[Shaughnessy]

Love the visuals Shack-Hennesy! …(you must be familiar with the Key and Peele???)

I am now... but it took a solid 10 minutes of searching to find out what it meant as I'm not entirely familiar with some of the more obscure American cultural references.

"O-Shag-Hennessy" from the American comedy program "Key and Peele" sketch "The Substitute Teacher" found at the 2:20 mark -

Spoiler: Mr. Garvey Is Your Substitute Teacher - Key & Peele

In Irish, the name is Ó Seachnasaigh - In English, O'Shaughnessy - The forum software doesn't allow the use of the apostrophe "O" in usernames - I didn't even ask about the síneadh fada...

 

[Woodduck]

I am now... but it took a solid 10 minutes of searching to find out what it meant as I'm not entirely familiar with some of the more obscure American cultural references.

"O-Shag-Hennessy" from the American comedy program "Key and Peele" sketch "The Substitute Teacher" found at the 2:20 mark -

Spoiler: Mr. Garvey Is Your Substitute Teacher - Key & Peele

In Irish, the name is Ó Seachnasaigh - In English, O'Shaughnessy - The forum software doesn't allow the use of the apostrophe "O" in usernames - I didn't even ask about the síneadh fada...

Why are Irish words and names spelled in a way that no non-native would ever guess their pronunciation? For example, why isn't Sean spelled "Shawn"? I'm sure there are some sounds that can't be represented by our 26-letter alphabet.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Why are Irish words and names spelled in a way that no non-native would ever guess their pronunciation? For example, why isn't Sean spelled "Shawn"? I'm sure there are some sounds that can't be represented by our 26-letter alphabet.

It is a language that would defeat my efforts after one week LOL. I knew a Sean once. No matter how you spelled his name he was magic LOL.

 

[ScottK]

Why are Irish words and names spelled in a way that no non-native would ever guess their pronunciation? For example, why isn't Sean spelled "Shawn"? I'm sure there are some sounds that can't be represented by our 26-letter alphabet.

For the record, my brother’s middle name is Shawn!!! But I think that was just an early 50s version of a couple of middle-class parents thinking they were being non-conformist😁😉🤓!!!

 

[ScottK]

I am now... but it took a solid 10 minutes of searching to find out what it meant as I'm not entirely familiar with some of the more obscure American cultural references.

"O-Shag-Hennessy" from the American comedy program "Key and Peele" sketch "The Substitute Teacher" found at the 2:20 mark -

Spoiler: Mr. Garvey Is Your Substitute Teacher - Key & Peele

In Irish, the name is Ó Seachnasaigh - In English, O'Shaughnessy - The forum software doesn't allow the use of the apostrophe "O" in usernames - I didn't even ask about the síneadh fada...

Obscure????….Key and Peele OBSCURE ??? 😁

 

[BBSVK]

Since every one seems to have already voted on the Samson aria I think we have time for a small contest before Shaughnessy posts on Sunday

Georges Thill sings the famous aria from Wagner's opera Lohengrin: "In Fernem Land" translated in french "Aux bords lointains". Recorded in 1931

Aux bords lointains (Lohengrin) · Paul Franz Lebendige Vergangenheit - Paul Franz

Now I must vote here, so that I can finally read, what made the discussion 3 pages long ;-)
Thill sustained my attention, while my thoughts drifted away during the singing of Paul Franz. Plus Thill is my favourite from the other contest. He is my winner.

 

[BBSVK]

It sounds much more belcanto in French to me.

This is what I was told in one facebook group. That scholars consider Lohengrin a bel canto.

Edit: In spite of people complaining about French, you yourself say it exposes the bel canto-ish quality. I did not have such a revelation here, but the "misplaced" language helped me to see things in other contests.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

This is what I was told in one facebook group. That scholars consider Lohengrin a bel canto.

Edit: In spite of people complaining about French, you yourself say it exposes the bel canto-ish quality. I did not have such a revelation here, but the "misplaced" language helped me to see things in other contests.

Wagner originally wanted all of his music sung in Bel Canto. It is one of the reasons I liked Jane Eaglen in Wagner as she also sang Bellini and sang them in the same style. The musical style of Lohengrin is definitely much more Italiante in it's overall style and they way the orchestration is during singing.

 

[Shaughnessy]

Why are Irish words and names spelled in a way that no non-native would ever guess their pronunciation? For example, why isn't Sean spelled "Shawn"? I'm sure there are some sounds that can't be represented by our 26-letter alphabet.

The traditional Irish alphabet consists of 18 letters - ⟨a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, l, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u⟩ - It does not contain ⟨j, k, q, v, w, x, y, z⟩, although they are used in scientific terminology and modern loanwords/words of foreign origin. "V" occurs in a small number of (mainly onomatopoeic) native words. - Phonemes are used in place of the missing letters.

 

[ColdGenius]

As it just has been revealed, I don't mind Wagner in French. I've made an honorary vote for Franz. It wasn't right when he had zero.
I also wish I knew French. It's reputedly poor at vocabulary, but is abundant with metaphors (see any cook book). So French translation of Wagner's plots might contain some poignant things.

 

[Woodduck]

I've made an honorary vote for Franz. It wasn't right when he had zero.

Monsieur Franz informs me that he is grateful.

 

[ColdGenius]

Monsieur Franz informs me that he is grateful.

Spiritualism?

 

[PaulFranz]

Hmmm...whom to vote for...

 

[wkasimer]

Franz is one of my favorite singers - I think that he was one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century, and it's a shame that he's barely known. While his voice may not have quite the inherent beauty of Thill's, Franz's tone has a bit more metal to it, and the voice is better integrated.

 

[PaulFranz]

Franz is one of my favorite singers - I think that he was one of the greatest tenors of the 20th century, and it's a shame that he's barely known. While his voice may not have quite the inherent beauty of Thill's, Franz's tone has a bit more metal to it, and the voice is better integrated.

Who else could sing both Roméo and Siegfried so well?

 

[wkasimer]

Who else could sing both Roméo and Siegfried so well?

Probably de Reszke, but we'll never really know.

 

[MAS]

Probably de Reszke, but we'll never really know.

Who else could sing both Roméo and Siegfried so well?

Jadlowker, perhaps?

 

[PaulFranz]

Jadlowker, perhaps?

I think the big Heldentenor parts would've been too heavy for him. He did apparently do Parsifal and Otello on stage at some point, though, so maybe?

 

[MAS]

I think the big Heldentenor parts would've been too heavy for him. He did apparently do Parsifal and Otello on stage at some point, though, so maybe?

He apparently sang Lohengrin and Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, a role that sounds most strenuous - I’m sure he could’ve easily sung Lohengrin, but we never know. I thought that he’d sung Siegfried, but I can’t find any evidence of it.

 

[Woodduck]

I thought that he’d sung Siegfried, but I can’t find Amy evidence of it.

Amy isn't the person to ask. She doesn't even like opera.