Post by lapayin on Mar 4, 2007 20:28:11 GMT -5
Obviously, the big news this week was the beginning of Lara's first venture into the Italian market. It got off to a somewhat rocky start as she skipped some concert appearances early in the week with Gigi d'Alesso - he explained she didn't have enough time. Nevertheless, she did appear for her televised performance at the San Remo festival on Friday night and it was an unqualified success. As any of you who have seen the videos know, she was extremely delighted (and I believe somewhat nervous) to be opening this phase of her career in the country that she considers her real birthright - both aspects are apparent in her somewhat exaggerated emotional responses. But she looked great, and if the public in Italy didn't know her before, they sure do now. No wallflower her! Lara's appearance on this show is also the subject of another thread.
She started off singing a portion of Adagio (in English!). Why she did not sing this in Italian is a mystery - perhaps she felt that her Italian would be judged by the audience and wanted to avoid that - or maybe she just felt more comfortable with the English version (which I've heard other singers say is the more difficult one to sing). She did all right with it but you could tell she hasn't been singing it recently - it didn't have quite the same vocal impact as when she performed it regularly. It is also possible that her voice can't handle it the same way now. Nevertheless, the audience (and host) didn't seem to notice because even at less than optimum, Lara's singing of this song is very impressive.
Her duet with Gigi d'Alesso of "Un Cuore Malato" on the other hand showed Lara at her peak. Determinedly sexy, in great voice, and full of energy, it will go down as another one of her great duos. In the last update it was noted that Lara takes on the colors of her surroundings, and it is always interesting to see how much more willing she is to be sensual in 'Latin' countries - in Brazil, in Spain, and now in Italy, away from what she must feel is a certain prudishness that prevails in France. Remember when she was castigated in France for the bra commercial in which the French felt she 'showed too much'? And a French interviewer asked her if the reason she did not release the official video of 'I Am Who I Am' in France was because she thought it was too 'risque' for the audience (she denied it, but the interviewer did not believe her). She may also have been trying to correct an impression - she has mentioned that in Italy she is thought of as a 'classical singer' which she said she is not. Well, the Italian public will now know her in a very different form, which might give her carte blanche to continue to act in this much more sensual way. Who knows, it may even carry over to the Italian album.
The performance was an unqualified success with the Italian audience, judging from the response on Gigi d'Alesso's web site. His fans wrote in heaping great praise on her for her appearance and especially her voice, saying she was sensational. Apparently even during the rehearsals people were astounded to hear her singing, and it was remarked upon before the show actually began. Her French audience too was highly effusive (and they didn't seem to mind her 'swaying her hips').
[As was evident from the videos, the host was certainly 'taken' with her. Apparently he wanted to kiss her on the lips, but she refused, so he settled for the customary kiss on the cheek. Hosts on Italian shows are probably under pressure to live up to stereotypes!]
If Lara needed any encouragement concerning whether this was the right career move, she's certainly gotten it. She has again been invited to join Gigi's tour, this time in Rome on March 9. It will be interesting to see if given the momentum from this show, she now feels comfortable enough to appear.
Lara will be back in France in 12 days, for the start of the Night of the Proms tour. In the meantime, she is still scheduled to be in Italy, and it would not be surprising if she popped up in some other still-to-be-announced media event while she is there (a la Canada).
David
She started off singing a portion of Adagio (in English!). Why she did not sing this in Italian is a mystery - perhaps she felt that her Italian would be judged by the audience and wanted to avoid that - or maybe she just felt more comfortable with the English version (which I've heard other singers say is the more difficult one to sing). She did all right with it but you could tell she hasn't been singing it recently - it didn't have quite the same vocal impact as when she performed it regularly. It is also possible that her voice can't handle it the same way now. Nevertheless, the audience (and host) didn't seem to notice because even at less than optimum, Lara's singing of this song is very impressive.
Her duet with Gigi d'Alesso of "Un Cuore Malato" on the other hand showed Lara at her peak. Determinedly sexy, in great voice, and full of energy, it will go down as another one of her great duos. In the last update it was noted that Lara takes on the colors of her surroundings, and it is always interesting to see how much more willing she is to be sensual in 'Latin' countries - in Brazil, in Spain, and now in Italy, away from what she must feel is a certain prudishness that prevails in France. Remember when she was castigated in France for the bra commercial in which the French felt she 'showed too much'? And a French interviewer asked her if the reason she did not release the official video of 'I Am Who I Am' in France was because she thought it was too 'risque' for the audience (she denied it, but the interviewer did not believe her). She may also have been trying to correct an impression - she has mentioned that in Italy she is thought of as a 'classical singer' which she said she is not. Well, the Italian public will now know her in a very different form, which might give her carte blanche to continue to act in this much more sensual way. Who knows, it may even carry over to the Italian album.
The performance was an unqualified success with the Italian audience, judging from the response on Gigi d'Alesso's web site. His fans wrote in heaping great praise on her for her appearance and especially her voice, saying she was sensational. Apparently even during the rehearsals people were astounded to hear her singing, and it was remarked upon before the show actually began. Her French audience too was highly effusive (and they didn't seem to mind her 'swaying her hips').
[As was evident from the videos, the host was certainly 'taken' with her. Apparently he wanted to kiss her on the lips, but she refused, so he settled for the customary kiss on the cheek. Hosts on Italian shows are probably under pressure to live up to stereotypes!]
If Lara needed any encouragement concerning whether this was the right career move, she's certainly gotten it. She has again been invited to join Gigi's tour, this time in Rome on March 9. It will be interesting to see if given the momentum from this show, she now feels comfortable enough to appear.
Lara will be back in France in 12 days, for the start of the Night of the Proms tour. In the meantime, she is still scheduled to be in Italy, and it would not be surprising if she popped up in some other still-to-be-announced media event while she is there (a la Canada).
David
