Sorry, wrong number

[baracine]

True story:

Jessye was once trapped in swing doors and reportedly said (she didn't) when asked to slide sideways: "Honey, I ain't got no sideways." She sued CD Magazine for 3 million $ for reporting the story. She lost her trial in 1994. The judge concluded: "I could have wished that Miss Norman had told the hoary old joke as it would have shown that, in addition to possessing remarkable vocal and dramatic talents, she had an engaging sense of humour."

Which, obviously, she doesn't.

[joshuathemusician]

What are the lyrics to this scene?

[selenagirl14]

lmfao

[jamesjmertins]

A great voice??? maybe but for me her personality gets in the way, it's just so damn false, her false english accent and her posing all the time in interviews is sickening, she really needs to go to a good shrink just to see if there is a real person within that body

[xgianpatrick]

@jamesjmertins: have you heard her Brahms lieder with Barenboim? They are lovely, rich, and subtle. Don't confuse the person with the singer...we all have various personae, and perhaps even you have one that is more likable than what we see here. Keep in mind she is used to being experienced from fifty rows (or five balconies) away, singing in any number of languages...of course her one-on-one projection will be a bit off.

[eyesk8er]

@jamesjmertins Do you actually know her personally? And why should that matter? She is an extraordinary artist. What shows are you watching? I'd really like to see them if they are concerning her artistry because I like her. Otherwise I never watch any news news programs or read any magazines dealing with celebrities and their private lives.

[godivapaw]

@jamesjmertins Now listen here!!! You have NO GROUNDS to judge the lady! She speaks so many languages and, as an opera singer myself, that DOES affect one's approach to one's native tongue! So, unless you are an opera singer yourself, I do not expect you to understand that!

[darkblue940]

Can this video please be renamed, just for the art's sake....

[cantanteporsiempre]

bravaaaaaaaaaaaaaa the best actress singer in the world

[tervito]

La Cieca, darling, wherever did you unearth this? Is the entire performance available anywhere?

[douglasjperry]

Please let such triteness recede. Ms Norman is an extraordinary artist. Keep it simple and appreciate....your life will be that much better for it.

[teatrumuzical]

bravo

[maldoror26]

It is not Sorry wrong number - but scene from opera La Voix Humaine by novel of Jean Cocteau. Dear Operasine, you are not so big to ridicule Jessey Norman...and bee happy with 17639 wiev.sorry.

M.

[princeblondie]

I must say I think all of the comments on Jessye's videos are rude. She has a unique voice and a fantastic one and has great characters.

However... I did almost lose my lungs laughing at "Hyper Thyroidal Walrus." Who even comes up with something like that?

At any rate... she really isn't that large. I don't think at all.

[maril193]

shut up baracine you sound like a racist so stop talking shit

[Speegs23]

You are an emotionally unstable soul, no wonder everyone on youtube tells you to shove off.

You rant and rave like a lunatic.

[bracine1]

I will simply repost the first intelligent comment that was censored by the ignorant fanqueens (by FABRIZIO82):

"This is ridiculous. Go and watch Denise Duval. Jessye is overacting. And overarticulating French too. I'm French and this is just kitsch. "

When Ms. Norman sings, it's not about the music or the words or the composer's intent. it's all about which his bigger: her ass or her ego. That is the only debate possible.

[Puppyizzy]

i dont think she is over-acting at all. in real life, most people act and look ridiculous when they are extremely emotional going through a breakup, and she looked pretty accurate to me of how most people feel and look when their emotions take control of them.

[NYCOF]

I actually like it, but agree with Jessye that phonesex is fundamentally frustrating and futile - especially when one of you speaks french, and the other speaks japanese. Try the chat rooms, gurl

[jaibright]

u all r so cruel

[minirausch]

wrong number indeed. i love jessye as much as the next queen but i'll take denise on this one, thanks.

i like above poster's: "remember people, its opera. by its very nature its overly dramatic." this is cocteau. poulenc. one woman on a phone on stage for forty minutes. come on. it's not overly dramatic and that's the point. it's real.

i'll have to check out that duval's video thing--is it actually video? cause i have the recording w/ prêtre...

[baracine]

The whole Denise Duval performance is available on the Internet by installing the VeohTV player (it's free) and searching for the "La Voix humaines" 40 minute video on veoh d ot c om .

[baracine]

THIS is what Denise Duval sounds like in that aria: rcxPcDAh5Uw at 2:20. She is a middle-aged Parisian woman who has just broken up with a younger man. It calls for a certain physical type, a certain set of mannerisms, a certain accent, a certain refinement, a certain elegance, a certain modest exuberance. I will grant you, however, that Ms. Norman had the exuberance part down pat.

[baracine]

And to think that another French-speaking poster was ostracized on this forum (1) for saying the same thing, (2) for being French-speaking and (3) for referring to Denise Duval's performance, makes me especially angry. You guys remind me of a faux-snob opera fan I knew who pronounced Puccinis's opera "Gianni Chichi", which happens to be a drag queen's name.

[MissLimLam]

Ok its great and she acts well - but I dont get it (probably coz I dont speak french) LOL

[baracine]

There are lots of things you are missing by not understanding French, like how horrible and despicable this performance is.

[baracine]

Just because Jessye Norman loves Poulenc, the reverse is not necessarily true.

[MissLimLam]

OMG Just like Von Gluck Loves Handel!!!!!!!!

