Submitted by Margit Rihl, Aug 23, 2007 16:04

I am a citizen of Salzburg and would like to comment on some of the points of the review.

I also find this review extremely sloppy, somewhat condescending.

There was certainly no miking that would be used to amplify the voices! Microphones were used to record the concert. In the meantime the concert of August 12 which was far more relaxed and better in every respect - with 5 encores! - was transmitted on Austrian radio and television. Also on the big screen on one of our squares.

The cancelling of Rolando Villazón caused some problems not only for Domingo and Martínez but also for the orchestra and Maestro Cobos. A large part of the repertoire had to be changed, the new music was hard to get. The Mozarteum Orchestra also performs in opera and has other duties, so finding time to rehearse new material was difficult. The second concert showed the orchestra enthusiastic and quite "Spanish".

Yes, there were no texts due to the late changes in repertoire. But European audiences know a large part of the zarzuelas due to Mr Domingo's efforts in presenting them in his concerts. He has also made several recordings and most romanzas were known to a large part of the audience. And if not - the presentation was such that their meaning went directly to the hearts of the listeners.

You should have mentioned that some to the romanzas were for baritone roles. During the last 4 years Mr Domingo has performed the baritone role of Vidal in "Luisa Fernanda" in Milan, Washington, D.C., Madrid and recently in June in Los Angeles. After such an illustrious career there is really no need for Mr Domingo to prove anything, what counts is his musicianship and unequalled artistry. And I would like to see any other tenor who performs the tenor and the baritone parts equally well!

As far as Ms Martínez is concerned, she is an accomplished singer and one of the few who - thank God! - does not have the mostly irritating vibrato of many of the zarzuela singers. I find this an advantage! At such short notice it is a miracle that she could step in. Both singers arrived on August 6 in Salzburg, the concert was on August 9! It is a miracle that it could take place at all. This is true professionalism.

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