Alfie Boe finds opera-going 'boring'

I completely agree. As they say, you should know your audience. I think anyone who thinks of singing as just a job should probably go do something else

Oh, and by the way, he didn't say that it was just a job, he said that it is his WORLD........big difference!!!!!

'Rather dutifully', your opinion?......'listening to the odd thing at home', don't think that's what he said at all......go back and listen again. As for your taking issue with my accusation of snobbery, well that's your right, but when I last checked the dictionary, it was defined as 'the trait of condescending to those of lower social status'. After reading the remarks from Jonathan Miller and others, what would you call it?? I don't believe that I called any one person a snob, I just stated that snobbery and elitism exists in the world of opera. And yes, I realize that it also exists in other genres of music, but we are talking about opera here. Alfie has also stated on many occasions that he does not view 'crossover' as others do. He does not see it as him crossing over to other genres of music, but rather having the audience crossover. He wants to take the opera and classical audiences with him into the world of other genres of music and he wants to bring those other audiences back with him into the world of opera and classical music. Just what is so dang difficult for people to understand about that?? As for the falling asleep at the opera, that was when he was in college, and from what I've been told, those sessions could go on for hours.......you mean to tell me that you've never fallen asleep during a class while in school? And for the 'bored stiff', he was simply stating how he felt when being a spectator vs performing. Last time I checked, being able to state your opinion was still a right and freedom granted to all in your country just as it is here. Alfie Boe is a big boy and I'm sure that he will weather all of this just fine and come out stronger than before. His legions of fans, which is growing larger every day, will continue to love, support and follow him as his presence in the world of music and beyond grows bigger and bigger!

I have not read comments elsewhere regarding Alfie Boe's appearance on Desert Island Discs. Have I missed something? I take it bentchlo has, otherwise I am at a loss to understand his comments about snobs of the "opera world" showing their faces this week. Speaking as someone who has no connection with the "opera world" other than a profound love of the medium, I found Mr Boe's comments distasteful and insulting to audiences who pay a not inconsiderable amount of money to see a performance. Did he deliberately set out to be provocative or was he honestly expressing a view that opera as a spectator is not for him? Mr Boe was candid about coming from humble origins and has experienced the stark reality of social status (or lack of) for the majority of people in this country. In terms of PR, Mr Boe has scored an "own goal". Many people end up in a profession by accident rather than design but don't deliberately go on record biting the hand that feeds them.

bentchlo, since my last post I read other articles and posters comments on a couple of websites on this subject which put things into perspective. I read several rather disparaging and unnecessary remarks which would not be accepted on this forum as they would be moderated, thank goodness. I don't think personal comments regarding Mr Boe's perceived lack of professionalism do any favours for opera or indeed the wider musical landscape. I listened to the programme in question at the time it was broadcast and while I appreciated his candid points of view, perhaps he could have been more selective with his disclosures. He was well aware his comments were inflammatory and likely to cause upset in some quarters and whatever has gone on in his professional life between opera house managers and colleagues will no doubt come out in the passage of time in a future biography. Perhaps he should have been even more candid and spilled the beans on his experiences of elitism. Nevertheless, I think some of his remarks were misconceived. He is only one of a number of opera singers, many of whom reached the absolute top of the profession, who came from humble origins ie Caballe, Domingo, Pavarotti, Callas to name just a few. Crossing musical boundaries is hardly anything new as many opera singers did this well before Alfie Boe came along. I can't recall reading anything from other singers expressing boredom while attending opera performances of their colleagues. I have read a few "catty" remarks about colleagues performances which may have been fabricted or falsely attributed to some of them, of course, but I have not come across an opera singer who openly stated they find attending opera boring. Unless Mr Boe has outstanding contractual obligations to meet in the opera house I can thoroughly understand any opera house manager being reluctant to engage him for future performances.

Whilst I hadn't heard Mr Boe's appearance in DID (it has become a tedious programme, to my mind) I can't agree with the Editor.

There have been well-documented instances of performers who don't enjoy listening to recordings or even other people's performances. It didn't necessarily make them unworthy of attention as performers themselves.

I remember hearing years ago a broadcast interview with a world-famous organist (I can't be sure who after so long, so I shan't hazard a name, so as to avoid slandering the wrong person) who said that he loved playing (certain organ music - it might have been the Art of Fugue) but wouldn't want to listen to it. Sort of thing Beecham might have said, come to think of it!

bentchlo, without resorting to David Cameron's comments in the Houses of Parliament which so upset an MP on the opposite benches I feel obliged to point out that some people appear to be reacting rather hysterically to this subject. Of course, the way something comes across in print is different from what is said. As you said, Mr Boe has not put fuel on the flames of his remarks which, calculated or otherwise, nevertheless caused controversy. Some artists welcome any publicity and negative publicity to a public figure can be turned into a positive. I suspect Mr Boe knows that he is not in the same league as Rolando Villazon, Jonas Kaufmann and a few others and is trying to find his niche. I haven't heard anything from him which makes me interested enough to want to buy a recording of his. His voice is pleasant enough but I prefer something rather more "beefy" and substantial. He is welcome to replace the somewhat strangulated tones of Russell Watson - another singer who thinks his supposed lowly "northern, working-class connection" has any relevance. Like bentchlo said I am happy to put this to rest but stand by my comments and still support the editors view.