Marilyn Horne Vocal Masterclass June 24, 2015

The Music Academy of the West is among the nation’s preeminent summer schools and festivals for gifted young classical musicians. At its ocean-side campus in Santa Barbara, the Academy provides these musicians with the opportunity for advanced study and performance under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty artists, guest conductors, and soloists. Admission to the Academy is strictly merit based, and fellows receive full scholarships (tuition, room, and board). The Academy’s distinguished teaching artists roster has included famed soprano Lotte Lehmann, composers Darius Milhaud and Arnold Schoenberg, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, pianist Jeremy Denk, and current Voice Program Director Marilyn Horne. Academy alumni are members of major symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, and university and conservatory faculties throughout the world. Many enjoy careers as prominent solo artists. In 2014 the Music Academy entered into a four-year partnership with the New York Philharmonic, resulting in unprecedented training and performance opportunities for Academy fellows, and Summer Festival residencies for Philharmonic musicians.
The Music Academy of the West cultivates discerning, appreciative, and adventurous audiences, presenting more than 200 public events annually, nearly half of them free of charge. These include performances by faculty, visiting artists, and fellows; masterclasses; orchestra and chamber music concerts; and a fully staged opera. For more information, visit musicacademy.org

[@tomtalker2000]

I love Marilyn she is SO down to earth. And such a sweet human being. What a honor for these students learning from one of the masters.

[@williamoser5953]

Jacqui being so Jacqui, guiding people to seats, telling the audience audience about Tannhauser. First, I have never known an artist as great as Marilyn Horne was/is become such a great teacher, but she did. I had the great privilege of working with her a few times, mostly through Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge and always great to work with. Truly one of the nicest people God ever created. No wonder she and Joan were such good friends, both such unassuming people. Love her and send her a birthday card every year because she shares the day with my late father. What you are seeing here is how she always was.

[@petyafordsavillems755]

Loved the girl that sang Orpheus! Of course the Maestra is superb!!!

[@thomasgrass6357]

These are wonderful singers, and Marylin Horn ist a great teacher and person. Thank you vor posting.

[@Eiswirth1]

Very beautiful young voices, guided by the great Marilyn Horne. Hard to top that!

[@theoperapianist]

OMG, I'm enjoying this so much I just want to stay and listen to La Maestro!

[@flyinghow]

I thought the last piece was so beautiful 💜

[@macrocosmique]

I really love the tenor's voice ! I hope to hear more of him in the future when he develops

[@celebrity19812004]

I love Marilyn!

[@caninbar]

Love the red socks, btw! Goes great with the time line! :)

[@draganvidic2039]

Cute baritone at first and a nice voice. I hear a chiaroscuro sound, balanced registers and a beautiful timbre.

[@pega17pl]

Sorry to say, but at her master classes I appreciate Horne's humorous explanations and remarks more than the singing.

[@vettegaddia6234]

+pega17pl The Asian girl had a very beautiful voice and a healthy vibrato. The problem with her is her high heels throw her posture too far forward. She has potential.

[@thomasborgsmidt9801]

Hmm... that is something You'll never get past with the high sopranos. They are little women tiptoeing in a fast pace. Just look at Diana Damrau. Listen to her Susanna in "Nozze"... I'm not saying it is wrong; but it is different from other Susannas. They are simply to different types of singers. But generally You are right - sopranoes have a tendency to use awful footwear. Birgit Nilsson once stated the most important thing singing Brünhilde was comfortable shoes. You see how Anna Netrebko use every opportunity to kick off her shoes. And again as Thomas Hampson would say ankles under hips under shoulders to give correct breathing.

[@Altonahh10]

...but Anna´s shoe kicking doesn´t help any more. She´s completely out of focus, no matter what shoes she´s wearing ;-)

[@christiaandhooghe]

The Baritino Michael, hope he also will get into lieder.Such a wonderful voice, rich!And the Mezzo....her instrument is the most ready.You hear it, and delivering the music on a silver plater.

[@winrx]

Still,such a wise articulate woman......!

[@baritonebynight]

1:02.19 "Every time I did it it brought down the house, but it wasn't me it was Gluck". Who am I to disagree with Ms. Horne, but I would have to say that she probably had something to do with it also as one of the greatest singers of all time.

[@herrbrucvald6376]

I think the Wagner baritone has an absolutely first-rate instrument, but is young and developing. Beautiful voice, a manly 'baritone' presence. He should have a good career, at the very least.

[@Dadacomero]

+!mrdunn brucvald and he's an EXTREMELY good looking man, unlike most of opera singers

[@herrbrucvald6376]

+Dadacomero He's the complete package. Beautiful, beautiful baritone sound. He has a masculinity which is absolutely essential for a baritone to portray these characters in the operas. He could be cast in the role now! Good luck Mr. Hewitt.

[@ddehggial9932]

interesting, I thought baritones tend to be good looking in general.

[@TheArtofBlues]

Its interesting that this is my favorite Wagner song and somehow i click on this video.

[@olgaivanova3989]

What an amazing voice!

[@draganvidic2039]

Who?

[@AScarletWoman]

​@@draganvidic2039We'll never know 🥲

[@christiaandhooghe]

Michael Hewitt.....so beautiful!!!!

