disc of Bach cantatas. Very much like some iconoclastic blues and pop singers (Tom Waits, Bjork, and Howling Wolf come to mind), you've really got to hear Lieberson's voice to get it's true measure. No amount of language can get at its essence.
Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson. March 1, 1954 - July 3, 2006.
Article comments
1 - Bliffle
Glad you like your little excursion into the cantatas. There are many more that are rewarding, and many many recordings displaying different approaches to performance. Bach was a very original composer and he created a ton of good tunes which he put to both voice and instrument use.
2 - DJRadiohead
Well done, Sir Saleski. You have much more knowledge of opera than do I. I saw the news story that Hunt-Lieberson passed away. Of course, I am sad and sorry for her family, friends, and fans but I didn't really know anything about her as opera is well out of my listening sphere. That said, this week's FML is a good read. I feel... well, more connected to it all after reading this.
3 - methuselah
Lieberson is an excellent singer, and the cantatas provide a good showcase. I join blffle in recommending more cantatas for your enjoyment. I was going to suggest some numbers, like 78, 151, etc., but the music is so diverse that it's hard to make a mistake.
4 - Tim Jarrett
I had the privilege of singing in the chorus behind Ms Hunt Lieberson in a performance of Schoenberg's Gurreleider a few months ago. There were some incredibly talented soloists on stage, and she stole the show. She will be missed.