Kathleen Battle’s Recital

Bernheimer wasn’t the only one Battle-fatigued by the performance of the dazzling diva, Our Lady of the Endless Encore. I, too, became increasingly annoyed at the flailing arms, the sappy musicality and the mock humility (and did we have to clap after every song?). The encores in particular grew cloying, and, by the sixth, yes, the sixth one, I wished I was packing an overripe tomato.

I’ll grant that she does have a beautiful, unforced voice; I would just rather hear her use it to serve the music than to serve herself.

ANNETTE NIBLEY, Laguna Beach