There is so much material that we cannot squeeze into next Sunday’s BBC Radio 3 documentary on Barbara that I have decided to share some of the surplus by way of a taster.
The opera tenor Roberto Alagna, who started out signing in a Paris pizza bar, confessed to a huge admiration for Barbara and said he learned from her how to perform in small spaces like L’Ecluse, which seat no more than 60 people, most of them eating their dinner through a performance.
How, I asked him, does a singer get the full attention of a munching crowd.
‘You look for visiting groups,’ he confided. ‘I would have an Italian, Spanish, English, Arabic, Hebrew song, which I would open with if there was a group from the right country. One night, a man who looked like big mafia came up to me with a huge 500 franc note, demanding that I sing The Prisoner. “But I don’t know The Prisoner,” I said. “You do, you do,” hissed the band, their eyes on the big note. You see, we were paid very little so the tips really mattered.
‘The band played the introduction to this song two or three times so I got the tune. Behind me, they whispered the words, line by line. I sang. At the end, the mafioso stood up, tears pouring down his cheeks and came over with another 500-franc note. “Sing The Prisoner again,” he begged, ‘that was the most beautiful performance of my life….”‘ Here’s the link to Sunday’s programme
photo (c) Lebrecht Music & Arts
Recent Comments
MacroV on Now Gergiev designs a new concert hall for Moscow
I wonder why. The Moscow Conservatory may be in a decrepit old building, but it's a spectacular hall. ...Pamela Brown on ‘Wagner’s C-major chord is a political statement’
"German conductor Christian Thielemann, the Bayreuth Festival’s unofficial musical director, contends in his own recent book entitled “My Life with...Joanna Debenham on Sudden death of a striking British composer
53 is no age at all. I met Steve Martland when he appeared at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in 1990....Joanna Debenham on Fanfare for Fran Andrade: a life celebrated
Thank you for reporting this Norman. At last a tribute to the woman whose agony has awoken a conscience...Joanna Debenham on The singers’ revolt: Pereira says he’d like to pay them more, but….
Five to seven weeks is a long time to ask anyone to work without pay. I wonder what the...Bosse Bergkvist on ‘Wagner’s C-major chord is a political statement’
Much appreciated. Thanks for publishing this!Michael Schaffer on ‘Wagner’s C-major chord is a political statement’
Yawn! "As the musical world lavishly celebrates Richard Wagner’s bicentenary, the composer’s great-grandson insists he is no spoilsport by denouncing the...rvslkal on Law report: Performance stops, composer sues
With no disrespect intended, there seems to have been a cascade of 'magical thinking' at work here (based on my...Jeff on What the Cliburn must do to survive Van Cliburn
"But the idea of letting the audience put in a meaningful vote reminds me much too much of Roman gladiator...Luís Carvalho on On Cyprus, a dream team is born
Marvelous! An example to my own country, Portugal, also deeply indebted, how Arts can and do overcome economics...