The first question to answer is 'why?'. Simply because I won free tickets in a competition. A competition I found about in one of my Katherine Jenkins Google Alerts. I have recently developed a habit of entering competitions; one never knows what might come up! And, naturally, I invited Mrs Senzatalento to come along with me.
I know it is important to do one's homework before attending any performance and this was no exception. I was excited to read about his dream to sing Otello at the Royal Opera House and I certainly listened to the excerpt of him singing the seminal A-ha work, Hunting High and Low. And, you know, I'm a sucker for tenors who are easy on the eye. I had previously heard him on the TV singing something or other prior to the West Ham - Chelsea match at the end of last season. Like West Ham, he is Icelandic.
The concert was billed as Gardar Cortes Plus Special Guests. Naturally, over dinner we speculated as to the identity of the Special Guests and hoped and hoped that perhaps La Warbling Barbie would be there. We were desperately disappointed, but were delighted at the opportunity to hear for the first time Opera star Sigrún Hjálmtrsdóttir aka Diddú, best known as lead singer of pop group Spilverk Jóanna and also star of the Icelandic Opera.
The conductor was Gardar Cortes Senior. The Programme is below the fold (GC indicating our tenor, D our soprano, and O, The National Symphony Orchestra)
Every piece was sung with microphones. I can see the purpose of using microphones for the pop numbers, but anybody who needs microphones for operatic arias and duets at the Barbican really shouldn't be on the stage there. I have been to a chamber concert where the Balcony was closed; considering that the hall was barely half full, perhaps that would have been wise this evening.
The less said about the soprano the better. Sometimes, if one can't say anything good, it's probably best to say nothing at all. My usual get-out for being critical is that I have paid my money, that isn't even the case here. Bear in mind that this was not a promoted by Barbican concert, but seems to have been a private hiring and promotion; nevertheless it makes it possible to add "Appeared at London's Barbican" to the résumé.
Bluntly, she was unremittingly bad. Frequently, I kept reminding myself that it takes guts to stand up there and belt (I couldn't do it). I kept reminding myself that it takes a certain basic level of skill to learn the words and the tune and perform them simultaneously, with a reasonable degree of accuracy. But frankly, that it isn't enough. Countless millions of amateurs do that; if it's at your local church or a birthday party you are gracious in your applause. But one has higher standards in one of the world's leading concert venues. Perhaps if she had been less ambitious and stuck to simple songs, she might have been more bearable. But why stick to simple songs when you can slaughter Casta Diva?
Casta Diva is an exemplar of bel canto ie 'beautiful singing'. This wasn't even Can Belto, more like Can't Bellow. No understanding of the long phrasing and the overall arch of the piece. No grasp of legato. The unaccompanied section was disastrous, wildly off pitch, real car-crash singing. At no time did she give the impression of understanding the slightest bit about what she was singing, nor understanding the composer's intent, or the music. Dynamics varied between ff and fff. One phrase demonstrated an ability to diminuendo and crescendo - obviously delivered as a 'showstopper'. Ugh.
Each aria was delivered as if learnt mechanically bar-by-bar and as Mrs Senzatalento commented, even the gestures were delivered as if they had been taught to her phrase by phrase. I think she would be booed off stage if ever accidentally engaged by any of England's third tier opera companies. I resigned myself to a combination of cringing and hysterical silent giggling.
In contrast Cortes was positively genius. Nevertheless, I did find myself pining to be at an Andrea Bocelli concert! Undoubtedly an extremely good-looking man. However, if one is to build a career on good looks, it's best to go into modelling. Or, if that career is crooning, possibly, some on-stage charisma might not come amiss. He stood there in exactly the same position for every song or aria. Barely moving, unwilling or unable to engage with the audience, unable to reach out beyond the stage.
On the plus side, it was clear that he can sing in tune, and in there is a voice of some quality, without wobble, bleat or beat. Someone told me he was 27 years old, and I thought 'promising provincial'. However, I read that he is 33. Although I recognise that singers develop at different speeds, I can't help feeling that by age he should be beyond 'promising'. I will also say that his performance of 'Mattinata' was something special, of which I have no criticism whatsoever.
