I've seen Upshaw live too, and she had no trouble filling the space. The fact that she "croons" on recordings to me is proof of her adaptability and keen musical ear. She knows how to make a song sound good in a small hall, big house, or recording studio. Most opera singers can't adapt to a microphone and consequntly sound unnatural. They are a nightmare for recording engineers.
It's funny that we pick on her, because in my opinion, she is one of the VERY FEW opera singers that is championing new music. Without artists like her, opera will surely die, a relic of the 19th century.
She is one of the few singers in the classical vein that I consider innovative, in a vocal or musicological sense. IMO, she ranks up there with geniuses like Peter Gabriel or Prince. She has incredible chops and sharp interpretive abilities.
Tako
|
| |