Now we are four

Today is Operaramblings fourth blogiversary. In that time I’ve produced 1,089 posts which have been viewed a total of 270,084 times. Maria Ewing continues to prove oddly popular. The Salome DVD review has been read 3,622 times. Traffic seems to have stabilised. Having grown from 47,759 hits in 2012 to 93,209 hits last year I think it’s gone as far as it is going to; 7,000-8,000 hits/month.

So there you go. Thanks to everyone who has, and continues, to make it fun.

11 thoughts on “Now we are four”

Congratulations! I’m sure the blog will continue going strong 🙂

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operaramblings on August 12, 2015 at 9:39 am said:

And yours too I hope.

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Congratulations – and happy “birthday”!
You have become an indispensable source of information and insight for all of us who enjoy opera.
Very helpful – sound judgements – and always thought-provoking!
Now – onwards and upwards for your fifth year – and beyond!
B R A V O !!!

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operaramblings on August 12, 2015 at 9:39 am said:

Thanks Ian

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Odd that the Ewing post is the most popular. That has the be the worst performance of Salome on dvd. Even Nadja Michael has more to offer.

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operaramblings on August 11, 2015 at 11:21 am said:

There really is only one possible explanation! I’m not convinced it’s the worst. The Götz Friedrich film takes some beating.

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- peter on August 11, 2015 at 4:20 pm said:
  
  I’d say both productions are pretty kitschy. And I also think Stratas is overrated. But she can sing it (admittedly just for a the recording). At least on that dvd you have Bohm conducting and Varnay as Herodias (the rest of the cast is overall quite good, Hanna Schwarz is even in it). The supporting cast on the covent garden dvd is entirely forgettable. However, Ewing is the deal breaker for me. She sings roughly 15% of the role in tune and I think her acting and interpretation ranges between grotesque and comical. The last decade has seen Karita Mattila give a virtually definitive performance of the role, conveying perverse childlike innocence growing into twisted obsession. Ewing doesn’t even come close to conveying anywhere near as deep a progression. And IMO a Salome dvd lives and dies on it’s Salome.
- operaramblings on August 12, 2015 at 9:43 am said:
  
  Certainly neither would be on my “recommended” list. Mattila was superb. I saw her in the Met HD broadcast and wow! Erika Sunnegårdh is a very good Salome; not as powerful as Mattila but with a very touching vulnerability. Don’t think she’s recorded it though.