My advice to the Dutch singer in the role of Sieglinde in the MET's Walküre this season is: Stand up straight, even if you are taller than Jonas Kaufmann. You don't want to look all hunched over and matronly just because someone is shorter. Good luck to all of them. I see other title roles not in such great vocal shape... Bin gespannt.
So apparently she withdrew after Act. I. I hadn't been following what with Easter and all. Oh my! I must learn more.
ReplyDeleteHi, Daughter of Wotan. I think you're right about that. Looking all hunched over would just emphasize the difference in length. Besides, there's another reason why I would like to say "Eva, stand up straight". That's because at the moment she's probably laying down, ill. I was listening to the Live stream and within five minutes I was thinking 'what's wrong with you, Eva?'. There was a tremendous amount of wobble in her voice. I didn't understand, hadn't heard it before. It sounded like she didn't really use all her singing registers. Also lacking the usual power, which added to the wobble, I think. It's a shame, hopefully she'll recover soon. I'm anxious to hear your expert opinion about it. In what way, do you think, was her singing affected by her illness?
ReplyDeleteGoodness! I'm sorry to hear that. Wish I could catch a sound clip of her performance. There are many things that effect a voice. But, with her particular voice, I would say that when your nerves get the better of you, you have the fight or flight syndrome. Your muscles become jelly around the abdomen and a large voice is virtually impossible to support. If you are ill, depending on the illness, fatigue alone will rob you of your supporting strength. If the chords are swollen, then maybe they don't vibrate as usual. Some singers tend to push in these cases, which can lead to a wobble, since the chords can't handle the overload. A wobble in Eva's voice is too much lower register w/o the lower register support, which is the hardest to get. It takes full control of the abdominal area and a chance to take a slow ("low") breath at one point.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this interesting info. It looks like a larger voice, like hers, is even more difficult to handle when you're not feeling right. Maybe she shouldn't have sung at all. I cannot really imagine she felt 100% okay before beginning the first act. It looks like it was more serious than she had thought. After the first act Peter Gelb announced she was not feeling right but would continue. But, as it turns out, she was replaced and never appeared again. I don't expect her to sing on Monday, but who knows. As strange as it may sound, I'm glad her vocal difficulties were illness related. She sounded so much better in Aix. I really wish you have the opportunity to see that performance, some day.
ReplyDeleteWell, once she was out there on stage and realized she couldn't handle her voice, it must have been very scary. She was wise to quit, although I wish she wouldn't have been forced to. The MET will have her back, I'm sure. From what I've heard she's quite a Mensch.
ReplyDeleteFor her vocal trouble to have been related to anything else I can't imagine, since she's been singing healthily and well, am I wrong? It's just too bad. But the MET is a great pressure and a really big stage.
Well, I think maybe she didn't want to let the audience down and she gave it a try. It's a shame, of course, that it turns out this way... But to look at it from the positive side, maybe this incident helps her to better see her physical limits (in relation to her singing). As far as I know, this hasn't happened to her many times. I can imagine it should be scary and nerving when you cannot sing the way you are used to. It won't improve your singing either, to have this in the back of your mind. Then you're focusing too much and can't get into the flow, I presume. I don't think The Met is too much of a pressure for Eva in itself. She has sung Sieglinde all over the world and once she's on stage she seems to forget all the modesty she has in her personal life. And she did Anna Nicole of course, all the eyes of the opera world were focused on her. By the way, in the YouTube Metropolitan Walkure video of Kaufmann I posted a comment. I'm curious to know if you would agree with me.
ReplyDeletehttp://ihearvoices.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/wagners-die-walkure-metropolitan-opera-house-22-04-2011/
ReplyDeleteI found someone giving an insightful account of the evening.
I saw the youtube comment. No, I think it's a vein. More trace of tension.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she couldn't hear herself all together. That's happened to me before.
Who except she and people she confides in really knows what was wrong? For all we know she might be expecting! :)
I'll read the insightful account.
ReplyDeleteFor all I know, she's expecting... Siegfried. At that point in the opera, the first act, she isn't really aware of that, of course. Eva once said she didn't want to have children, so I'll take her word for that. She didn't really miss it because she didn't know what it was like. Eva is known for totally immersing herself in the role she plays. So it might have been, after having sung Sieglinde so many times, that she has had different thoughts about getting a child. Who knows, indeed. As to the vein, it is a weird vein, that's for sure. It stretches in a perfectly circular shape across her forehead to the other side... The creaton of God never ceases to amaze me...
