How many opera-lovers have already heard the nine high Cs Juan Diego Flórez sang recently in “Ah, mes amis (Pour mon âme)” from La Fille Du Régiment at the Metropolitan Opera?Impossible to say, other than: a lot (and most via YouTube). And as you’ve likely also heard by now, a week ago on Monday, after the Met lifted the traditional house ban on encores, Flórez actually sang eighteen high Cs on the encore. (At La Scala, they broke the ban for Flórez in the same opera, too.)
Obviously, there’s more to singing opera than high notes. But there’s no denying the thrill of hearing them done so well: the gladiator aspect of opera. After all, here’s a guy singing with complete abandon, seemingly popping out high notes like they’re nothing. Anyone who’s been at the opera at a night with a tenor having a hideously bad night knows those high notes are not easy. Read more…
I do not understand why between acts of the operas you show the work people going about their work. For me this cuts into my enjoyment of the magic of the story. If you want to do a documentary of the technical side of making an opera then do so apart from the story of the opera itself. Please do not combine the unmagical nut-and-bolts with the magic. Thank you.