Primi Divi

In response to: "Review: LE PESCATRICI***" 16 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Yeah you're right. Cheers DRW. I got someone to change it. more…

In response to: "Review: LE PESCATRICI***" 18 days old
by DRW [Visitor]

Isn't this opera by Haydn, not Schubert? more…

In response to: "Primi Divi Award Nominations: 2009-10 Season" 26 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Hi Gerry, glad you liked the list. James Cleverton was brilliant, he’s my choice to win it. If we’d seen Grant Doyle in Die tote Stadt I bet he’d have been on the list too but we saw Gerald Finley.
Yeah the bottoms is a bit of fun but you’re totally right, it’s not usually the small ones that stick out. Amanda Forbes did look good though even more…

In response to: "Primi Divi Award Nominations: 2009-10 Season" 26 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Interesting word, London-centric.
I get what you mean though. We just don’t seem to go to operas outside London that often. We just have other commitments and when we do go away we don’t always want to spend the evenings shut up in a theatre. Hairy went up to Scotland a few times, he said he’d try to get to Scottish Opera but with him it’s a more…

In response to: "Primi Divi Award Nominations: 2009-10 Season" 35 days old
by Gerry Bacon [Visitor]

What an interesting list!!

I think I too saw most of these productions and would agree with the choices (didn't see Grease, wish I had).

Mr Cleverton had big shoes to fill as Gerald Finley's understudy in Dr Atomic and considering the difficulty of the role almost deserves a special award. Perhaps Grant Doyle should be more…

In response to: "Primi Divi Award Nominations: 2009-10 Season" 47 days old
by Kate Hamilton [Visitor]

Interesting list, bit too London-centric for my taste, though.
I'm assuming the only WNO performance you saw was The Marriage of Figaro ... Did you see any Opera North or Scottish Opera? Or are the regional companies not good enough to be included? more…

In response to: "Review: GREASE*****" 55 days old
by Cutecoco [Member]

Hey !! nice blog !!wonna see mine ??plz visit my blog I’am Carole and u can chek my blog at cutecocoblog or at www.cutecoco.blog.co.uk/ plz respond as fast as u can cz I’am online now and don’t forget the comments I hope u contacte me soon see ya more…

In response to: "Review: The Proms (Week Six)" 55 days old
by Cutecoco [Member]

Hey !! nice blog !!wonna see mine ??plz visit my blog I’am Carole and u can chek my blog at cutecocoblog or at www.cutecoco.blog.co.uk/ plz respond as fast as u can cz I’am online now and don’t forget the comments I hope u contacte me soon see ya more…

In response to: "Review: DON CARLO****" 73 days old
by Jonathan [Visitor]

I enjoyed reading your review for a number of reasons. I stumbled on it while looking for something on how Sonia Ganassi performed her part. I saw a later performance than you (with Kim and not Villazon, fortunately) and rather liked SG. But she can't have been THAT memorable if my mind needed refreshing!

Where were you sitting btw? I more…

In response to: "Review: GREASE (Act 1)" 103 days old
by Chocxaway [Visitor]

Charlotte BUll is NEVER off the show, she is the most hardworking person there and is constantly on for miss Lynch AND also does an ensemble tack also (blonde curly hair)

thanks for your reviews though they are very detailed more…

In response to: "Review: GREASE (Act 1)" 129 days old
by Kim [Visitor]

Sorry me again... Just read your comment about charlotte, when they're short on girls and she's on as Lynch she'll do an ensemble track for Rydell Fight Song, We Go Together, Beauty School Dropout, Your The One That I Want and The Finale.. and being swing she'll only normally go on when theres a girl off... Kim more…

In response to: "Review: GREASE (Act 1)" 129 days old
by Kim [Visitor]

Hi, I was there on the cancilled act2 show... It was Holly as Cha Cha and James as Sonny. I got the impression that Niamh could have been injured as she wasn't doing any of the Ensemble scenes that Charlotte would do if she's on as Lynch and they're short of girls... Not that i was complaining it was nice to get someone else in that role...
< more…

In response to: "BBC CARDIFF SINGER OF THE WORLD" 136 days old
by eyewitnessnews [Visitor]

Funny you should say that about Etienne Dupuis. It WAS Gerald Finley who taught him, in a masterclass, how to make the tree seem real when you don't have a tree. more…

In response to: "Review: GERALD FINLEY*****" 140 days old
by KMW [Visitor]

It is my understanding, from attending the most recent Finley/Drake recital at Wigmore Hall (Butterworth/Finzi/Vaughan Willisms) Julius Drake and the artistic director of Wigmore Hall came up with the idea of Drake putting together the various song recitals, choosing the singers, etc. Marvelous idea. more…

In response to: "Preview: GREASE" 170 days old
by Sophie [Visitor]

Hi amanda

this is my preview not my review, I've done a review too which is here http://primi-divi.blog.co.uk/2009/05/23/review-grease-the-new-cast-may-6164536/

im sure they did do the auditions but they still have to sell tickets and it does help with that if you cast 2 people who are in the public eye.

