I agree. Normally you'd expect a world-class internationally renowned baritone to be reserved, a little bit proud, etc, etc but the modesty and the sort of everyman quality of Allen despite his much deserved accolades is very heartwarming to see. Plus his delightful sense of humour doesn't hurt as well. =)
As for Allen's sense of humour (slightly mischievous and self-deprecating) - I think he's always had it. I remember the twinkle in his eye when he was asked by a student of Ryland Davies about the jokes they made during their early days at ROH. "Oh, we did all sorts of things" :D
About the dog's suitability for its master: =D An interesting piece of trivia: Allen is an avid birdwatcher and enthusiast, by the way, so that might explain the seemingly random stuffed owl there. He also made a doodle of that exact same owl on his piano to give to National Doodle Day for charity.
From a friend who is an avid video collector (if not all things operatic then certainly most things operatic...). 8 episodes were made (with Allen, Bartoli, Hvorostovsky, Scotto, Lee Ragin, Horne, Heppner and Terfel - I'm missing that one). Very entertaining stuff and I hope they'll make some more.
My friend who had never heard of him before I dragged her backstage with me came out it whispering "....his hands are so big!" And that was before we had even seen The Legs.
The first time I saw this, the biggest surprise I got was about not how good a chef he is (I mean Allen is probably good at almost everything =D) but about his dog...I've never seen a dog with blue eyes before! And that was waaaay off topic, lol.
@schweitzer006325 There's a video called "Middlesbrough - That's What I Love About Home" on youtube, and the owl is featured on it, together with Sir Thomas. Around 3:45 mark.
My God, I've been away for just a few days and there's a whole discussion about... peas! I hereby declare that the weird pasta ingredient (the aforementioned peas), the spooky owl and the even spookier dog are OK! And so is chocolate!!!
I think that this increased affection for peas is actually stemming from admiration for the baritone in question...hmm...we might as well get Sir Thomas to do an ad to promote peas by the looks of it!
@schweitzer006325 I never knew he had a dog in the first place :D I love the "school of donkeys" comment, and also the "101 things to do with a banana" one - the joke potential is infinite. What always surprises me about Allen is that he's such a buffoon, esp. now that he's older - that all that huffing and puffing and goofing should come from the same person as the wonderful, sensitive performances of Schubert and Ireland.
@schweitzer006325 Maybe the owl was a gift. Or he found it in a charity shop. I love the British charity days - National Doodle Day makes about as much sense as my favourite, Red Nose Day. Last time, we bought those noses and wore them to Bodleian, just to create diversion... I found Allen's drawings from the website, he has also doodled a view in Santiago de Compostela and himself as Beckmesser.
*starts laughing loudly at antmusique's outburst* Well, he might be a demi-god of opera, but he's only human. ;-) Actually the first time I saw peas were on the recipe I went 'What?!' Such an unusual ingredient to put in pasta since well, it's known that most people aren't great fans of peas.
@drtmuir Then again, have you seen her? She is still blindingly beautiful, and if I was him, I wouldn't notice anyone else even existed. All those swooning, fainting jumping women? Background noise.
Well, I have met him, and a firm handshake was the only contact that happened. I even managed to not to try and kiss him on the cheek ;D I probably did gush quite a bit though.
@schweitzer006325 We all have our own quirks... :D I personally would have been even more traumatised if he had casually mentioned he doesn't like chocolate.
@schweitzer006325 The owl was even spookier, I honestly don't know why people have stuffed animals like that. I rather liked the dog, it has the same hair as the master... :D
Who would have thought peas could evoke such passion? On an unrelated note, after watching this couple of times, I have become slightly bothered by the way this otherwise lovely lady is hanging to Allen's hand. I mean - they are on TV, and he is a married man ...or am I just horribly prudish?
I agree. Normally you'd expect a world-class internationally renowned baritone to be reserved, a little bit proud, etc, etc but the modesty and the sort of everyman quality of Allen despite his much deserved accolades is very heartwarming to see. Plus his delightful sense of humour doesn't hurt as well. =)
As for Allen's sense of humour (slightly mischievous and self-deprecating) - I think he's always had it. I remember the twinkle in his eye when he was asked by a student of Ryland Davies about the jokes they made during their early days at ROH. "Oh, we did all sorts of things" :D
About the dog's suitability for its master: =D
An interesting piece of trivia: Allen is an avid birdwatcher and enthusiast, by the way, so that might explain the seemingly random stuffed owl there. He also made a doodle of that exact same owl on his piano to give to National Doodle Day for charity.
