My "not so secret" passion :D

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Comment by sylvie boisvert on February 13, 2014 at 2:32am

Hi all, a simple thought for today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a3ZzPDvWDE

Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by sylvie boisvert on February 12, 2014 at 4:27am

Hi everyone, today’s entry is about self-medication. A good while ago, I had the silly idea of wanting to share music with our Michael, as I would with a friend and started to make a list. Then I realized that if I ever sent him a letter with those, I might have to plant a tree to ease my conscience later on, so I started this blog instead. :D Now I don’t know if this would do Michael any good, but it did me today so here goes. I started my day with a Renee Fleming CD called “Guilty pleasures” and here’s a taste:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoJfvBIM7h4

I picked this one so you can hear samples and thought it was quite coincidental that she talks about “The beautiful voice”, which I also listened to. “Guilty pleasures” I borrowed from the library, but “The beautiful voice” I own. The latter is my favourite of hers, simply because it’s gorgeous from beginning to end, featuring pieces like arias I’ve mentioned earlier on this blog, but also gems like “Last rose of summer”, that  I first fell in love with when I was about 10 (as sung by my first musical love), to the delicious “Vilja” song from “The merry widow” and this mind-boggling beauty, “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from Puccini’s “La rondine”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNt3iiqjLww

Simple perfection! Okay next, I listened to Étienne Dupuis, my favourite Canadian baritone. Here’s the lovely but sad “Amor, vida de mi vida”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7BM_hEafnM

He has a tremendous sensibility and I can’t wait for him to record a solo album. Next, I listened to Ben Heppner’s “My secret heart” and from that CD, here’s “I’ll be seeing you”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk3miPxLVhg

It’s a sweet and pleasant album with standards and musical theatre songs. I’ve mentioned my favourite from that one being “We’ll gather lilacs”, but I also love the gusto with which he sings Mario Lanza’s “Be my love”. Since sadly Ben’s version isn’t on YouTube, here’s Mario:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o8SZng55T0

This one’s for Michael’s mom... :D Okay next, I listened to the magical Bryn Terfel’s “If ever I would leave you”, but there’s not much off this album on YouTube. However, an angel of mercy uploaded 5 months ago,THE version to hear and no disrespect to all the other seasoned performers who have sung it, but to me, this is  my desert island version of “Send in the clowns”, in which you canhear my definition of “magical”, from his CD "Simple gifts":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k174T_Ulafw

This man has the warmest, cosiestmost perfect bass-baritone voice and technique in the entire universe and this version of this song makes my soul quiver... Phew! :D Okay, next, the spectacular Juan Diego Florez with something you don’t hear a bel canto singer like him sing often, “Dein ist mein ganzes herz”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzVGlfwSiLU

The tenor who’s voice is pure sunshine... My CD was a compilation of songs with just his voice and a piano, along with thunderous applause! :D And to round out my “feel better” playlist, my beautiful Marie-Josée Lord with the title song off her second album:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKMywCLCw7c

A warm and light album with some latin spice to it. I think the running theme of this playlist is warmth, so hope it helps you feel it on this cold February day. Thanks all for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by sylvie boisvert on February 3, 2014 at 5:56pm

Hi all, today’s entry has to do with a momentous event: the first time an operatic soprano has been selected to sing the National anthem at the Superbowl. Here is the magical Renee Fleming singing the National anthem at Superbowl 48:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7etXoNrwP8c

Of course, you knew she could hit those notes, but you gotta love the variations and the suppleness of this gorgeous voice! :D While searching for this video, I came across another fasset and certainly a new presentation of her voice. She sang a Top 10 list on the David Letterman show! Listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dICl3PZDWA

lol You gotta love David Letterman! I don’t know when this was aired, but it was uploaded last September. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by sylvie boisvert on January 28, 2014 at 3:38am

Hi everyone, I just want to share 2 links, from the same opera. I happened to re-watch a wonderful PBS program called: “Placido Domingo: my greatest roles” yesterday. I catch it every time it’s on, because aside from the great opera excerpts they show, they have these lovely vignettes where Mr Domingo explains why he loves such opera and such excerpt. In this first one, an excerpt from “La fanciulla del West” by Puccini, there is this love duet between Ramerrez and Minnie and Mr Domingo’s favourite line from it is about 12 minutes into it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB19429k8qY

Ramerrez tells Minnie not to cry and that she has a pure soul and the face of an angel: how sweet is that? The thing is, Mr Domingo was singing it acapella in the studio and getting caught up in the wave of emotion brought on by the line and you just can’t help  but get caught up in it yourself… It was a very nice program. :D They also showed the gorgeous “Ch’ella me creda” from the same opera, but my favorite rendition will always be by my buddy Luciano:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7jyMCivXI

Ahh, just warm and gorgeous…Puccini had a way with melodies, I’ll tell ya and somehow, only Luciano’s version moved me… It’s a gut-wrenching aria, because the tenor would rather have his beloved think he’s fled than for her to know he’s dead, which would hurt her more. FYI, “La fanciulla del west” is one of the very few operas where the protagonists live and ride off happily into the sunset and it’s beautiful too. All right well, hope you enjoy, thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by sylvie boisvert on December 20, 2013 at 5:27pm

Hello everyone, today being Friday, I was doing the old internet rounds, keeping in touch with my favourite peops. For some reason, I decided to check if the artist menu of my beautiful Marie-Josée had been updated to include  Strauss’ “Four last songs” and found the mention, along with a couple of new ones too. I found one of the 2 work mentionned at my local library, performed by a soprano named Françoise Pollet. Never having heard of her, I checked YouTube and found these little gems:

Françoise Pollet “Le spectre de la rose » from Berlioz’ « Les nuits d’été » :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-6BGKS00eQ

Also, this special version of Jacques Brel’s  “quand on n’a que l’amour” :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ4zJz8lMXY

She has a rich and dark tone, with the kind of pipes needed by the Birgit Nilssons of this world. Here is Françoise with the immortal “Liebestod” from Richard Wagner’s « Tristan und Isolde »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNbetXJjzv0

Truly an awesome aria and gorgeous performance. I even checked out her rendition of “Le monde est stone” that she sang in the late 90’s, according to the uploader, but frankly, her version I find is too low and she has kind of a Montserrat Caballé thing going on. Montserrat had a miraculous voice with time-suspending floting notes, but I’ve noticed from time to time that there was a bit of friction  in tackling certain notes, not always, but I’ve noticed it primarily in my recording of “La Gioconda” and others. JMO By the way, I will be studying the 2 works of “La demoiselle élue” byClaude Debussy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcVMmOZ3Q6Q

...and “Poème de l’amour et de la mer » by Ernest Chausson, sung by miss Pollet in the near future and I’ll keep you posted. The Debussy link I’ve just posted is to demonstrate how beautiful miss Caballé’s voice can be. The work is over 22 minutes long, so I need to take the time properly. Hope you enjoy these and thanks for reading, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by sylvie boisvert on December 14, 2013 at 2:58am

Hallo Astrid, so good to read you here again! I’m glad you found my picture and glad you like it. :D Well, Marie-Josée’s “Bouillon” recital is basically a melting pot/showcase for her eclectic musical taste: French songs, musical theatre and  opera.  So, to answer your question, the first one does qualify as an aria, because it’s now been adapted in operatic form and it’s “Le monde est stone” (The world is stone) from the opera “Starmania”, which she has recorded on her debut CD. This aria is all about the range of emotions from resignation and disillusionment, to despair and almost anger, to end with the sweetness of grasping to one tiny glimmer of hope: "Je cherche le soleil" and it's of course, gorgeous! Now my second favourite of this recital is a French song, originally sung by Serge Lama called “Je suis malade” (I am sick). That one is all about the breaking down of a relationship and how abandoned the narrator feels in it. There used to be a fabulous version of it on YouTube, though it’s gone now. Well anyway, I hope you can watch this video of excerpts from her “Bouillon” recital:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Gxh-r9MCY

My favourites are the first and the third songs she sings.  I told her how much I loved “Je suis malade” and of course, I’d love if she recorded it. Turns out I’m not the only one, but she told me she couldn’t, unless she made a fully “French pop” CD. I suggested she could make a DVD of her “Bouillon” recital and she told me she already did! The problem is, though she has 2 more programs going, people keep clammering for this recital, so she can’t retire it just yet, which is when she’d be able to release it. So, most likely, this video is a trailerfor the DVD, since it’s issued by her managing company. I told her I’d wait patiently... :D She also told me she’s preparing Strauss’ “Four last songs” so that’s exciting, though I’m not sure in what format they’ll be. She also told me she’d be recording for a 2015-16 release, with accompanying new program, but she couldn’t tell me anything about it. I told her it had been too long since we heard her in an opera, which was 2 years ago in “I Pagliacci” and that I’d go hear her in “Porgy & Bess”. As far as Barb’s “Pavane”, I could send it to you sweetie, until you buy her CD, so you can at least hear it. Keep me posted in a PM and feel free to visit  and comment here anytime my friend. :D Take good care of yourself Astrid. Big hugs, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by Astrid Kretschmann on December 13, 2013 at 11:15pm

Beautiful pic Sylvie. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your time with MJL, but you didn't tell us which of your favorite arias/songs she provided for you. Just curious, LOL. Scrolling down I noticed so many links I will have to follow after I moved ... Couldn't resist to listen to Placido Domingo, just adorable. and unfortunately Barbra's rendition of Pavane is not available in Germany, but I will have to look for her "Classical" album anyway.

Thank you for your inspring blog, will be back soon (still this year, LOL), hugs

Astrid

Comment by sylvie boisvert on December 12, 2013 at 4:21pm

Thanks a lot for the compliment Sylvia. :D I've sent my PM to my friends who I thought would be interested, so I guess they'll let me know if  they can't find it. Take care Sylvia and thanks again. Big hugs, sincerely, Sylvie <3

Comment by sylvia doughty on December 12, 2013 at 4:05pm

Hi Sylvie and was about to come onto you and say your picture didn't show with message and then saw you had been in here again so took a little trip along and I have found your picture and it is beautiful and you are looking great Sylvie, really great and the two of you look lovely together......thanks for share and glad you had terrific time at concert.

 

Sylvia.  Your wee Scottish friend.

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Comment by sylvie boisvert on December 12, 2013 at 1:30pm

Hi Mary, yes it is sweetie. I realized my pic hadn't attached to my PM, sorry. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to tell her about Michael. I'm not nervous with Marie-Josée, but I'm just so excited, I can hardly remember everything I want to tell/ask her. I had to do the "back of the line" thing and I'm glad I did! :D I invited her back to Pierrefonds anytime and she thanked me for the invitation. :D She has a booming career and she's very much loved here and for good reason, so I guess I'll talk to her about Michael next time ! :D I don't know if you appreciate classical music and would be interested in this blog Mary, but if you need to relax, click on the "play" button I've added on my top post, it's really lovely. Thanks for posting sweetie, take care. Hugs, sincerely, Sylvie <3

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