I did more…

In response to: "Preview: GREASE" 174 days old
by Amanda Milton [Visitor]

Hiya
I don't know how you can possibly comment on Ray and Emma's performance,not actually having been to see the show yet.Both Ray and Emma auditioned for the roles like anybody else and got the roles through their own merit and hard work. I went to opening night and both Ray and Emma were amazing and had loads of chemistry and their stage pr more…

In response to: "Review: DOCTOR ATOMIC***" 216 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Yeah I know, we were supposed to go again but we didn’t, we’ve got all the performances written down but for some reason Dr Atomic was only on there once. Maybe it will be revived, hope so. more…

In response to: "Review: LA BOHEME***" 216 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Archie - I get what you’re saying I really do and I have tried but apparently they’re not commas, they’re expressional marks! That’s what Violetta calls them anyway. Just be glad we talked her out of all the italics and underlining she used to do!

Menhir – I see where you’re coming from too mate but most people like the detail. At lea more…

In response to: "(P)REVIEW: L'ELISIR D'AMORE****" 216 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Hi razzler

You probably knew this but in case you didn’t this was a (p)review not a review, Hairy posted it the day before he went to see it. Hairy is psychic so he should know about understudies but his (p)reviews are more about knowing how each singer is going to perform the role. When he does predict an understudy which he does do s more…

In response to: "AWARDS 2005-06" 216 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Hi Janis

Yeah we choose 1 winner from each category, we’ve done it at the end of every season since 2006. We don’t give out actual awards tho, it’s just a bit of fun really, a way of looking back over the season and thinking yeah that was cool. the winners and nominees are on this page –
http://primi-divi.blog.co.uk/tags/awards< more…

In response to: "AWARDS 2005-06" 219 days old
by janis kelly [Visitor]

do you actually choose one winner?? intriqued__ more…

In response to: "(P)REVIEW: L'ELISIR D'AMORE****" 220 days old
by razzler [Visitor]

I'm afraid you've got it wrong ..... Donald Maxwell sang Dulcamara that night not Neal Davies who was off sick ! more…

In response to: "Review: LA BOHEME***" 234 days old
by Archie [Visitor]

A good review and true in so many ways. Please use fewer commas though, it's almost impossible to read your text with so many entirely unnecessary punctuation marks cutting up the flow of your language. Punctuation should be there to aid the reader's job not - as in this case - to make it near-impossible. more…

In response to: "Review: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT***" 236 days old
by The_Walrus ^Pro

You should try the ENO. They get some quite good singers. more…

In response to: "Review: DOCTOR ATOMIC***" 240 days old
by Gert [Visitor]

I'm really sorry you missed Gerald in this role, of all roles.

I have found that it is really seeping into my bloodstream in a way that I never imagined it would. It's taken time and repetition more…

In response to: "Review: LA BOHEME***" 250 days old
by menhir [Member]

I like opera but, sorry, I just could not read all the way through your detailed critique and story line. A more succinct approach would be a joy to share.

I, for one, do not get much opportunity to see live performances and certainly not in major venues. As a consequence, I have become used to imaginative performances, which are no more…

In response to: "Review: LA BOHEME***" 250 days old
by kevinwilson ^Pro

it sounds a very disappointing experience.
this was the first opera i ever saw and i will never forget it.

(if possible, would you mind copying this review onto a post in thestage group, sometime? it would be great to have a record of it there, if you don't mind.)
more…

In response to: "Review: MADAMA BUTTERFLY*****" 258 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

It's not that strange, it was Stephen Anthony Brown so Barry got the middle name right! I'll sort it for him if the site will let me. more…

In response to: "Review: HANSEL UND GRETEL**" 258 days old
by FitCrit [Member]

Oh s*** you're right, the revision must be affecting my brain, cheers mate. more…

In response to: "Review: MADAMA BUTTERFLY*****" 266 days old
by Graham [Visitor]

Robert Anthony Gardiner is a fine tenor and a tenor to look out for but he is not playing Pinkerton for Surrey opera. Strange mistake!! more…