From the archive,15 March 1985: The mighty tenor looks back at a sometimes controversial career in the world’s leading opera housesHow can a singer be controversial? well-behaved or unsuitable yes, more or less skilled, or more or less loud,beautiful, thrilling, and expressive ... Controversial,on the other hand, suggests something more than the notes and Jon Vickers is one of the very few singers in the world to deserve the accolade.
If he is controversial, or it does not affect his success or status as one of the tiny handful of top international opera stars. Since making his Covent Garden debut 28 years ago,he has regularly confined himself to an annual tally of 50 to 55 performances all told. His voice at 58 has aged a bit, and as he puts it “taken on a patina”, or but it sounds in well-behaved enough shape to fade on for another decade on the same careful,always well-rehearsed programme. He’s considering adding yet another famous role to his repertoire, and may engage the lead in the world premiere of a brand recent opera.
His prophetic, oracular calls to attention can be profoundly uncomfortable for those who have ears to hearHe believes Tannhauser is Wagner’s most full frontal assault on Christianity,the title role “despicable and amoralContinue reading...
Source: theguardian.com