Ok, this is utterly painful and absolutely untolerable. She has no voice, no expression, no diction, no awareness at all about what opera is. She is a product, a model which is only supposed to look good and sound 'operatic'. Unfortunately, she neither has the voice, nor the energy... Highly doubt anyone paying to see and hear this has ever seen real opera.
I really don't get why she's doing it to herself. She obviously has a nice voice and she could sing a lot of songs. So why does she keep singing opera pieces when it's obvious she's not doing these or her voice any favours. I mean, it is bad. Why doesn't she sing something else than opera?
***** thank you for your answer, i think the same.I didn't to this stupid assertion by Reuel T because there isn't comparison between a real opera singer, a legend, and a mediocre blondie one who takes pleasure in singing opera arias without knowing what they are. So thank you again because i can't stand these reasoning
How about "she isn't one because she has never sung in a live opera, and she isn't able to sing in a live opera"? An opera singer is a profession, it's not the style of singing. It refers to people who make a living primarily from singing in live operas. It's not "aria singer", it's opera singer. An opera isn't an aria. She cannot do it. Period. Oh, and the "amplification would save voices" argument is ridiculous because on the average opera singers have longer careers than miked pop singers.
CJ has a nice voice, but I can't understand why does she keep trying Una voce poco fa. This is not an aria for beginners. It just shows how far away she is from opera. She should stick to easier arias, with no coloratura...not Wagner either, maybe some Puccini. And drop that microphone! you don't need it when you are able to sing opera.
+libertango She is still progressing, though. She used to sing this aria even worse. Well, she is not good technically, she cannot sing this aria properly, there are lots of mistakes, her coloraturas are bad, her high notes are better than used to be, but still not good, I think there is something wrong with her breath support and her position is also not the best, I am not sure she could sing without the microphone. (with this technics) In my opinion, she has a beautiful voice, but she is not an opera singer, she can't sing arias well, as you said, she should start with really easy arias, and study from a singing teacher.
+Georgia Foxworth She's honestly getting better. She's actually still taking singing lessons. Maybe if she starts out singing in the chorus in Operas and works her way up, she'll make it someday. You can't deny she doesn't have passion for what she does.
The problem is the marketing I fear. They will market Katherine Jenkins as an opera singer. I think she is charming and beautiful as a crossover artist - basically classical tackling musicals and popular songs. She has wisely steered away from singing the role of Carmen live in the great arenas - she simply wouldn't survive the drama of the 4th act vocally. Someone mentioned Cherubino in Figaro- yes that might be nice if she can get more consistency to her breath support. There are some lovely tones in this Rosina, but the top of her voice seems undeveloped, perhaps she is singing too heavily in the middle and lower part of the voice so the top notes become a struggle. She is lovely in the right context and must yearn to sing the classical pieces she set out to train for.
Opera is not changing into popera. It's still about live performances, theatrical performances not arias sung with a mic. I am sorry if you aren't able to hear the difference between amplified and unamplified voice and appreciate the beauty of unamplified voice, but some of us do. Yes it is evolving, but in the direction of theater and more acting, not in the direction of just hitting the notes and sounding pleasant crooning into a mic.
I don't hate Jenkins. But her saying things like "You have to be 30 to song in a full opera" (you don't and she KNOWS it) or that she has yet to be cast in a single opera production because she "isn't fat and ugly" don't help her image.
The problem(to me) with her voice is,it is the same colour and inflection in all her (limited) ranges.She slides and scoops,and many times swallows the words(and the notes).It is probably not her fault that she is described(by the media etc) as an"Opera Singer" when (as far as I know) she has never sung a full opera on stage.People approach her hoping to hear an opera singer,and when she sings are disappointed that she is obviously not. For me (personally) she is as far from an opera singer, as fish paste is from caviar.
LA GENTE È ORMAI ABITUATA A SENTIRE QUESTO PEZZO DAI SOPRANI! LEI È INGLESE ED E NORMALE CHE NON POSSIEDA UN ITALIANO PERFETTO! LA SUA VOCE DA MEZZOSOPRANO È BELLISSIMA
A ton of opera singers sing with poor technique. *Opera doesn't automatically = good technique* There are very good singers who sing opera, but given the very loud orchestrations that are common now (not common at all 150 years ago) technique has changed. Now you have "shouters" If anything "mics" could help save and restore voices
Really I don't want to argue with people here I just want to give my opinion which is: katherine Jenkins is really a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice but opera is not for her ! It is a pity that people think of that as real opera when it is not !! Real opera held so much more emotion and feeling and her voice can't held some note which are esential !!!
