‘Do some people—administrators, critics, politicians, operagoers—have a problem with American singers? Singers with names like “John Smith,” or “Eric Cutler,” rather than “Giovanni Martinelli”? Yes.’
This has gone on for centuries, in England before it did here. I recall the example of an Elizabethan-Jacobean composer who was born plain John Cooper, but changed his name to Giovanni Coperario. It seems to have worked for him.
There is something about Anglophone culture that prizes a foreign artist more than one that’s home-grown.
Jay writes:
‘Do some people—administrators, critics, politicians, operagoers—have a problem with American singers? Singers with names like “John Smith,” or “Eric Cutler,” rather than “Giovanni Martinelli”? Yes.’
This has gone on for centuries, in England before it did here. I recall the example of an Elizabethan-Jacobean composer who was born plain John Cooper, but changed his name to Giovanni Coperario. It seems to have worked for him.
There is something about Anglophone culture that prizes a foreign artist more than one that’s home-grown.
Amplification: another technological scourge.
Looking forward to it. I enjoyed the last two interviews: the young Russian pianist and the other singer.