I know some of you actually lived this, but it jumped out at me during some idle youtubing. Man, that T-Hamps really has no problem singing like a caricature of himself, does he? I feel he's dangerously close to assuming the title of male Renaay, replete with best selling memoir entitled I Masturbate to the Sound of My Own Voice: Thomas Hampson and the Art of the Croony Face.
God forbid they luxury cast Pierrot in a Met DTS revival and we end up with this nonsense.
5 comments:
Joshua Kosman's review in the SF Chronicle of last week's performance and recording of songs from Mahler's Das Horny Boy Wonder with MTT and the SF Symphony:
"Hampson's vocal majesty contended with a medley of overdone faces and stagy shtick (none of which, thankfully, will register on the CD). The title character's march to the gallows in Der Tambourg'sell was perfectly convincing in musical terms, without the ghostly grimaces and knocking knees."
I never have been enamored with Mr. Hampson's baritone. I mean, he's tall, and that's about it.
He was kind of miscat in the Met's Simon Boccanegra, in my opinion.
Anyway, welcome back to the blogger civilization, Alex.
Hampson CAN be good, if he has the discipline of a good stage director and a good conductor. I have experienced the full range of performances from Hampson--from cringing performances to performances about which I had unbridled admiration--and I have concluded that Hampson is entirely dependent upon guidance and direction from capable third parties. When Hampson is on his own, his worst tendencies come to the fore.
His recordings demonstrate the same range, from unspeakably bad to near-wonderful.
His facial antics can be very annoying. Second only to Bartoli, who I find to be completely unwatchable.
I mean, there's definitely still some Anakin Skywalker in there somewhere...I recently watched a Macbeth DVD with him from like early aughties and he sounded stupendous...no muck, just that wonderful light velvety sound we've all liked at some point.
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