Mezzo x Mezzo: Jennifer Rivera Chats with Kate Aldrich

 

Jennifer Rivera (below) interviews [friend, neighbor, colleague, and fellow mezzo] Kate Aldrich (above).

Comments

[Anne]

Thanks!

[Tom Aldrich]

Thanks OC. Yours and JR's are tow blogs I follow nearly daily. BTW, thanks also for advise you have been able to provide to my sister. We too are coming - hopefully - for the Barbiere. Maybe we can catch up for a glass of wine - no pix of course.

[siris]

Wish I had neighbors like them...

[vale]

Who ARE these two?

[walter]

@vale: Nobody really, vale. It's not worth your bother...

[Francesca]

DUDE Kate Aldrich is a freaking rock star.

[Furst]

Don't be ridiculous Francesca. There are no rock stars who are that cool that gorgeous or that talented. Now we recognize the ubiquitous metaphor and we love our rock and roll (which we listen to exclusively when we drive - we have an uncle who exhibits his sophistication by listening to classical music in the car but who cannot be persuaded to go to a concert or opera at the point of a FN Five-seveN Tactical - a subject of some contention between us) but we do work to keep the categories separated, especially with respect to a KA whose Carmen exactly a month from today we are eagerly looking forward to.

[Francesca]

Furst,
Do excuse my misuse of the aforementioned "ubiquitous metaphor." How could I have used such a troglodytic phrase when referring to such a refined artist? I would like to make it known, however, that it was not my intention to insult or abase the lovely KA, whose Carmen I have already had the pleasure of seeing several times. I merely sought to convey not only my my respect and admiration for this skilled musician and talented actress, but also my own eager anticipation for her upcoming engagement at the Metropolitan. I just hope I never have to suffer armed assault for my linguistic choices the way your poor uncle allegedly does for his preferred manner of appreciating classical music.

[Furst]

We know Francesca. We're just trying to be difficult. The "contention" shouldn't be taken that literally and the reference to the FN is of course purely metaphorical. We suppose in the context of this exchange we're ill situated to complain about our metaphor being taken literally.

[Sebastian]

Vale and Walter, do you know who Statler and Waldorf are?

[mamascarlatti]

@walter: who are you to say that they are nobody?

You will find if you read Jennifer Rivera's blog that as well as being an accomplished mezzo she is a very talented, insightful and entertaining writer.

Aldrich's upcoming performances at the met and La Scala speak for themselves.

[Francesca]

Capisco, Furst. I was just trying to be difficult back :)

[Becca Anne]

thanks! I am just about to start my undergrad voice performance degree, and reading Jennifer Rivera's blog as been so enlightening to me. So much of the artistic world can seem very elitist, and I appreciate her honesty and openness about what it's like actually having a successful career in opera.

She makes a good living off of singing opera.

That counts as a somebody in my book.