Vocalist.org archive


To: "VOCALIST" <vocalist>
Subject: Re: WAS: Solvejg's Song Pronounciation, NOW: Carreras West Side Story
Date sent: Wed, 9 Feb 2000 20:24:26 -0500
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

Peggy:

I agree! But I still enjoyed listening to him sing, I admit, once I got past
the incongruity. (And I know Lloyd disagrees with me, but I felt the same
way about Te Kanawa's far from Little Rock version of "Nellie Forbush" in
South Pacific). I believe Carreras too was uncomfortable, either with the
role, or with working with Bernstein. Only my opinion, based on having
viewed the "Making of..." this particular version on PBS.

Bernstein was miserable to Carreras when he had difficulty mastering
Bernstein rhythms. Perhaps no less miserable than Bernstein might have been
to all singers, but really, with cameras rolling, he was terribly rude to
Carreras, who gamely, and much the gentleman, blushed, grimaced and
continued with grace. Maybe that is why he looked so unhappy through the
whole "documentary".

My children have a few of the Bernstein Young People's Concerts on videotape
and the maestro did a fair bit of singing to illustrate particular points.
For someone whose vocal musicianship in performance had as much room for
improvement as his, (really, you want to mute at those times) he was pretty
nasty to fine artists who stumbled over complex rhythms in read-throughs!

Best to all,

Laura Sharp

----- Original Message -----
From: "Margaret Harrison"
Well, this American was very annoyed at the heavy Spanish accent of Jose
Carreras (an
otherwise estimable artist), when he was cast as the American Tony in the
Bernstein
recording of West Side Story. I only thought, how could the possibly not
find a good
American singer for this very American role (in contrast to the Hispanic
Maria - the one
who SHOULD have the accent)?