How Important is Sexual Attraction to You In Your Favorite Performers?

Forster said:

Given the historically minimal role played by women in classical music, that suggests that if sexual attraction was always important, it was of the homosexual kind. Is that what the OP has in mind?

Click to expand...

Was Chopin gay? It's difficult to tell from his letters.
Lully, Handel, Corelli, Tchaikovsky, Poulenc, Copland, Britten, Cage, Bernstein, Menotti

For pieces that involve staging (opera, ballet, incidental music, musicals, etc.) I think that the actors should look like the characters they are portraying to make the experience more authentic, so for a character that is supposed to be attractive I want an actor/actress that is also attractive. For other pieces, sexual attraction has zero importance to me.

I have amended my stance to focus on the look over attraction of the artist. There is a differencce there.

Neo Romanza said:

You know, there are several members here on TC that are women. Your post comes across as rather uncouth.

Click to expand...

Sorry, my good man, the post was intended to be sarcastic. Unlike this apology which is 100% sincere.

Further thoughts on the topic: while I find the idea of sexual attraction having any influence on what I listen to to be absurd— and the pandering to such impulses by performers to be hardly laudable— though I guess the argument can be made attractiveness being a desirable quality for those performing certain roles in opera—though I still don't think you should be getting aroused at the theatre—it's an irrelevant quality when listening at home— it's undeniable that beauty—the recognition and appreciation of which being hardly the same thing as sexual attraction—otherwise heterosexuals would be incapable of recognise good looks and charisma in performers of the same sex— combined with talent is likely to make a performer far more famous and iconic than if they merely possessed the latter.

also as Liszt, Tom Jones, and any college student with a guitar knows, performing music can be attractive in itself

It is not important in any way whatsoever.

I also struggle with my sexuality and think I’m actually gay. I sometimes make threads like these in attempts to lead a heteronormative life.

So, in my heart I really only care about personality for friends, significant others, and family.

For art, I only care about what is produced. Im sorry if the OP offended anyone.

However, I’m into fashion and expressing myself through my clothes and see Yuja Wang as a hero in the classical world for being so with it in that department and not to mention, I think she’s a great player.

Bulldog said:

I don't consider it important - it's more like a bonus.

Click to expand...

This

This topic is far, far away from me. By miles.

I feel like this is a no-win situation for the performer. If they dress revealingly, people comment on it. If they dress less revealingly, people are going to comment on that.

composingmusic said:

I feel like this is a no-win situation for the performer. If they dress revealingly, people comment on it. If they dress less revealingly, people are going to comment on that.

Click to expand...

Almost seems like the performer should wear what he or she wants and be left alone about it

How about if everyone performs behind a screen as in blind auditions, and they don't come out until the very end.

Becca said:

How about if everyone performs behind a screen as in blind auditions, and they don't come out until the very end.

Click to expand...

🤣 🤣 Could be interesting. It might remove both visual distraction and any bias ("Rattle? I hate Rattle!") but might prove problematic getting people to go if they don't know who is performing; surely that would have to be a pre-requisite, otherwise Yuja Wang groupies would still know who is behind the screen! Imagine their anticipation...they won't be able to hold themselves back and the music would completely pass them by as they wait for the ecstasy of the reveal!

Forster said:

🤣 🤣 Could be interesting. It might remove both visual distraction and any bias ("Rattle? I hate Rattle!") but might prove problematic getting people to go if they don't know who is performing; surely that would have to be a pre-requisite, otherwise Yuja Wang groupies would still know who is behind the screen! Imagine their anticipation...they won't be able to hold themselves back and the music would completely pass them by as they wait for the ecstasy of the reveal!

Click to expand...

I rather suspect that for those types, the music completely passes them by anyway.

The generally accepted preference when going to a piano recital (or the like) is to sit on the keyboard side so that you can see the hands. In some cases it maybe so that the piano doesn't block their view of whatever the pianist is (or is not) wearing

Neither.

If I were brand new to classical music, as I was once, i would be looking for recommended works by people who know classical music and the cover on the album would have zero weight in my decision. This isn't like picking albums based on covers to hang on your juvenile room wall.

prlj said:

View attachment 182769
View attachment 182770

If you were brand new to CM...which album do you take home from the store?

Click to expand...

Depends whether you wanted to be titillated or eaten!

sexual attractiveness: not very
seductiveness: a bonus
genuine romantic chemistry between the singers: a large bonus

Operatic music as the potential to convey deep feelings of intimacy and romantic tenderness, but singers so rarely deliver in this regard. For example, Kirsten Flagstad was not a drop dead gorgeous beauty (though certainly not ugly), but her singing conveyed femininity which was seldom matched by other Wagnerian soprani. who could have a tendency to sing with the subtlety of a German war tank.

Captainnumber36 said:

My main point with this thread is to empower performers like Wang who take extra efforts to express themselves visually to compliment their artistic voices.

Click to expand...

Very condescending. "I think you're hot, keep it up." Really don't see the value of this thread.