Classical Crushes

Building off Brian Bean's recent postings on Yuja Wang:

Here is the great, and I mean great, Yuja Wang playing Rachmaninoff's Concerto No.2. If I were young enough and rich enough, I would marry her tomorrow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2JyZE-OaXY

Might we not start a thread on classical sex symbols... or which classical musician you'd marry in a moment?

I'll start with the delicious Anna Netrebko:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_kaOYC_Fww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa58T...eature=related

Placido shows that you still might be all washed up Brian.:D:blush2::ladysman:

[QUOTE=stlukesguild;Placido shows that you still might be all washed up Brian.:D:blush2::ladysman:[/QUOTE]

I have to agree with that, but I don't think I could handle Ms Netrebko (metaphorically speaking of course), she has a glorious voice but appears to be a little too flighty to my mind. I have always preferred women to be small, delicate and a little on the quiet side. :D

I concur with Brian. Miss Netrebko seems like she could be a bit of a handful, too much trouble I mean.

I shall make endeavours to fall in love with my own musical beauty. A difficult day ahead.:yesnod:

I concur with Brian. Miss Netrebko seems like she could be a bit of a handful, too much trouble I mean.

Yes... but the trouble would surely be worth it.:D:brow::blush2:

I have always preferred women to be small, delicate and a little on the quiet side.

I've always been quite the opposite. I've always preferred something more... more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrBx6mAWYPU

:banana:






My wife's standing behind me, isn't she.:blush2::goof:

After the stunning Netrebko I'd have to admit to a secret passion for the exotic Danielle de Niese. Born in Australia of Sri Lankan heritage, and raised in the US, Danille is one of the recent crop of opera singers who can actually act. To this she has the added abilities as a dancer which make her a favorite in Baroque operas such as this stunning William Christie production of Rameau's Les Indes gallantes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7onnt2OvPY

(I especially love the campy God of war straight out of Twisted Sister:smilielol5:)

It was her role as Cleopatra in Handel's Giulio Cesare that first brought her to operatic stardom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlTTcooIR84

When it comes to beautiful opera singers this one was unbeatable. Legions of men must have had a crush on her.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCwB0Hd4MEI

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

I concur with Brian. Miss Netrebko seems like she could be a bit of a handful, too much trouble I mean.
Yes... but the trouble would surely be worth it.:D:brow::blush2:

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Yes, but it would be a short-lived affair and expensive into the bargain. You would have the champagne, the whirl of expensive restaurants and fast living, hot passion and sweet kisses, but then you would be left in debt and out of luck - you have to weigh up the pros and cons!!:hat: She looks a bit like this one:

Anna Caterina Antonacci
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XyHfi50yE
There's another dangerous type.

This is more my sort of thing (cream top). I like the long dark hair and delicate nature. Preferably Irish.:blush: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrk78FTY6tQ

Much easier to deal with. Ah Louise. You could even go fishing with dad, take a couple of Guinness's, then go home to sweet Louise. Ah.:blush:Where did it all go wrong?:D

(That tune gets annoying after 5 views though...)

Yes, but it would be a short-lived affair and expensive into the bargain. You would have the champagne, the whirl of expensive restaurants and fast living, hot passion and sweet kisses, but then you would be left in debt and out of luck - you have to weigh up the pros and cons!! She looks a bit like this one:

Anna Caterina Antonacci

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XyHfi50yE

There's another dangerous type.

I could live with that.:D She definitely fits my ideal: "sehr hübsch".

Less Botticelli:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/...c143cbf1_z.jpg

or Kate Moss for that matter:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/...2ea105df28.jpg

and more towards Rubens:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/...a2f10e08_z.jpg

Scarlett Johannson:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5170/...07640385af.jpg

or Christina Hendricks:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5005/...f48f60d5_b.jpg

When it comes to beautiful opera singers this one was unbeatable. Legions of men must have had a crush on her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCwB0Hd4MEI

Well... if we're going back in time, surely no one could compete with the first true "diva" of the modern era...

