Skype Video Calling: An Invention … Like The Wheel..

When I’m in my home office I’m often tuned to Toronto’s Classic 96.3 FM which has become a classical radio station success story in southern Ontario. About six weeks ago on a Friday afternoon I picked up the last half of Alexa Petrenko’s interview with opera tenor Lawrence Brownlee who, at the time, was performing the role of Don Ramiro in Rossini’s opera La Cenerentola (Cinderella) with the Canadian Opera Company at Toronto’s relatively new Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

During the interview Larry started talking about his use of Skype and a unique experience where he and his wife were able to share a most important moment in their lives even though he was in Paris, France and his wife was in Atlanta, GA. I was able to enlist the help of his publicist to set up a Skype video interview with him May 16, 2011.

Lawrence is the true embellishment of a Skype addict; you’ll see why when you watch the interview. Most interesting is his statement “Skype – it’s an invention that is kind of like the wheel. How did people ever do without it?”

These are the stories that demonstrate the true impact of Skype and its ability to build and reinforce relationships.  Sounds like Larry and his wife spend a lot of time with a Skype video connection, even if they’re not talking. And it would certainly help to relieve the tedium of long term hotel stays.

Larry’s voice will test the dynamic range of any PC, smartphone or tablet speakers. In fact, only Skype’s SILK technology would come close to transmitting the true quality of his voice were he to be singing over a Skype call. To get a sampling of Larry’s tenor voice here’s one of his previous performances in the same role:

Acknowledgements:

• Background music: With Corrado Rovaris, conducting Members of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Tucker Gala – Avery Fisher Hall, NYC, October  26, 2008 (from multimedia page on Larry’s website).
• Photograph: Lawrence Brownlee in his Metropolitan Opera debut as Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini’s Barber of Seville) on April 26, 2007. Photo by opera photographer Ken Howard.
• And a special word of thanks to Larry’s publicist, Karen Kriendler Nelson, who has been most supportive in arranging the interview and follow-up.