NEA Opera Honors: Interview with Lotfi Mansouri

[MrHbc3]

I was interested in what he might say about Natalie Dessay. Toward the end he talked about audiences now wanting artists like Renee Fleming and Natalie Dessay "who make the notes mean something". This, of course is something about which Natalie has a real sense of mission. Also interesting is the fact that Natalie and Renee seem to be good friends. Natalie speaks of marrying singing with theatre.

[GelandnaleG]

8:01am Friday (IRST) - Time in Iran

[fraizer57]

Another BS from this old fool is that the Brits replaced the Shah Reza with his son.Reza Shah had contract with the Germans incharge of Iran's construction. He was not pro-German & indeed during WWII he ordered Iran Embassies to issue passport to Jews to escape from Hitler thus many Polish benefited.When they removed Reza Shah they wanted to either have the old dynasty or a new republic.Iran's Premier Foroughi actually stood to the Brits & so the young Prince wasin parleament as new king of Iran

[fraizer57]

This old guy speaks good English but talks a lot BS. He is making things that has no historical backing. The previous dynasty the QAJARS were on the payrole of the Brits so it made so sence to remove their puppet dynesty. Reza Shah was a patriot who was a Kazak officer & after the collaps of the Russian Empire he moved to Tehran and staged a coup. He wanted to keep the Qajar king who was on holiday in France as king but the Qajar king refused. New assemby than elected him as the new Shah of Iran

[MTondeleo]

I would like to ask Mr. Mansouri how one could get a video - in any form - of the 1956 film "The Day I Met Caruso," in which he played Enrico Caruso and, as I understand or recall, lip-synced Caruso's recorded voice. Also would like to ask how his strict father felt about his son's hitchhiking on Westwood Blvd. at UCLA. He did have a fantastic tenor voice, surprising to many that he did not pursue the vocal art, but the fire of his enjoyment when directing was inescapable.

[1888junkteam]

excellent work!

[hanzerpanzere]

long interview is long