Opera Chic

Katherine Jenkins Makes the ~O Face~ for Wimbledon [in Flip Flops]

Wimbledon celebrated their brand new Centre Court, 15K-capacity stadium with retractable roof today in a jovial afternoon mixed doubles match between with husband-and-wife duo Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, Tim Henman and the recently un-retired Kim Clijsters.

On hand to sing at the opening festivities at the All England Lawn Tennis Club was OC's favorite pOpera tart, Katherine Jenkins. The crossover star showed-up in an electric pink lace sun dress and jeweled flip flops, and sang in duet with fellow crossover singer Faryl Smith -- who at 13-years-old stands a few inches taller than the 29-year-old Jenkins. Sucks for Jenkins! She should have borrowed a pair of platform flip-flops from Britney Spears along with that dress.

~Click on the magic link below for tons more pictures of Jenky from the event + Faryl + back-fat ~

Faryl Smith, "The Next Charlotte Church" On The Future Of Classical Music (Or Lack Thereof)

Faryl Smith, 13, the latest, creepily-photographed prepubescent invention of an increasingly merciless celebrity-industrial complex, has not only been anointed as the "next Charlotte Church"; but has some clear ideas about the nature of her business.

Faryl admits she does not listen to classical music. “Classical singing is mainly aimed at older people”

PS That British dude who invented "American Idol" is a fan.

She's right about senior citizens (but then, everybody's old for a 13-year-old) being the core audience of classical. Also, classical's numbers -- in terms of sales -- are notoriously quite sad. As Mr. Tommasini reminds us today in the New York Times, a monster box set of 38 cds priced at an helpful, recession-special deal of US $2.63 per disc (but you just wait for the 40% and 50% off inevitable discounts, post-Xmas), by the most famous conductor in the history of the recording business, might even sell, eventually, in a year or so, 35,000 copies.

Faryl's debut CD -- much, much cheaper than the Herbie box set, of course -- sold 20,000 copies in the first four days.