I read the account, again. It turns out I read it earlier today. It is about 6 hours later here then in the US. I think it took me about 5 minutes (not 30) to hear the unusual singing. Probably because I've heard her singing this role so many times. The breathing thing he talks about supports your analysis. I hope to hear her again, via Live stream. See how it goes. But it looks like you can only listen to one live stream a week. The monday and thursday performances won't be an option then. But there are some performances left after that...
ReplyDeleteJust one little correction (no response required): I just found out that Eva has sung in Act 2. So she didn't exactly quit after Act 1. By that time, around 02.15 h. at night, I was asleep. I'm still not sure how she's doing right now. We'll find out the next days.
ReplyDeleteWhat you wrote about being so engrossed in a role you start to change your outlook on life is quite daring and of course extremely interesting :) @ your comment about possibly changing mind about having a child.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing her on May 16 and hope she is able to sing on the MET HD live.
ReplyDeleteSandra, I wasn't aware she'll be performing May 16. I thought May 14 was the last performance of Die Walkure. May 14 also happens to be the day it is broadcast live via MET HD live. Anyways, she should have made a full recovery by then.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Daughter of Wotan, there is still a possibility (if you would like) to hear, and judge for yourself, the sound of Eva in the first act of Die Walkure last friday... The link is http://www.gigasize.com/get/zyy46n9x5mb
You can access/download the (first act) file under the FREE member download section. 'Have fun' is too much said, I guess... Especially for an expert listener. Let's keep it at that. I'm looking forward to hearing the real Eva again.
Thanks for the link! Will check it out :)
ReplyDeleteHow in the *bleep* did you find this? Great! Will comment after.
ReplyDeleteOk, I hear it all now! Eva-Maria was really sick, I mean her whole head was congested. She had to gasp for air through her mouth since her nose was stopped up. That can be extremely tiring in itself. Her chords must have been swollen as well, which shows mainly in the higher notes. But she also sounded weak, like she couldn't support her voice enough, but she didn't sing full voice anyway, I can tell. Oh, if she's better now she'll surprise everyone tomorrow! Go Eva!
ReplyDeleteI was looking for Eva-Maria Westbroek on Google, a daily routine... To see how she is right now. Found nothing about that. But after a few pages the link came up. That is how in the *bleep* I found it. I was misinformed about the moment she quit. It turns out, my first statement, she quit after Act 1. No real surprise when I see your diagnosis. Fascinating to see the things you can distract from listening to her voice! I'd be surprised she'll be singing tomorrow, but who knows. On the same website you visited you can also download Act 2. Apparently Deborah Voigt stumbled on her way to her dad Wotan... I don't think you can hear that, even with expert ears. You also had the opportunity to listen to Kaufmann. I did a recent comment on his performance in the MET walkure Kaufmann YouTube. Maybe you could give your opinion, I'm curious.
ReplyDeleteI read your comment about Kaufmann. He really doesn't have the instrument and I fear he never will, unless he goes back to study with a voice-buidling teacher. I liked his performance very much but, as I wrote in my other post, I can't forget the sensation I had watching him sing Don José and can't imagine his voice pushing through all the Wagner layers when you hear him live.
ReplyDeleteIn this short clip his posture is just not very characteristic. His chest should be raised and his shoulders back and not the opposite. Physically, his attractive looks aside, he's not a very heroic looking guy, and I'm talking about his proportions. He should compensate that with his posture. My humble opinion. I think his noble singing is his greatest quality. Because of it in recordings he soars above most of his stage partners who might possess a more powerful instrument.
Am anxious to hear Hojotoho after the tumble incident. poor Deborah (as if the role wasn't already her Mount Everest). Thank you.
I think you are right about Kaufmann. He's singing a lyrical Siegmund, but lacks the bite or agression associated with Siegmund. I could hear that in the first words he sung "... hier muss ich rasten" and it didn't change thereafter. The way he is climbing onto the stage doesn't lead me to believe he is ever going to defeat Hunding. No chance. I think there's a lot of hype about Kaufmann, especially in the US, but if you look at it objectively he doesn't have the perfect voice for Siegmund. It seems Deborah laughed her way out of it, in line with her character, and Wotan gave her a little tuck on the back with his spear. Solved conveniently.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, there's a lot of "hype" around him here in Germany as well. His concert performance on ARTE of all German rep. around Christmas was outstanding. Judging from that concert I thought he had a heroic voice. It's a well-balanced voice which records extremely well. But, as I said, hearing him live changed my opinion about him. With him I never experienced the thrill of a powerful instrument which reached even my 4th rate seat. Beautiful, yes, but I'm one of those people who gets a rush with a big and beautiful voice. Like when Christine Brewer gave a recital in Edinburgh at Queen's Hall. She walked on stage and sang a juicy vivace Strauss song, which ended on a high note. The audience (including me)was at her mercy after that (in a good sense).