[@pega17pl]

(29:47) At similar dress case at her master class Christa Ludwig complained red color. "Not your dress but your singing is important at recital! Don't distract with flashy clothes!"

[@7Samadhi777]

Addio, addio, o miei sospiri, Orfeo's aria from Orfeo ed Euridice Addio, addio, o miei sospiri, Away with mourning and sighing, Han speme i miei desiri; Lo, on the gods relying; Per lei soffrir vo' tutto, For her all risks defying, Ed ogni duolo sfidar. I boldly go on my quest. Addio, addio, o miei sospiri, Away with mourning and crying, Han speme i miei desiri; Lo, on the gods relying; Per lei soffrir vo' tutto, For her all risks defying, Ed ogni duolo sfidar. I boldly go…I go on my quest. Veder ben vogl'io l'inferno, I’ll press through hell’s gloomy portal, Veder ben vogl'io l'inferno, ...through hell’s gloomy portal, I figli d'Orco vincer, Force it's powers immortal, Quei tutti superar! To bow to my behest!

[@Altonahh10]

Crucial to singing is the LANGUAGE. It makes no sense to sing some gibberish without expressing the text. And sorry, but when I sing Sophie in Rosenkavalier, the audience must understand what the entire scene is about. Every syllable needs support. Jessye Norman said she never sung in a language she didn´t speak. And that´s why she was convincing in every role because she knew what it was about.

[@pega17pl]

Without knowing/speaking the language you aren't able to generate 'Ausdruck' Jessye Norman knows.

[@SingerGeneLeonard]

Altonahh10 I agree with you 100% to me if the language is not legato than it gets your voice in knots!

[@winstonku1011]

Altonahh10 no

[@michaelodom3121]

The language sung is rarely my first. I need and appreciate clean diction to follow along and understand. The singers should be trained and care enough to do it correctly.

[@projetoaustria]

Great!

[@pega17pl]

Why was Wagner dissatisfied with Tannhäuser? In the original version of finale, after Venus appears Tannhäuser returns to her. This finale was censored after the premiere in Dresden. Wagner had to write a new conclusion. He changed the text but left the music untouched. Now the internal structure of the opera is damaged. Wolfram's song to the evening star (who is Venus!) loses its bigotry. Wagner was a revolutionary and wanted to denounce the mendacity of church and court with his 'singer competition'. Above all, the hypocritical 'high Gothic' Elisabeth was a thorn in his side, too, he (Tannhäuser and Wagner) preferred carnal pleasures (Venus!)

[@draganvidic2039]

The ”mezzo” singing Gluck here is barely a mezzo. Yes nowadays every soprano with a short top are mezzos like DiDonato for example. And they are called lyric mezzos because they have small voices. She’s of course talented even if she lacks som clarity. Once upon a time there were more either contraltoish lower voices and the rest were sopranos with or without high notes for bravura coloratura. At any voice competition nowadays there are mostly sopranos and a few ”lyric” limited mezzos. Why no contraltos or big dramatic sopranos?

[@marcelbureau2753]

Very interesting to see Mrs. Horne teaching something she never did correctly!!!

[@flyinghow]

LoL what do you mean

[@marcelbureau2753]

@@flyinghow I mean SINGING!!!

[@Altonahh10]

No Tannhäuser can be cuter than this baritone. And when his German gets better and his singing ripes within the next years, this could be one of the barihunks the world is waiting for. Manly singing, still lacking edges and interpretation and sometimes flat but that might be due to being nervous and lack of experience.

[@Baccatube79]

Couldn't disagree more - the guy has not the slightest idea what he is singing

[@bodiloto]

dove studiano il canto questi ragazzi ?!! tutti sono purtroppo poco preparati tecnicamente . quel gâchis

[@Tkimba2]

Conservatori, accedemie, maestri famosi e non... Questa è la realtà purtroppo..

[@jotge.3444]

The Bass is wonderful, but his tune is often too high and the German pronounciation often wrong. ...dem Tarrr der Erde? ....correct: dem Tal der Erde. usw.

[@ransomcoates546]

Lord the Wagner baritone is so badly out of tune in the middle voice. Her comment on the closed vowel in ‘Seele’ was interesting. German singers will sing these vowels more or less open/closed depending on where they are from. Schlusnus always sang that word as if the first syllable were ‘zay’.

[@dfghdfghuytiu8207]

I think he was super nervous

[@solcarzemog5232]

The first baryton is out of tune! Can't believe she doesn't hear it!

[@herrbrucvald6376]

No. He's not off-pitch. Horne isn't not hearing flat singing. Wagner is simply utilizing unusual harmonies involving the singer and orchestra....

[@kingjamesversion3767]

Solcar is right. Especially towards the end he's sharp much of the time. Probably nerves. And it's not something Mme Horne can fix or even tweak in a masterclass. I assume she just decided to let it go and work where she could make a difference.

[@liedersanger1]

Baritone. Often flat, sometimes sharp. Generally, beautiful.

[@Nater389]

Piano player is hot...booty.

[@caninbar]

Nice voice and handsome but boring. Madame Horne is wonderful!

[@filpat1678]

La pronuncia italiana a volte non buona

[@raynardi7243]

Out of tune

[@draganvidic2039]

Who?