Perhaps a large dose of Thomas Allen in recital could bring you back to life...;-)
Many thanks! I like the one with the inscription "There's a barn owl on my piano" :-)
From a friend who is an avid video collector (if not all things operatic then certainly most things operatic...). 8 episodes were made (with Allen, Bartoli, Hvorostovsky, Scotto, Lee Ragin, Horne, Heppner and Terfel - I'm missing that one). Very entertaining stuff and I hope they'll make some more.
My friend who had never heard of him before I dragged her backstage with me came out it whispering "....his hands are so big!" And that was before we had even seen The Legs.
Yes, that one made me laugh quite a bit. And yeah, the dog was spooky in a way as well, just popping up on screen like that =)
Dieser Mann ist wunderbar!!! Ich habe ihn in der St Pauls Cathedral getroffen und ihm über Wagner-Opern gesprochen
I'm impressed - where on earth did you get this? I knew is existed, but I never realised it's an actual show.
"I come from a long line of murderers" is also a nice one :D
The first time I saw this, the biggest surprise I got was about not how good a chef he is (I mean Allen is probably good at almost everything =D) but about his dog...I've never seen a dog with blue eyes before!
And that was waaaay off topic, lol.
@schweitzer006325 There's a video called "Middlesbrough - That's What I Love About Home" on youtube, and the owl is featured on it, together with Sir Thomas. Around 3:45 mark.
My God, I've been away for just a few days and there's a whole discussion about... peas!
I hereby declare that the weird pasta ingredient (the aforementioned peas), the spooky owl and the even spookier dog are OK! And so is chocolate!!!
I think that this increased affection for peas is actually stemming from admiration for the baritone in question...hmm...we might as well get Sir Thomas to do an ad to promote peas by the looks of it!
@schweitzer006325
I never knew he had a dog in the first place :D
I love the "school of donkeys" comment, and also the "101 things to do with a banana" one - the joke potential is infinite. What always surprises me about Allen is that he's such a buffoon, esp. now that he's older - that all that huffing and puffing and goofing should come from the same person as the wonderful, sensitive performances of Schubert and Ireland.
The owl was nice! At least it looked like an owl ;-)
@drtmuir Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Really, this is too much. *blushes*
@antmusique Yup, youtube won't even let you to link to their own site.
@schweitzer006325 Maybe the owl was a gift. Or he found it in a charity shop.
I love the British charity days - National Doodle Day makes about as much sense as my favourite, Red Nose Day. Last time, we bought those noses and wore them to Bodleian, just to create diversion... I found Allen's drawings from the website, he has also doodled a view in Santiago de Compostela and himself as Beckmesser.
What made you think that?? :)
And I thought this was a harmless programme about pasta and opera....
Ding ding ding this just in: the doggie was a lurcher.
*starts laughing loudly at antmusique's outburst*
Well, he might be a demi-god of opera, but he's only human. ;-)
Actually the first time I saw peas were on the recipe I went 'What?!' Such an unusual ingredient to put in pasta since well, it's known that most people aren't great fans of peas.
Google National Doodle Day, and on the website to the archive under the 'celebrity' section.
I thought the dog was spooky :D
I've had peas with spaghetti.... it was fine. wouldn't be my first choice, but :P
Good eye! He still has that owl, it seems! Doesn't look like he's actually changed much in that video compared to this one.
@a96agli
Yes, go peas!
@drtmuir Then again, have you seen her? She is still blindingly beautiful, and if I was him, I wouldn't notice anyone else even existed. All those swooning, fainting jumping women? Background noise.
PS And neither did I know he had a dog as well! Two surprises then!
@interpreterr I thought the dog and the owner were a perfect match :)
This is starting to sound like it's Friday...
What webstite? ;-)
No kidding.
Well, I have met him, and a firm handshake was the only contact that happened. I even managed to not to try and kiss him on the cheek ;D I probably did gush quite a bit though.
@schweitzer006325 We all have our own quirks... :D
I personally would have been even more traumatised if he had casually mentioned he doesn't like chocolate.
@schweitzer006325 The owl was even spookier, I honestly don't know why people have stuffed animals like that. I rather liked the dog, it has the same hair as the master... :D
@antmusique
Course he is!
Have you had some kind of peas trauma in the past??? ;-)
Who would have thought peas could evoke such passion?
On an unrelated note, after watching this couple of times, I have become slightly bothered by the way this otherwise lovely lady is hanging to Allen's hand. I mean - they are on TV, and he is a married man ...or am I just horribly prudish?
:-)))
Well, judging from your comments, the peas must have been a horrible exprience!
@antmusique Peas are fine. The problem is you.
;D
You are...;-) Wouldn't you be hanging to that hand? ;-)