Search - B.J. Ward, Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini :: Ward: Stand-Up Opera

Opera As Fun Entertainment: Comedian Soprano B.J.Ward

05/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Who would have thought opera could be so much fun and make for great comedy ? B.J. Ward is herself a gifted and unique soprano, even if she is not among the ranks of today's most famous. She first heard Licia Albanese sing La Rondine and was hooked on opera ever after. In this recording, taped live at an Embassador's building in New York City, B.J. Ward treats the audience to hilariou stand-up comedy while at the same time singing arias from some of the great, mainstream operas. Hopefully, this will attract the younger folk into opera, for if you can appreciate great comedy styling, surely you can appreciate opera, the best musical and theatrical art form. The cover on the album is also quite catchy. I enjoyed this album a lot. I'm a fan of B.J. Ward, who is to opera what the parodist composer C.P.Q. Bach is to classical music. Other recordings of Miss Ward include Larynx, the Song Bird (I think thats what its called) and Queen of the Night, these are compilation albums of arias sung by the incomparable B.J. Ward. She may not be Renee Fleming, she is surely not Maria Callas, but she is an artist in her own right, with a beautiful voice that is full of her own love for opera. I think she is the closest singer and personality to the personage of Beverly Sills.



Prior to each aria in this album is a bit of stand-up comedy introducing the piece, explaining the scene and plot of the opera. The operas included here are all the big names- Verdi's La Traviata, Puccini's La Boheme ( "both women die of tubercolosis" says B.J. Ward, "only Mimi in Boheme is not as well-dressed ") She has knowledge of opera history, she hates how women are victims in opera, always dying out of love, being screwed over by men (the composers of these operas were sexist men she says but its not like that today). Her wit and humor are very 90's, like a female Jerry Seinfeld, and the arias are exquisite. She sings Vissi D'Arte from Tosca, Como Scoglio from Cosi Fan Tutte, Fiordiligi's difficult showpiece- and she succeeds in singing the whole thing- The Seguidilla from Carmen, in rich mezzo voice, Sempre Libera from Traviata, another coloratura razzle-dazzle piece, with extraordinary strength and acrobatic skill. She sings a rarity, too - "Ernani, Involami" from the early Verdi opera Ernani. She concludes with a tribute to her idol soprano, Licia Albanese in a fine rendition of "Doretta's Dream" aria- Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta. Don't hesitate to buy this album today and enjoy the comedy and operatic stylings of the one and only B.J.Ward...she's a one woman opera in itself."

You Will Laugh Your Head Off

05/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One line is all I need to quote: B.J. Ward sings Rusalka's Song to the Moon, and calls Dvorak's Rusalka "Disney's Little Mermaid with a Quentin Tarantino ending" !!!"