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From:  Edward Norton <belcantist2003@y...>
Date:  Thu Jan 9, 2003  8:27 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist] Re: Did Somebody Mention Counter-Tenors???!!!


I should have called the counter-tenor mentioned in my story "Joe Blow" instead
of David. They both are named "David" but my singer was NOT Mr. Daniels (native
of Spartanburg, SC) but rather a native of Birmingham, England! David Joe Blow
is, like Mr Scholl, heterosexual with a capitol H!!!! Much ado was made also in
the redneck parish over his (David Joe Blow's) wife's nursing of their sons in
public. It didn't bother me one iota. I grew up with the redneck in that
church who verbalized his displeasure and promptly told him he needed to drink a
pint of milk, say 10 Hail Marys and ponder that in his heart because the rest of
us were sick and tired of hearing it! HA! (We vocalists know that
Schumann-Heink and Flagstad did wonders for their voices thru nursing and DON'T
mind one bit!)
It is indeed a shame that the gay community isn't better mannered on this
subject, but "homophobia" is inbred in many people including, sadly, a majority
of the gay community itself. A mezzo friend told me Mr Daniels is indeed quite
a hunk and has a body as hard as a high school math class! I TRULY wonder how
she determined THAT!! If Mr Daniels were a booming basso, thrilling baritone or
virile tenor, perhaps more of the Opera Queens would be framing his handsome
poster? Mom thinks he sounds like Louise Homer, whose voice was described by one
of my teenage sopranos as "one butch sister"!! She'd have probably thought Dame
Clara Butt could drive a Peterbilt Truck and rotate the tires on it!!

Ed
"Michael <chosdad@y... wrote:Edward:

I am confused by your message.

You state that you have not heard David Daniels in person, and then
you further state,

> The performance went well. David sang "Behold!" and "O thou" with
phrases intact and did an excellent performance.

Is the David referenced above Mr. Daniels? Or some other David?

Adding to the confusion, you wrote
>Immediately following the final applause, my Pastor, with a smirk on
his face, pulled me aside and put forth the question, "They are all
asking if David is gay!"!!

Again, if "David" is Mr. Daniels - the well known answer is yes. I
agree it is a "redneck mind" to assume a countertenor is gay, but for
whatever reason it turns out that many of the well-known
countertenors are gay (as just a sample, I believe Minter, Asawa,
Daniels, Mehta), although others are not (Scholl).

Personally I am just interested in the singing, but others seem to
care deeply about the sexuality of a singer, and ironically some like
Daniels encounter the most hostility from gay opera fans:

"But the most opposition I get is from the gay
community. There's a lot of negativity from the gay community because
I'm open, and proud and honest. It's very bizarre. It makes no sense
whatever." - see
http://listproc.ucdavis.edu/archives/mlist/log0108/0011.html.

BTW, for those who are interested, there is a "countertenor" yahoo
group - TheCountertenors.

Cheers,

Michael






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  Replies Name/Email Yahoo! ID Date  
21864 OFF: Public breast-feeding (was: Did Somebody Mention Counter-TenorsKaren Mercedessingwiththespirit Mon  1/13/2003  
21866 Re: OFF: Public breast-feeding (was: Did Somebody Mention Counter-TeSMSchneidersusan5s Mon  1/13/2003  
21868 Re: OFF: Public breast-feeding (was: Did Somebody Mention Counter-TeEdward Norton  Mon  1/13/2003  
21869 Re: OFF: Public breast-feeding (was: Did Somebody Mention Counter-TeChristine Thomasmezzoid Mon  1/13/2003  
21870 Re: OFF: Public breast-feeding (was: Did Somebody Mention Counter-TeLeslie Christopher  Mon  1/13/2003  
21946 OFF: Public breast-feedingTako Oda <toda@m...>takooda Wed  1/15/2003  
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