La Divina!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9nrtFkj6Bo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZrao_GX4nk

She almost single-handedly resurrected Puccini... raising him from lightweight melodrama to the greatest of tragedies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKm4-...eature=related

This conclusion to Madame Butterfly always makes the hairs on my neck stand up.

Callas called Butterfly a voice-killing role and only sang it live 3 times. Luckily we have this recording for Callas was right... roles like Butterfly and others not suited to her destroyed her voice far too early. A singer like Renee Fleming has been very judicious as to what roles she chooses and as a result she is still at the top of her game after age 50.

StLukes, already your thread is taking a nosedive from Classical crushes to truck drivers fancies. What next, Dolly Parton?
Just to get back to real women, here's another clip of Analiese Rothenburger to show what a really beautiful lady looks like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XHGAGaqZb4

Well I always find Stlukes' threads so uplifting...

Brian, I honestly never heard of Anneliese Rothenberger until now. She is admittedly quite lovely, although perhaps a bit too elegant... cultured... dignified... not to say aloof... for my own tastes which are admittedly more... "earthy.":blush: I certainly cannot imagine her fishing with Neely's Dad or downing a couple Guinnesses. I certainly can imagine Ruben's Susanna Fourment, good hearty Belgian girl that she was, quaffing a few... if not offering up some marvelous Belgian alternatives.

As for Dolly Parton... better not to even go there.

Patsy Cline is another story altogether:D:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZKiZG0u7oc

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

I certainly cannot imagine her fishing with Neely's Dad or downing a couple Guinnesses.

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:smilielol5:

More highly strung than any wild horse. The divas of the stage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLtHG...eature=related

:D

Too bad there are no videos of Callas at her peak... as in her 1953 Tosca:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jpu40Iq8WI

There is a recording of her performing the same opera in 1964... but she is past her prime at that point.

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I certainly cannot imagine her fishing with Neely's Dad or downing a couple Guinnesses.

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That's dad-in-law or potential dad-in-law. It's not that I want to go fishing with the guy in the video you understand(just watch him go). He just looks very protective of his daughter, so I might have to soften him up with a few fishing trips and free rounds of Guinness. I can imagine that my lovely Irish girl would be doing something productive while I was out catching trout and downing the black stuff, maybe something like weaving a basket or collecting sea shells, putting a nice bow in her hair, something like that.:hat:

Hmmm...I choose Hilary Hahn.
As for fishing, I bet she could tie some great flies, given the deftness of her fingers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYxD...eature=related

.

Indeed. This one is not bad, Arianna Savall. She sings as well. You'll have to get passed Gandalf first though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUavm...eature=related

Georges Bizet (1838-75)
Opera
Gypsy Song
'Carmen'
Elina Garanca (2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgexP...eature=related

Anton Dvorak (1841-1904)
Song to the Moon
Opera
'Rusalka'

Renee Fleming (2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E6HQ...eature=related

[QUOTE=Neely;994614]...You'll have to get passed Gandalf first though.

Very funny !!! I nearly spit my coffee out when he appeared.

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Originally Posted by Musicology

Elina Garanca (2008)

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Musicology

Anton Dvorak
Renee Fleming (2010)

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Elina and Renee...very nice indeed.

.

As Poe would say in plain english:

περί άλλα τυρβάζεις, Gilliat!

Now here's a very crushable lady:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP4b-vE78HQ

Are there no ladies here who like classical music? Because this thread needs some men!! :D

I'm quite partial to Stephen Hough:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TC2Wkv8IS8

I love Russians playing Russians, esp. Mr. Nikolai Lugansky tearing up some Rach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhLDse5R8dQ

One of my first classical crushes, whom I saw at the first live piano concerto I ever saw, about ten years ago. He's the little known Italian pianist, Alessio Bax:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJneD...eature=related

And my ultimate classical crush, a fellow Texan, the legendary Van Cliburn:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7MAriotZyE

