# Support the talent!



## Mishkin

The most talented Russian conductor Valery Gergiev is nominated as "The Best Actor for Classical Music" in the "Classic FM Gramophone Awards 2007". Vote for the great talent!

http://v4.russiancyprus.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8379

http://dyrdine.com/blog/archives/203


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## Chi_townPhilly

O.K.: I was curious, so I looked and discovered the other nominees were:
_Julia Fischer_- violin (hmmm...) 
_Joyce DiDonato_- mezzo (hmmm!)
_Rolando Villazon_- tenor (almost there)
_Claudio Abbado_- conductor (comeback player of the year, yes. artist of the year... naaah)
_Daniel Barenboim_- conductor/piano (lifetime achievement award, yes. artist of the year... naah, naah, naah)
(wait for it) _Bryn Terfel_- bass-baritone (BWAH HA HA HA HA HA!... underneath keyboard ROTFLM-self silly!) [catching breath... okay, I'm back]
_Vadim Repin_- violin (kind of  )
_Natalie Dessay_- soprano (nice)

I'm on board with you, Misha. Go *Gergiev!*


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## Chi_townPhilly

*And the winner was...*

*Julia Fischer*. Although, it appeared as though in the UK, Bryn topped the balloting. (WT)


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## LFcatface

Hi to all and especially anyone who has not yet voted. I was so pleased to see Joyce Di Donato nominated. To anyone who is not familiar with her work, please check out her clips on youtube .

Joyce is , as far as I am concerned the leading Rossini and Mozart mezzo singing today. She makes the difficult look seem effortless and has a wonderful "spunky" personality.

I do admit to having worked with her and liking her personally, but I would still be a fan even if she wasn't as nice as she is talented.

Go Joyce!


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## Chi_townPhilly

Yeah... it would have shown some "outside-the-box" thinking to pass the laurel to DiDonato. How often does a Mezzo get that kind of consideration?

Glad to hear that she's as nice as she's skilled. What would you recommend as a sampling of her artistry?


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## LFcatface

Thanks for asking the question since it made me investigate what is available from Joyce on CD. I must admit that I am familiar with Joyce from being in productions with her and also from seeing her perform live here in London as Rosina in "Barber of Seville" rather than being up to date on her recordings. I am familiar with her recording of the role of Meg in Mark Adamo's "Little Women" and other roles she originated in Houston.

After looking on her website http://www.joycedidonato.com I was very pleased to see that she is getting to document her interpretations on disc which actually very few opera singers are able to do. 
If you like Rossini, I am sure her recordings of 'Cenerentola" and "Barbiere' would be of interest but I can't comment on the specific recordings. She has recorded some Handel as well and I am looking forward to hearing those rcordings.

I have seen no other mezzo with the combination of "down to earth " good humour, spunk and virtuostic American mezzo-ness that would enable that artist to fill the void that Marilyn Horne has left in the Rossini and Handel repertoire. As a plus, Joyce is a good Mozart singer as well, which Horne was not, but there are lots of good Mozart mezzos out there

P.S To everyone as I read my post saying that I knew Joyce, I realise that it looks like name dropping, but really it was some left over paranoia, i was afraid that someone might research me and find out I was in a production with X and that I was not impartial. I am going to stop doing this, because it is not me... just assume that the music world is small and I might have some aquaintance with some musician I am discussing for the good of for the bad. I am sure you have all heard of the six degrees of separation. I think it is more like two degrees in music.


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## Gladiator

So who won? I didn't read it..


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