Britain's Got Talent

amar · Post by **amar** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 9:38 am

Peter Potts is a fake.

He's been singing opera for a long time.

djm · Post by **djm** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:24 am

If you mean he didn't just open his mouth one day and out popped professional quality opera, then of course not. He obviously has a trained voice and has spent years learning and developing it. What he is not is a recognized opera performer, which is what he is competing for on English tv.

Same with the little 6-year old girl. She has clearly been coached. It would be silly to think these people just magically became not only talented, but well-crafted and practised without any help or training.

djm

Silvano · Post by **Silvano** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:36 am

amar wrote:Peter Potts is a fake.

Wasn't he introduced as Paul?

Peter, Paul and Mary?

Silvano

lalit · Post by **lalit** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:02 pm

Even people who are born with beautiful singing voices, incredible physical coordination, an innate sense of musicality, and and excellent ear for musical style tend to need some amount of training (often years of training) to optimize their voices for singing opera. It's a demanding, athletic way of singing.

It is also likely that aspiring opera singers will need to gain experience at an amateur level (i.e., local singing venues, church, school, or community performances) in order to present themselves well onstage.

We wouldn't expect high jumpers or race car drivers or tennis players to just come out of the woodwork as fully formed pre-professionals with "natural" talent. No, they participate in matches and competitions for years as a way of practicing and honing their skills. It always amazes me that people think singing opera is any different.

Not every type of singing requires training, for sure. The best singers, however, tend to have either training, or experience, or both on their side. Even that little six-year-old girl had obvious training, and she stated that she had 4 years of experience (singing since age 2).

A good voice is a gift of nature, but nurture makes the difference. Everybody with a functional voice and the brain hardware to support it can sing. Not everybody is a singer. It's not quite that easy.

SteveShaw · Post by **SteveShaw** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 5:53 pm

mukade wrote:I saw the clips on Youtube.

Programmes like this have no respect for the people taking part or the audience.

Reality TV lacks one essential element - dignity.

Mukade

Cobblers, mate. Whatever you think of the programme or all the others of its ilk, here's a bloke who cut through the all the rubbish, no ego, just pure unadorned passion and talent. Pavarotti and all the other over-inflated ego-trippers, eat your useless hearts out. Here's a fellow who did it right, just once in front of a massive telly audience. He may never be able to do it again just like that but I like to think he could. Even on that silly little YouTube screen, which is all my computer can cope with, it was clear that the studio audience were witnessing a real, genuine, rare musical event, and even superstars have trouble doing that very often. Curmudgeons away. This little clip is pure bliss!

djm · Post by **djm** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 6:11 pm

Hey, Steve! Its great to see you back, even if just for a brief moment.

That piece, Nessun Dorma, is represented on YerTube by several singers, including Pavarotti, whose signature piece outside of Italy this is supposed to be. I compared Potts to a few of the "big" opera names, and frankly, Potts just blows them all out of the water. There's a purity, almost a boyish clarity, in his tone, plus a total lack of pretense in his singing, that takes no prisoners, just goes straight to the heart.

I hope he does very well and wish him much success.

djm

amar · Post by **amar** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:33 pm

Silvano wrote:
amar wrote:Peter Potts is a fake.

Wasn't he introduced as Paul?

Peter, Paul and Mary?

Silvano

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:14 pm

SteveShaw wrote:This little clip is pure bliss!

d'oh

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 8:23 pm

I just went back and listened to Potts again......chills again......

Check out this new clip posted today of him in semi-finals -

amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDB9zwlXrB8

Jerry Freeman · Post by **Jerry Freeman** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 8:30 pm

He won.

No YouTube post of his finals performance yet.

Best wishes,
Jerry

anniemcu · Post by **anniemcu** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:02 pm

amar wrote:Peter Potts is a fake.

He's been singing opera for a long time.

But not as a professional. His bio told it, and he didn't misrepresent himself.

If you look at it as anyone who has done what they do for a long time is no longer qualified, most folks wouldn't get to be there at all. Speaking of that... the cutie pie 6yo could be considered to have been singing (and taking training) 2/3 of her life!

Talent is still talent, and he's got it!!

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:17 pm

Jerry Freeman wrote:He won.

No YouTube post of his finals performance yet.

Best wishes,
Jerry

GOOD!!!!!!

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:33 pm

The way I figure it, it doesn't matter if he had training. Most folks who do these competitions have had training. In fact, many of them make a living (or try to) performing their acts. What they don't have is stardom and recognition.

(btw, you can learn about all of the finalists here: http://talent.itv.com/page.asp?partid=348 The little 6 year old girl appears to be the only one that's just a "natural talent" without training, touring, etc.)

From what I can tell, these shows are about taking ordinary folk, and showing that there are gems out there among them that aren't big name celebrities.

Potts works in a cell phone store. It doesn't get any more 'ordinary folk' than that. I'm glad he won.

djm · Post by **djm** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:28 am

The winning performance: http://youtube.com/watch?v=K_5W4t_CBzg

djm

buddhu · Post by **buddhu** » Mon Jun 18, 2007 6:54 am

No denying, yer man can sing.

These shows do, however, p*ss me off. Be it this one or X-Factor, or any other of that breed of junk broadcasting, they always go for the safe options. Nothing from far left-field gets past token inclusion in early rounds. They had loads of mad stuff, but they bottled it because the winner would have to entertain the Queer old Dean at a Royal Variety clique-fest.

It's a load of nonsense.

But at least this winner shows some talent, so I suppose there are no trades descriptions issues. Just ones of imagination and courage on the part of the programme makers and the voting public.