Ciao Lorraine

Exactly one year ago, on July 3, 2006, we learned from the Internet, that famously unreliable news source (after all, we wouldn't be a part of it if it were otherwise), the frankly unbelievable news of Lorraine Hunt Lieberson's death, at the scandalously young age of 52.

As if.

What in fact happened, of course, is simply that the spaceship that had left her here with the precise assignment to show everybody on this silly planet what singing is really, really about, well, that spaceship came back -- Hunt Lieberson left this irredeemably vulgar planet from Santa Fe, by the way, and how close to Roswell is that, come on, it's just so evident -- and took her away, to where she had come from. Because celestial beings can only inhabit a place as mean and disorganized as this world only for a short little while -- just like Mozart, Dinu Lipatti, Jimi Hendrix, those other envoys coming from the same place of pure music and beauty as LHL came from, right?

This is not to say that the sadness is diminished by this fact -- to the contrary, we can only imagine the crushing sorrow that her absence has created in her splendid husband's life, and in everybody who had the monstruous luck to get to know her -- Stelle barbare, stelle spietate / Perché mai tanto rigor?, for reals.

And there's huge sadness for Opera Chic, too, who has always considered Lorraine Hunt Lieberson not just the greatest mezzo to ever appear on this planet but also her cool, cool incredibly smart and funny New Age aunt, even if OC never had the honor to meet LHL in person.

The digital coolness of CD sound will never have the magic of her voice -- digital music is after all just a very long sequence of numbers, and there's nothing mathematical about that otherworldly sound, no way.

But it's all we're left with, and we're priviliged enough because it's a lot. Just don't believe she's dead --  she's about as dead as Mozart, who was here blasting La Clemenza in Opera Chic's house just a few minutes ago (and he ate all our chocolate, too).

She's unable to take any more roles, yes. But dead? Don't be silly.

Ciao, Lorraine: Per te sempre il cor sarà.

(and this is our first and last July 3 post about her -- from next year on, we will only celebrate; celebrate the birthday, on March 1, of our faraway, infinitely cool hippie aunt)

Comments

[Donna Anna]

Mille grazie for a lovely, graceful tribute. Her bravery was as vast and as deep as her voice.

[fignaz]

And now, just shy of a year to the day, they beam up Beverly Sills (cue the five note theme from CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF A THIRD KIND)...

[Mopsy]

Very well put, OC, lovely celebration of such a wonderful artist and woman.

[Muzzy]

It's always good to remember Peter Lieberson as well. Unlike his wife he's chosen more conventional treatment for his cancer (which is blood based rather than tumor based).

At the time of the release of Neruda Songs he was receiving lymphoma treatment at M.D. Anderson in Houston. Which, to me, means that his uninvited guest was demanding more than the usual CHOP/Rituxan protocol... possibly a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.

Do you know anything about his health?

To read your words about Sills and Hunt-Lieberson, as deeply felt as they are about loss, is a pleasure because what you write helps restore.

As for me: I'm a little weary of this generation of STDivas and Divos. I don't care who is fucking over-under-around-or-through who anymore.

I'd rather have eargasm/soulgasm of what's genuine. (Which is why I love your writing about conductors.)

You do the Perez Hilton thang better than he does.

But how you do the music thang seems to me to be very close to what the music does for you.

Thanks for the passion.

[Lie Down in Darkness]

Beautiful post, Opera Chic. And thank you, because frankly I didn't know that today was the day. And now, I'm going to go listen to the Neruda Songs and watch the DVD of "Theodora" again (backtracking several times for Irene's arias, of course).

[Kathode Ray Tube]

Thanks for your great blog and for your comments about both LHL and Beverly Sills. I still remember, just one year ago, a few days before LHL's death, I was sitting in the middle of a peaceful field in the country listening to "Angels Ever Bright and Fair" and feeling filled up with the beauty of what I was seeing and hearing. Two days later, I read in the paper she had died and I cried all through breakfast, and well after that. I really, really miss her though I did not know her. But I listen a lot and it's wonderful to hear that precious voice.

[otello]

Going through some old CDs I discovered an ancient 4 disc set conducted by Nicholas McGegan devoted to the performance of arias Handel wrote for his favorite singers, one of which was the mezzo Durastanti. A certain Lorraine Hunt was the performer of these arias. What a voice, what control, what expression and fluidity and sense of text. I'm lucky I didn't drive off the road.

[operamaven]

I thoroughly enjoy your snarky posts, but your tributes to LHL and Sills inspire me to write. I first heard LHL at the Met in Les Troyens. Being unfamiliar with the opera and LHL at the time, I did not know that I would be hearing the most ravishing music sung by this most totally committed artist in an utterly heartbreaking performance. I was gobsmacked. I sought out as many of her subsequent performances as I could find, and was fortunate to hear her in probably her last public appearance in Boston in the Gurrelieder. She was radiant as the Wood Dove, again, breaking my heart, I was also fortunate to have heard Sills in Giulio Cesare when I was a gormless boy. There aren't many singers today who are so astounding and charismatic- Rene Pape (why don't you write more about him?), Karita Mattila, Ewa Podles come to mind.
Thank you for the pleasure of your blog.

[Michael Kenward]

It was Theodora at Glyndebourne that introduced us to Lorraine Hunt. Life changing. Pity she decided that alternative therapy might work. It doesn't.

But back to the reason for chipping in, anyone who wants a few live recordings of LHL might like to visit this yahoo group:

aboutlorrainehuntlieberson

Check message 79.

MK

[Will]

Thanks for the nice tribute. I enjoy your catty persona, doubtless imaginary, and was happy to see you drop it for your tribute to this exceptional artist. Your comments were exactly right on. I heard two Dido's and a Mahler 2. Sitting here listening to Rosy steps for the millionth time thinking woulda, coulda, shoulda. Thanks again.

[of the kosmos]

I've been away from the blogosphere for some time but I checked in with you and was delighted to find this post. You're amazing.

[Patrick]

I just saw this posting -- like so many others I too marked the anniversary. Funny you should mention Clemenza di Tito, because she was so amazing in that opera (I heard her in it in Boston many years ago).

[Bro]

It's nice to scour the internet and read such nice things about my sister. She was the best Mezzo of our time and she was wonderful to my kids. We miss her very much. Peter has recovered and is composing again. Thanks again for all the kind words.