In a message dated 1/21/2002 6:48:57 AM Pacific Standard Time,
dalila@R... writes:
> That LOHENGRIN, which does represent Hoffman at his best (and gives good
> indication of why he ever got a career in Wagner in the first place) is
> available on video, with Hoffman extremely heroic in the title role, Eva
> Marton as a rather unlovely Elsa, and Leonie Rysanek as a brilliant
>
All of the above doesn't surprise me. I saw (heard!!!) Leonie at SF Opera a
few years back as Herodias in Salome (with Maria Ewing) and it was the
biggest voice I personally had ever heard live. It was absolutely THRILLING.
At any rate, I think Hoffmann is the perfect example of image fitting the
ideal for the repertoire; how many other Wagnerian tenors actually LOOK like
a virile, Aryan hero? (Maybe Siegfried Jerusalem). But it doesn't surprise me
at all that when someone comes along who has the looks AND the vocal goods
for a particular fach, the impresarios immediately snap them up. Especially
if it isn't a flooded fach (like cute, blonde soubrettes, for instance.) The
only shame is if the artist gets used up before their time due to faulty
technique and excess bookings.
TinaO
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