Kate the Great + Ken the Great = Great x Great!

Ken Howard's photo of American mezzo Kate Aldrich as Carmen is flawless with bewbage. Kate prepares to sing her last NYC Carmen performance on Saturday at the Metropolitan Opera against Jonas Kaufmann's Don José. Aldrich took over the role after Angela Gheorghiu canceled, the Romanian soprano stating that she was unprepared. Or the dog ate my music score. Or the dog ate my vocal cords.

Click the link below for a close up!

 

 

 

Comments

[Paolo M.]

She is very beautiful, is looking like Anna Caterina Antonacci when she was young!

[Donna Anna]

I must confess to being underwhelmed listening to her performance last night on Sirius. I know that nothing tops a live performance, so I hope that someone who was there can reassure me. Kaufmann left everyone in the dust. I didn't hear any tension, any sensuality or any real drama in Aldrich's Carmen. I hope that was just the mic placement. Or something.

[operanuts]

"against" is perfect, OC. I like you.
But KA seems to like JK in real life, as stated in an Interwiew.
She is a beautiful Carmen, no wonder Jose falls for her.
The audience, well that's another story.

[The Minx]

I love the photo, although I loved Elina Garanca as Carmen much better! She was flawless.

[Furst]

We'll try to pay attention to the singing this Saturday but ... really ...

[Eric]

These photos of Kate Aldrich remind me of another famous Carmen... Jennifer Larmore. Check out this photo and compare.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PUvqEUkBO3I/SVvTmEfHvyI/AAAAAAAABCc/nT_xTZauddI/s320/carmen.jpg

[Bill Philin-Ploplis]

She got pretty mixed but polite reviews from dependable eyewitnesses--losing out to the sensational Jonas K. The more and more I think about it I just wonder if Mme. G. was told by management that she was not ready for the new Carmen because of some early absenteeism she was pulling. Her rationale for not participating just sounds too rational to me. I just wonder what really went on behind the scenes. Yeah, I know R. A. was in the premiere cast and divorce stuff, etc. But, then, she could have done the later Carmens with Jonas K. Someday we will find out. I guess Kate A. did an awesome cartwheel in the production (I can't imagine Mme. G. doing that, hehehe).

[Joey]

Holy Moly!
She's BEWBS-tiful! Seriously though, a real knock out...even though Escamillo is more my type ;-)
@Eric: YES! The photo immediately reminded me of Larmore!

[Azucena]

It's really not easy to compare Garanča and Aldrich, they are such different voices and artists. Besides, why do it?

I am sure Kate is an amazing Carmen, but people tend to compare too much instead of just enjoying a great performance.

It's a great time to see Carmen, there are some really fabulous singers today singing the role.

For me, personally, Kate has been a favorite amongst mezzos every since her first Amneris.

A wonderful singer and a really cool lady!

[LD]

beautiful beautiful. I love her voice but yes her performance sounded (didn't see it) underwhelming on the broadcast. It's good to see some attention on her, though. It's a great American voice, perfect for Carmen.

[Anne]

How do you do a cartwheel in a skirt?

[Constantine A. Papas]

Hasn't Netrebko done a cartwill in a skirt at the Met? I'm wondering when Vivica Genaux will sing Carmen at the Met. An excellent young American mezzo with looks to match.

[Chris]

When La Gheorghiu sings badly in Carmen,I'll say the dog ate her vocal cords.Up to that moment what I know is her Habanera has a big number of views on You Tube and her Violeta is a delight.

[fragonard]

I agree with LD , Kate's performance was underwhelming. It's not important if you can do a cartwheel in a skirt . Her Habanera was tentative, not the least seductive and it went on like that. The best was the final duet.

[bizetto]

Looking great doesn't make someone great. If you call it against, then the poor girl lost. New York renamed the opera to Don Jose. She was ok, but not much more. I'm not a young American living in Milan going to La Scala, but I was at the Met on Wednesday.

[Furst]

She's good. Even very good. Better in some respects than others. The highs were neither as easy nor as, well, "high" as one might prefer (though not insist upon). The Habanera was, indeed the weakest part of the evening, not nearly as a bad as reported from the previous performance, but no augery of what was to come. The tone from the end of the Chanson Boheme to the end of Act II was nothing short of gorgeous. Her Carmen was very VERY b-chy and she seemed to revel in it. Certainly a valid interpretation. We don't entirely disagree with fragonard about some lack of seductiveness though we obviously liked the performance a great deal more (she may indeed have been better last night than on Wednesday).