Well.... for the women and the men there is always Anna Netrebko with the so-called "silver fox", Dmitri Hvorostovsky:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36vm2VoXuXA

Robert... Elina Garanca! Yes indeed, and she's just come off a highly rated production of Carmen. Of course I love her here with Anna Netrebko where you get two gorgeous women with gorgeous voices for the price of one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u0M4CMq7uI

Brian... we're starting to note a fixation on Chinese women.:hand:

To throw out another lovely, here's Magdalena Kozena, one of my absolute favorite singers. She could sing the phone book, and I'd buy it:

I like this clever little video which plays with the fact that Bach was not permitted female singers as a result of the conservative church leaders whom he worked for, although we have some intimation that he wanted to utilize female singers after a visit to Dresden in which he witnessed the superior orchestras and the female opera singers at the wealthier court.

This is further related to the anecdote in which Bach was discovered in the organ loft with a woman... who was later top become his wife:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJcL-dSn5zo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5y6IQ2X9wA

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

Brian... we're starting to note a fixation on Chinese women.:hand:

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It goes back a long way StLukes, it's called the lotus blossom effect i.e Blue-black hair, ivory skin, slanting eyes and a delicacy not normally found in their western counterparts. A girl I worked with asked me what did orientals have that English girls didn't and I answered 'exoticism'. :yesnod:

Edit: I discovered today that Sarah Chang will be appearing in London on April 11th where she will be playing the Max Bruch, so I nipped over to the Royal Festival Hall and booked myself a seat four rows from the front.

Here she is showing total mastery in a truly stunning performance of the most romantic concerto of them all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiIm-vNBpao

Thumbing through the London Philharmonic Orchestra's current concert season booklet, I noticed this picture of the violinist Stefan Jackiw which I thought might make a suitable classical crush for the Litnet ladies.
Born in 1985 to physicist parents of Korean and German descent, Mr. Jackiw began playing the violin at age four. He holds a B.A. from Harvard University as well as an Artist Diploma from the New England Conservatory. He makes his home in New York City.


http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6009/jackiw300.jpg

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Edit: I discovered today that Sarah Chang will be appearing in London on April 11th where she will be playing the Max Bruch, so I nipped over to the Royal Festival Hall and booked myself a seat four rows from the front.

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:smilielol5: Don't forget to take her some flowers. You never know?

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Originally Posted by Neely

:smilielol5: Don't forget to take her some flowers. You never know?

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I could never be unfaithful to Miss Yuja Wang :D


http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1893/yujawang1.jpg

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Originally Posted by Brian Bean

I could never be unfaithful to Miss Yuja Wang :D


http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/1893/yujawang1.jpg

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Of course, of course, she is a pretty one indeed, soft and delicate and a not a bit scary like those lusty opera maidens. Still, it didn't stop you buying a fourth row ticket for the other lass did it? :D

It goes back a long way StLukes, it's called the lotus blossom effect i.e Blue-black hair, ivory skin, slanting eyes and a delicacy not normally found in their western counterparts. A girl I worked with asked me what did orientals have that English girls didn't and I answered 'exoticism'.

Some one more cruel than myself might suggest a fear of a woman who is less of a "delicate" submissive flower and more bold...assertive..."lusty":D Seriously, two of my studio mates are Asian: one Chinese and the other Korean, and as a result I have spent a good deal of time around their wives, girlfriends, and sisters without ever noticing a greater or lesser "delicacy" than might be found in their Western/American counterparts. Indeed, in spite of the fact that these cultures are commonly thought of as still being quite patriarchal, the women were often the strongest personalities.

But consider yourself, the magic of these ladies apart from their physical attraction; one the greatest exponent of the violin and the other the geatest current performer of the concerto repertoire .

But consider yourself, the magic of these ladies apart from their physical attraction; one the greatest exponent of the violin and the other the greatest current performer of the concerto repertoire .

I don't question this. Although I probably lean toward Anne-Sophie Mutter, Andrew Manze, Rachel Podger, as well as the older violinists such as Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman, Jascha Heifetz, Arthur Grumiaux, and Nathan Millstein.