Totally correct! She does have a lovely voice, is beautiful and a lovely person! She has had classical training, but opera is not for her. She is excellent and what she normally sings and should stick to it. She has made a great success and good luck to her.
Not really. In the 19th century there were 2 competing schools in Italy. Garcia School and the Lamperti School. It was Lamperti who stressed and predicted that the voices would start having problems fro the increases in theater size and volume from pieces like Verdi and Wagner. Lamperti's son, though, no they could just adjust technique. If you look at the past 100 years, many opera singers have declined rapidly. Anna Mofo, Di Stefano, Corelli retired in his 50s. Its from the heavy stuff
Reuel T What does my name have to do with anything? I already knew that some singers had taken over the role of Rosina and distorted the music. I have my BM. MM. DMA; have been a professional classical singer for 32 years and a professional opera singer for 27 years. I don't need "Richard Osborne" to tell me a fact I learned more than 30 years ago.
jewelmarkess, thanks for the reply. I have always enjoyed opera but I have had very limited exposure to it. By following Ms. Jenkins on RU-vid I have found a world of opera recordings which it never occurred to me to look for. I understand that a full opera is very different but at least I did find it because of her and I have been enjoying it ever since. I shall now be on the lookout for them locally. I'm unfamiliar with Ms. DiDonato but I have enjoyed Nina Trebenko very much.
Katherine is a nice singer to listen to. Very good. She will however do well to leave opera alone. I feel sure that she knows her limitations. Don`t listen too closely and you will enjoy her performance.
I am squinting at your comment so I can enjoy it. LOL. She'll sing whatever she likes, and the classical world will enjoy it. You, on the other hand, will be pissing vinegar all your life.
goldenthroat86 Yeah, that's why she's the best selling classical singer EVER! LOL. You know, when you're dead, it isn't hard on you, just on those around you. The same is true when you're stupid. Try not to spray your stupidity on so many.
Excuse me! I guess being on the top of the classical charts with EVERY ALBUM SHE EVER PRODUCED isn't enough evidence that she IS a classical singer.... at least, not for you. We'll let that be your little secret.
About Bocelli Franco Corelli: “His voice is full of pathos - a sweet and sad voice that really moves the public.” Jerry Hadley: "I think that all of the flak that Andrea Bocelli has taken is bogus," he says. "Mr. Bocelli has a beautiful voice, he's extremely expressive." Pavarotti: There is no one finer Those are great voices admitting the beauty in Bocelli's voice and do not share in the criticisms of so called opera fanatics.
When did I say I didn't like her voice? Oh, that's right. I DIDN'T. You make the most annoying assumptions. Pleas stop putting words in my mouth. I said Jenkins is not an opera singer, that is all.
No. But that's because Brightman, unlike Jenkins, doesn't allow herself to be called an opera singer. Allowing yourself to be referred to as an opera singer when you're not is what sparks the hate.
Opera is evolving. If you look at the art 500 years ago, it would be entirely different. Even 150 years ago. What she is involved with is the next evolution whether one likes it or not. Eventually, it will evolve with microphones and it will evolve to aria singing. Jussi Bjorling sang arias that he didn't sing in a live opera. Many others have done the same. Its for popular purposes, but also for getting the exposure for the aria.
Boy she really crapped out on that note at 1:47 and the rest is still the same mess. She just can not sing this Rossini aria and is so lucky to have a devoted following that will applaud her efforts.
Katherine sounded better in the beginning, Domingo trained her to extend her voice and it seems to have thrown her a little. Carreras and Villazon have two very beautiful powerful voices but their voices in my opinion became stained after some time. Some people though extraudinary voices are not suited to the opera. Leslie Garretts voice I do not like at all, but her voice is suited for the opera, but I think Carreras, Villazon and a few others are very suited to sing classical material.