The shadow of La Garanca looms and we must say that in her case the voice was integrated from top to bottom, the highs effortless, the tone richer (although richness was also a notable feature of Kate's singing for most of the night as well) the variety of color greater (though here too lack of color was not a problem for Kate). The interpretation was very different. We are afraid we must see both ladies again next year to evaluate further. Damn.

Anyone with the opportunity to see both or either (as the good burgers of Munich will be able to do within the space of 9 months - both with Herr Kaufmann) should do so. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

(We would be remiss in not sending our regards to La Gherghiou for withdrawing and giving us a chance to see both ladies an extra time among better collaborators. She remains a world class Violeta but this particular cancellation was well advised).

[fragonard]

I agree, she was better last night, but I did not think she really inhabited the character. She lacked the expression her body language was showing in her voice, Her middle register was very nice, especially the last duet, but her key arias again were very disappointing, so was the important trio in the 3rd act. Frasquita and Mercedes were much stronger than her and almost had to hold back. There she was not able to foreshadow her destiny or create the drama in this decisive part of the opera. The only time she could live up to her partner was at the end.
Garanca and Kaufmann in Munich will certainly be a dream team.

[Furst]

Impossible to disagree with the statement "She lacked the expression her body language was showing in her voice". That leaves A LOT of room for expressive singing but, yes, although she sang beautifully for long stretches (somewhat less so in her big numbers, least in the Habanera - although, on Saturday at least, not badly even here) she could perhaps have offered more in terms of vocal expression. "Disappointing" is obviously a subjective term, but our expectations having been somewhat tempered by the reviews from Wednesday, we found her singing most enjoyable. Certainly, her Carmen might have room to grow (in expression, in vocal size, in general conception), but it will have plenty of opportunities to do so in the coming years.

As intimated above, a compelled choice between Garanca and Kate would be something of a no brainer but, where possible, both would be well worth hearing.

[josia]

is it vocal CORDS or CHORDS?

[achoo]

Just heard some tapes on youtube, don't know which performance, but contrary to some of the above comments Kate Aldrich had a very strong vocal presence, imo. Her singing is very much in the traditional Carmen vein, and I mean that as a compliment. Mr. Kaufmann has a unique style all his own. He is singing on his capital from the sound of these recordings. I can see why he typically keeps these kind of roles to no more than 4 performances or so in any given run. I commend Kate Aldrich for focusing on what she needed to do while performing with someone like her co-star. That's not always easy. I realize he's a nice person, but I am talking about other factors - vocal, dramatic, career stuff.

[@GtelloZ]

Can't wait to meet her in Lima for her Rosina with JDF in april next year...

[bizetto]

@ Achoo
The Met may not be the center of the operatic scene. JK only sang 4 Tosca + 2 Carmen performances at the Met because of his schedule and because he doesn't want to stay long time abroad. When he debuted as Don Jose at the ROH London (in my opinion a house superior to the Met)in 2006/2007 he sang 10 performances in one month and all in perfect condition. I was there and I know the rest of the performances from recordings. He never sings on his capital (if I understand the meaning of your sentence right), his voice is healthy and strong enough to do these roles in a very beautiful and successful way. Did you ever hear him live?
I sort of wonder what the last sentence means. Did you see Tosca (or at least read the reviews) with JK at the Met? He never stood with Racette and Terfel on the same stage before and they met just 2 days before the premiere for a single rehearsal, no rehearsal with the conductor at all, but the result was breathtaking in each aspect.

[bizetto]

Plus, Jonas Kaufmann just got the
XIX PREMIO DELLA CRITICA MUSICALE "FRANCO ABBIATI"
Jonas Kaufmann: voce duttile e dal singolare fascino timbrico, capace di abbracciare ruoli di natura diversa e di accostarsi con competenza e bravura al repertorio liederistico, ha imposto in Carmen (Milano, Teatro alla Scala) eccellente tecnica di canto, raffinata musicalità, credibilità dell’azione scenica e complessità di un’interpretazione che conciliando tradizione e modernità ha suscitato entusiasmo nel pubblico.
(7 performances as Don Jose in December)