I see Simon, so is this the same as American Idol?
If it is the same, won't he have issues singing something other than opera? Or is this a pure talent competition?
(BTW, not to ruin this for anyone, but I do notice he has had extensive training. It is still awesome)
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
Jumpin Jeezus,
hows that for outstanding!
how is it that someone with that kind of talent falls through the cracks and its not until shows like this come up that they are discovered?
Amazing stuff. Training or not, you don't get that kind of voice through guidance.
btw, there is an American version of this show going on right now called America's Got Talent. The judging panel includes the other British guy (not Simon) Sharon Osbourne and the Hoff (sans cheeseburger).
Jumpin Jeezus,
hows that for outstanding!
how is it that someone with that kind of talent falls through the cracks and its not until shows like this come up that they are discovered?
I don't think he fell through any cracks. I think the show has misrepresented him.
From that link I posted:
Quote:
A student of Ian Comboy, Paul has appeared on national and local television and radio. He has spent two summers touring Northern Italy training with one of the major opera schools, and has taken part in masterclasses with Vilma Vernocchi, Katia Ricciarelli and Luciano Pavarotti. He has also performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
I don't want that to ruin it - he does have an amazing voice, and while not an opera fan I did enjoy hearing him.
But representing him as a cell phone salesman who came out of nowhere, just stepped up to the mike belted that out is disingenuous at best.
He has trained with Pavarotti, so he knows his stuff. He has amazing talent, but I don't know how he can be considered an amature (if that is even a requirement).
__________________
"The problem with any ideology is that it gives the answer before you look at the evidence."
—Bill Clinton
"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance--it is the illusion of knowledge."
—Daniel J. Boorstin, historian, former Librarian of Congress
"But the Senator, while insisting he was not intoxicated, could not explain his nudity"
—WKRP in Cincinatti
They've definetely misrepresented him and it's taken on a facet of popular hype for the underdog sort of Cinderalla talent when he's actually throuroughly trained under many vetrans and masters of Opera in Italy and has even performed with Opera houses in England and the London Philharmonic.
If anything, he's just popularized Opera with this performance since most of the common masses just don't know much about Opera.
That was very touching, actually. I watched it three times. Haha. But there was certainly some clever editing going on there to make it as dripping as they could. Take a close look at the placement of crowd/jury shots in time with the music ... pathos at its finest.
Honestly, he's a great singer in comparison to the average schmuck on those programs, but he's far from the next Pavarotti. Listen to a true great singing that song and you'll hear the difference. (Not that into a microphone on that stage is the best for Opera, anyway.)
The reason everyone finds it so baffling is that he's trained and trained and trained and not sang in his basement hoping to become the next Kelly Clarkson.
Last edited by Five-hole; 06-13-2007 at 01:57 PM.
Reason: Pathos, not ethos.
As for Paul Potts being misrepresented, I would say that's not fair. Just because you've received training and have done a few performances doesn't make you a professional. When I took music lessons, I entered competitions and did performances out of requirement, and received no money out of it. It was all part of the training. I'm by no means a professional
__________________
Last edited by Teh_Bandwagoner; 06-18-2007 at 11:45 AM.
I am sorry, there is quite a distinction between having some talent and having a gift. While this man might have some talent, and while he may have training with some of the best, he will never be in the same category as the best, not close.
No one, absolutely no one, can touch Luciano Pavarotti for singing "nessun dorma", even when he sang it at Torino for the 2006 Olympics, when he was over 70, when many opera singers have long retired.
If you compare Pavarotti singing "Nessun Dorma" in either of these 2 clips, you will notice that he has impeccable phrasing, it just flowssssssssss, with absolutely no effort, this beautiful aria just floats out of Pavarotti, powerful when he needs it to be, very soft and tender when he needs it to be, but it is the phrasing that distinguishes Pavarotti from the others. You will not see him gasping for breath, you will not hear "gaps" between the words, the music flowssssssssss.
And while Placido Domingo is as celebrated as Pavarotti and probably as talented, they have different voices and approach to the music, Domingo cant touch Pavarotti for singing "Nessun Dorma" either.
