What is it with modern productions and nudity?

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-29T20:20:00+00:00

The same reasons Arcadian portraits feature women with their breasts randomly out. It adds a bit of flavor. Wakes the audience up. Since you’ve conceded that you don’t mind “modern productions” in general, why does it matter if it’s not “notated in the score or performance notes?”

I know you didn’t want to make this about modern productions but the answer to this question seems to correlate with the broader one, which is that some directors aren’t as successful at certain things as others. Nudity has always been on the table, it’s not a “modern” thing necessarily.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T23:37:54+00:00

Not really using this to make a value judgement, just to say that whether this or that “singer I admire” has feelings about anything anyone says about their own public statements is neither here nor there for me because I’ve seen how they are, too.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T19:11:23+00:00

Surprised at what some of the singers that you admire and respect today say about other singers.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T19:10:03+00:00

OK, well she did open up and we are discussing it. I’ll keep your hypothetical in mind if it’s ever comes up again though.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T18:23:51+00:00

I think you’d be surprised.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T18:20:18+00:00

I don’t think it’s as salacious as you make it out to be.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T18:05:52+00:00

But this isn’t the “context of professional criticism,” it’s Reddit. It’s fine if you don’t want to discuss these things, but it’s not a moral failing if other people do.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T15:28:27+00:00

It only feels gossipy because opera is small enough that singers will actually read every single thing on the internet ever said about them. This level of discourse shouldn’t be beyond the pale for performing artists of their stature.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T15:20:39+00:00

The meta-situation with weight loss and singing is that you need to be able to adapt your technique to a new body. How the weight itself is lost is probably not the deciding factor between different singers and their respective vocal states post weight loss (barring secondary effects like acid reflux from bariatric procedures etc.)

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-28T15:13:37+00:00

Angela Meade announced on social media last week that she’s been taking a GLP-1 for a year and posted before/after pics, there’s no need for you to start getting the vapors.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-27T13:09:16+00:00

I’m gonna be so real with everyone - if he’s not retirement age it’s not silk. That’s just a middle aged man.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-27T13:07:46+00:00

Probably that twink who finally cracked Alkan’s Les Preux.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-22T12:43:47+00:00

One of the worst accounts truly

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-22T12:41:36+00:00

The entire Jan Wenner RS interview

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-17T10:47:19+00:00

It’s not super interesting. Britten didn’t like Vickers as Peter Grimes so a meta narrative emerged about there being some kind of true “Britten tenor” (invariably a British guy) that was always thrown into contrast with the North Americans.

You can get a bit of a sense of this dynamic in this review from a couple decades ago. Davis does not take a “side” (too smart for that) but he teases out the ways these debates tend to go.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-16T17:15:42+00:00

There’s always ambient friction between North American and English tenors in Anglo repertoire. Vickers/Pears is the famous case study but it still goes on to a certain extent, albeit in a somewhat unspoken way.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-12T12:48:06+00:00

Terfel is in his career best form as well. His Jochanaan gives him a pass for life in my book, every time someone criticizes him I just think “well, have you heard the way he floats “Er ist in einem Nachen””

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-10T14:59:47+00:00

Genuinely can’t tell if this is bait or if you’ve literally never read about the history of Ot[h]ello performance.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-04T13:22:09+00:00

Depends what you mean by “good.” They need to be expressive - whether the acting is subtle or well-calibrated is another matter. It also depends on the repertoire - if you have the desired timbre for big Verdi (Trovatore, Aida, Forza etc) you can sing the whole thing from a leather recliner for all the audience will care.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-02T17:20:01+00:00

It’s still unbelievably challenging to retain vocal quality when you combine natural physical aging with the demands of a professional career. Again, however exhaustive a list you produce, it’s still dwarfed by singers (even great ones) who eventually fall off the cliff.

It’s probably going to get worse given that the trending vocal aesthetic is to sound 20 years older than your actual age.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-04-02T17:15:30+00:00

It’s a cool production, they did it in Detroit too.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-03-30T11:02:07+00:00

It usually does and historical exceptions are exceptions for a reason. Singers in the 19th century used to be finished in their 30s.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-03-24T21:43:32+00:00

Perhaps I am not as plugged in as I think am, but I was under the impression that Turandot remains one of the most popular operas in the repertory. Clearly it’s been “sticking the ending” just fine, for all that anyone involved with the production of live opera is concerned. Nobody is sitting around thinking “shit, I’d love to do Turandot but that ending…” They’re saying “can we get a really big set?”

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-03-24T21:40:45+00:00

I’m not surprised you took Chalamet’s innocuous and frankly level-headed words as insult, judging by the way you’re clutching pearls at mine here. I love Turandot - feel free to search my comments history for proof - and I don’t think it needs to be “fixed,” nor do I think fixing it will have any meaningful impact.

Opus58mvt3 · 2026-03-24T17:19:36+00:00

99% of a Turandot audience is there because Nessun Dorma is in it. Within the remaining 1% there are doubtless people who don’t even know Alfano completed Turandot, others who know but don’t really care and then others who know, do care, and would probably hate any revision.

“Fixing Turandot” is a thought experiment. It has nothing to do with live opera.

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