I miss Peter Allen
I started listening to the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts back in 1991. In those days, the host was Peter Allen, who by that point had been the host of the broadcasts for nearly twenty years.
Peter Allen was a great host. He had a deep mellow voice, he knew the operas, but show off his knowledge. When he had time to fill (which happened often), he described the sets, costumes, and stage action. He was never snarky, hip, excessively idiomatic, or "cute".
He worked by himself, but it never sounded like a monologue: it sounded like he was talking with *you*.
A few years back, he retired, and was replaced with Margaret Juntwait, who co-hosts with Ira Siff (on the Saturday broadcasts) and Will Berger (on Sirius or streaming broadcasts). I've tried to enjoy them--tried as much as I possibly can.
I can't.
Juntwait and her co-host's style remind one of a precocious child, whose favorite words are "Did you know...?" Of course, for a seasoned opera listeners, the "did you know" facts are absurdly obvious and well-known. The fully-scripted banter is painfully unfunny.
At least Juntwait and Siff have good diction. Berger slurs embarrassingly.
Metropolitan Opera, please I beg you: less is more. Less commentary, less cute, less "interesting" information. Ms. Juntwait, Mr. Siff, Mr. Berger: please, dial it down.
Peter Allen was a great host. He had a deep mellow voice, he knew the operas, but show off his knowledge. When he had time to fill (which happened often), he described the sets, costumes, and stage action. He was never snarky, hip, excessively idiomatic, or "cute".
He worked by himself, but it never sounded like a monologue: it sounded like he was talking with *you*.
A few years back, he retired, and was replaced with Margaret Juntwait, who co-hosts with Ira Siff (on the Saturday broadcasts) and Will Berger (on Sirius or streaming broadcasts). I've tried to enjoy them--tried as much as I possibly can.
I can't.
Juntwait and her co-host's style remind one of a precocious child, whose favorite words are "Did you know...?" Of course, for a seasoned opera listeners, the "did you know" facts are absurdly obvious and well-known. The fully-scripted banter is painfully unfunny.
At least Juntwait and Siff have good diction. Berger slurs embarrassingly.
Metropolitan Opera, please I beg you: less is more. Less commentary, less cute, less "interesting" information. Ms. Juntwait, Mr. Siff, Mr. Berger: please, dial it down.