When music mattered more
In article . com,
vlad wrote:
Another elitist complains
Another ignorant idiot attempts to insult me
On Jul 5, 8:07 pm, Jenn wrote:
I'm watching a Beverly Sills retrospective on PBS. I first saw it a few
months ago, and they are replaying it, no doubt, due to her death.
I'm reminded of a time when music mattered more than it seems to now.
She was all over the media in the 60s-90s: Johnny Carson as guest,
Johnny Carson as guest host, Dick Cavett, Merv Griffin, 60 Minutes
profiles, covers of Time and Newsweek, game shows, etc. She was part of
popular culture.
Jenn, may be your viewing habits changed?
Not that I'm aware of.
Now it seems like it's about scandal, "sexiness", the seven deadly sins.
That's what sells. You don't have to sing anywhere near in tune to be a
hit (listen to American Idol). Most every household knew her name. Now
most every household knows Michael Jackson's name.
Was not it always this way? Scandals, sex, seven deadly sins were
always good sellers in a media.
Yes, but I think that excellence was celebrated more before.
Michael Jackson was a household name in 80s.
But not due to the scandals for which he's widely known now.
She was a lovely lady; a devoted wife and daughter, doting mother to two
handicapped children. Later in life she raised millions for the New
York City Opera, then Lincoln Center, then The Met.
You are absolutely right about that. But it did did not make her a
better singer,
I didn't say that it did.
just more popular.
And she was perhaps
the greatest singing actress we've yet seen.
Oh, give me a break. How about Maria Callas, Montserrat Caball?,
Renata Scotto?
Can you put her in the same league as Elisabeth Schwarzkopf?
I wasn't perfectly clear. Put in the context of my post about her
death, when I write "we've yet seen" I mean "that America has produced".
Actually, now that you mention it, I think that Sills was probably a
better actress than everyone you named other than Callas.
OK, enough of my descent into "oldfartdom".
You are right, Jenn.
vlad
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