And while Andrea Bocelli has made quite a name for himself and has quite a following, I am sorry, but operatic numbers are not his specialty, I love his voice for other music, sorry, he does not cut it for opera for me, and he can not touch either Domingo or Pavarotti on "Nessun Dorma"
On the other hand, when Bocelli sings like this, it sends shivers down my spine, this is too beautiful, sung at the closing of the Torino Olympics, music by our own David Foster, lyrics by his daughter.
red, you seem to follow a lot of this, so could you tell me what the name of Paul's semi-final song was? I've been meaning to pick up an album with that song, but I need a name.
red, you seem to follow a lot of this, so could you tell me what the name of Paul's semi-final song was? I've been meaning to pick up an album with that song, but I need a name.
It was "Nessun Dorma" and it is from the opera of same, written by one of the great Italian composers of opera, Giacomo Puccini. Paul is singing the famous aria for tenors from that opera, although why that audience is crying and so enraptured by his version is totally beyond me, they must never have heard Pavarotti singing the same aria. Most any compilation of Pavarotti's music will have it on since it is his signature piece. Here is a bit of information about "Nessun Dorma"
The aria "Nessun dorma" is near the beginning of Act 3. At the end of Act 2 Turandot (the princess) hasn't yet figured out all this love poetry business, and still thinks that she just has to get someone to reveal the Prince's name and then she can chop off his head. So she puts out a decree that no one in Peking is allowed to sleep until the name is revealed.
Act 3 opens in gloomy night with minor chords in the orchestra. Some heralds are announcing Turandot's decree, "Tonight no one in Peking sleeps" ("Questa notte nessun dorma in Pekino"), and the chorus gloomily repeats the words "no one sleeps" ("nessun dorma"). In the first words of his aria, the Prince is repeating the words of the chorus. The G major chord that opens the aria is the first optimistic-sounding chord we've heard since intermission and it breaks through the gloom like the light of dawn.
The translation,
The PrinceNessun dorma, nessun dorma ...
Tu pure, o Principessa,
Nella tua fredda stanza,
Guardi le stelle
Che tremano d'amore
E di speranza.
No one sleeps, no one sleeps...
Even you, o Princess,
In your cold room,
Watch the stars,
That tremble with love
And with hope.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
Il nome mio nessun saprà, no, no,
Sulla tua bocca lo dirò
Quando la luce splenderà,
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio
Che ti fa mia.
But my secret is hidden within me;
My name no one shall know, no, no,
On your mouth I will speak it*
When the light shines,
And my kiss will dissolve the silence
That makes you mine.
ChorusIl nome suo nessun saprà
E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir.
No one will know his name
And we must, alas, die.
The PrinceDilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!
Vanish, o night!
Set**, stars!
At daybreak, I shall conquer!
If you are interested in a CD that has all the famous arias of well known tenors in the operatic world, this is a good one to start. Nessun Dorma is featured and it is sung by Luciano Pavarotti in his prime. You can listen to the clips here too. An aria is simply a lyric song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment, generally expressing intense emotion such as found in opera. It can be for a tenor, a soprano etc, any voice.
It was "Nessun Dorma" and it is from the opera of same, written by one of the great Italian composers of opera, Giacomo Puccini. Paul is singing the famous aria for tenors from that opera, although why that audience is crying and so enraptured by his version is totally beyond me, they must never have heard Pavarotti singing the same aria. Most any compilation of Pavarotti's music will have it on since it is his signature piece. Here is a bit of information about "Nessun Dorma" [...]
Probably because they were sitting through hours of crap like this:
Listen to and watch this clip and compare Paul Potts to Michael Bolton. He cant even touch Bolton, so why is everyone heralding him as being such an accomplished opera singer? What has he done? He has won a 2 bit talent competition and will maybe do the talk show circuit, but that will be about it for his opera career.
By the way, I have a new respect for Michael Bolton, the man does have a voice!!!
Car Phone Salesman Becomes Next Pavarotti
