[Joyce DiDonato singing “Thy hand, Belinda” from Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” with Il Pomo d’Oro during the award ceremony for the Echo Klassik 2017, Hamburg/Elbphilharmonie 2017]
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If there is a more poignant image in music and its power this week than the tear streaking through DiDonato’s heavy make-up as she sings – being awarded for the Album of The Year für “War & Peace” – Dido’s lament at the Eccho Klassik Awards, I’ve yet to see it.
Well, there is also the standing ovation for Brigitte Fassbaender while accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award in flats and with a no-nonsense attitude, which speaks to me on a spiritual level, so have your pick.
FASSBAENDER!!
That’s all.
(I hope you have risen from whatever chair or couch you’ve been sitting on.)
And her thank you speech boils down to “Mir ist die Ehre widerfahren”.
(she actually says that)
(as a quintessential comment on her life’s work, and GOD THAT VOICE).
(why, yes, I’m crying)
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(to bring the mood back to somethink less weighty, check out photos footage both ilpdo and JDD posted regarding the event, particularly the bits where they pose street gang style in an elevator and look very dapper)
The 2h+ Echo Klassik Gala, if not geoblocked (I am on abroad at the moment and could access the video, but it might be a European thing), can be found here for 5 more days on ZDF, don’t let yourself be deterred by the looks of the conferencier – he is, as the entire event, and the fashion on display, rather German.
But! There’s dapper Il Pomo d’Oro (did I mention that already?), and Yendé, and lots of sweeping comera angles all around the Elbphilharmonie:
“Elphi” at sunset.
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Yendé!
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Il Pomo d’Oro and plucked strings.
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How to make an entrance.
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Di Donato, and did I mention the lute already?
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Elphilharmonie was built for camera sweeps, clearly.
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Good night from Hamburg. I shall rewind the Fassbaender speech for a while.
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Queer Lorgnette 
My pick is fassbarer, she has reached a realm of wisdom and detachment which is desirable and praiseworthy and which protects her private feelings from the intrusiveness of hd TV – I feel for jdd who probably really disliked being on display like that.
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I do not dare to assume what JDD might feel or not, but my – only mine, we will all have differnet ones – impression of her is that she never withdraws from open communication with her audiences, with all the vulnerability that might entail, and I hope that just as well, there would never be embarrassment for her, but only pride at that capability and dedication and having reached people.
To me, it was a moment that cut through all the glossy award mood and its comfort with itself – to communicte the power of music and creation beyond facades, which is so essentially what the awarded album is about, much more a perspective on life than merely a recording.
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yes, agreed. her speech was powerful especially through its emotional intensity. Many were moved deeply. (I really liked the translation for ‘creation’: das Schöpferische.) Actually Fassbaender said sth really beautiful about the effects singers have (her Wigmore Hall Masterclass, I think it’s on Medici tv) – that they are really blessed because they always bring sth positive, beautiful to people by nature of their job, never anything negative. Wow! So profound.
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PS: watched passenger’s Octavian in honour of her straight afterwards (the 72 Munich Rosenkavalier with Kleiber)
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that was my first thought afterwards, too.
And her speaking voice is still enough to bowl over a person. I say.
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Goodness ‘fassbaender’ both times silly self correcting program
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it should autocorrect to ‘rosebearer’! 🙂
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//i.pinimg.com/originals/8b/22/60/8b2260c3e8e62729ece6c25022e4b15d.jpg
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Lutenist Immortal!
now *that* TV show, I would watch.
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Have I missed the chance to see this? Damn headache.
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No, but Germany/Austria/Switzerland only, it seems. So we will have to act accordingly.
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Yes! 👌
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The Joyce related bits have been somewhat accessible via FB/Instagram courtesy of JDD and ilpdo. My own download crashed, but I will retry it today so the WS archives may hold it.
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