[Captainnumber36]

Nude performances have happened you know, Gulda being the most well-known one, as well as ballets etc. One was a huge artistic and commercial success here, back in the 70s. This might surprise you. It's very good that conventions, prudishness and narrow-mindedness is being challenged at times. Over time, musician- and public-appearance have certainly loosened a bit in recent decades in many places, and that's overall a blessing.

I basically don't care much about the looks, and it has definitely not influenced my choice of preferred musicians, not to say recordings. I had a bit of a crush on one of the ABBA women and a local pop singer here, when I was 15. Some lesser talented musicians have exploited their looks for commercial reasons, but I'm not buying it any more.

I enjoy supporting the integration of mind and body. So I care about both enjoying the mind (the music here) AND body (appearances).

 

[Aries]

Important actually. For example listen to this:

Comapre the sopranos to the altos. The altos sound like castratos, not attractive for me. The sopranos sound like appealing vrigins, very attractive.

Overall I prefer female voices, probably because I am a man. And I also prefer sopran and bass over alto and tenor, maybe just because of the better contrast but maybe also because of clearly pronounced sexual characters. Bass sounds more honorable-commanding than tenor, more manly.

 

[Captainnumber36]

what is "with the times" isn't necessarily virtuous or morally admirable. The world is riddled with post-war fascination with base animal instinct which has degenerated noble cultures in the last century. Spengler is right when he speaks of a decline of the west, and it starts with sexual licentiousness.

That is a value of conservatism and a fine one to hold, but not the only one, or "right" one.

 

[Captainnumber36]

As a heterosexual male, male idols of mine such as Dave Matthews and Derek Trucks I see as brothers (the latter) or father figures (the former). I still value how they present themselves, to be in accordance with my values.

 

[Judas Priest Fan]

Coming from the world of Heavy Metal, appearance has never been important to me. I´m 57, and when I was young, I didn´t even know what the guys in my Favorite band (Judas Priest) looked like.

I couldn´t care less if the solo violinist is an 80 year old man, or a "hot" 20 year old female. It´s all about the music to me.

 

[Op.123]

Not at all relevant in instrumental music. If I’m watching an opera live there is an aspect, I’d rather see Callas or Zeani as Violetta than Caballe or Sutherland for instance (though as a gay man the attraction isn’t sexual, per se), but even then I’d rather see a musician the calibre of Caballe than Gheorghiu, Jaho or Netrebko. Having an attractive singer is a bonus but I’d always pick the greater artists over physical image.

 

[premont]

Nude performances have happened you know, Gulda being the most well-known one, as well as ballets etc. One was a huge artistic and commercial success here, back in the 70s. At the most prestigious Royal Theatre. This might surprise you. It's very good that conventions, prudishness and narrow-mindedness is being challenged at times. Over time, musician- and public-appearance have certainly loosened a bit in recent decades in many places, and that's overall a blessing.

I don't know if Gulda's nudity was an important part of the performance or whether it just was meant as a supplementary show-factor, but concerning the ballet "Dødens Triumf" and some other similar pieces the nudity was an integral part of the artistic expression and the action of the play.

BTW because music is experienced with the ear and not with the eye I find the look of musicians irrelevant to their musical performance. If it distracts the attention from the music for one reason or the other I tend to close my eyes.

 

[mbhaub]

I would like to think that I'm above judging a person by appearance, but heck, I'm only human. There is no question that in America looks opens doors and is a highly prized asset. Look at so many CD covers - pianists, violinists, vocalists, conductors; they are all made up, dressed up, posed and lighted to make them as sexy as possible, Older people who have proven their worth get a pass, but still the publicists do the best they can. Go back 60 years and look at programs and ads for guys like Leonard Bernstein, Thomas Schippers, Guido Cantelli - these guy had matinee idol good looks and they sure used it. Remember when Esa Pekka-Salonen started out? Like he was some Hollywood pretty boy; but he was the real deal, too. i cqn't help but think that some performers like Sarah Caldwell and John Ogden who were both quite rotund had their careers hampered to a degree because they didn't look so attractive on record jackets. Women performers for sure have it tougher than men; no wanna-be violin or piano virtuoso today can weigh 300 lb and get a career. But such is the media-driven age we live in. I saw Karina Cannellakis conduct the Mahler 9th several years back and there's no question that her appearance was just as enticing as the music.

 

[MatthewWeflen]

Attractiveness of performers plays no role in which recordings I purchase. But it plays a role in which recordings get made. So... a little bit important?

 

[Manxfeeder]

I don't care if a performer is sexually attractive. I want to know if they can reach my soul.

Shucks, if you have to look like a movie star to pick up an instrument, I need to throw all of mine away.

 

[Hogwash]

The performance of classical music and opera is show business. Appearance matters but talent trumps everything else.

 

[RMinNJ]

I think late Alfred Brendel was that attractive that his fans would have paid any price for a ticket.

Alfred Brendel is still living, thank goodness. He's 92. Unless you meant something else Agree he was very handsome in his youth.

 

[Luchesi]

I want to say it doesn't matter, but males are hard-wired to respond (in many ways) to females (all dressed up in beguiling patterns of skimpy fashions).
So, I just try to 'understand' it so that I don't miss it and other performances and interpretations.

Women will say that men should be far above such innate reactions. Is that realistic? It's one thing my wife and I disagree about. And I've made the mistake of mentioning differing perspectives. Can a woman know a man's perspective. Uh oh, she corrected me. lol
What is the fallout? What complications occur in the performance arena?

 

[TwoFlutesOneTrumpet]

Well, given that I listen to music without any visuals 99.9% of the time, I couldn't give a hoot whether the performer looks like a model or the hunchback of Notre Dame. Absolutely no relevance for my enjoyment of the music.

 

[Vasks]

Would you watch a nude performance?

Ah, the good old days of the 60's avant garde pieces that did have some nude performers. For real!!

 

[Rogerx]

None whatsoever

 

[Captainnumber36]

None whatsoever

It's really not that important to me either. But I think folks like Yuja Wang are heroes pushing for self expression of your artistic voice through your clothing. She does that well! Her voice is rather feisty, and she dresses to express that in her outfits.

 

[Neo Romanza]

While it's always a nice thing for me to see a beautiful woman, this should never come between you and the music. If she (or he), can play incredibly well and performs with feeling, then their outward appearance isn't important. It's what you get out of the music that matters.

 

[Becca]

What you find attractive varies on an individual basis, but is this an important component for you? For me it is.

It's really not that important to me either.

Ohh really?!

 

[Captainnumber36]

Ohh really?!

I have a bad habit of overthinking things.