This is not opera singing. The coloratura in this aria is really difficult and she doesn't sound suited for it. Plus, trust me, her Italian pronounciation is really bad.
I am glad you found opera, do try Joyce DiDonato. Who is Nina Trebenko? Do you mean Anna Netrebko? She doesn't sing this, only did it when she was very young. But how about live opera? Did you have a chance to actually go to opera?
The reason? Pavarotti's voice produces more volume than say a Florez. It goes back to what Lamperti was saying. According to Lamperti, Florez would be fine. When Pavarotti tries to sing with that all the time, it killed his voice. It ruined Di Stefano early. The music is too loud. Now, Bocelli might not sound "right" or "poor" but he never cracked. The voice is protected
I agree with that. I think when we say an artist shouldn't do this or that,we are limiting art. She may not be to everyone's taste, and I can understand that people have differing tastes. Sinatra is a good example.
If a person here were to claim that a blood test and a urine test are the same thing because they are both tests, and a Doctor corrected him by saying: "They are both tests, but they are not the same thing", would you claim he's just "trying to validate himself and his education"? If you don't realize that someone who doesn't sing in operas isn't an opera singer, that's pretty basic ignorance of classical music and common sense. So, what is your musical training?
After listening to this I have come to a conclusion. This performance is terrible. Her breath control is shocking her technique is simply awful however that doesn't mean that Katherine Jenkins cant sing. She can however, this repertoire is not for her she should stick to what she does best I don't like her however, I will never argue the fact that she can sing. And regarding the comments about microphones. I am part of an amateur opera company and in all the operas we do we never use microphones saying that it is a reasonably small theatre that we perform in so microphones aren't needed for amplification purposes.
I don't hate her but she is not an Opera singer. She is a singer yes but not an Opera singer and I wish people would stop portraying her as such. Everything she sings is transposed to suit her voice and not the other way around. I wouldn't pay to see her at all.
@@golden-63 I suspect you are thinking about an a opera house singer.. There are plenty types of opera singers. Chinese opera singer. Taiwanese opera singer, Rock opera singer, Child opera singer, Pop opera singer, Young opera singer, Opera house singer, Whatever opera singer. KJ is an opera singer but not an opera house singer, correct.
That is ridiculous. I have read a ton on opera and been and have sat for hours with people who claim to be experts arguing about the very things you mentioned! Its subjective. Pure and simple. Some can't stand how a certain singer phrases, others delighted. Cracking shows that perhaps the volume that many are trying to attempt just isn't good for the voice. The very large orchestrations were not always a part of opera, that came later.
I like Katherine Jenkins. I really do. But if you need a mic, you should not be singing Rossini. Sorry. If you can't sing it right, don't sing it at all.
Classical singers use mics in concert for RECORDING, not amplification. Only in places that are outdoors or in venues several times larger than an opera house do classical singers use mics for amplification.
These are not mistakes. I can't even find to many other singers having such mistakes. The point of them being un-amplified proves what I am saying. In the old days, 150 years ago, theaters were smaller as was orchestration. Opera now may need 'mics' as to many voices are ruined. Those performances are only the tip of the iceberg. Do you have clips of Jenkins or Bocelli cracking that badly?
After finally seeing this aria performed live by a professional opera singer, I can officially say Katherine J is NOT doing this right, and should stop before she hurts herself. If she keeps trying to sing these arias with improper technique her voice will most likely hate her later.
This is terrible, atrocious and disgusting! This is not pop music that you can just turn an aria into what you want. She could have at least tried to do the high notes at the end correctly! Katherine Jenkins is not an opera singer, and one thing I despise is that they defamed Maria Callas! What did that poor woman ever do to them?
You're right of course, I pulled her name off the top of my head. I live in LAs Vegas and while we do get classical music and ballet, we rarely get opera. I'll pay closer attention from now on. Thanks for the info. Without getting too partisan, what is the problem with Ms.Jenkins perfprmances? I understand the issue that some people have regarding the mic vs. no mic, but what else specifically? Thanks for your time.
So, I'm new to all of this. I've always enjoyed the human voice but am unfamiliar with the true talents in the opera field. If Ms. Jenkins brings more people to the opera and I eventually become better educated regarding what a true talent consists of then how has she harmed anyone or anything. All I see are attacks on her. Why doesn't anyone mention who a really talented singer is? Tell me one person that I SHOULD be listening to instead of her. Be constructive, not destructive.
