the mad scene

Cultural differences can make rather interesting points of discussion. You’ve read my earlier post concerning the multiple identities of Darrell Ang, here’s another amusing story:

So one afternoon, my fellow singer classmates were gushing about this fabulous performer called Chou1 Shu2 Mei3; one classmate was even so bold after attending the singer’s recent concert that she dashed across secuirity lines in order to get this idol to autograph her CDs.

 I was puzzled, who in the world is this woman that could cause such an intense behaviour? Then another classmate revealed her more famous international name and then it dawned on me.  Yeah this singer is really someone to go crazy over.

So now I’m throwing this riddle back at you readers: guess who this Chou Shu Mei person? She’s an internationally acclaimed singer with a high-profile recording contract, works with the top personalities in the business, and performs regularly at top international venues as well as Singapore, so there’s really no reason why our regular readers won’t know who she is.

As this is a guessing game, readers who already know the answer should refrain from answering, sorry about that. Since Turandot is only one of my favourite operas, the first person who correctly solves this riddle by posting the correct answer in the comments section will win the prize of my virginity, or whatever’s left of it (prize subject to change or withdrawal without further notice).

Want a clue? Try flipping the order of the words around.

Another one? No she’s not Chinese.

Check out this AMAZING inspirational story about Chinese mezzo Zheng Cao who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and 29 tumors yet bounced back to resume her singing career. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/30/DD27190DMN.DTL

Thanks to Joyce di Donato’s YankeeDiva for the tip.

Soprano Ee-Ping is, IMHO, one of the few Singapore-born singers who can truly be called an operatic Prima Donna.  Being based in London for a number of years, Ee-Ping has accumulated a broad repertoire that includes staples like Pamina, Fiordilligi, Countess, Micaela, Mimi and Marguerite, as well as lesser known leading parts like Fata Morgana in Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges and Yum-Yum in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado. Concert rep include the soprano solos in Messiah, Saul, The Creation and Mozart’s and Faure’s Requiems.

With such an impressive body of work, its only natural that, like Madonna before her, the artist formerly known as “Yee Ee-Ping” should shorten her name to the single moniker of “Ee-Ping”, to better reflect her leading lady status. Here, The Mad Scene interviews our very own diva on her performance career in Europe and her upcoming appearance in the SLO’s concert Romantic and Tragic Love:

—————————————-

The Mad Scene: Hi Ee-Ping, thank you for doing this interview with The Mad Scene. Firstly, describe your voice to those of us who have yet to hear you sing.

Ee-Ping: I’m a lyric soprano. I’ve been told that I have a creamy and emotional tone, a cross between Renee Fleming and Kiri Te Kanawa perhaps?

The Mad Scene: Your repertoire includes Butterfly and Pamina, two very different roles with different demands. Which side would you say your voice is closer to?

Ee-Ping: Both require great skill and dexterity and I feel comfortable singing both. It depends how big the opera house is and what kind of voice they are looking for (ie. if the opera house is big, than the Pamina would be required to have a larger voice).

The Mad Scene: Having been based in Europe for many years, in your opinion is it difficult for Asian singers to be cast in leading roles (apart from Butterfly of course)

Ee-Ping: Of course it is not easy, as opera is very visual and mostly written as European roles…But if an artist is outstanding and have something to say for themselves there is always a good chance of success!

The Mad Scene: Have you performed with any famous opera celebrities while working in Europe? Any quirky stories to share?

Ee-Ping: I’ve sung for Jose Carerras and Jose Cura before; I felt weak at the knees like a little girl and could hardly speak!

The Mad Scene: How do you feel the Singapore opera scene has evolved over the years? Is there hope for a young singer to build a career here?

Ee-Ping: The scene has come on a lot in Singpore. With the flourishing arts scene in China and rest of South East Asia it’s the upcoming place to based in!

The Mad Scene: What opera roles would you most like to present to Singaporean audiences?

Ee-Ping: I would love to sing Mimi in La Boheme, Manon Lescaut ( Puccini), Marie in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt and more German operas!

The Mad Scene: What opera performances have you attended lately?

Ee-Ping: The last one I attended was Hansel and Gretel ( Humperdinck) at the Royal Opera House.