[baracine]

This is on the same camp level as Divine coming back from the grave to do "The Human Voice". Somebody have pity... Somebody remove this... Please!

[cek1111]

Oh, baracine, time to cut your balls..Bring me someting sharp.

[baracine]

Jessye, is that you? If it is, take it like a man, girl: You just did for contemporary French opera what the female hippopotamus ballerina did for classical ballet in Walt Disney's "Fantasia". And that ain't good.

[MissLimLam]

OK I dont think she did do that badly but OMG go the hippopotamus!!!!!!!!!

LOL

[baracine]

This is SO wrong on so many levels. Jessye Norman assassine toujours la langue française même quand elle est en forme et qu'elle ne chante pas trop lentement pour épuiser ses partenaires, alors imaginez quand elle chante seule et qu'elle décortique un texte de Cocteau tout en alourdissant Poulenc. Jessye Norman IS "la proverbiale vache espagnole".

[Violinboyhere]

Dude, why are you so low, That was a good performance and if you dont think so, you certainly dont know what real voice music is.

[baracine]

I don't think anyone who addresses another opera lover as "dude" knows enough about French opera or Poulenc to make an informed judgement. That was not a good performance. That was an elephant falling off a stage. The circus owner should be sued for cruelty to animals.

[Violinboyhere]

LOL, you know what, I'm going to let you live with that comment, but I got to confess, that was a kinda funny. I am actually a violinist, and recently started to listen to opera music. No, I mean recently as in a couple weeks ago. I wouldn't know if she was saying, go F*** your self somewhere. But I respect your opinion, but you didn't have to go that far with it.

[Nivri80]

I mean, girl, you got the wrong number! I'm dying laughing.

[Platynumlove]

OMG.....I was told to study Jesse Norman...and I found this....Oh My sweet God...This is soul stirring......

[bigassbob1]

remember people, its opera. by its very nature its overly dramatic. have you read the scripts or libretto. also they are usually playing to huge opera houses so what looks overly dramatic close up is actually just right. lastly with a voice like that, who cares.

[wwwoyzeck]

OF COURSE che is overacting, that's why she is so loved: the larger-than-life-effect (which in this case can be taken quite literally)! i think it's great! and how she's made up with the afro-wig. wow. that's the great old tradition when opera divas used to look like drag queens or vice versa. who cares for plausibility and "realism" if this is so much more fun??

[demiurgoechevarria]

she is the most beautiful voice and te most perfect singer, she can make all that she want. She is the reason of my life of singer, because of her i'm singer thank's Jessye, long life!!!! I love you Jessye with all my sould and heart!!!! I love youuuuu!!!!!!

[FABRIZIO82]

This is ridiculous. Go and watch Denise Duval.Jessye is overacting.And overarticulating french too. I'm french and this is just kitsch.

[venahemi]

that's because you're French... try Italy the next incarnation maybe you'll have some fun :P

[141407078989]

hahahahaha! LOL

[wotanman]

Well smell you, Miss Frenchie thang!

[141407078989]

she's allways like this, it's her... it seems to be overacting beacuse other singers don't do it this way, so, it happens that if you're used to some way, and you see another way, you don't like the new one, at list, that happens to me...

[Babs22h]

yes I would totally agree its mos def and older style of acting which modern audiences dont really get much a taste for in post-stanislavky/meisner/adler acting world that we reside. People are looking for "appropriate" "realistic" responses to situations. But the idea of bursting into song for sometimes 4 hours straight or longer is implausible anyway! Suspension of disbelief. Theater is not real! Its inherently imaginary anyway so whats the deal? Brava Jessye!

[trazom69]

Je suis moi-même français et je n'ai jamais eu de problème avec des chanteurs non-français ayant une prononciation imparfaite. Écoutez des français chanter en allemand ou en italien: leur prononciation est aussi parfois (souvent) exagérée. Faut tout de même faire preuve d'un peu d'ouverture d'esprit avant de juger... Pour ma part, J'ADORE JESSYE ! and I don't care si elle ne parle pas Vaugelas!

[wotanman]

THANK YOU TRAZOM! Let's not forget that the singing voice when given the correct space and support in the body for this level of resonance will inevitably lead to acoustical modification of the vowels ANYHOW, regardless of how good their diction or technique is. Would you rather a person with great diction and a small, uninteresting voice? HELLO???

[trazom69]

I TOTALLY agree. And seeing how well you speak of the art of singing, no doubts you are a musician!

[ledormant]

I'm French, too, and Jessye is the greatest!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately we no longer have good french singers.. All the words have to be understood from the heights of the theater. That's why Jessye is articulating the words.

[wotanman]

All I did was ask her if that hair was realle hers. No need to overreact, sheeesh!

[Liwah]

LOL

[lty2k84]

Fantastic!!!!! Perfectly done.

[godivapaw]

HAAH!!!!

[venahemi]

Jesus Christ I thought she was an angel... 666 stars ;)

[anaminalwafdi]

:-)))))))))))

[Nivri80]

"Sorry, wrong number" LOL! That is funny! I could not stop laughing. 5 stars!

[primobasso]

Where did you get this from??? Miss Norman is amazing, as usual! If you have more of this performance or anything featuring Miss Norman, please upload!!

[cashmerequeen]

Thank you for posting that wonderful video, you have a lovely set of videos.