Fabulous Friday: "Depuis le jour" x 3

My favorite opera aria ever is "Depuis le jour" from Louise by Gustave Charpentier. The opera is a snooze but this aria is <<ravissante>>! I first heard it sung by the sublime Leontyne Price in the context of the 1987 movie Aria. This segment of the movie was directed by Derek Jarman and starred one of his muses, a dewy, 27-year old Tilda Swinton. The old lady (as she's referred to in the credits) is Amy Johnson. This is her only movie credit, I wonder what her story is. She's so touching in this.

I got Miss Price's The Art of the Prima Donna collection a few years later and listened to this same recording of "Depuis" over and freaking over.

I have a feeling that I heard Kiri te Kanawa sing it in recital at least once but I'm not entirely sure. It would be a good piece for her. My next definite interaction with the aria was a performance by Renée Fleming at the James Levine 40th anniversary gala at the Met in 1996. Yeesh, almost 30 years ago! Seems like a long time ago. BECAUSE IT WAS. Some snarky opera queen on parterre.com said Miss Fleming looked like Jessica Rabbit as Samuel Barber's Vanessa but I think she looks lovely. And she sounds like a dream - - the high B is divine.

And just the other day I discovered this performance by Anna Moffo. I always use the word "gooey" when it comes to her - - and when you have a French pastry like this aria, don't you want it to be gooey? It's troubling to me that her highest notes seem to be disconnected from the rest of the voice, a literal break in the sound. Not ideal but it doesn't appear to do her any harm. The hair and makeup are a crafty distraction.

#craftydistraction