[Seattleoperafan]

Sondra Radvanovsky’s Met Future TBD Per New Report - OperaWire

After the Metropolitan Opera's opening night, Sondra Radvanvsky has no other contracts with the company.In an interview with the AP, General Manager Peter Gelb revealed that there are no contracts currently for the soprano. However, he said that after opening night, "he would be meeting with her...

operawire.com

 

[Woodduck]

I do hope she'll be on future broadcasts. The last time I heard her - as a Donizetti queen, I believe - her voice was still in excellent shape (she's 53), and she's one of the few decent Verdi singers around.

 

[BBSVK]

I no expert on voices, but it seems to me, she is now trying to walk in the footsteps of Callas, by taking the role of Medea. It seems weird to get rid of her at this point.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

Of course Callas herself had a less than harmonious relationship with the Met and its then intendant, Rudolf Bing. She appeared in only two seasons in 1956 and 1958, returning in 1965 for two performances of Tosca. Admittedly she was supposed to return in 1959, but he sacked her for refusing to accept his crazy schedule which required her to alternate performances of roles so disparate as Lady Macbeth and Violetta.

 

[nina foresti]

As usual Peter Gelb has tripped over his own feet. He only had eyes for Netrebko to fill his seats and now he will have to get down on his knees and give Sondra her deserved due.
Maybe there is a Minnie in her future? He'd better hurry!

 

[SanAntone]

Of the two, Sondra Radvanovsky is still a good singer/actress whereas Netrebko is very much past her prime.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Radvanovsky and Goerke are the only two sopranos today I would get excited to hear. I did hear Goerke as Norma years ago but before her voice really got big. Her high D in the trio was jaw dropping, though. You would have to pay ME to hear Netrebko today, although she was delight 25 years ago.

 

[BBSVK]

Netrebko ... she was delight 25 years ago.

My teacher of operatic history hates even the records with young Netrebko. He says she did not sing the things as written or as expected. All his explanations were wasted on me, I did not hear it in the singing. Maybe it was about non- recognizable individual notes within the legato ? Who knows.

 

[MAS]

I think Gelb always preferred more glamorous sounds & looks than Radvanovsky could provide, despite her successes. The Netrebkos, Flemings, Yonchevas and the like.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

I think Gelb always preferred more glamorous sounds & looks than Radvanovsky could provide, despite her successes. The Netrebkos, Flemings, Yonchevas and the like.

I am admittedly a homosexual but I think Sondra is very tall and grand looking onstage. Caballe and Traubel would never have stood a chance with him.

 

[BBSVK]

I am admittedly a homosexual but I think Sondra is very tall and grand looking onstage. Caballe and Traubel would never have stood a chance with him.

I am an an approximately straight woman, but I still prefer good looking divas. It usually makes the story more believable.

(It does not mean that I understand the decisions of the MET director from across the ocean. But I don't understand what's going on in the opera in my town either Very obscure... )

 

[Paw]

She seems to focus on European side of opera world (yeeees!) Her future engagements are: 11 Oct Aida (Malaga), 22 Oct Medee (Budapest), 16 Nov Recital (Carnegie Hall), 15 Dec-4 Jan Tosca (Zurich), 4-21 Jan Tosca (Barcelona), 8 Jan-13 Apr Tosca (Berlin), 16 Feb-3 Mar Macbeth (Barcelona), 9-18 Mar Mabeth (Naples), 25 Apr-14 May Medee (Athens), 28 Apr-20 May Macbeth (Toronto), 18 Jun-8 Jul Turandot (Zurich), 1 Sep Mabeth (Philadelphia). Good for us, Europeans!

