Posted on 06/24/2007 3:42:55 AM PDT by 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.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Here’s a post from a blog...and I think it sums up all i feel.
Paul Potts and our culture of mediocrity
Paul Potts, the latest TV talent show sensation has been a subject of much discussion in classical singing circles, and outside them. For those of you who haven’t seen the video, just do a search on YouTube and watch. Let me set the scene; a British TV show similar to American Idol, except that the participants ran the gamut from little kids to jugglers, dancers, contortionists, and singers watched over by the obligatory panel of judges, including the crusty Simon Cowell. The next contestant is announced with fanfare as a mobile phone salesman who is living out his dream. A diffident looking typically British man in his 30’s gets up and tentatively announces that he’s going to sing opera. He proceeds to sing into a microphone a heavily cut rendition of Nessun dorma, one of the most recognizable arias (at least to the general public in Europe, who probably remember Pavorotti singing it at a world cup game) in the tenor rep. The crowd goes wild, Simon is visibly moved, and a star is born. Now, don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t bad. But he wasn’t good either. He has a pretty voice, but is clearly not up to the weight of that particular aria (and to his credit, moved to lighter popish rep for the rest of the competition). He sang with a lot of tension, and he didn’t have a good sense of line at all (singer speak for not connecting the notes enough with air flow). His penultimate high note wasn’t very secure, although he held on to it, it was a struggle. And his deer-in-headlights stage persona was a bit of a turn off; certainly it wasn’t good enough to actually hold the audience’s attention for, say the entire length of the aria. Anyway, he won the competition, signed a big record deal, and hopefully will be able to afford to get his teeth fixed.
I have several friends who are convinced I’m a heartless bastard for critiquing Mr. Potts. How dare I rain on his parade? This is his love, his passion, and it’s such a heart-warming, special human interest story; the mobile phone salesman slogging in the trenches as a starving artist. Add the unfortunate car accident where he was told he would never sing again, and the whole story is enough to give a PR person an orgasm on the spot. As an artist myself, and as one who has worked at dead-end jobs to pay my rent, I should sympathize and be happy for him. And his success will bring people flocking into the opera house, keeping an art form that I obviously love alive. How dare I stand in the way of people flocking into the opera house by being critical?
Very easily. I have several problems with this story. Putting aside the obvious political significance of a Welshman exciting a Welsh audience in a competition held in Wales, the whole presentation and editing of the story was manipulative and very, very slick. The back story conveniently didn’t mention that this average phone salesman had studied extensively, performed and studied in the UK and Italy, and participated in masterclasses with none other than Luciano Pavarotti himself. Paul Potts is not a talented amateur who is fuelled by his love for Art. He is a mediocre professional. And that is where I get upset. If he was really a guy who loves to sing, sang in his church choir on weekends, and had a passion for opera that led him to learn a difficult Italian aria mostly on his own and sing it at a competition, then I would join the chorus of well-wishers. His achievements in light of that sort of history would be remarkable.
But given his actual background, his achievement was not a triumph. It was a slap in the face to those of us who dedicate our lives to the art form. Because Paul Potts is taking the easy way out. For whatever reason, he hasn’t done what it takes to become good enough to sing that aria without gorking on the high notes. He hasn’t done what it takes to learn how to hold the audience. He hasn’t done his homework. And for that, I say he deserves every bit of criticism he gets.
But aside from that, there is the interesting phenomenon of the media frenzy and public enthusiasm. If you watch the actual TV performances carefully, you will see a very, very skilfully edited presentation designed to tug at your heartstrings. It’s really manufactured enthusiasm. But even with the slick presentation, I have wondered about the public’s relish in embracing this mediocre performance. First of all, Puccini’s music is sublime. Nessun dorma is one of the most thrilling arias ever written. When sung really, really well it routinely brings the house down. A toad could croak this aria and probably tug at a few heart strings because the music is such high quality.
The public is also going mad because it fuels their own personal daydreams. We all dream about achieving greatness, it’s just that very few of us muster up the courage to actually work toward it. When presented with someone who has ostensibly achieved “greatness” while selling phones, it doesn’t seem like such a difficult path anymore. People are embracing Mr. Potts because he represents the easy way; the way that doesn’t require blood, sweat, and tears. I think that one of the reasons that I am so annoyed by this whole thing is that the media and public frenzy devalues the very hard, anguished work that I (and countless other young singers) have put into building an operatic voice. The message the public is embracing along with Mr Potts is one of mediocrity; “you don’t have to work your ass off to become good at something, all you have to do is sing pretty on TV”
What is so special about Mr. Potts? There are thousands of old men in Italy who are passionate about opera and could probably sing that aria better than Potts did. Heck, there are lots of amateur tenors all over the world who could do just as well or better. And I don’t feel the least bit excited about all the trials he has undergone to realize his dream. We all have trials. We all have obstacles put in our place. To be truly great is to rise above them. Mr. Potts has simply circumvented the obstacles, and the hard work required. And while I might applaud his agility, I can and do condemn his mediocre singing.