The Mad Scene: As our e-zine is called The Mad Scene, tell us what is your favourite Mad Scene?

Ee-Ping: The mad scene of Lucia di Lammermoor of course!

The Mad Scene: Lastly, tell us why we should all attend the SLO’s Romantic and Tragic Love come 21 November 2009?

Ee-Ping: Because romance and tragedy is part of everyone’s life, so there will definitely be something in our program of favourites that will appeal to you. Plus it’s going to be a great cast and we should support our very own Asian artists!!!

 —————————————-

Catch Ee-Ping in action with mezzo Anna Koor and baritone Zhang Feng at the Singapore Lyric Opera’s presentation of Tragic and Romantic Love on 21 Nov 2009. Tickets are now available at SISTIC.

 To chase away the blues, here are a few jokes at the expense of us vocalists. Some are familiar, some are new. Hope you’ll enjoy:

 ————————————————

Q: How do you tell when your lead singer is at the door?
A: He can’t find the key and doesn’t know when to come in.

Q: What is the difference between a Wagnerian soprano and an All-Pro offensive lineman?
A: Stage makeup.

Q: How many lead singers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: One. He holds the bulb while the world revolves around him.

Q: What is the difference between a soprano and a Porsche?
A: Most musicians have never been inside a Porsche.

Q: Did you hear about the female opera singer who had quite a range at the lower end of the scale.
A: She was known as the deep C diva.

Q: What is the missing link between the bass and the ape?
A: The baritone.

Q: What is the difference between a Wagnerian soprano and a Wagnerian Tenor?
A: About 10 pounds.

Q: How can you tell when a tenor is really stupid?
A: When the other tenors notice.

Ever hear the one about the tenor who was so off-key that even the other tenors could tell?

Q: How many tenors does it take to change a light bulb?
A: Six. One to do it, and five to say, “It’s too high for him.”

Q: What’s the inscription on dead blues-singers tombstones?
A: “I didn’t wake up this morning…”

Person 1: It must be terrible for an opera singer to realize that he can never sing again.
Person 2: Yes, but it’s much more terrible if he doesn’t realize it.

Q: Dad, why do the singers rock left and right while performing on stage?
A: Because, son, it is more difficult to hit a moving target.

Q: Mom, why do you always stand by the window when I practice for my singing lessons?
A: I don’t want the neighbours to think I’m employing corporal punishment, dear.

Q: How many altos does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. They can’t get up that high.

Q: How many lead singers does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None. Get the drummer to do it.

Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings.

A Choristers’ Guide To Keeping Conductors In Line
The basic training of every singer should, of course, include myriad types of practical and theoretical emphases. One important area which is often neglected, however, is the art of one-upmanship. The following rules are intended as guides to the development of habits which will promote the proper type of relationship between singer and conductor.

1. Never be satisfied with the starting pitch. If the conductor uses a pitch-pipe, make known your preference for pitches from the piano and vice-versa.

2. Complain about the temperature of the rehearsal room, the lighting, crowded space, and of a draft. It’s best to do this when the conductor is under pressure.

3. Bury your head in the music just before cues.

4. Ask for a re-audition or seating change. Ask often. Give the impression you’re about to quit. Let the conductor know you’re there as a personal favour.

5. Loudly clear your throat during pauses (tenors are trained to do this from birth). Quiet instrumental interludes are a good chance to blow your nose.

6. Long after a passage has gone by, ask the conductor if your C# was in tune. This is especially effective if you had no C# or were not singing at the time.

7. At dramatic moments in the music (which the conductor is emoting), be busy marking your music so that the climaxes will sound empty and disappointing.

8. Wait until well into a rehearsal before letting the conductor know that you don’t have the music.

9. Look at your watch frequently. Shake it in disbelief occasionally.

10. When possible, sing your part either an octave above or below what is written. This is excellent ear-training for the conductor. If he hears the pitch, deny it vehemently and claim that it must have been the combination tone.

11. Tell the conductor, “I can’t find the beat.” Conductors are always sensitive about their “stick technique” so challenge it frequently.

