Chris Hornbeck wrote:
Off to "The Tender Land",

Andre Jute wrote:
Do report back. Just checked my record catalogue and I don't have a
copy so I can't even listen along with you on record.

Chris Hornbeck wrote:
I'm not a huge Copland fan, and there's a reason why nobody
owns a copy, but still... a solid university production by
friends on the faculty. Full set and costumes, excellent
cast, especially (and rarely true) the chorus. Everybody
stayed focused and worked at their roles.

No pit, no orchestra, but the brilliant Pavlov Stratsimir
made it all happen by the magic of an electronic keyboard.

I was initially disheartened by the use of body-mics on the
principals, but they were turned down after the second scene,
and it didn't intrude overly. Still...

Chris Hornbeck

Thanks, =C7hris. I guess then I won't rush out to buy a copy.

About the body mics: I sometimes take a teacher of singing, whose stars
still come to take refresher lessons from him, to concerts with me. He
can become quite incandescent about what those big American halls to do
to voices. He of course despises body mics, except when they are
necessary to protect his own singers' voices. (1)

Andre Jute

(1) One day he and I sat next to a distinguished party (some
impresarios insist on putting the more presentable critics next to
important guests of the house). We were listening to the Colombian
Juanita Lascarro, IIRC (probably at La Scala in Milan) in a painted-on
gold lame dress do her thing superbly well. My friend said, "Andre, did
you see her diaphaghm?" and he gestured with his hands, a woman's
chest. "Such breath control!" At this point the fellow next to me
leaned over and said pompously, "I am the XXXX ambassador. That is high
art and you are two disgusting men."