As for Yuja Wang... I'm not one to dis another's romantic fantasies... but considering that the girl has only recorded two discs that I can find as of today, it would seem an incredible exaggeration to proclaim her the current greatest performer of the concerto repertoire. certainly she faces some formidable competition from Murray Perahia (who may be the reigning master of the piano) as well as Angela Hewwitt, Mitsuko Uchida, Krystian Zimerman, Leif Ove Andsnes, Martha Argerich, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Marc-André Hamelin (arguably the reining virtuoso), Alfred Brendel, and many more... although certainly she may be far more attractive that any of them:yesnod:.

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

[Some one more cruel than myself might suggest a fear of a woman who is less of a "delicate" submissive flower and more bold...assertive..."lusty":D Seriously, two of my studio mates are Asian: one Chinese and the other Korean, and as a result I have spent a good deal of time around their wives, girlfriends, and sisters without ever noticing a greater or lesser "delicacy" than might be found in their Western/American counterparts. Indeed, in spite of the fact that these cultures are commonly thought of as still being quite patriarchal, the women were often the strongest personalities.

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.......more bold...assertive..."lusty"? Are we talking Sarah Palin here?
Despite those orientals who have lived long in the US, or were born there, having adopted certain masculine characteristics, it's difficult to imagine an oriental equivalent of the Daughters of the Revolution or Annie Oakley.
I suppose it all comes down to whether you go for the grizzly bear hunting type or Madame Butterfly. It's simply a matter of personal preference.

......more bold...assertive..."lusty"? Are we talking Sarah Palin here?

Oh please, Brian:sosp:...

Sarah's all show. Ms Grizzly-bear with her off camera entourage of make-up specialists, hair stylists, and speech-writers? Somehow I imagine a real-life Carmen tearing her to shreds... and looking better doing it:D.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stlukesguild

[COLOR="As for Yuja Wang... I'm not one to dis another's romantic fantasies... but considering that the girl has only recorded two discs that I can find as of today, it would seem an incredible exaggeration to proclaim her the current greatest performer of the concerto repertoire. certainly she faces some formidable competition from Murray Perahia (who may be the reigning master of the piano) as well as Angela Hewwitt, Mitsuko Uchida, Krystian Zimerman, Leif Ove Andsnes, Martha Argerich, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Marc-André Hamelin (arguably the reining virtuoso), Alfred Brendel, and many more... although certainly she may be far more attractive that any of them:yesnod:.

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Well naturally she doesn't have the gravitas of older more experienced performers and I doubt that she could match some of them in their specialist fields. As far as recordings go, she has only recently signed for Deutsche Gramophon and has yet to record a concerto, her two existing records being for solo piano. She has, however, performed concertos by Ravel, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Bartok and Brahms as well as the Rach/Pag variations during the current season. The YouTube performance of the Mendelssohn 1st is something that, in my view, wouldn't be bettered by any other pianist. She has stood in for both Argerich and Lupu when they were indisposed and is being hailed as a phenomenon practically everywhere she performs.

http://www.yujawang.com/

Having said that, I must admit that I don't go for the marketing aspect of her persona. It's all too reminiscent of those two most redundant examples of humanity,namely, footballers and pop singers.

After the waif like Ms Wang, I leave you with this thought:

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7788/sarahpalinu.jpg

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

It is not that I would turn down a hot, lusty night of (conversation?) with one of them there opera Valkyries you understand, I can certainly see the appeal dash it all (especially the Carmen I posted). However as long-term investments they just don't stand up to those Irish harpists/flute players, or indeed one of Brian's many oriental pianists/violinists ladies, for me anyway.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all champagne hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened. In the bathroom would be a lipstick smeared message which would read "it's been nice, it's been hot" but then you are in the middle of Europe, sockless and left with nothing but those hot nights of "conversation". Is that what you want? :hand:

