So As Not To Confuse The Allens...

Since I have become SO bad at remembering to post on people's birthdays I sincerely apologize to all my readers and the singers who have their amazingness neglected. I'm very very sorry.

Yesterday was the birthday of one of my (I only say that because I have a "top two" for each vocal category) favorite baritones of all time, Sir Thomas Allen. This brilliant British baritone first "won my heart", so to speak, when I saw him on youtube singing the role of the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro. That caused me to buy the Solti recording and needless to say hilarity ensued. He has since then become one of my favorite Don Giovanni's, Onegin's, Count's, and, well, Count Danilo Danilowitsch's ever. He's just fabulous! A beautiful singer and an amazingly convincing actor.

I would also like the take this opportunity to touch lightly on the subject of Woody Allen's Gianni Schicci. For clarity's sake we will call Thomas Allen "Sir Thomas" and Woody Allen "Mr. Allen."
I was perfectly alright even a little excited that Woody Allen was going to direct an opera, especially a short comic opera like Schicci. However, I am not okay with any director, no matter how famous or cinematic, changing the ending of an opera. I'm not mad exactly, just a little irked. Sure, maybe it's funny, but that kind of defeats the whole comedy of Schicci just getting away with everything. I hear the rest of the opera was a riot, though, but maybe those were just my sources? I wish Mr. Allen good luck on his other operatic endeavors, should he choose to pursue any. I have no doubt that Sir Thomas was an utterly enchanting Gianni Schicci. With his comic timing there's no question that he owned the part of the great schemer.
I just want to make a point that I don't care if you are Steven Spielberg! You don't have Scarpia whisk Tosca off her feet at the last minute or Carmen and Don Jose get married! It's not right. Respect the opera. Respect the composer.


Happy Listening!!!! =)