Anna and Cecilia

Anna Netrebko is a great actress, and I like the sound of her voice which cannot get too dark for me. Her musical sophistication does not go much past the surface. I'm not sitting here thinking she's a genius like Cecilia Bartoli. I was happiest lately with Cecilia's Cleopatra and wish I could see it again. So maybe I would like Semele.

I have always known that I loved Cecilia for different reasons than her other fans. I am not particularly made glad by the achievement of great technical difficulties, although the fast numbers on Proibita do take my breath away. For me it has always been her ability to achieve the truly musical in each piece that I loved. Her musical understanding is astounding. I can't think of anyone who rivals her in this regard.

I generally judge Cecilia much more harshly than I would other performers, not necessarily because she deserves it, but because I always feel she is singing for me. In my place. That means she must sing to my standards. She prefers her own.

I have been getting a lot of flack for saying I liked Anna Netrebko, and this is intended as a response. I liked her Violetta and Willie Decker's production, and I understood immediately that they weren't going for tuberculosis. And now I will get off this subject.