People's Tenor Pits the Sniffles Against the Sniffs (DFU and FR Mention!)

The New York Times ^ | June 24, 2007 | DANIEL J. WAKIN

[BlessedBeGod]

A 36-YEAR-OLD dentally challenged cellphone salesman wins a nationally televised talent contest in Britain, and suddenly, all sorts of questions are raised about the role of classical music in our world.

That is because the winner, Paul Potts, from Wales, triumphed with a rendition of “Nessun dorma,” the tenor aria from Puccini’s “Turandot,” at a contest with the trappings and audience — seemingly — of the mass entertainment world.

By the standards of music critics who ply their trade in opera houses and concert halls, it wasn’t a particularly earth-shaking performance.

“Mr. Potts is the sort of bog-standard tenor to be found in any amateur opera company in any corner of the country,” wrote Philip Hensher in The Independent of London. “His tuning was all over the place; his voice sounded strained and uncontrolled; his phrasing was stubby and lumpy; he made a constipated approximation only of the fluid sound of the Italianate tenor....”

On the blogs, many comments seemed to reflect resentment that the “snobs” of the opera world would look down on their swoon for Mr. Potts. On freerepublic.com, a conservative forum, dougfromupland addressed “all you opera snobs.”

“He may not be the greatest opera singer. But we who don’t know dip about opera like him and can’t wait to see him perform. We know what uplifts us and makes us feel good. Go away, snobs.”

[Vision]

FR is publishing information constantly. Court challenges or not, media outlets are determining how and who can read their material; seemingly, to make it more difficult to talk about on right wing boards. Am I wrong? Are left wing sites under the same rules?

If an outlet is so intellectually and morally bankrupt that they must skirt the first amendment to hide from the dissection of their message, why should they be allowed to do whatever they want with a post? “We’re gonna talk about you, and we will make it hard for you to talk about it(or if you’ll be allowed to talk about it at all.”)

And many posts could be misrepresented a million ways to fit whatever daily propaganda they need.

[Political Junkie Too]

36-YEAR-OLD dentally challenged cellphone salesman...

Even before they get to the subject of the article, they make fun of the guy's looks. They undermine him before they tell us what he was supposed to have done.

-PJ

[mylife]

One of the things I really like about Puccini is the reccuring underscore

[bmwcyle]

ping

[Kaslin]

My favortite opera is Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and my most favorite aria is Un bel di vedremo (One fine day)

[mylife]

Yer pop had good tastes. I prefer lighthearted stuff myself but am not adverse to a dark thriller

[mylife]

I really am partial to Puccinis work though many called him a hack because he aimed at the common man.

His work is very accesable, very fluid.

[mylife]

Madam Butterfly "Un bel di vedremo"

[mylife]

Not Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton, a sailor with the USS Abraham Lincoln in the port of Nagasaki, but its a nice rendition of the song

[JCEccles]

I am not a jazz fan. But when I saw and heard Paul Potts sing his audition rendition of Nessun Dorma, I wept silently.

The preternatural beauty of the aria led me to check out other renditions, including one by Pavarotti. I found Pavarotti's rendition awe-inspiring, intimidating, overwhelming. His power, richness, and control of voice were nothing short of astonishing.

Pavarotti's rendition was technically superior. But it did not move me to tears. The greatest music sounds in the soul as well as the ear. Paul Pott's rendition sounded in my soul.

Thanks to Paul Potts, I have had my interest in opera kindled. I am already making arrangements to buy tickets for performances by our local large city opera company.

But I must say, the snobbishness of some professional opera buffs, their nasty sarcasm and small-minded criticism of Paul Potts, is starting to turn me off. My journey to the opera kingdom may be cut short if I find more denizens of the place to be similarly ungracious, small-minded, and leaden-souled.

[Savage Beast]

Yeah but keep Mark Twain’s observation in mind: “Wagner’s music is better than it sounds.”

[JCEccles]

Check that: I am not an OPERA fan (I am a jazz fan; I've been listening to Art Tatum all afternoon which is why the word "jazz" was on my mind). But when I saw and heard Paul Potts sing his audition rendition of Nessun Dorma, I wept silently.

The preternatural beauty of the aria led me to check out other renditions, including one by Pavarotti. I found Pavarotti's rendition awe-inspiring, intimidating, overwhelming. His power, richness, and control of voice were nothing short of astonishing.

Pavarotti's rendition was technically superior. But it did not move me to tears. The greatest music sounds in the soul as well as the ear. Paul Pott's rendition sounded in my soul.

Thanks to Paul Potts, I have had my interest in opera kindled. I am already making arrangements to buy tickets for performances by our local large city opera company.

But I must say, the snobbishness of some professional opera buffs, their nasty sarcasm and small-minded criticism of Paul Potts, is starting to turn me off. My journey to the opera kingdom may be cut short if I find more denizens of the place to be similarly ungracious, small-minded, and leaden-souled.

[mylife]

Paul Potts is joe everyman and thats why he is such a hit.

Opera is not about snobs just as bluegrass is not about rubes.

Go and enjoy

[aristotleman]

LOL. That just about sums it up.

[mylife]

Even the Sex Pistols got in on that song, kindof sortof

Malcolm McLaren Un bel di vedremo

[aristotleman]

Say you are a hardcore fan of bluegrass, and some dude shows up on TV and gives an otherwise heartfelt performance that is full of stereotype yelps and cliche stylizations, killing a very authentic melody (trying to appear hillbilly in other words) and everyone lauded the performance as magnificent and couldn't’t see its fraud, would you say something?

[mylife]

Weird video but a cool tune and interesting that it is compelling 100 years on

[mad_as_he$$]

When I say “opera snobs” it is never about the artist; it is about the hacks in the audience. Of course I say “(fill in the blank) snobs” about wine, dogs, horses, houses, cars, cigars and techheads. there are snobs in every field. I take it you are a singer? If yes what type?

[F.J. Mitchell]

The critics don’t pay the bills, the audience does. The fans know what they like and are willing to pay for and enjoy. Whether it’s Opera or Opry.

[aristotleman]

What do you think about the “three tenors” type music?