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THE CROSSOVER ARTISTS
(continued)
Both singers learned early on that sheer power is not enough to make an impression or do justice to a song. They both command a splendid dynamic range from a great, blazing fortissimo down to a slender, gorgeous pianissimo, the exquisite soft singing that is the musical equivalent of unspooling silk. You can hear this when Fleming sings "Loving You" from Stephen Sondheim's "Passion" or when Terfel performs "Sometimes a Day Goes By" from Kander and Ebb's "Woman of the Year." The very best singers, whether opera singers or any other type, also know how to make the most of lyrics. In songs, every word serves two purposes. The first is its particular sound, which is paired with the music the composer sets to it. The second is the meaning of the word and how the music reflects that. Take the famous lyric from the classic "Summertime," in "Porgy and Bess," and think how those words sound and what they mean:
Summertime an' the livin' is easy,
Fish are jumpin', an' the cotton is high.
Oh, yo' daddy's rich, an' yo' ma is good-lookin',
So hush, little baby, don' you cry.
Each woman (or man) who has sung "Summertime" has placed a personal stamp on it, but all have had to find the meaning in the words and music, and then give meaning when singing them. Words such as "livin'," "jumpin'," and "hush" are but three examples in which a great deal of expression can be imparted by a singer who has given thought to the sound and meaning of the word.
The best opera singers -- and these two are among them -- understand that communication is possible with the shaping of words. Here, Fleming masterfully takes this song we all know and lights it up with meaning. The same thing can be said for Terfel's take on "76 Trombones" from Meredith Willson's "The Music Man." What is usually a rousing song takes on a range of expression and coloration that most Broadway performers do not know how to give. Because opera singers often sing in larger spaces than Broadway performers, they learn how to act with their eyes and faces in a way that communicates specifically the ideas and sounds of the words being sung. The overwrought, melodramatic acting style we associate with most opera singers is now largely a thing of the past. The way Fleming uses her facial expression and Terfel his eyes is an object lesson for all young and aspiring singers in all disciplines.
This wonderful concert, given in Wales in the summer of 2002, could be viewed as an object lesson in how great singers can take ownership of repertory even if it is not what they do in their "day jobs." But to focus on that is to deprive yourself of the key pleasure of this performance. Instead, revel in the beauty of their voices and the music that is performed, and admire how idiomatically and artfully this music is sung.
Then decide for yourself whether opera singers can and should "cross over" to Broadway and popular music. When the singers in question are Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel, the answer should be abundantly clear.
Top banner photos: Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel. |
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Renée Fleming and Bryn Terfel are accompanied by the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. |
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Paul Gemignani is the guest conductor of the orchestra, which was founded in 1970. |
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