Anna Netrebko, the world famous Russian soprano, has a voice so wonderful she makes me cry. Her purity, power and emotion just carries me to tears - and that can be embarrassing if I'm just listening to her CDs in the car !
She's notorious for failing to appear, especially at Covent Garden. Last year she suddenly decided not to take a role in "Faust", and there have been other instances of her crying off at short notice. (I am not blaming all opera singers for falling ill etc.... but Anna is a true Diva)
It was hard to get tickets for the general rehearsal of "La Boheme". She was scheduled along with Joseph Calleja ("the Maltese tenor") who has such a rich and chocolatey tenor voice that he, too, can carry you away on a wave of emotion.
I managed to get just one ticket, in the highest point of the auditorium - the Upper Slips - and in a position where you can only see half of the stage at best. (But a snip at £5)
I love the atmosphere at rehearsals. The blip today is of a young opera enthusiast just looking happily over the tops of Covent Garden on a pretty sunny day.
Anna Netrebko did appear, in person, and in splendid voice.
I got through tissues in Act 1, and even more in Act III. I don't usually cry at the end, but I did today. (And so did the enormous, strapping Glaswegian guy sitting to my left)
There's going to be a live cinema relay of this production shortly and I recommend it totally.
Oh, and while we're on the subject of Russian female singers - remember you heard it first here when Russia win the Eurovision Song Contest this Saturday......
