Saturday 16 January 2010

The train wreck of a travesty that is Popstar to Opera Star, as it happened, tweet by tweet

If you want a reasoned critique of why this is a outrage, there are plenty to choose from (such as this from Gert, or this from Opera Britannia). I don't want to rehash those same points, instead, find my tweet by tweet account of the action (albeit delayed a few hours as I was at a proper concert during the live broadcast).

Warning, the following may contain traces of irony:

God - the opening titles are not ever over and I fell ill! #popstarstooperastars

"two of the greatest in the business"? I wasn't aware Katherine Jenkins and Rolando Villazon were in the same business...

Someone please put Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen out of my misery

"It's not something people can just say, oh I'll do that today" says Meatloaf. Indeed not. Which does beg a rather obvious question......

There are some things one should never have to see/hear Jimmy Osmond do if one ever wants to sleep again #popstarstooperastars

Thank god for this bottle of 21 year old single malt scotch! #popstarstooperastars

@Kateviola glad to return the favour for everyone's tweets I enjoyed earlier

@STManson You would be right. I think I'd only enjoy Detroit with the sound muted!

"I never thought I'd be singing opera" - dear, you're not now.

Tonight's whisky came from the now defunct Imperial distillery in Speyside, distilled on 2/11/89, aged in a bourbon barrel....

It was bottled on 1/10/08 (bottle number 43 out of 285). Interesting light natural colour and going down rather nicely

@ClassicalReview the girl from hearsay

@OperaBritannia unfortunately I don't own a firearm!

@OperaBritannia which is probably just as well considering

Ah, and I see they've picked the Dies Irae from Verdi's well known opera 'Requiem' as the link music in and out of the add breaks

@benjammin22 ah Talkisker, my favourite, always good (but the bottle is close to finished and I feared the consequences if it ran out!)

Hey, I must not be paying attention. How come I never see an electric keyboard in the orchestra pit normally (well, John Adams aside)

I don't know which is more painful - Danny Jones's voice or that pink jacket with the black lapels - stylish!

@ClassicalReview sorry, I can't help myself!

As Meatloaf stands up and pontificates the whole thing has a quite charming Jerry Springer Show quality to it

"opera is just being on your own". I wonder what all these things I've been going to with the huge casts are?

On a serious note, even amplified, these voice are so weak there's not a one of them who wouldn't get booed in a real performance

"Britain's greatest talent, Katherine". Sorry, come again! I nearly spat out my whisky. Maybe Darius means talent in a non-musical sense

Darn - that's the problem with watching the repeat - I can't spend 50p on the telephone voting. Awww shucks!

I tell a lie - I can still be charged for voting, it just wouldn't count!

Hmmm, I'm not familiar with this lieder singer 'special guest' Camilla Kerslake or her repertoire....

Oh, my digibox has failed to record the last few minutes. Now I'll never know who was kicked off the show. Ah well!

Wow - if I tune in next week Katherine Jenkins will be performing live. How will I sleep between now and then????

Oh no, I've just realised, I won't be able to catch Katherine Jenkins live on #popstartoopera star next week, I have tickets for @RSNO

@mlaffs she wasn't actually singing this week (at least, I assume she wasn't trying to - it is quite hard to tell!)

@Gert thanks (actually I went over to the ITV website to catch the end that way). I think I need help

@mlaffs ah, I see. Well I suppose it would be that she is actually famous for not being able to actually sing opera properly

This concludes @wheresrunnicles' live-tweeting of my time delayed viewing of #popstartooperastar. Catch it here: http://is.gd/6lHUu

Possibly to be repeated next week, if I have any quips left. If you fancy experiencing the car crash for yourself, get out the scotch and head here.

Still, the quality tweeting on display from serious arts fans was a sight to behold (check it out). I'm reminded of something Marcus Brigstocke once said, in reference to David Blaine:

I have never been prouder of the British public... The depth of cynicism that we can stoop to within mere moments of an idiot doing something idiotic that isn't for charity is truly magnificent.

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