Why do this to herself? She is not an opera singer nor will she ever be! She has been wrongly labelled as an opera singer and I am sure she doesn't consider herself to be one. She is a great singer for pop-era music .... and has made a great success of it, but she should not keep singing arias that she can't sing. This aria is a Bel Canto classic and her coloratura, projection, support are non-existent for this kind of music. She would need some serious voice training and discipline to be able to sing this!
Well, i guess from our perspective it's rational, Let me also say this I shouldn't have used the word hate, because i don't hate her. I just don't like her voice, and I really don't listen to either of them. but i'll tell you the reason I don't like her: it's because she has a very interesting voice. and she's making it hard for up and coming opera singers -like myself- to be taken seriously/find work.
Her voice can't glide through the high notes very well, or hold them out. She barely hits the high C6. In fact, does she even hit it? None of her high notes are sustained, and her voice has very thin, if not nonexistent vibrato. I understand, that that part of the voice takes time to develop, but a trained opera singer has no excuse.
says.... the school girl. LOL. Guess you have to have some place you can spout your idiocy. Just a shame you don't have to stand up in public right after her performance and make your claim.
@Galen Warren Who are you to call me out on my "idiocy?" I may not be a vocal expert, but I have been taking lessons for sometime. It's not like I don't have any idea of what I'm talking about. Do you? Please, if you have superior knowledge of her voice do me the honor of explaining why.
Schoolgirl325 When beginning English horseback riding, the student is told to sit perfectly upright, shoulders exactly above the heels. This is a feat no rider accomplishes during rate changes because of basic physics and anatomy,especially while posting (you know, their butt looks like it is bouncing off the seat). It IS where you should return to at constant speed of the horse. As in voice, there are return points, and the proper note is it in voice ( I don't give a shit what genre). You are a beginner, and IF you could do EXACTLY what your instructor is telling you to do, you would never make the stage professionally. You would be a mechanic. Now, Operatards have their likes and dislikes on how you transition, how much vibrato is appropriate, and the strength of the note. Nuance, and it separates the wannabe from the professional. Maria Callas is famous for being either loved or hated on these points INSIDE the opera community. Outside opera, classical singers have the freedom to add the nuance they think their audience will like. The ancient measuring stick of opera voice, especially outside the hall, is irrelevant. Katherine Jenkins has won over the classical crowd and brought many to enjoy it who wouldn't otherwise. Why? Because she's not standing out there trying remake a centuries old model that actually never existed except in the minds of opera voice instructors. It is an art and KJ has succeeded in pleasing audiences with hers. So, whine if you want, listen to your instructors and never deviate one iota. You'll be in the audience if you are ever present during an opera. More than that, your rigid view of how songs should be sung will prevent you from using what WAS an otherwise great voice in any other genre. You aren't stupid, just ignorant. You can fix that, but not by becoming a critic of obvious success.
NEWS! The Met is facing a walkout by their unionized members. Let's all hope they do, and the Met follows the NY City Opera into obscurity. Time for some backwater city to open an opera hall and offer it as the novelty tourist attraction, much like old west shootouts on Main street. The antiquated and nonsensical productions with their exorbitant costs shouldn't be drawing public money from other arts. Vaudeville had its day, and Opera did too. Here's hoping the Met will commit the long overdue Seppuku.
Try Joyce DiDonato in this aria or Elina Garanca. In terms of bringing people to opera - if only these had been true. But statistically, this doesn't really happen. A lot of people today don't even know what opera is, so they get a wrong impression from these concerts. The sound of opera is different too. Very few people (if any) go from listening to popera to going to opera theaters.
I like this argument because most singers go through phases just like painters and writers. Somewhere there is a sound for everyone. To use Sinatra as an example, his voice went downhill as he got older but everything else about his performance improved. And you can't discuss VanGogh without all the different periods and styles of his life. She may improve, she may not but she certainly has the right to try.
"I've asked many people for proof but can't seem to get any." Well, you just GOT it. From the BBC no less. Only TROLLS don't admit they're wrong when presented with proof. I refuse to feed the TROLL anymore.