12. If you are singing in a language with which the conductor is the least bit unfamiliar, ask her as many questions as possible about the meaning of individual words. If this fails, ask her about the pronunciation of the most difficult words. Occasionally, say the word twice and ask her preference, making to say it exactly the same both times. If she remarks on their similarity, give her a look of utter disdain and mumble under your breath about the “subtleties of inflection”.

13. Ask the conductor if he has listened to the von Karajan recording of the piece. Imply that he could learn a thing or two from it. Also good: ask, “Is this the first time you’ve conducted this piece?”

14. If your articulation differs from that of others singing the same phrase, stick to your guns. Do not ask the conductor which is correct until backstage just before the concert.

15. Find an excuse to leave the rehearsal about 15 minutes early so that others will become restless and start to fidget.

Make every effort to take the attention away from the podium and put it on you, where it belongs!

The amazing conductor
When a young hotshot conductor was making his debut at the Met, he showed the jaded and skeptical orchestra how well he knew the music by singing all parts of the Lucia sextet during rehearsal.

Afterwards, one musician was overheard whispering to the other, impressed, “Well, this kid really knows his stuff!”

The other replied, “I don’t think he is so hot. Did you notice how flat his high E was at the end?”

Arriving at Heaven
A soprano died and went to Heaven. St. Peter stopped her at the gate asking, “Well, how many false notes did you sing in your life?”

The soprano answers, “Three.”

“Three times, fellows!” says Pete, and along comes an angel and sticks the soprano three times with a needle.

“Ow! What was that for?” asks the soprano.

Pete explains, “Here in heaven, we stick you once for each false note you’ve sung down on Earth.”

“Oh,” says the soprano, and is just about to step through the gates when she suddenly hears a horrible screaming from behind a door. “Oh my goodness, what is that?” asks the soprano, horrified.

“Oh,” says Pete, “that’s a tenor we got some time back. He’s just about to start his third week in the sewing machine.”

Attended the SSO’s Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony with Nicole Cabell, Patricia Bardon and conductor John Nelson (but sadly without me in the chorus)? How did they do?

poll by twiigs.com

Our CD reviewer ST spotlights this talented young soprano’s debut CD, now available for borrowing at the Esplanade Library: 

 ————————————

Miah Persson, soprano

Swedish Chamber Orchestra

Sebastian Weigle, conductor

Catalogue no.: BIS-SACD-1529

Track Listing

1. Schon lacht der holde fruhling KV 580

2. Ch’io mi scordi di te? KV 505

3. Nehmt meinen dank KV 383

4. Lungi d ate, mio bene (Mitridate, Re di Ponto, KV 87)

5. Un moto di gioia KV 579

6. Deh vieni non tardar (Le Nozze di Figaro, KV 492)

7. Come scoglio (Cosi fan tutte, KV 588)

8. Ruhe sanft mein holdes leben (Zaide, KV 344)

9. Exsultate, jubilate KV 165

This is a singer new to me. The album was released some time in 2006 and I found it in the Esplanade Library. It was named after the alternative aria written for Susanna from The Marriage of Figaro (track 5 of the album) and literally meant “A surge of Joy”. The cover of the CD featured a pretty young lady smiling to the camera; how aptly named the album was.

This talented young Swedish soprano graduated from the University College of Opera in Stockholm in 1999 and has been active in Europe, appearing in most of the major opera houses. Her roles included Pamina, Susanna, Sifare, Sophie and Fiordiligi. This was her first recital album and she offered a repertoire very similar to what Cecilia Bartoli recorded for Decca in the 1990s. Practically every aria featured has been recorded by Bartoli (except perhaps the excerpt from Zaide and the concert arias KV 580 & 383, all sung in German) and that invited direct comparison.

On listening through the album twice, it was evident that Persson possessed a warm voice. It was fresh, youthful, beautiful, rounded and even in scale. She was technically accomplished. Her voice was flexible enough to tackle the difficult coloratura of Exsultate, jubilate as well as those cruelly written divisions of Come scoglio. The long aria from Mitridate where Sifare bids farewell to his beloved Aspasia was movingly sung, trills were nicely executed. Deh vieni non tardar was suitably seductive (she was an outstanding Susanna in Covent Garden). The title track did inject a surge of joy. The aria from Zaide was beautifully sung with superb breath control. The second verse of Nehmt meinen Dank was decorated in a way that was new to me. The florid division of the concert aria KV 580 was well managed. Ch’io mi scordi di te KV 505 was movingly performed with a nice flow of melody. The high notes were securely placed. Musically speaking, all the pieces turned out very well. There were no smudged divisions nor sour notes. Everything was musically correct. It was an enjoyable listening experience. If I have bought a ticket to attend a concert and heard all these, I have reason to be very happy at the end of the evening.

