jane76552000 is not having a Top Shelf Margarita!

Eat right, exercise, lose weight, get fit & all that jazz...
Something really odd.... 13 months ago

So I’m an opera fan. I like lots of music genres, but this is one of my favorites. Anyway, I have this friend who is very well connected internationally in the world of opera and knows some major people. The last weeks he has been nagging about a friend of his who is an extremely talented soprano, internationally known, yet, not a number one star. She’s not bad looking, but….

But in this day and age when soprano no longer equals the proverbial fat singing lady, and some very hot talented young singers perform in sold-out houses, the specific singer, who shall remain unnamed, is a) totally out of shape, b) getting rather big, c) iffy as an actress due to the presence of raw, yet not very cultivated acting talent (add to that the extra pounds), and d) devoted to a not so great manager. I gently suggested to my friend, NOT to her since I don’t really know her, but he does, not a diet but going to the gym. I even said that I understand that the gym is daunting, and everyone has to force themselves at some point, but….. I also suggested some acting lessons, even pointed to two major European acting schools who would be thrilled to teach her, and yes, I also pointed out how less talented people than her have been getting golden opportunities because they chose manager X or manager Y.

Friend told me that I’m lucky said singer was not present because she would consider my suggestions unreasonable and would even throw me things!! I mean, why do they ask me if they disagree in advance with what I’ll say?! And why is it unreasonable for people to expect to see a convincing show? Opera is lyric theater, and I think that actors should somehow look the part. I didn’t suggest she become a model type (she cannot) or a size 00 (she would be dead if she did). I didn’t even suggest she dress provocatively to turn into a sex kitten.

I mean, am I wrong?!

Sheesh!



Comments:

knottylady is getting stronger by the day

Sex Kitten Opera Actress

Yikes. Sticky situation there. Sounds like you pin pointed the very reasons why she isn’t number one.

After I read your post, I thought of the many singers who go through a beautification transformation (sometimes into a sex kitten as you say!) after selling an album that went big, and it would seem that after the make over, they became even more successful (though for some it could be argued). It probably wouldn’t hurt if she went some sort of transformation herself, especially to compete with other people in her business. I mean heck – even Andreas Bocelli looks pretty darn sexy these days!

Oh yes and of course the acting lessons might help too. lol After all, wouldn’t you want to give your paying audience the best performance ever? I say myself say sheesh to that!

jane76552000 is not having a Top Shelf Margarita!

Makeover!

That’s what she needs! There are other talented singers who have everything: looks, talent, the body, they can sing, they have nailed difficult techniques, coloratura, they can dance, act, everything! I attach a picture of Danielle De Niese, a rather popular young soprano that I personally detest (too much hype, plus rather silly and arrogant), but she delivers the goods! She recently sang Cleopatra in Händel’s Julius Caesar which was directed like a Bollywood movie. How can the other one compete?!

The funny thing is that Danielle De Niese was just an understudy at the Metropolitan Opera for Cleopatra. The artistic director actually fired the original older respected star because she had gained too much weight to persuade as a sex kitten. That’s how De Niese got a chance and became famous and the show was hugely successful….

If the unnamed soprano wants to throw things at me for that reason, what can I say?

Well she may be silly & arrogant...

but she does look STUNING in that costume, so I see your point… It’s sad about your friend of a friend…

Reminds me of Ann Wilson… She has one of the strongest female voices in rock & roll… What I wouldn’t give to be able to sing like her! But she gained enough weight to make her look pudgy & the tour bombed… Her rock career tanked for awhile, but eventually they did another tour & the fans had decided that pudgy or otherwise, she still had the voice… Of course, she had a lot of other things going for her…

Seems the weight issue took a bite out of Steevie Nicks’s career… She was such a siren in her day, but no more… The bar is set pretty high for performers…

jane76552000 is not having a Top Shelf Margarita!

And so it should....

They are performers and should deliver the goods. I attach a picture of Ruth Ann Swenson, the famous soprano the Met fired in order to hire her understudy Danielle De Niese as Cleopatra, i.e. the one who appears in the picture of my previous post. The difference is huge! How could Swenson ever compete with the other one? How could she be the seductress Cleopatra of the opera? The Met wouldn’t have been able to bring the hugely successful McVicar production of Handel’s Julius Caesar that so many audiences enjoyed worldwide!

The funny thing with the friend of a friend, who as I said is known and shall remain anonymous, is that she excels in La Traviata. I mean, imagine the ethereal, TB-stricken Violetta dying on stage about 50-60 pounds overweight and totally out of shape! Friend of a friend could not even faint at the end of Act II because how and where would she fall when swooning?

jane76552000 is not having a Top Shelf Margarita!

Even pole dancing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJaUhdcihb8&feature=related

Of course, Anna Netrebko is the singer every conservative opera-goer and assorted singing fat ladies love to hate!

jane76552000 is not having a Top Shelf Margarita!

WOW! She LISTENED!

So incredible update from opera singer friend of a friend I was talking about 5 months ago! She used to be thin, then became the proverbial fat lady, is famous and all, yet, not where she deserves to be. Told my friend she should rethink the eating and exercise thing, he said she would get upset with me and start throwing things. I shrugged my shoulders.

Which brings us to these days: she actually lost a lot of weight the last five months after all!!!!! I haven’t seen her, but friends who attended a big opera event of hers said there is a great difference! I can’t believe it! That’s great news!

I obviously sent my congrats and encouraging words to continue because, truly, I think all she needs to do is exercise and rethink the whole eating thing…


jane76552000 has gotten 3 cheers on this entry.

 

I want to:
43 Things Login