No. Much better to go fishing with the potential dad-in-law types or to hold in-depth conversations with Gandalf figures, and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after. Much better that methinks, oh yes. :yesnod:

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

Indeed! What is truly scary is the number of people who honestly believe this woman is at all qualified to be president of the United States.:yikes:

It is not that I would turn down a hot, lusty night of (conversation?) with one of them there opera Valkyries you understand, I can certainly see the appeal dash it all (especially the Carmen I posted). However as long-term investments they just don't stand up to those Irish harpists/flute players, or indeed one of Brian's many oriental pianists/violinists ladies, for me anyway.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all champagne hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened. In the bathroom would be a lipstick smeared message which would read "it's been nice, it's been hot" but then you are in the middle of Europe, sockless and left with nothing but those hot nights of "conversation". Is that what you want?

I could probably live with that. It would surely be worth a try. Besides... just think of all the inspiration it would provide for you next novel/painting.

No. Much better to go fishing with the potential dad-in-law types or to hold in-depth conversations with Gandalf figures, and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after. Much better that methinks, oh yes.

Neely, you've become too much of the realist. You're not going to churn out the next body of brilliant poetry ala Charles Baudelaire inspired by that nice girl that even dear ol' mum would take to heart. You need the girl that mom always warned you about.:hand:

Now here is another stunner: Magali Leger, here performing in Rameau's Les indes galantes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKvd4tMkFHc

Magali irresistibly builds upon conductor Marc Minkowski's energy and enthusiasm for this music. You can't help but feel the pleasure... the sheer fun these performers are having with this music, as opposed to the image often attached to classical music as staid, stuffy, and stodgy.

Here in another selection from Rameau's opera Magali performs with Magdalena Kozena:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOlX-...eature=related

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

As StLukes has pointed out, you are probably talking about the next president of the USA. If you thought George W Bush was Gung Ho, you 'aint seen nothing yet.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened.

Yes, Boulevarde Clichy in Montmatre, I remember it well but it wasn't a hotel exactly.

.....and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after.

What have you been drinking ?

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I could probably live with that. It would surely be worth a try. Besides... just think of all the inspiration it would provide for you next novel/painting.

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Yes it would indeed be inspiration and a hell of an experience, but I'm feeling passed all that now, too old! It sounds like Brian has already been sockless! Sockless in Montmatre, got be be a novel in that one!:hat:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brian Bean

Yukky yuk, what an awful woman in every way, she makes me sick. You should have posted a warning prior to that one!

As StLukes has pointed out, you are probably talking about the next president of the USA. If you thought George W Bush was Gung Ho, you 'aint seen nothing yet.

You'd wake up one day, half naked in some flush Parisian hotel with the mother of all hangovers, in debt, hastily looking for your socks and wondering what the hell has just happened.

Yes, Boulevarde Clichy in Montmatre, I remember it well but it wasn't a hotel exactly.

.....and then to come home to a nice Irish lass who will read to you in that most beautiful, beautiful of accents before playing you a jig or something solemn on the harp or flute as you sit in your armchair looked after.

What have you been drinking ?

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:smilielol5: Well I haven't been sleeping very well so that combined with a few late night Organic Westons must have sent me over the edge? Still, that armchair in that Irish farmhouse and the gentle lassy running me a bath still does it for me. Have I said I'm feeling tired?

It can't be true about that awful women above. Please say it is not so.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neely

It can't be true about that awful women above. Please say it is not so.

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It is all too true. So you might as well join in the ballyhoo with one of these.


http://sarahpalinforpresidentbutton.com/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brian Bean

It is all too true. So you might as well join in the ballyhoo with one of these.


http://sarahpalinforpresidentbutton.com/

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:yikes: Oh Christ. This is another point in my favour for avoiding the news. I'm going to throw up my mince pie.

Edit: someone needs to post some nice women quickly!!

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Now here is another stunner: Magali Leger, here performing in Rameau's Les indes galantes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKvd4tMkFHc

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Granted yes.