Dear Editor: I was pleased to read Joanie Brittingham’s article, “Make Your Summer Sizzle.” It’s great to see articles by and for singers on the younger side of the spectrum. I wish I had spent my summers so wisely when I was in my 20s!
I have to admit that I was taken aback by the reference to getting “lost in the ghetto.” I can’t think of anyplace in New York City where the housing near a possible audition location is even affordable to middle-class families, let alone a “ghetto” area. The days of New York City being a relatively dangerous place are over. According to the FBI’s “Crime in the United States 2005,” the violent crime rate per 100,000 people was 673.1, in contrast to the 745.6 per 100,000 rate in Waco, Texas, where Ms. Brittingham is pursuing a graduate degree. In fact, New York City was just named “The Safest Large City in America.”
More importantly, using the term “ghetto” in such a casual way assumes that classical musicians have nothing in common with inhabitants of the “ghetto.” Reri Grist grew up in the projects of Spanish Harlem, and both Denyce Graves and Leontyne Price came from segregated neighborhoods in South Philadelphia and Mississippi, respectively. As someone who now teaches the youth of Brooklyn, I can assure you that musical talent and a drive to succeed don’t discriminate on the basis of neighborhood, race, or how much money one’s parents have. The fact is, someone from “the ghetto” probably wins a vocal competition much more frequently than a competitor gets lost in a “ghetto” on the way!
When I was in my early 20s getting my master’s degree at Baylor University, my life experiences left me with misconceptions similar to Ms. Brittingham’s, so I can’t entirely blame her. I am, however, disappointed that the editorial staff let this one go. —Denise Ivanoff, via e-mail
Dear Editor: A word about the [column] “Inspirazione!” I am Italian born. In Italian, inspirazione means “breath in.” The word that is wanted there is ispirazione, which is the English “inspiration.” Please have that word corrected so that it may mean to readers (at least the Italians) “this is something inspiring” not “let’s have a breathing exercise.”
—Alessio Ghirardi
[Editor’s Note: Inspirazione and ispirazione are two Italian words commonly mixed up and mistranslated. Take Norina’s aria “So anch’io la virtu magica” from Donizetti’s Don Pasquale for example. Most editions use “inspirare” when Norina says she knows how to “inspirar amor.” It would seem Norina means to inspire love, not to breath it in. A thorough study of original sources might prove enlightening on the subject.
In regards to the monthly column “Inspirazione!” the term is indeed used correctly. “As I said in my first column, my intention is to offer something each month to breathe in that will nourish, empower, and excite the reader,” columnist Lisa Houston explains. “I also chose inspirazione instead of ispirazione consciously, because it does sound similar to the English word “inspiration.” The two are doubtless related, as are the English words ‘inspiration’ and ‘respiration.’”]
Errata
In the May issue, Ja-Naé Duane’s name was misspelled in the article “Creative Self-Marketing for Singers: Ja-Naé Duane and the Wild WE.” For more information about Duane, visit her website at www.Ja-Nae.com.