This whole phenomenon speaks to the culture of mediocrity in Western Society. We shit ourselves over someone who is in the right place at the right time but who, for whatever reasons, simply hasn’t done his homework. We get all excited about the “diamond in the rough,” probably because in our meaningless existence we dream of being in the same place, recieving the same adulation from the world without the cost. It’s the same message that Christ faced in the wilderness, “I will give you the world...” It’s the old counterfeit trick, taking the easy way out, the way of fame instead of the difficult way of pain. I’m sorry, but if the anesthetized masses want their moment of fame, unless they want to go the Paris Hilton route, they are going to have to earn it! What is wrong with a society that is suspicious of people who dedicate themselves to something and work hard? People complain about opera (pick your discipline) as being elitist. Damn straight! I want to be in the elite. I want to work at something until I am world class. But in our current culture which celebrates the mediocre, I am looked at with suspicion for wanting to excel.
To be truly great requires sacrifice and hard work. I’m sorry, but Mr Potts hasn’t done the work required to be a truly great artist. And until he does, I wish him all the best but will save my enthusiasm for some else who has.
I know that many, many other sites have gotten nastygrams for using too much of copyrighted articles. I have not seen another site that has a compiled list of rules by source as FR does, but I have also not seen another site that routinely uses outside articles as the basis for a thread as FR does.
If I tell you, you can't post that article on your discussion board because of the political slant you have, I am decidedly going against the First Amendment.
Nope. If I tell you you can't post *my* article -- for whatever reason -- I'm exercising my copyright. The first amendment prohibits the government from limiting speech and press except in severely limited circumstances. It does not prevent authors from controlling the use of their works.
Suppose The New York Times opted to prohibit FR, or bloggers, or anyone from posting any part of its articles. I don't believe that they ca prohibit a link, though that's an evolving area of the law. But they cannot stop you from saying "today's New York Times says 'foo,' to which I respond 'bar.'"
Exceptions, most notably fair use, exist to foster debate and criticism.
I promise you that I'm not being combative, but are you making this up as you go along? Exceptions are used to force the reader back to the source to give proper credit to the author.
Copyright law exists to allow authors to control the use of their work. Most copyright holders want to drive you to their own site, not just for credit, but so you see their ads and they get paid. Exceptions to the copyright laws, such as fair use, ensure that while you can't steal and sell someone else's work, you can discuss and criticize it.
For example, unless there's something I didn't notice in the FR user agreement, everything I post to FR is copyright (C) me. You certainly have every right to quote my post in responding to it, as you did above -- more so with a message board post, because that's the point of a message board, and if I didn't know that I'm an idiot. But you couldn't compile my posts in their entirety as a Web site or CD-ROM and sell them without my permission.
WOO! HOO! You’re famous! And since you are also on the DUmmie FUnnies PING List, I am demanding a percentage of your fame lusting groupies.
You contradict yourself. Far from taking the easy route, it seems he as worked very hard to get to where he is today. It’s just that he lacks that something (whatever in the world that is) that gets you accepted into the ranks of the professional opera world.
From a personal viewpoint I don't care for most opera. There are certain operas that I do like but for the most part I'd rather listen to a good orchestra by itself.
I don’t have cable or satellite either. I basically don’t watched television and haven’t for years.
Well...yes but then you would know who I am.
I think your post is missing the point.
Very few of the people who’ve viewed the video or who watched him live have the technical knowledge that you do.
They don’t care. They know what they like.
It is like the ice skaters at the Olympics. Some of them are more technically proficient, but are unable to project emotion to the audience. The “skate snobs” spend all their energy pointing out the technical flaws of those who can project the emotion, while the rest of us wish they would just shut up. We like skater A because we like skater A.
No...if he’d worked harder he’d be a lot better.
A guy has to earn a living too.
“His tuning was all over the place; his voice sounded strained and uncontrolled..”
