Talk:Janet Baker

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Album art in lead[edit]

In order to keep the album cover art (Mahler's Kindertotenlieder with John Barbirolli, EMI ASD 2338) in the lead section, the Wikipedia policy governing fair-use of copyrighted material requires commentary specific to the image to appear in the same section. Although this may not be totally desirable stylistically speaking, it is necessary to keep the image in this location. If the image is moved, the commentary should stay with it. --Robert.Allen (talk) 18:52, 30 November 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The Secret[edit]

This is a really fine entry. I need more information to identify "Miss Róza in The Secret." Whose opera is this? Wetman 08:17, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Sorry, I can find no more information about this opera on the Net. Maybe user:Camembert can look it up; he seems to have access to various reference works.

Cripes! Access to reference works?? A simple search in Wikipedia for Opera/The Secret shows you this is by Smetana... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.122.71.171 (talk) 07:01, 15 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I have a question for you: what do you think is the proper tense to use when talking about retired singers: past or present. Reread first sentence in article please: does it sound as though she is dead already? -- Viajero 12:44, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Poppea link[edit]

Deb, Poppaea redirects to Poppaea Sabina, which has nothing to do with Monteverdi. Poppaea is not the name of an opera; it is the title role in the opera The Coronation of Poppaea. -- Viajero 18:57, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Sorry, I always assumed that "The Coronation of Poppaea" was about the coronation of Poppaea Sabina. Deb 19:09, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)
No, I am sure it is. But to link to it from from a reference to a role in an opera, albeit on that subject, is too big conceptual jump IMO, at least in this context. Or am I mistaken? I am trying to think of an analogy. For example, if we wrote that so-and-so sang Richard Nixon in Stuttgart, in reference to a performance of Nixon in China, would we link this to Richard Nixon? I think not. -- Viajero 19:34, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)
One more thing: are you an opera fan? If not, you may not be aware of the convention of referring to the names roles rather than the operas themselves; it is a kind of shorthand. For example, one might say: so-and-so sang Violetta, Elizabeta, Donna Elvira, and Rosina... rather than Violetta in La Traviata etc. I would not normally link those role names to historical figures if they were to exist. -- Viajero 19:40, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)
I understand where you are coming from - I was being facetious, sorry. Having said that, I think there is an argument for linking, for example, from a book or film about a historical character (even if mostly fictional) to the article on that character -- and it is frequently done. But I agree, if there is an article about the opera, then it is better to link to that article. Would you agree that it would also be a good idea to link from the article about the opera to the historical character, and maybe also to mention, in the article about Poppaea Sabina, that there is a famous opera based on her story? Deb 21:44, 15 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Outside the opera house[edit]

If anyone's tracking this page - two questions. 1. Isnt she a DBE now? 2. the intro mentions Mahler and Elgar, and then just discusses her opera career. What about the concert hall? I personally remember being a few feet away from her at a Prom (this would have been late 60's, maybe 1970) when she gave a stunning performance of Das Lied, and of course her Angel with Barbirolli is iconic. I'd throw it in, but I'll wait a few days to see if someone who know a little more detail about her concert-hall career wants to pipe up. DavidBrooks 05:53, 9 Dec 2004 (UTC)


Frigoris 11:46, 2 April 2006 (UTC) more than one year passed and this part is still missing. I don't know much to contribute to this part, but I think her Sea Pictures with Sir John Barbirolli is really an irrefutable proof of her virtuosity in the concert hall, which certainly will be worthy of a category in the main artical.[reply]
ps. I'm not sure about the way I use the word virtuosity. I'm a zh-N wikipedian.

Where is she now?[edit]

Maybe a superfulous question but where is she now since dropping out of the artistic world? Whilst typing this I am listening to her singing Elgars Sea Pictures what a voice!

She lives in Harrow on the Hill, North London. Those sea pictures are immense...'In Haven' almost quiet to me, the point we seek Gareth E Kegg 02:13, 27 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Concert career[edit]

I have addded some basic information on her career on the concert stage, since I got to thinking about RVW's Hodie now that we're approaching Christmas. Feel free to make that paragraph better! --Wspencer11 (talk to me...) 22:03, 19 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The article claims she was famous for playing Dido Berlioz's Les Troyens. I know she was famous for Dido in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. Has there been some confusion, or is she famous for both? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jbraschl (talk • contribs) 17:56, 11 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

She is/was sure famous for both. But the article could be clearer about this. Her first appearance as the Berlioz Dido seems to have been in Glasgow, under Gibson, in a 1968 production, which I was lucky enough to see. Covent Garden preferred its house singer Josephine Veasey in the role, and only invited Janet Baker to cover for a Veasey Indisposition some time in the early 1970s. She recorded commercially only Dido's closing scenes with Gibson, while Veasey recorded the whole role. though off-air tapings of Baker performances of the Berlioz Dido exist. Her association with the Purcell Dido is documented by a recording conducted by Anthony Lewis. Other Handel opera roles included a quite marvellous Orlando in the late 1960s for the Barber Institute, but repeated at Sadler's Wells for the handel Opera Society, which I was also lucky enough to see, and broadcasts of Radamisto and Hymenaeus (Lewis's English language version of Imeneo). It might have been mentioned in the section on recordings that three recordings of her contribution to Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde exist, under Haitink, Leppard, and Kempe. Of her recital performances, there is a recorded Aldeburgh Festival recital with Leppard which includes music by Monteverdi, Purcell, Schubert, and Faure, last available on the BBC Legends label, which demonstrates her range, versatility, and commitment probably better than any other. 94.192.68.44 (talk) 23:35, 14 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

She switched from soprano to mezzo-soprano at the suggestion of Ivor Keys, professor of music at Birmingham University —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.128.166.203 (talk) 18:40, 21 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Interview[edit]

Janet Baker being interviewed on BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour now, available on iPlayer for a month afterwards. [1]. 86.152.240.66 (talk) 09:14, 5 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Final performance?[edit]

Dame Janet's final opera performance may have been her role in Orfeo at Glyndebourne in July 1982, but her final appearance on the concert stage was at the Proms the following month. I well remember the occasion, not a dry eye in the house! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 5.151.176.6 (talk) 11:27, 27 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

And it was close to being the last time she ever sang. I heard only yesterday that she has not sung a note, at all, for many years now. Not even in the shower. The music means too much to her, and she now feels she could not do it justice but would just trivialise it. Very sad, but what integrity. Thank God for her timeless recordings. -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 11:39, 27 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Recordings section[edit]

Is there any point in this section? It just contains a random and very incomplete list of recordings featuring JB. There are lots of important recordings missing. Either it should be a comprehensive discography or nothing. --Ef80 (talk) 13:36, 24 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

  • Yes, the point of this section is that readers are frequently interested in the discography of a musician. If you are concerned that readers may be misled that this list is comprehensive, I have no objection to section being renamed Recordings (partial listing), or some such. --Hobbes Goodyear (talk) 01:05, 25 July 2015 (UTC)[reply]

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