# Funny Bit: What Happens When Tosca Keeps Jonas Kaufman Waiting



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

http://slippedisc.com/2016/04/watch...s-cue-keeps-kaufmann-waiting-on-vienna-stage/
He was a trouper. What did he say... anyone??


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> http://slippedisc.com/2016/04/watch...s-cue-keeps-kaufmann-waiting-on-vienna-stage/
> He was a trouper. What did he say... anyone??


The man is a GENIUS :tiphat:


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I've been trying to think of a response to this, but perhaps it's a mystery best enjoyed without too much thought.

It _is _good, isn't it?


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Something very naughty perhaps, Scarpia still alive and.....


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> http://slippedisc.com/2016/04/watch...s-cue-keeps-kaufmann-waiting-on-vienna-stage/
> He was a trouper. What did he say... anyone??


So many nasty comments. Good that I do not have to read something like that here.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Sloe said:


> So many nasty comments. Good that I do not have to read something like that here.


I totally agree.

I can never understand why any so-called opera fan would 'hate' a singer who presumably they have never even met.

There are several singers whose voice I don't particularly care for but in those cases, I don't listen/watch their CDs/DVDs nor book operas in which they appear. They may or may not be nice people but I wouldn't know as I don't judge character on voice.

Anyway life's too short to hate opera singers.

PS. For what it's worth I've met Angela Gheorghiu several times and I think she's absolutely delightful.


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

"Non abbiamo soprano" says Kaufmann

http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/708499?programid=2359


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

The truth may be more prosaic than many people thought.

New York Times.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

sospiro said:


> The truth may be more prosaic than many people thought.
> 
> New York Times.


The Carmen bit is hilarious.


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/19/a...t&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0


----------



## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

Funny that just seeing the title, I immediately asked myself "Could it be Angela?" :lol:

Whatever the rumor is, I still love Gheorghiu. Just wish this accident will not damage her good works.


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> "Non abbiamo soprano" says Kaufmann
> 
> http://sverigesradio.se/sida/avsnitt/708499?programid=2359


It is at 2:46:22

The commentator did not realise that Angela was not there.


----------



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Forgive my ignorance, but I would assume that a major theater with a major, major star like Madame Angela G. would have a stage hand following her around to make sure she was on cue. Is that unreasonable? Why did no one miss her in the waiting wing????? Speculate please.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Forgive my ignorance, but I would assume that a major theater with a major, major star like Madame Angela G. would have a stage hand following her around to make sure she was on cue. Is that unreasonable? Why did no one miss her in the waiting wing????? Speculate please.


Flirting with Mr Terfel could be a reason, just saying


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

Pugg said:


> The Carmen bit is hilarious.


Why should Micaela have a blonde wig anyway?
I don´t know any blonde Spanish girls.


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> http://slippedisc.com/2016/04/watch...s-cue-keeps-kaufmann-waiting-on-vienna-stage/
> He was a trouper. What did he say... anyone??


Has anyone read the comments? I'm shocked at the vitriol - but dying with laughter. :devil:


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

GregMitchell said:


> Has anyone read the comments? I'm shocked at the vitriol - but dying with laughter. :devil:


I mentioned it.
But it is really one person that expresses the hate.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Sloe said:


> Why should Micaela have a blonde wig anyway?
> I don´t know any blonde Spanish girls.


Go to Spain more, a whole new world out there :tiphat:


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Forgive my ignorance, but I would assume that a major theater with a major, major star like Madame Angela G. would have a stage hand following her around to make sure she was on cue. Is that unreasonable? Why did no one miss her in the waiting wing????? Speculate please.


That reminds me of a story told to me by an actor friend of mine who played one of the soldiers in the Callas/Zedfirelli "Tosca" at Covent Garden. Being an avid opera fan, he was always in the wings during the opera. On one occasion it was getting close to Callas's entrance and the stage manager, who knew she was usually there ages before she was due to go on, started getting worried and dispatched my friend to investigate. She was not in her dressing room so he went looking, eventually finding her under the stage amongst all the stored scenery for the other operas that were in rep.

"Mme Callas, are you ok?" he asked. 
Callas, who, as is well known, was as blind as a bat without her glasses, pounced on him. "Oh thank God!" she exclaimed. "I came to do Tosca and found myself in Boris Godunov. Can you get me back to the stage?"

He duly led her back in time to make her entrance on cue.

The next day he received a huge box of chocolates with a signed photo saying, "To my saviour With grateful thanks."


----------



## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

GregMitchell said:


> That reminds me of a story told to me by an actor friend of mine who played one of the soldiers in the Callas/Zedfirelli "Tosca" at Covent Garden. Being an avid opera fan, he was always in the wings during the opera. On one occasion it was getting close to Callas's entrance and the stage manager, who knew she was usually there ages before she was due to go on, started getting worried and dispatched my friend to investigate. She was not in her dressing room so he went looking, eventually finding her under the stage amongst all the stored scenery for the other operas that were in rep.
> 
> "Mme Callas, are you ok?" he asked.
> Callas, who, as is well known, was as blind as a bat without her glasses, pounced on him. "Oh thank God!" she exclaimed. "I came to do Tosca and found myself in Boris Godunov. Can you get me back to the stage?"
> ...