Tuning? If this reviewer knew anything about serious singing, he would have said “intonation.” Potts intonation was fine, and his voice was not strained or uncontrolled. In fact, he was producing the sound better as he got more comfortable with performing on the program. For example, he cracked a just little on the B at the end in his first performance (I doubt if 1 in a 1,000 noticed), but his reprise of Nessun Dorma after winning had a well produced B. His performance on the Today show had the same solid B -the slight crack the first time was just nerves. If anything was terribly noticeable from a vocal production point of view, Potts’ registration was uneven, with the lower parts being sung in a lyrical nearly “pop” voice while the higher parts had a nice operatic “ping” to them. I think he was just making some ill advised musical choices on that account. I do agree that the phrasing needs some work, but part of that may have been nerves and is easily correctable in any event by some coaching. He clearly has a bright future, perhaps not so much singing in opera productions, but singing high end non-operatic things like the Andrea Bocelli song he did, which was performed far better than the Puccini and which really seemed to fit his voice perfectly. As for the Nessun Dorma, I’ve heard less competent vocal performances from the stage at the Metropolitan Opera (I’ve also heard better). Potts needs a little polish, which he will get, and then he should have a wonderful life.
As for the bog-standard reviewer of a sort to be found at any rag that hires people who are dissatisfied with their own lives and lack of ability, I’m sure he will continue in his unhappy state of mind and continue to try to tarnish the successes of others. Fortunately, Potts will be just fine.
Here’s the thing I don’t get....
On a conservative forum most of is have read The Fountainhead, right? Or at least know the concepts. There is a fantastic quote I can’t recall exactly....demonstrating how mediocrity being held up as great is essentially a socialist ideal. When Paris Hilton is held up as an example of cultural merit, when Andrew Lloyd Webber is held up as an example of a great composer, when Dean Koontz is revered as great literature...these things have an effect. Rather than aspiring to true greatness, to true accomplishment and excellence....people are encouraged to devalue it. To adhere to standards and strive for excellence becomes an elitist, snobbish pursuit. The value of working hard and pursuing mastery becomes a goal few actually have the courage to partake, whereas we *should* be taught to always reach for excellence. And knowing what excellence is is something that comes through education. I appreciate Shakespeare because I was educated to understand the superb nature of the craft, and the surrounding history. I can enjoy a trashy novel but I never confuse the two. Once people don’t know the difference, the lowest common denominator becomes the blessed, sought-after average.
Blackfish
Thanks for contributing your expertise.
I have half a hundred friends who work day jobs just like him and sing far better, in professional opera houses around the world. Most singers have to keep day jobs to make ends meet, and most of the well known working singers who are now names in the opera world held temp jobs for some time. That’s the norm. But they also learned to sing along the way, and didn’t pretend to be rank amateurs in a Cinderella story. Paul Potts didn’t do the former and embraced the latter.
Try hearing him without the reverb turned so far up and not on a microphone and we’ll talk about his voice in real terms. It was an average performance by an average voice. and that’s being generous.
Average? In what context? In the Domingo class, quite below average. In the Bruno Bartolini class (late of the Met), a little above average. Again, compared to whom or what class of singer? Taking vocalists as a whole, I would say that he is very much above average, and with a little work could sing a Boccelli type repetoire very well. If his goal is singing in opera productions, I can’t tell at this point what potential he has, although he could probably at least perform at a journeyman level in the right repetoire (not Turandot)with some more development. His instrument is at least good enough for that.
Please bear in mind, I didn’t write that he has one of the world’s great vocal instruments - just that he didn’t have all the problems the review alleged and that he did well, all things considered, and that he will probably have a career, though probably not in opera houses.
You lose me on all three examples.
Paris is a trashy slut. I’m not a fan of either Webber or Koontz.
I don’t recall ever saying that Potts is a great singer.
I said I enjoyed his singing.
Surely you can understand the difference. One is a statement about his competence, which has some degree of objectivity to it, and the other is a statement about my personal preference, and is purely subjective.
What bugs me is those who are apparently trying to say I shouldn’t enjoy listening to him because there are other singers who are technically superior. I cannot possibly overstate how little I care. You are trying to hold Potts to a standard I just don’t care about. In a world where Bob Dylan has been a professional singer for 40 years, there ought to be room for Paul Potts.
BTW, I very much enjoy Shakespeare, so I’m not a total low-life. :)
Who "took the entire post?" The discussion is about a quote of three short sentences in a newspaper story. "With user name" ... are you saying that they should not have attributed the quote?
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