But you ARE musically ignorant. That isn't an insult, its merely a fact. That's neither good nor bad. I'm medically ignorant. I have no medical training whatever. But unlike you, I don't tell the doctor who has several degrees in his field and years of experience that he doesn't know what he's talking about.
Ive been called a mean snob for no liking this. But in all honesty, Mario Lanza was also a crossover artist (probably not by his choice), and was one of the best tenors in history. So I hope she gets better training.
I can't believe they had the cheek to draw a comparison between her and Maria Callas, that's just outrageous. In no way does this compare to Callas' jaw dropping performance of Una voce poco fa.
Oh my God, she so does! Thank you for the comparison. I would otherwise propose Wookie in Star Wars as a suitable match. There is a lot of arrrrgh- sounds. =)
LOL. Keep trying. Maybe someday, you'll actually come to realize she got paid to do this and no one complained about not getting their money's worth....except from operatards on youtube...who paid nothing. That would be you.
The fact that you sing a medium weight aria with a microphone (that has horror movie style reverb!) this is really creepy. The tempo is like remedial level bel canto. Dull and Barbie Doll singing.
Pay close attention to the video. That is the sound of someone getting paid to express themselves, and the audience showing they got their money's worth. It is called success. I'm sure you've never heard or seen it before. Don't be afraid of things you will never be able to accomplish.
Galen Warren I'm humbled by your stern wake up call to what I need to do for myself. Bless you, my child! The Lord hears your wisdom and his bowels are pinching a loaf right now in gratitude!
Galen Warren Audience clearly doesn´t know better. She is just pretty. If you qualify that "money worthing" then go ahead. But this performance is FAR FROM SUCCESS. And you should be afraid of her singing this repeatedly, charging people for it. And setting a horrible example for Opera Singing students all around the world.
Aida Barberena I don't really believe she has a goal of setting an example for Opera singing students. Also, I don't think your subjective evaluation of her is one I or anyone else has to accept. In fact, people who bother to pay for her performance have already decided against your opinion, and millions have done just that. The overwhelming response from the classical fan base points out your whine as nothing more than the village idiot insisting it is midnight because she can't see the sun from inside her closet. As I've told many operatards, you don't carry the swing vote. Neither you nor your minority of like minded friends will, through any media, have any significant effect on her career.
Yes, listen to this aria by opera singers and you'll hear different phrasing. But do you really tell me that this singing above shows excellent phrasing or emotional coloring related to the dramatic content of this aria (libretto)? Do you really hear no huge quality difference compared to Beverly Sills, Callas, Damrau...? We're not talking about subjective taste in different interpretations, we're talking that KJ has NO interpretation at all. It's just hitting the notes to her.
Extremely horrendous. As a model on a catwalk, would be better. This is not opera, and never will be until she seriously studied. This is an insult to the opera... Or in other words: this is an approach to the opera for uneducated people and novices.
Can someone explain to me why she is a bad singer? I think she sings well?
9 лет назад
Angelica Rimondi Because she isn't singing in the real tone of the aria...it is lower than the original and if you hear it from a real opera singer you would realize that she isn't that good at it.
Another thing, you can brush aside those cracks like that. There are a ton more that have not even been uploaded, and I know stories of tenors cracking horribly in person. Awful the abuse that goes on and doesn't get addressed. Peter Hoffman is another tenor who blew out his voice, then went to Del Monaco seeking help but turned to pop music later. His voice was aided by the fact he didn't have to produce the volume he did in the past.
From BBC NEWS: "I've always set myself as 30 as the time to go into opera." "I really, really want to go into opera and I am still studying behind the scenes." Katherine Jenkins Is BBC News also making up stuff?
to continue The opera disasters include things like "cracks" "drunks" "off pitch" Common enough that there were 3 large parts put up. I must say, it is Bocelli who is showing respect for the music.
yes there is such rule, as an opera singer you are TRAINED to sing without mic and project your voice to fill a hole theatre, mics are used in places where acoustics are not suitable for opera
Because you can't sing in a large theater, doesn't make you "bad" Bocelli's voice is for the smaller theater. His voice is not being electronically manipulated to make his sound better. I mean, Tin Tim is considered a horrible singer, those enhancements are not going to work for his voice. Before this last century there were many small sized theaters, its the age of Verismo, and the gigantic orchestras, was to hard on the voice.
