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Bravo, Kathleen Battle!
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16760 |
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Section : |
THE ARTS
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8 / 1998 |
995 Words |
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Tom Pniewski
Tom Pniewski is a musicologist at Hunter College in New York. |
"Kathleen Battle seems to be the kind of singer who can do no wrong." That's what this reviewer wrote after a stunning Julius Caesar at New York's Metropolitan Opera House nearly ten years ago. And I would still stand by that statement for Battle's voice; it is a flawless instrument, with a sweetness and purity that have served the music of Bach and Mozart beautifully. Unfortunately, as she ascended the musical Olympus, Battle left in her wake a swarm of reports that, as a person, she could indeed do wrong. There were stories of musical colleagues and backstage crew snubbed, rehearsal schedules treated cavalierly, and canceled engagements. These stories hardened into sad fact when the Metropolitan Opera, citing "unprofessional actions," terminated her contract in 1994. Since then, though she maintains a busy recording and international concert career and there are signs that she is becoming a more considerate colleague, Kathleen Battle has not appeared with any major opera company in the United States.
This is sad indeed, as she had swiftly soared to global operatic heights. Only a year or so out of school in 1972, she was engaged by Thomas Schippers to sing the Brahms Requiem in Spoleto, Italy; competition awards followed in rapid succession, leading to appearances at New York City Opera in 1975 and, in December 1977, the Metropolitan Opera. She soon established herself as one of the Met's most esteemed artists; her Mozart roles set a standard rarely matched, and audiences bonded with her. She sparkled as Blondchen (Abduction From the Seraglio), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), and Pamina (The Magic Flute). She also added Strauss roles: Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), and Zdenka (Arabella).
Her background gives no
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