Monday, October 6, 2008

Opera News highlights Donald Palumbo and the Met Chorus

Opera News focuses on Donald Palumbo in this month's issue.

They are specific in their praise . . . and it's great to see:
Once the basic sound is in place, the focus becomes microscopic. "I tend to try to treat the chorus as an instrument and to try to work more on phrasing and dynamic range than on one dynamic level. And detail--that's of more interest to me." In conducting symphonic choruses early in his career, he recalls coming to dread Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, "because it was just push, push, push and sound, sound, sound. I think with opera choruses, the more you work with them on getting detail and expression, first of all, the easier it is to learn, because you're always thinking musically at any one moment. And I think it also engages the choristers more than just having them stand and pump out sound and words. This is, I think, what we've had the most fun with this year--taking a piece like Grimes and really working on it from a detailed musical point of view."

The choristers I spoke with confirm that assessment. "I actually enjoy our rehearsals," says alto Gloria Watson, a longtime member of the chorus. "He makes you work, and he makes you laugh. He uses all kinds of reminders and expressions. One favorite saying of his is 'Don't push beyond the point of beauty.' That's important because you can so easily develop bad habits and start forcing." Chorus members mentioned feeling less stress on the voice--and hearing voice teachers tell them the same thing.
Thanks to Martin Banner for directing me to the article.

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