[nina foresti]

Well at least I will be cozy in my little warm cove of one. Just me and Elsa Driesig, rhat is.

 

[nina foresti]

Is portamento a nice way of saying those swoops and scoops tthat come from the mouth of Renee Fleming too often?

 

[nina foresti]

Swoops and scoops are signs of faulty technique. They signify that the singer is having difficulty finding a note or keeping the resonance consistent as they ascend/descend etc. They sound like a slow or unsteady portamento. Portamenti, when properly done, are not a sign of poor technique and are used to expressively join two notes in a natural manner.

Although I completely agree that it is a faulty technique I also believe that in the case of Fleming she is attending her days in jazz (she's not good at it BTW) and using it as a technique in opera.