From: pattisan@midiline.la.ca.us (Patti Hayes)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: NEWS: Pavarotti booed out of the SCALA
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 92 13:45:07 PST
Organization: MIDILine BBS - Altadena, CA - (818) 797-3285

jcm2w@kelvin.seas.Virginia.EDU (John Clarke Mccanless) writes:

> In article <1992Dec11.162515.27597@viewlogic.com> brad@buck.viewlogic.com (Br
> >
> >I have never been extremely impressed with Pavarotti. I became convinced
> >several years ago that his really good singing is only when he does it 
> >sotto voce. However, in spite of my less than rave review, I think it
> >extremely boorish of the audience to behave that way. 
  I agree ...there was a tenor name wunderlich...that died just before his 
debut at the Met who *I* believe would have made him look like chopped liver!
But as to the Boorishness of the audience...It was at LA SCALA...A tenor king-
dom like  San Francisco...In EUROPE they want things right and if you don't do
so you get booed!...remember MOST of the audience knows the opera,aria,etc
just as well as the performer. They are mostly frustrated singers and are just
waiting for the performer to make a mistake. 
    Now in this country we may be more polite and put up with a lot more be-
fore we act that way but he  cannot make a mistake at La Scala. 
    The number of people in an american audience that would know the material
as well, are way in the minority. The euros do many things in their entertain-
ments that we don't agree with and think ill mannered but they feel the same 
about us..because we accept it for the most part or are too ignorant of the 
material to know any better. When it comes to opera I accept the euro stand-
ard on the classic operas and look to the american companies for a little in-
novation about staging and casting but not about interpretations. They support
their companies and we don't for the most part and expect the best. There
been many who have appeared at Carnegie Hall,the Met and other fine places
of the few that still exist here...that had I been there instead of booing
I would have just walked out. But then I only pay for what I want to see and I
have never been known to waste my time on people that should never open their 
mouths.  Some singers here are really poorly trained but because someone is
needed for the role and maybe the role is not THAT important to the main 
story...they get cast. I find them embarrasing with their jaws shaking and 
lack of diaphram control coupled with poor breath control. I may not boo
because I am in america but I sure let someone know about my lack of satis-
faction about their choice.

> >It is quite rude, ill-mannered, swinish, idiotic, and puerile to boo a 
> >performer for a slip-up. I wouldn't boo a dancer for falling, I wouldn't 
> >boo a pianist for a mangled chord, and I wouldn't boo a singer either. 
> >If I think the performance is poor, I don't applaud. If I really can't 
> >stand it, I would get up and leave, but only at the next break. 
  In europe if you don't show your distain, it is considered that you accept
the performance whether you clap or not.

> >People in the audience who disrupt a performance, no matter how bad it
> >is, are low class imbeciles. It drives me bananas when anyone talks
> >during a performance, or shuffles papers, or makes any noise. It shows
> >complete disregard for others. If they can't sit quietly, they should
> >be told to shutup or leave. If they shout and boo, they should be 
> >summarily thrown out.
   it shows that they have no public etiquette and may have been watching
too many operas on TV in their living room...and can do as they please without
regard for anyone else.   Which is all too common a problem not only in the 
theatre but in movies as well!!!!!!
my 2 cents



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