Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Sex and the Classics: Attack of the beautiful divas/divos.

Physical beauty has always been a powerful factor in all visual arts, as in almost everything else. Helen of Troy was the "face that launched a thousand ships"- which started a war. In the world of spectacle, physical beauty is paramount; only after the initial impact other attributes come into play. There are too many names to mention, but plastic surgery is not where it is by accident. Before the advent of TV, artists were judged not by what they looked like but by their talents. It is still so in some venues; not alas! in music. Or I should specify CLASSICAL music.

Suddenly, we're surrounded by glamorous young violinists, cellists, singers and - believe it or not - bassoonists.

If you don't believe it, look at www.beautyinmusic.com, where you'll find pictured a generous acreage of musically-gifted pulchritude, listed by instrument. Among the violinists there's Linda Brava, rather better known for her centrefold appearance in Playboy than for playing in the orchestra of the National Opera of Finland.

The site lists only women, but in the musical world the men are getting the same treatment. Twenty years ago, virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell led the way when he was pictured on the cover of his first CD in eye-wateringly tight jeans, leaning over a motorbike.

More recently, there's been a whole procession of heart-throb tenors. Two in particular have stood out: the Maltese Joseph Calleja, much praised in this paper for his effortless impersonation of the philandering Duke in Verdi's Rigoletto. And there's the Mexican Juan Diego Flórez, who recently released a much-praised album of virtuoso Rossini arias. What they have in common is that mix of dark, soulful looks and stubble that indicates "smouldering". Directly quoted from the internet:
"Admitting something I probably shouldn't, I have always thought Nadia Solerno-Sonnenberg was quite something because of her split of angelic playing and projected attitude of "bad girl." There's something quite sexy about being able to pull off the Tchaikovsky or Mendelssohn violin concerto and also portray being (slightly) dangerous.
Oh my god! Thomas Hampson! *drools* He is so handsome, particularly in his younger days. He's so virile, so masculine, so charming... lol have I gone too far? I think so But he is gorgeous. This is a pretty hot vid (except for his Fake Tan of Doom):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf4c8uREO3U"
And mentioned of course:..."Also, Philippe Jaroussky is a bit of a hottie." A BIT???

Deborah Voigt of the Wagneresque voice had to lose many pounds to improve her opportunities. A few countertenors we know of have had to hit the gyms and work out frenetically before a revealing role.

Are looks the deciding factor in adjudicating roles in opera? Probably not THE deciding factor, but it helps to be easy on the eye. A singer that looks like Jaroussky can be marketed way more easily than others not so fortunate. Add this to a gorgeous voice, modest demeanour, amiability with the public and you have a rock star equivalent to the rock stars from the 18th century.Remember them?
Fair? Maybe not. But we are a people captive to our senses, especially visual. Allure and beauty matter big time. Adding talent equals BIG SUCCESS.And, why not in classical music as in everything else? The subject of eroticism IN classical music is food for another time.But just listen to Italian madrigals of the early 17th century, or Wagner's Tristan and Isolde where ..."where it seems as if all the eroticism of humanity has been poured into one super-charged phrase. The tension, the agonised delay, purges the erotic quality of any sense of the body. "

Classical music , anyone?

1 comments:

Acis said...

I feel SO relieved now, that I am not the only one drooling, I already felt so tacky...
No, in seriousness, there are many many goodlooking singers -- But if the voice fails to touch me, it spoils everything for me.
Yes, I think Jaroussky is darn hot indeed -- yet, I prefer Quasthoff over almost all other Don Giovannis every time.

*Lankin