[Photo from Nicholas Roberts at the NY Times]
David Adam Moore who is as adept and gorgeous singing modern music or operatic standards, gets it both ways here. The Sybarite Chamber Players have updated Purcell's Dido and Aeneas to modern day Wall Street. You can read about it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/arts/music/06dido.html?ref=music
Allan Kozinn wrote in the New York Times review, "David Adam Moore’s suave Aeneas was firmly sung, with deadpan humor and an ear for embellishment..."
We would add that he looks rather dashing in a suit, as well.
This site can be contacted at barihunks@gmail.com
Allan Kozinn hasn't the faintest clue what he is writing about. DAM's sound was small and overly-darkened, and did not carry with clarity even in the confines of the Samsung Experience room, over a chamber band of strings and cembalo. For a performer who has sung English-language opera at La Scala (make of that what you will), his diction was tight and inexpressive. If by "firm" AK means "lacking spin and openness", so be it. He may appear dashing in that suit in the photo, but he certainly didn't move with suavity or masculine command. Whatever initial handsomeness struck one's eye became less and less relevant as the evening wore on, because and DAM's "stock" – as the man for whom Dido throws over her (media) empire – plummeted.
ReplyDeletePerhaps that room was just unflattering for his voice? 'small' and 'overly'darkened' aren't terms I'd associate with David at all.
ReplyDelete"Anchises valor mixed with Venus' charms..." "how god-like in the form he bears!" the libretto makes Aeneas attractive. Just like a tenor singing about how beautiful Gilda or Tosca is makes her beautiful within that context, even when sopranos used to be cast for their voices even if they weren't actually beautiful.
Also, I wish this site addressed a greater breadth of musical offerings, as some of the blogs seem somewhat provincial in focus. There's a HUGE fanbase of the great dark Italian, and effervescent French operas -- and not enough information about singers involved in those areas, and their performing schedules, especially in the European venues in the upcoming seasons. Please include more of these, if at all.
ReplyDeleteHow about adding more variety of other singer category types too, like the great countertenor David Daniels. And how about a salute to singers who aren't so endowed with a certain commercial look and appearance -- shouldn't they have equal "face" time too? What about vintage opera singers from the old days?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, have you checked the name of this blog? It's called Barihunks, which is shorthand for baritone hunks. Why would they put David Daniels on the site? There is a site called Hunkentenors, but they never update.
ReplyDeleteDavid is hot because he's so cool and sophisticated.
ReplyDeleteWell said, BJB Upstate -- he doesn't need to use compromised photographic situations to promote his craft...and neither do most of the singers on this site. I think they can stand on their own. (although some, I suspect,need an apron string to hang onto to feel credible, sad to say)
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand.....see
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/33909/The-Music-Teacher/overview
where the legendary scene is that of singers (of rival instructors) performing a singer's "duel" cloaked behind ballroom masks -- how about that for a bit of dashing old school tradition for a change?
I feel compelled to add my two bits. David Adam Moore is among a new breed of singers who look good on stage, can actually sing, and are willing to take chances with repertory and directors. I find it refreshing and part of the reason that the #1 growth category on iTunes is Classical/Opera.
ReplyDeleteDavid Adam Moore is one of the more interesting singers on Barihunks. You can have the bubble gum style of Nathan Gunn or the over-marketed Erwin Schrott.
ReplyDeleteHe looks like Daniel Day Lewis in that picture.
ReplyDeleteSuperb David...........i like it
ReplyDelete