Callas always had a witty remark for every occasion. Your friend msut have felt pretty great when he got the photo and the chocolates. And of course meeting Callas and helping her to to get to the stage on time. He still shot Cavaradossi though? There is a limit of how helpful one can be.


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Diminuendo said:


> Callas always had a witty remark for every occasion. Your friend msut have felt pretty great when he got the photo and the chocolates. And of course meeting Callas and helping her to to get to the stage on time. He still shot Cavaradossi though? There is a limit of how helpful one can be.


Ah well thereby hangs another tale from my actor friend. Apparently during rehearsal Callas and Gobbi were getting a little exasperated with the hammy, stock tenor acting of the Cavaradossi, Renato Cioni. During a break in the rehearsal, my friend happened to be sitting close to Callas and Gobbi, who were discussing the scene. Gobbi winked at my friend and whispered to Callas, "Well maybe we can get our young friend to shoot him in the first act." Ha ha ha.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Sloe said:


> Why should Micaela have a blonde wig anyway?
> I don´t know any blonde Spanish girls.


Perhaps Michaela is an English tourist.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

There was of course the famous tale of the soprano who made herself so hated in Tosca rehearsals that the stage hands put a trampoline for her to bounce on when she jumped off the back of the stage.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Sloe said:


> So many nasty comments. Good that I do not have to read something like that here.


Unfortunately Lebrecht's page tends to generate that sort of comment, which just show that the person making it is on the same level as the soccer lout who 'hates' the players on the opposing team.


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

DavidA said:


> There was of course the famous tale of the soprano who made herself so hated in Tosca rehearsals that the stage hands put a trampoline for her to bounce on when she jumped off the back of the stage.


David: I think maybe you are referring to "a certain dame" who requested something softer to jump onto after she says her final line because the mattress was too hard so they placed a trampoline down and after she declares her final line, "Scarpia we will meet before God" and jumps, the audience was rather astounded to see their Tosca reappear a second time. The story is legend. The name of the soprano changes depending upon who tells the story.


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

DavidA said:


> Perhaps Michaela is an English tourist.


But loads of Spanish women are blonde, particularly in northern Spain.


----------



## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

DavidA said:


> There was of course the famous tale of the soprano who made herself so hated in Tosca rehearsals that the stage hands put a trampoline for her to bounce on when she jumped off the back of the stage.


I heard that story too. That seems to be Dame Eva Turner.

_



_


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

nina foresti said:


> David: I think maybe you are referring to "a certain dame" who requested something softer to jump onto after she says her final line because the mattress was too hard so they placed a trampoline down and after she declares her final line, "Scarpia we will meet before God" and jumps, the audience was rather astounded to see their Tosca reappear a second time. The story is legend. The name of the soprano changes depending upon who tells the story.


It's in the book: "Great operatic disasters." You need to learn the old reporter's trick: "Never let the facts spoil a good story!"

Actually the alleged incident happened to 'a large young American' in City Centre, New York in 1960.
It is said she came up 15 times before the curtain fell. She was unable to reappear in any other opera Center performance throughout the rest of the season as the audience would have burst out laughing when they remembered the trampoline incident. She had to remove to San Francisco.


----------



## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

DavidA said:


> It's in the book: "Great operatic disasters." You need to learn the old reporter's trick: "Never let the facts spoil a good story!"
> 
> Actually the alleged incident happened to 'a large young American' in City Centre, New York in 1960.
> It is said she came up 15 times before the curtain fell. She was unable to reappear in any other opera Center performance throughout the rest of the season as the audience would have burst out laughing when they remembered the trampoline incident. She had to remove to San Francisco.


There is the other apocryphal TOSCA story. Where the "soldiers" in the last act were recruited at the last minute, without benefit of rehearsal, from the local college football team. Their instructions from the stage manager: "Just chase the soprano -- you know, the fat lady with the tiara!" Which produced the fabulous spectacle of an entire platoon of soldiers leaping off the parapet after Tosca. (This story has incredible credentials for veracity as it was told by the late great Victor Borge.) :lol:


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

GregMitchell said:


> But loads of Spanish women are blonde, particularly in northern Spain.


That depends on the definition I would say as many as Romanian.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

DavidA said:


> There is the other apocryphal TOSCA story. Where the "soldiers" in the last act were recruited at the last minute, without benefit of rehearsal, from the local college football team. Their instructions from the stage manager: "Just chase the soprano -- you know, the fat lady with the tiara!" Which produced the fabulous spectacle of an entire platoon of soldiers leaping off the parapet after Tosca. (This story has incredible credentials for veracity as it was told by the late great Victor Borge.) :lol:


Is that source really reliable


----------



## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

*


GregMitchell said:



But loads of Spanish women are blonde, particularly in northern Spain.

Click to expand...

*_. . . y en el Sur de Mexifornia.

Las 'rubias' son mis hermanas de platino. 
_


----------