ReplyDeleteI don't know exactly what triggered me to believe you were living in the US... These dots shouldn't be read as disappointment, in any way. At one point, I believe, I even said Eva was in your country right now... Anyways, I think you're right in your other post. Eva must have had a hard time in Act 1 and she courageously held on. I think the words of MET manager Peter Gelb "... miss Westbroek, who so heroically sang the first act..." should be read in this perspective: heroically trying to make the best out of it:) Sometimes there can be a huge difference between recordings and live. Eva, unlike Kaufmann, hardly has any recordings. She isn't very much interested in it either. Everyone seems to agree she has a big stage presence, singing live is what she's good at. It helps to have a big voice, obviously. I think she's very much aware of her voice, tries to take on different roles (german and italian repertoire) to keep her voice healthy. She'll never make a good Brunnhilde, she knows that. She knows her limitations. I'm sure Kaufmann does too. As Bernard Haitink once put it: 'There are singers that can sing extraordinarily well, technically perfect. Yet, some of these voices just leave you cold. Eva-Maria's is a voice that has this intensity..., it really goes through your body. Very special.'
ReplyDeleteSomehow I didn't catch that one with "in your country". No, I'm here in Munich and it's starting to rain.:D
ReplyDeleteAs a close friend I can say: Eva is fine! She sang the next performances.
ReplyDeleteInstead of all your insinuations, she just had a throatinfection!!
So stop suggesting other things please!
Hojotoho
Glad to hear she's doing well! :)
ReplyDeleteSorry, Daughter of Wotan. I feel I shouldn't have asked in the first place... I'm just too curious, ...and you're too kind (to reply). Your first response (without having listened to Eva) was very informative. Thanks. I just ordered a ticket for the HD transmission the 14th of May. You also did. Really looking forward to it, even if it's a 45 mile drive.
ReplyDeleteNo need to apologize. I heard what I heard. :)
ReplyDelete@Wiebke: Thanks. A throat infection is usually serious when you're a singer, so I'm surprised at your "just". And I still wonder why she was gasping for air through her mouth the way she did.
ReplyDeleteI read a very good review and am thrilled that she showed her goods. She's probably the best Sieglinde out there right now, which explains why the MET hired her LOL
http://operaobsession.blogspot.com/2011/04/die-walkure-wes-herd-dies-auch-sei.html?showComment=1303936843317#c485241825088953933
It's been a while since my last posting. And it looks like you haven't been very active yourself either, the last few months. In writing the blog, that is. For all I know you might have build up a very busy and succesful singing career. Previously we've been talking about the Met Walkuere. Eva-Maria wasn't exactly at the top of her game. Not even in the HD broadcast, in my opinion. We've been asking ourselves why. Finally, last weekend, there was an answer. Eva-Maria was guest editor for a dutch newspaper, called NRC. She was invited to write a few articles in a seperate NRC associated magazine, called NRC Weekend DeLuxe. She could bring up whatever she would like. There was also a photo session in which she was dressed up in very expensive, special cloathing. Like a dress all made up of paper. She was also interviewed herself. There she revealed what went wrong at the Met. It is a typical woman thing, I'm afraid. For a number of years she's been having fibroids. Her monthly 'thing' was getting somewhat out of control because of this. It was a lot worse than it normally should be. She was ordered to take some pills to do something about it and then these pills caused a narrowing of the blood vessels. A oedema was formed around the vocal cords. She was terrified when she discovered that there just was coming 'hot air' out of her throat. She had to work really hard to produce any sound at all. After The Met she has had surgery to fix the underlying problem. Because we have been speculating about it, I thought it might be useful to share this. Greets.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, Rob. I knew it, but wasn't sure if Eva wanted met to share this. Now she did herself I can only confirm that the throatinfection wasn't true. I just couldn't stand all the insinuations and wanted to tell people singers can be sick and therefor not be there best.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your follow-up! Fibroids can really drain all of your energy. Sorry Eva had to go through that. Must have been devastating at the height of her career. I hope she's doing well these days.
ReplyDelete