As for the rest, I found it just a bit boring. Apparently he is releasing Hunting High and Low as a single, and I really can't understand why. Admittedly, I was never the world's greatest A-ha fan, but it really is an insipid song. And he adds nothing to it, and his crooning is considerably less interesting than Morten Harket's. Granada was a mess: I don't know why so many singers have a desire to sing this, usually badly. Just because top tenors such as Domingo, Carreras, Florez make it sound simple doesn't mean that it is. As for Nessun Dorma, the orchestra gave it full welly and demonstrated Puccini's genius in manipulating an audience with his rousing orchestration building to a climatical climax.
Overall, his performance was generic, not unpleasant. And he had a better range of volumes (also including f) than his soprano. Shame that he couldn't manage a subtle mf nor any colouring. And it seemed that all the singing was coming entirely from the throat, without any use of diaphragm. The man is clearly inherently musical, and will doubtlessly sell endless CDs on account of his indisputable good looks (no, I can't understand that one either). But with such a proliferation of excellent lyrical tenors as we have currently, he's competing in a crowded field with an inadequate arsenal. I suspect he would not be unwelcome at a third tier opera company, although it's difficult to tell with the mikes, which I think tended to hide the fact that there might just be a modicum of beauty in the natural voice.
Almost as entertaining, perhaps more so, was the audience. A great number were Icelandic, and some more appeared to be members of the Classic ForMorons cult, and they were unremarkable, ordinary people wanting to enjoy themselves, and who can argue with that desire.
But there were all sorts of people who I gathered were connected with the launch of the single. I was not sure whether they were with the record company or marketing company, or whether they were just liggers unable to make it onto a star guest list. We had an amusing conversation at the interval with two women, who thought the first half 'incredible'. One of them had heard Pavarotti sing Barber of Seville at the Met seven or eight years ago, which I considered literally 'incredible'. Mrs S. in all sweet innocence asked whether they thought he was as good as Pavarotti. They were adamant that Cortes will 'grow into his voice'. At the end of the concert, we encountered them again, but they were incoherent with the effects of whichever controlled substance they were taking. There was evidence of much substance abuse, especially with the hysterical giggling in the Ladies loo. I can't see the purpose of combining drugs and music. How can you possibly experience the psychotropic effect of music when the mind and sensation are already gone?
We had some fun in the basement bar, where we paused to sip water and ended up watching the ghastly fashion show of these tarts and hags. Maybe they weren't tarts, technically, but the Primark posh frocks teamed with shoes that someone had told them were fashionable (five inch heels). The cheap bleach jobs, the inappropriate mixing of black dresses with dirty off-white shoes, the unfortunate exposure of unsightly leg-flesh with fake-tan, the collagen lips, the overdone make-up, the vacant expressions, haunted soulless eyes and embodiment of slow silent misery. Of course, I got the up-and-down dismissive looks, which amuse me, because I am supremely confident of and relaxed in my body and feel no need to wear a uniform and mask to boost my self-esteem.
We were quietly watching the parade when some woman with a clipboard approached us and spoke to Mrs Senzatalento, wondering if we had won tickets in a competition. Before we knew it we were being ushered to a backstage area to meet Gardar Cortes and be filmed (perhaps we are now stars of Icelandic TV). I felt very awkward because I do not like to meet performers and then be dismissive or critical of their performance. I think it's rude (obviously, I don't mean occasions when I meet a favourite after a performance I have felt was less than their very best). We had our couple of minutes with him. I stuck to the truth, that I enjoyed the concert and thanked him. In that brief time he gave a clear impression of being pleasant, well-mannered and courteous, although, again, I noticed a distinct absence of charisma. And he autographed my programme. We didn't have our cameras, although I did take a photo of him and Mrs S with her phone.
Update: It seems that unbeknownst to us, in the first half we were sitting very close to John the Moderator of the Katherine Jenkins Bulletin Board (we descended to the three-quarters empty circle for the second half) who took some rather splendid pictures
Overture, Marriage of Figaro - Mozart O.
Nella Fantasia GC
Lontano GC
Hunting High and Low GC
The Prayer GC/D
Il Bacio D
Mein Herr Marquis (Die Fledermaus) - Johann Strauss II D
Romanza GC
Granada GC
Interval
Overture, Barber of Seville - Rossini O
O Soave Fanciulla (Bohème) - Puccini GC/D
Slavonic Dance Op. 46/8 Dvorak O
Mattinata - Leoncavallo GC
Luna GC
Casta Diva (Norma) - Bellini D
E strano...sempre libera (La Traviata) - Verdi D
Act I No. 5 Scene 5 Duet (Rigoletto) "Addio addio" - Vardi GC/D
Caruso GC
Nessun Dorma GC
