[Monsalvat]

Not at all... I suppose we are after two different types of entertainment here. I'm interested in the performance; understanding of the music, inspiration, interpretation, execution. Most of my music consumption is audio-only so I couldn't care less about the physical appearance of the performer(s). "Confidence" to me relates to assertiveness in playing. If I can't hear it over a CD, then it likely doesn't matter to me. And if I'm watching a performance, I'm interested in the acting ability (in opera) more than someone's physical appearance. I don't care if it's Nikolaus Harnoncourt or Herbert von Karajan or Yuja Wang in terms of appearance. Their task is to communicate through music. Rhetorically, why should I judge them for anything other than that? I feel like some of these threads are getting weirder and weirder...

 

[Monsalvat]

I'm sure you care about appearances on some level. For example, a performer dressed in rags at a hall is likely to be frowned upon by most classical enthusiasts.

It's almost impossible to deny we care about appearances on some level.

Scott Ross dressed very casually when he was teaching, performing, or going about his daily life; practically in rags (or often in a leather jacket). I would have found it strange if I had seen him in concert, sure, but that by itself doesn't tell me anything about his ability to communicate music. In any case, even if I cared more (and I'm sure many people care more about that kind of thing than I do), it isn't a factor when I'm listening only and not seeing them. In opera, where I am seeing the performance, the set design and costume design is more important to me anyway, as well as acting ability, and stage presence. I certainly wouldn't choose to attend a concert given by one performer or another based on anything to do with physical appearance.

 

[Monsalvat]

Would you watch a nude performance?

I've seen Salome, if that counts, and I'd certainly listen to one if it was good. Not sure I would want to watch it, though... I do agree with your post #9 that expression and communication is what counts in a performance, but I fear that focusing on the clothing distracts from that. I see sexualizing performers as a cheap way to sell tickets, and you see it as a way of augmenting one's artistic expression, and I think that's where our views diverge. And to be fair to you, I don't really think very much about expressing myself when I choose which clothes to wear; fashion is something I know very little about and perhaps it is just a smaller part of my life than it is for most people. So if we are talking about legitimate artistic expression through fashion, that is a topic I'm not qualified to talk about. Though still, I don't know how much of it is that, and how much of it is essentially just marketing to a certain audience. Also, is this something that occurs with men and women? Your post only lists women, which seems concerning to me... women have been unfairly treated for most of classical music's history, and I would hope that the industry has made further strides to move past that.

 

[Monsalvat]

CD covers are important to me too, a fact which I don't like but sometimes they just grab your eye. But it isn't anything to do with the performers; font choice and layout are important, and sometimes it just "clicks." Here are some examples of covers I really like, which don't even have people on them (chosen somewhat at random):

A lot of smaller labels have comparatively terrible graphic design (but I sometimes like to think that this is because their budget goes to more important places):

(Yes, that is spelled Götterdämerung [sic] on the Pristine reissue, not Götterdämmerung.)

A really good album cover might make me pick up the album, but I still don't think it would influence my thoughts upon hearing the album.

I'll stop here since there are other threads dedicated to album cover art. I just responded since it came up, and I do think it has a role to play (even if I wish it didn't). But that is not tantamount to the title of this thread; I still reject that (at least in my own personal experience). Sorry I'm not trying to get off topic, just trying to demonstrate what I'm thinking, and that really nice album covers don't need to involve any form of attraction to the physical image of the performer.

 

[Monsalvat]

curious

Do you think an in person concert with an exceptionally attractive performer might? Maybe make you more wanting to be accepting?

I'm dubious that it would. It isn't a question of "accepting" anything for me; it's just not really a factor. If anything, someone dressing provocatively might make me suspicious that they are trying to essentially seduce the audience into liking them, but that would have to be a pretty extreme case. In live concerts I'm not that close anyway, which might diminish whatever effect that would have. I'm not a huge fan of how Jean Rondeau dresses but I was able to get past that and hear the pathos in his recording made for the Netherlands Bach Society. It's especially easy for me to focus on the music and not the performer when I'm very familiar with the music and and trying to evaluate the interpretation in real time. Part of this may also be my heavy reliance on recordings before a concert, which possibly have trained me to rely more on my ears and less on my eyes.