I had 2 minor comments though. Although equally accomplished technically, Persson’s enunciation of Italian text could not match that of Bartoli, who was of course native Italian. The fact that Bartoli could enunciate the text better helped her enormously in her recordings to project some of the characters better and thus making some of these pieces even more immediately unforgettable to the listener.

In addition, there was a feeling of similarity when going through the programme. There was not enough differentiation between the some of the characters and pieces. Perhaps more stage experience would have helped her in this aspect.

But please do not let these minor comments deter you from exploring this talented young singer’s artistry. This was an enjoyable debut album for the young soprano, whose voice and technique promise much for the future. She was adequately supported by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and conductor. The recording quality was clear and warm, with good balance between soloist and orchestra. As I have said, if I have bought a ticket for this concert, I will be very happy at the end of the evening.

OK i know its not wise to give out your phone number online, but what the heck… You can now reach me at +886 9559 23201. Drop me a call if you’re in town!

Opera Recital: A Tribute to Mdm Joy Chen

by the Echo Philharmonic Society

17 Oct 2009, 8pmVictoria Concert Hall

Translation of the description:

“Mdm Joy Chen and her husband Mr Tian Ming En are among the first generation of migrants to Singapore to establish themselves as music professionals. They arrived in 1955, and taught music at Chung Cheng High School as well as set-up and conduct the school choir. In the 60’s, Mdm Chen and her husband left for Italy for further studies, returning in 1967.

After Mr Tian suffered a stroke in 1968, Mdm Chen took over his many duties, conducting many choirs and teaching voice to numerous students. Because of her hard work over many decades, she has made tremendous contributions to Singapore’s cultural development. Her unflagging attitude to art is a role model that we should offer our utmost respect.”

—————————-

Tribute or not, its an opera recital and we know just what to expect from it. I won’t be attending for obvious reasons, but I would love to go just to hear Martin Ng’s performance. Now based in Italy, Martin is perhaps better known as the baritone who sang Timur to Nancy Yuen and Rachelle Gerodias’s Liu at last year’s highly successful Turandot. After making such a splash, it would be interesting to hear him in other parts of his repertoire.

But more than that, local audiences should come to hear the voice of Zhu Tai-Li, the lady in the flyer with the biggest picture in the centre column. She will be flying in to Singapore after what will surely be a successful performance of Manon Lescaut in Taipei (which I will be attending, and you won’t). Though Taiwanese by birth, Mme. Zhu has been based in Italy since her teenage years, and has since became a worthy torchbearer of the traditional Italian school of bel canto (the same tradition that Parterre readers always claim to no longer exist). So Italianate is her singing that her late private teacher Tito Gobbi remarked “your voice reminds me of Maria…”

If nothing else, here is a singer who has successfully sung Norma to Italian audiences (that most exacting role favoured by La Divina herself, who I know isn’t Italian either but lets not quibble…), and yes, Casta Diva is on the evening’s program. Excerpts of Norma sang by an actual Norma, what more can we ask for? (except for a full production of Norma of course but that’s another story…)

Excited? Then get your tickets now! Call 6339 1787 or 98695466 for details.

Our prolific guest reviewer ST returns with his opinion of Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez’s high profile production of La Fille du Regiment:

—————————————

Donizetti
La Fille du Regiment (The Daughter of the Regiment)
Comic Opera in 2 Acts

Cast

Marie …………………………………Natalie Dessay
Tonio…………………………………Juan Diego Florez
La Marquise de Berkenfeld…………..Felicity Palmer
Sulpice Pingot…………………………Alessandro Corbelli
La Duchesse de Crackentorp………….Dawn French
Hortensius……………………………..Donald Maxwell
Corporal……………………………….Bryan Secombe
Notary…………………………………Jean-Pierre Blanchard

The Royal Opera Chorus & the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by
Bruno Campanella