 

[MAS]

She seems to focus on European side of opera world (yeeees!) Her future engagements are: 11 Oct Aida (Malaga), 22 Oct Medee (Budapest), 16 Nov Recital (Carnegie Hall), 15 Dec-4 Jan Tosca (Zurich), 4-21 Jan Tosca (Barcelona), 8 Jan-13 Apr Tosca (Berlin), 16 Feb-3 Mar Macbeth (Barcelona), 9-18 Mar Mabeth (Naples), 25 Apr-14 May Medee (Athens), 28 Apr-20 May Macbeth (Toronto), 18 Jun-8 Jul Turandot (Zurich), 1 Sep Mabeth (Philadelphia). Good for us, Europeans!

Presumably because those places want to hear and see her!

 

[The Conte]

My teacher of operatic history hates even the records with young Netrebko. He says she did not sing the things as written or as expected. All his explanations were wasted on me, I did not hear it in the singing. Maybe it was about non- recognizable individual notes within the legato ? Who knows.

Phew! I generally don't like her in anything other than Russian rep. She never had a good sense of bel canto style and I really didn't like that first disc of hers 'Sempre Libera'.

N.

 

[Admiral]

Met Opera has a nice little clip of her Medea.
Medea will be the Met in HD broadcast on, IIRC, October 22, so mark your calendars.
And she looks GREAT in that dress

 

[nina foresti]

Radvanovsky and Goerke are the only two sopranos today I would get excited to hear. I did hear Goerke as Norma years ago but before her voice really got big. Her high D in the trio was jaw dropping, though. You would have to pay ME to hear Netrebko today, although she was delight 25 years ago.

Gheorghiu!!

 

[Verdilover]

As usual Peter Gelb has tripped over his own feet. He only had eyes for Netrebko to fill his seats and now he will have to get down on his knees and give Sondra her deserved due.
Maybe there is a Minnie in her future? He'd better hurry!

I have always felt the same way — I've never understood why Gelb seemed to love Netrebko so much more than Sondra when Sondra is far better. I am baffled by the fact that Netrebko is (or at least was) so much more popular. Now that Netrebko is persona non grata at the Met, I hope Gelb will realize Sondra's value. Only now is he beginning to understand how grievous an error he made in not recognizing Sondra for the amazing artist that she is earlier.

 

[Woodduck]

I have always felt the same way — I've never understood why Gelb seemed to love Netrebko so much more than Sondra when Sondra is far better. I am baffled by the fact that Netrebko is (or at least was) so much more popular. Now that Netrebko is persona non grata at the Met, I hope Gelb will realize Sondra's value. Only now is he beginning to understand how grievous an error he made in not recognizing Sondra for the amazing artist that she is earlier.

Sex appeal.

What else?

 

[MAS]

Phew! I generally don't like her in anything other than Russian rep. She never had a good sense of bel canto style and I really didn't like that first disc of hers 'Sempre Libera'.

N.

She is one singer that needs to be seen to understand her appeal. She is extremely personable and, when younger, beautiful.

 

[ColdGenius]

I've seen her live three times. The first was about ten years ago, it was a charming recital by various singers dedicated to one concertmaster's jubilee. She was among other singers, to the date excessively famous, beloved by TV, already jumping off her heels but before dramatic soprano experiment. She sounded well, showed necessary collaboration with colleagues and was on the top of her Carmen-styled beauty. She sang some romances and a duet from L'elisir.
The second time was Giovanna D'Arco in La Scala, when I had a vacation in Italy. Then she was still alike herself vocally. I have a little to compare in this opera. She isn't Montserrat, of course, but was good enough. And her stage presence means much, she has a certain gift to inspire the audience.
After that the repertoire extension began. I never considered her as an artist to go, her rare shows in Mariinsky were extremely expensive. Third time was accidental. I had tickets for Don Carlo with Tatiana Serjan as Elisabetta, but the cast was changed a couple weeks before the evening. Semenchuk as Eboli and Markov as Posa remained, Abdrazakov as Felipe joined, Netrebko changed Serjan and closed a tenor gap with her Mr. It wasn't a fair change. I wouldn't mind the former three. But the rest... I wouldn't say it were pretty awful, but why does she need to treat her voice like that, I hope she understands herself.