Diana Damrau & Joyce DiDonato in Der Rosenkavalier

[saagua1953]

The two best female coloratura singers alive today without doubt. Damrau for the very high singing and Joyce as the Mezzo (although she has an amazling upward extension too).

[mattyslipp]

cont. What we do as opera singers is tell the story that has been written for us by not just the composer, but also the librettist. And it is our job to take that music AND the words and create something beautiful and interesting. These two artists have studied the text and understand what is happen, so they have done what would be done in the opera, with limited space and without costumes... etc. etc. So, again I ask... what's the problem?

[mattyslipp]

i don't understand what all the fuss is. Two singers singing beautiful music and setting up a scene. Why not do a little acting? It's certainly not going to hurt anything or anyone... if anything it can only help. It gives the audience something to watch and feed off of, something more tangible. The old standard of "park and bark" is quickly being phased out. Who wants to go to a recital and see a star just stand there and sing?

[benoniboy]

Er...not nonsense - in fact my point exactly. This "business' is what the characters might do in the staged opera. This is a concert. All the faux acting is in my opinion, totally uncalled for, as is your rude response to my comment.

[skitzo429]

most concert performances of operas or scenes from operas have some degree of what you call "faux acting," because its from an OPERA. its part of a story, it has a dramatic context, its not just pretty sounds. by your reasoning the words theyre singing dont even matter.

[Heartlessiceboy]

But if is a concert version you really don't need to do any acting is a recital...and don't acting doesn't mean that you are not giving a dramatic contextt to the piece(are you familiar with sacred oratorio like Stabat maters,Misereres,Requiems,Mess­es or what about Handel's Messiah?) and some times the "faux acting" in a recital can be very annoying like when light sopranos sing "les oiseaux dans la charmille" from Hoffman and do all the doll movements and faces ...yuck

[skitzo429]

oratorios are not operas, thats not a valid comparison, theyre not meant to be acted, its only about the text, there isnt a dramatic context like there is in an opera. you seem to have some very backward views about operatic acting, the doll song from hoffman HAS to be acted in a recital, it wont make any sense otherwise, the music contains paralells to the doll unwinding the stuff, if you left all of ti out with would be stupid.

[Heartlessiceboy]

There isn't a dramatic context similar to opera on an oratorio?Yes you are right,most oratios have more dramatic context that most operas specially the ones considered "buffas".Well as an opera singer I do believe and actually is almost a rule that you don't act your arias in a recital or do something very subtle.And the drama of certain opera aria is not about the movements or the acting is about the lyrics and how you as a singer can transmit the feeling of the compositor to the audience.

[Heartlessiceboy]

And that is one of the most hard things to achieve for a singer,and there are many opera stars who can't transmit the feelings.There many audiences not all the people is going to understand italian,french,german,english and not always are going to be subtitles! but still of that a good singer cans transmit the feeling of an aria!.By the way the oratorio thing was probably one of the most ignorant comments ever so you should really like study oratorio and opera history.

[Aniretak205]

DiDonato is stunning here! And Damrau sounds like a love-struck girl - perfect!

They're both look gorgeous too; an added plus. xD

[operagirl53]

EXQUISITE!

[BGSourgas]

DiDonato seems to be able to sing anything! Damrau's great too,a curl in the tone sometimes but she's completely in control

great clip

[Lohengrin]

DiDonato is amazing! Damrau is nothing special.

The entire scene should be dedicated to Lesbians :)

[Operaphile]

Ahahahahaaa!!!! Unfair about Damrau though!!!

[Lohengrin]

the moment u see another! coloratura u drop your pants immediately... arent you bored with all that quacking? :)))

[barmanjoe]

Are you serious? lol

[khamikins]

Amazing!

[benoniboy]

The singing - terrific. Two very fine artists, no question.

The "staging" - oh give it a rest ladies. Courtesies and bowing and silver roses - how camp - only in NYC. No other venue would permit such nonsense.

Just face the audience front & center and sing!

[barmanjoe]

Nonsense? Those are things that the characters use in the opera, so it's not in NYC only, it's actually what's happening in the opera itself. Ignorance is a bliss once again. hehe