# Venera Gimadieva



## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Does anyone know anything about her? She was unknown to me until a couple of weeks ago when I saw her play one of the better Violettas I've seen in a while.


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

_LOVE HER!_ At least, I love the little I've heard via YouTube. A simply magnificent voice. Doesn't hurt that she looks the part (Violetta!) too  Did you see her at Glyndebourne? I hadn't heard of her either... she's a soloist at the Mariinsky and she's about to do a run of Violettas (Violette?!), _nel popoloso deserto che apellano *Parigi*_

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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

BaronScarpia said:


> _LOVE HER!_ At least, I love the little I've heard via YouTube. A simply magnificent voice. Doesn't hurt that she looks the part (Violetta!) too  Did you see her at Glyndebourne? I hadn't heard of her either... she's a soloist at the Mariinsky and she's about to do a run of Violettas (Violette?!), _nel popoloso deserto che apellano *Parigi*_
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> ...


But whose idea was it to have her sing the aria direct to Annina? This is a reverie. Every note tells us that these are Violetta's private thoughts and emotions. It's an absolute travesty to have her sing them to another character. I so despair of modern producers these days, where everything has to become to literal, so prosaic.

As for the singing, well the voice is lovely and well produced, but there is no musical line, no legato. Where is the poetry, the magic? Of course this silly idea of having her sing the words as if it's a conversation doesn't help. Maybe, with the help of a Giulini and a Visconti, she could have produced a real performance.

Listening to those of Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, Freni, Scotto, Cotrubas, Zeani, Moffo or going further back, Muzio, Ponselle, Olivero etc, or closer to home, Gheorghiu and Fleming, is to enter a different world of poetry and musical imagination. If this is the best the modern world can offer, then I'm glad I'm getting old.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

BaronScarpia said:


> _LOVE HER!_ At least, I love the little I've heard via YouTube. A simply magnificent voice. Doesn't hurt that she looks the part (Violetta!) too  Did you see her at Glyndebourne? I hadn't heard of her either... she's a soloist at the Mariinsky and she's about to do a run of Violettas (Violette?!), _nel popoloso deserto che apellano *Parigi*_
> 
> (
> 
> ...


She was at the Bastille. I wish I could I say that the rest of the ensemble were as good but no. She's young and lacks experience but the potential is great. Her pianissimo is amazing and she gives the role a certain innocence which has been missing lately. Normally, I don't care about Violetta - what's one more dead prostitute?  Her acting had the theatre hoping she would somehow survive haha.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

GregMitchell said:


> Listening to those of Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, Freni, Scotto, Cotrubas, Zeani, Moffo or going further back, Muzio, Ponselle, Olivero etc, or closer to home, Gheorghiu and Fleming, is to enter a different world of poetry and musical imagination. If this is the best the modern world can offer, then I'm glad I'm getting old.


Mmmm....two of the those are past their prime and the rest require wheelchair ramps or re-animation.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Couac Addict said:


> Mmmm....two of the those are past their prime and the rest require wheelchair ramps or re-animation.


Which is precisely my point! The fact that she's young and pretty doesn't make her better. But there are better young singers out there, or at least I'm hoping so.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

GregMitchell said:


> But there are better young singers out there


That's okay. I probably haven't seen them. Who did you have in mind?


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Aleksandra Kurzak was a lovely Gilda in the recent Covent Garden *Rigoletto*. Possibly a little underpowered in the last two acts, she was nonetheless a most musical singer, her _Caro nome_ winning her the biggest ovation of the night. It emerged, as it should, as a reverie and not as a mere vehicle for vocal display. A lovely lyric soprano. She impressed me.


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

I've only seen her do bel canto roles but she was impressive. To be fair though, she's not really a new face as she's been around the major houses for about 10 years or so.


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## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

GregMitchell said:


> But whose idea was it to have her sing the aria direct to Annina? This is a reverie. Every note tells us that these are Violetta's private thoughts and emotions. It's an absolute travesty to have her sing them to another character. I so despair of modern producers these days, where everything has to become to literal, so prosaic.
> 
> As for the singing, well the voice is lovely and well produced, but there is no musical line, no legato. Where is the poetry, the magic? Of course this silly idea of having her sing the words as if it's a conversation doesn't help. Maybe, with the help of a Giulini and a Visconti, she could have produced a real performance.
> 
> Listening to those of Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, Freni, Scotto, Cotrubas, Zeani, Moffo or going further back, Muzio, Ponselle, Olivero etc, or closer to home, Gheorghiu and Fleming, is to enter a different world of poetry and musical imagination. If this is the best the modern world can offer, then I'm glad I'm getting old.


No, I don't like the production either (or the conducting, for that matter); I especially hate it when Annina is upgraded from maid to confidante! But I disagree with you about there being no musical line or legato. And yes, I think there _are_ better Violettas out there. But she is one of the best I've come across recently.


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