Would you call broadway before microphones opera? Technically, it can be considered opera. Opera by defintion is works, that include music and singing and text, which covers a wide range of styles. Its not properly defined. There is no rule that says "this is opera" and "this isn't" If you use the original definition then broadway can be considered opera by definition. When you introduce wooden literalism to art you get into all sorts of issues.
There are many opera singers who sing with horrible technique and have lost their voices in the process. Even some very famous ones. Some of the most beautiful voices in opera have had improper technique as well. There is no rule. Its not black or white, and that is why defining exactly what an opera singer is by "wooden literalism" doesn't work.
To amplify the voice (especially today) doesn't mean artificially enhancing the voice, It could just be to give it some extra edge while keeping the theater sound. That is very possible. It would save a lot of voices and take the stress off many singers. Why do you think Bjorling had so few cracks? He sang light. He never pushed and never did the really heavy roles. Pavarotti doing Turandot? No wonder he had some issues. Pavarotti pushed to much when he should have followed the model by Jussi
1st comment.... amplified voice in the opera? 2nd. what happened to the last and highly important notes of the piece? 3rd. She rolls way too much her Rs, does not sound natural, does not sound Italian. 4th, overall annoying.
Tallulah YouKnow If you look closely, you'll see Malena isn't on stage. If you overlay the audio tracks from ANY two of your "better" singers, they'll be different. So, which one "nailed" which note? I'll tell you which ones nailed the song, both of your favorites...and Katherine Jenkins. A small hint: Malena isn't having her own show at the 02 because she doesn't bring to the stage all that Katherine Jenkins does. Talent is any natural ability or power per Webster. No matter how narrowly you want to define natural ability in singing this song, you can see the camera pan across many, many people who have a differing opinion than you in that audience. Despite the negativity by operatard critics and their fans, she has become a superstar in the classical and classical crossover world. You and Malena can agree on what you think is right (actually, Malena has no problem letting even amateurs in the audience sing without criticism). You are pissing into the wind. Please, don't let me talk you out of sharing your razor sharp insight on right and wrong. It only hastens the day when those stages can be put to better use, like dioramas of a root canal procedure, or Jazz recitals by 4 year olds.
You look at rock singers like Paul Rogers or Dennis Deyoung and they are singing very well in their 60s. Conversly, most opera singers are done, or have to become baritone. At the same age. Your instrument (vocal instrument) is not meant for that volume of sound. That is why Bocelli sings the arias, but never cracks unlike these singers watch?v=6hZweYnWdAk listen to Nicolai Gedda after the first minute Not one crack like that from Bocelli. The voice is protected
I never said he was "better" only that his voice never cracked. He has been consistent. My point is that making large noises in sound in an opera house, wears down the voice. It isn't "Bel Canto" Not Pavarotti, but does this sound like "Bel Canto" to your ears? watch?v=9UUPEo849_s Show me Bocelli doing that anywhere or anytime. He is far more recorded than most of these, show me where he does such. If you can't, then please admit that Bocelli does represent "Bel Canto"
I'd imagine there is an opera theater, but there are also Met HD broadcasts to movie theaters all over the US. It's not the same as live opera as you don't get to hear unamplified voices, but it's the next best thing. Search here for "Metropolitan opera 2013-2014" for the trailer. can also send you some links here too privately. Among the problems with KJ's performances are: she simplifies it, wobble, bad breath control, no expression.. Expression, artistry is very important in opera.
problem with people using "strict definitions" they run into all sorts of problems. Broadway, before being amplified could be considered opera, if one were to get very strict with the term itself. Opera evolves, it just doesn't stay in the past where technology wasn't what it is today. Opera singers used Radio and Studio Recordings in the last hundred years, and they will continue to evolve doing other things. We should never be stuck in the past, if we did that, we would never have had opera.
okay, this kinda of proves what I am saying. Bocelli while he may sound "bad" to you, doesn't crack? Not once. Florez, sings light. He isn't a tenor who would sing Turandot or the like. Florez is not overstressing his small voice. Now compare with Pavarotti watch?v=BUMdMWPiCpI see?