DVD from Virgin Classics
Live performance on 11 January 2007

Donizetti’s comic opera The Daughter of the Regiment was written and first performed in Paris. It never achieved the “evergreen” status of his other comedies such as L’elisir D’amore and Don Pasquale. In fact, it was rarely performed last century till 1966 when the Royal Opera House staged it for Joan Sutherland and Luciano Pavarotti. As most of us know, the series of performances were extremely successful and made Luciano Pavarotti a big star. A studio recording based on those performances were released by Decca and became a classic recording of the opera. Since then, the work was revived now and then. I recall a live recording of the work in the 80s with June Anderson and Alfredo Kraus released by EMI.

Here we have a new live recording on DVD of the delightful comedy featuring the leading French coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay and celebrated bel canto tenor Juan Diego Florez issued by Virgin Classics. The performance took place in January 07 at London’s Royal Opera House, the same place where Sutherland and Pavarotti triumphed some 40 plus years ago.

We have to admit that the work cannot match Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, widely considered as the paragon of operatic comedies, in terms of inspiration, invention, musical beauty and dramatic complexity. But with the correct cast, it can provide an evening of splendid entertainment, the way a good musical would.

Natalie Dessay was a joy to watch once she was on stage. Her funny hairdo and military vest and slacks immediately set the tone of her performance. Watching her ironing uniforms, peeling potatoes, pointing a rifle around and taking a singing lesson was amusing enough. Musically, I am glad to report that she was in generally fine voice that evening. Her duet with Sulpice turned out well. In turn, she was sparkling in Chaucun le sait and her love duet with Tonio, suitably distressed in Il faut patir and her Act 2 aria, and jubilant in Salut a la France. A couple of high notes sounded strained and hard, but taken as a whole, the performance was most convincing and memorable.

Juan Diego Florez is likely to be the best Tonio available today and was in great form that evening playing the peasant boy madly in love with Marie. He performed the difficult music with grace and panache. There were no problems with the high tessitura of the music at all. The love duet found him in ardent form, while he displayed agility and sparkle in ensembles. The famous show piece Ah! Mes amis (which made Luciano Pavarotti a sensation and won him the nickname “King of High Cs”) was a genuine triumph. The 9 high Cs were delivered cleanly and effortlessly. Predictably, that brought down the house. His Act 2 aria Pour me rapprocher de Marie was sensitively shaded and beautifully phrased. There was no fear of comparison with his famous predecessors Pavarotti and Alfredo Kraus.

Alessandro Corbelli (looking bald and portly with a funny moustache) was an outstanding Sulpice, tackling the comical and musical demands superbly. The veteran Felicty Palmer was an amusing La Marquise. The spoken parts were all adequately cast, with Dawn French in typical hilarious form as La Duchesse. The chorus sang their important music with panache while lending dramatic and comical support. The Royal Opera House Orchestra gave spirited support under the baton of Bruno Campanella. Sets and props were impressive and often amusing. The iron, army laundry, rifles and finally a tank on stage successfully updated the comedy. With splendid camera work and outstanding recording quality, this DVD was a valuable documentation of a most enjoyable evening.

To my friends who have posted comments here recently, thanks for your many well wishes, they are sincerely appreciated.

You know, one of the funny things about migrating to a foreign country, even one that speaks the same language as yours, is the little different ways that we express certain things. For example, do you know what a prepaid SIM card is called in Chinese? How do you say “stapler” in Chinese?

So I was having a conversation with a violinist classmate. He had just completed an orchestral summer camp training program, conducted by a Singaporean conductor called “Hong Yi Quan”. He asked if I had heard of him.

Me: ” “Hong Yi Quan? Never heard of him”.

Classmate: “Never heard of him? I heard he ’s very famous, because he won a lot of prizes and is quite handsome”

Me: “Oh, the one with the big hair?”

Classmate: “Yes, that’s the one!”

Me: “I see, we usually call him Darrell Ang in Singapore.”

The moral of the story, I suppose, is that in addition to musical talent and the ability to lead others, what an aspiring conductor needs to stand out these days is a signature hairstyle. Perhaps Andy Lee should set up a Monsoon branch at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and give lectures on how to style and maintain that attention-grabbing hairdo.