I was going to include these videos in one of my Planet Borepatch the-life-the-universe-and-everything posts, but it didn't come together. I'm (for once) listening to my inner editor and putting it on the shelf until I receive coded instructions radioed from Plan Borepatch Mission Control.
However, these videos are astounding. I don't watch America's Got Talent, as I don't have much interest in that sort of thing. But little ten year old Jackie Evancho sings opera like an angel. This is her debut on the show, based on a Youtube video she submitted as an audition. I love the prize she wins at the end, which quite frankly seems spot on for a ten year old.
And I think this is from the semi-finals, where - because she was so short - she had to stand on a crate to reach the microphone.
And while I'm no expert, I don't see how any of the other competitors stand a chance against her. Good luck to young Miss Evancho, whose career we shall watch with great interest.
That last song that she sang reminds me of another venue that (like America's Got Talent) swims in a sea of kitch, but which is so magnificently sui generis as to rise to the level of art. I speak, of course, of the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas which are literally (and entirely unexpectedly) one of the wonders of the world. I tool #1 Son to Vegas with me one a business trip, and one delightful evening was spent in its entirety in front of the Bellagio, watching the shows with my boy every 15 minutes.
It's strange how, in the midst of the mundane and the ordinary, you can stumble onto the sublime.
5 comments:
It's strange also how many british judges are on "America's Got Talent."
Good voice, though.
I really hope she has voices of wisdom in her life to give she a frame of reference, otherwise she could easily be the victim of her own success.
Jim
second on refletoscope's comment, she's a candidate for burn out at a very very young age if not managed with care.
that child has to be a reincarnated opera singer, her stage presence is way way beyond her years, and she knew she nailed it before the judges uttered a word. Of note was her humble acknowledgment of the judges praise. Did someone already say WOW?
I second that as well.
I agree that she's got presence, but I watch her sing and I worry. A child like that is too young to have natural vibrato; watch her chin shake and think of the damage she's wreaking on her voice.
While it's nice to see young girls singing opera rather than Pussycat Dolls, I hope like hell she turns out better than Charlotte Church (who also got too famous too young). Me, I'll stick with Kathleen Battle and Joan Sutherland :)
She is amazing. This is coming from someone who was also inspired to pursue vocal music by the Phantom ot the Opera. I'm actually very, very concerned for her. Her voice has not matured and she stands a chance of actually doing permanent damage to her vocal chords by pushing them. I've seem far too many potentially great vocalists form nodes on their vocal chords because they pushed too hard too fast. Nodes are permanent damage.
She's really only forcing it in her mid-range which is unlikely to hurt her, but I'm very afraid that she is really tempting fate here. She has a real passion that I would be heartbroken to see her burn out too early in. There are far too few young people getting interested in opera. I very much encourage her to pursue it, but I am very afraid that she will hurt herself on her current path.
I give this commentary as an operatically trained soprano. I've seen it. I've watched way too many push themselves and crash hard. She needs a very skilled vocal coach that can help her make this jump in a healthy manner. Early fame may gain her attention, but she may pay for it for the rest of her life. I believe that gamble is far too high.
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