Sondra & Dima: Partners on Stage, BFFs IRL

 
(Photo: Pavel Antonov)

We came for the article, but stayed for the photo. American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky prepare for the conclusion of their duet tour tomorrow night at NYC's Carnegie Hall, and tales of the bff4e&e's wackiness continue to spread.

Comments

[Alejandro]

I hadn't heard Sondra until I saw this article . . . I promptly went on to YouTube and was sent into a state of extreme happiness. I find her wooden as an actress (she's no Dessay), but OMG what a voice. I love a good Verdi soprano.

I saw some of the videos with Dima and I think they need an album together STAT. Dima makes me very very very happy :)

[Amanda Ameer]

Hi, Sondra's publicist here. They just recorded an album of duets together, and it will be out next season!

[Eric]

I saw Dmitri and Sondra together in TROVATORE last year. They were great together. Sondra is a true Verdi soprano, IMHO.

[zach]

Dmitri should get a new hair cut. It looks very old lady to me. I don't say this to be mean, it's just an honest observation. It does not help that he wore Sondra's pants. Anyway, I do love his voice.

[Oroveso]

@Alejandro: I've been going to the opera for 45 years and still attend occasionally. I've gone out of my way to catch performances of Sondra Radvanovsky. She can and actually does S-I-N-G (not just perfunctorily and generically get the notes out as so many of her generation do). It's not a classically beautiful instrument, nor am I giving up my Rosa Ponselle records, but (grazie a Dio!) quirky, distinctive, individual and interesting in an age of much bland and "vanilla" singing. She has a genuine feel for Verdi line which is (sadly) exceedingly rare today. She sang Verdi's music with such individual style that she actually made me well up with tears during a recent Met STIFFELIO.

[Anne]

Personally I think extracted duets never really work on CD. But I AM looking forward to Sondra's Verdi album.

[rommie]

the program disappoints me. was looking forward to "O Patria Mia" which was billed originally.

[flamant]

Can't wait for Trovatore in HD from the Met next april :)

[el cajon]

@Zach, Dmitir and Sondro did the concert in D.C. Monday night and Dmitri's haircut was just fine.

I'm not sure whose pants he was wearing but they were tight, tight, tight. For me the Boccanegra duet ("Favella, il Doge") was the highlight and there was some amusing byplay going on that didn't detract from the singing. (I'm not sure people who weren't sitting very near the stage would have even noticed it). The Ballo and Onegin duets didn't have the byplay.

Spoilers: Sondra changed gowns at intermission but since some of you may be seeing the concert in NYC, that's all I'll say.

[Thomas]

I was at Sondra's performances at La Bastille in Paris when she sang Leonora (Il Trovatore) with Alagna and Zajick, and Hélêne (Les vêpres siciliennes). I was much more impressed last year at the Met by her Leonora. Now, I am a big fan. And what an explosive couple on stage, Sondra and the Siberian Hunky!

[fazed111]

Ooooooh!!! This post got Opera Chic a very nice mention in a Washington Post April-fun article by Anne Midgette :-)))
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-classical-beat/2010/04/april_april.html