Lesley Garrett
 

The Holy Grail for Garret fans has to be photos or video footage from her appearance in Strauss' 'Salome'. She performed the Dance of the Seven Veils, and no, I'm not making this up! I've trauled the web for this treasure but haven't found anything yet. Theatrical productions are often photographed by an in-house photographer, so there may be photos somewhere (maybe with a photo library that has lots of theatrical stills).

Re: Lesley Garret
 

I want to see more, I will post some boring stuff that I have collected, I remember her wearing suspenders on stage at one point, I have heard about the 7 veils too but never found anything, I first saw her on a comedy show with Julian Clary and she blew my socks off. >:D

Re: Lesley Garret
 

Citizen Bidet, you may well be right. Just checked her biography and there is no mention of Salome, but I did read a comment in an article about her some years ago that she gave an 'electric' performance of the Dance of the Seven Veils. I wonder if it's possible that she performed this one scene for a one-off event?

The English National Opera - of which she was the principal soprano - did perform Salome a couple of times while she was with them, with Kristine Ciesinski in the lead. Would you agree that it's possible that Lesley might have covered for her for a couple of performances?

Re: Lesley Garret
 

A full strip during Salome does exist - but the soprano was Maria Ewing, not Lesley Garrett. However, Garrett did once flash her bum in a comic opera (Der Rosenkavalier IIRC). I suspect that the Strauss family name, combined with the knowledge that there was a "dance" in Salome may have led to the Garrett striptease myth.

Now if Cecilia Bartoli could be persuaded to go on arevived Colpo Grosso...... >:D

Re: Lesley Garret
 

I've got that Maria Ewing "Salome" clip somewhere. If I find it do I post it here on iin a new thread?

Re: Lesley Garret
 

Just like to chip in my twopenneth on the Salome issue.

Either I'm falling victim to (slightly) premature senility or Ms Garrett most definitely did perform the Dance of the Seven Veils early in her career. It was news reports of the event that first brought Lesley to my attention and I've been a fan ever since! At some stage (either at that time or a little later - I don't recall) one or two pictures appeared in the press of Lesley posing draped in semi-transparent 'veils'. Nothing too revealing , but seriously sexy. But then, Lesley does seriously sexy with very little effort!

Quote from Lesley's bio page at IMBd ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308162/bio ) :

"It is vital to keep in shape because opera is about credible casting. If you are playing a fabulous role you have to look fabulous and sometimes you have to wear very skimpy clothing or nothing at all. I've been nude on stage before now and can't aford to have a saggy tush."

Re: Lesley Garret
 

She says she has been nude "on stage". What role other than Salome has she performed that might require her to be nude on stage?

Re: Lesley Garret
 

I seem to remember she was in a series of short modern operas on BBC2 in which she sang topless. :o

Re: Lesley Garret
 

Quote from another forum:

'I've heard her sing quite a lot in the past (at English National Opera, where she was a decent company soloist for quite a while before "stardom" overcame her), including some big roles, notably Strauss's "Salome".'

Re: Lesley Garret
 

Agricer,

This is interesting news! Sod the Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones should be sent off to retrieve footage of the Lost Mountains of La Garret :D

Re: Lesley Garret
 

Lesley Garret did strip on stage, during a performance of 'Der RosenKavalier' - the third picture along the top row of the OP, and the first picture in the middle row of post 11 are stills from this I believe!

Just gotta find a video of it now! ;D

Quote form Lesley Garrett's imdb.com entry

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308162/bio

"It is vital to keep in shape because opera is about credible casting. If you are playing a fabulous role you have to look fabulous and sometimes you have to wear very skimpy clothing or nothing at all. I've been nude on stage before now and can't afford to have a saggy tush."

So I guess having confirmed that she has been nude on stage we now have to get down to the serious business of tracking down the pictures!

From a one-time student at a well known North London art college.

I can not help with pictures, but thought you might like to know what I just heard on radio here in Ireland. Leslie is doing an interview while I sit at the keyboard. She talked about her nude modelling during her student days. She said it was easier than washing dishes.

She told the interviewer about being nude on stage. She said it happened in Die Fledermaus. She was wearing only a corset, and she was having trouble hitting a top note, so she whipped off the corset and turned her back to the audience. She did not say if that helped her hit the note or simply distracted the audience. It sounded like it was her own idea, and she did it in all performances.

Yes, it was Fledermaus at ENO in the 1990s when she appeared topless and flashed her bottom. Her bottom received bad reviews (true!). As Fledermaus is by (Johann) Strauss, this is probably why there is confusion with Rosenkavalier, by the other (Richard) Strauss - most unlikely she stripped in this.

Maria Ewing - Salome - Seven Veils - naked on stage.
 

clip 3mins 55se3cs and grabs at this thread:
http://vintage-erotica-forum.com/sho...081#post299081

Garrett's bum flash was during 'Die Fledermaus' in the early 'nineties at ENO. She never sang 'Salome' which would have been way too heavy for her voice. Also those topless pictures are certainly not her. The fees opera singers are paid would ensure that she never had to undertake any modelling work and her subsequent career on television would have made 'La Garrett' a tidy sum.

See earlier posts #23 onwards. Ms Garrett herself has revealed she used to pose nude for art classes whilst she herself was a student. The images - and attire such as it is - appear to be consistent with the appropriate period and forensic comparison of the facial and head features does indicate a close match. However it for each to make up their own mind and, reading through the thread, you'll discover quite a balanced selection of opinions.

Does this mean the Pics from a few pages back are the Real Deal?

In all probability but, unless she comes right out with it one day and says, "Yes I did get all my kit off for some pictures and they've been published on an internet forum" we'll never know for certain . . . . . unless the photographer comes forward that is . .

If anyone has the nerve, they could always try sending copies of the photos to her fan club to see if they get a response!:D

To back up what grdssdrg said, I read an interview with her recently and she also said that to make money during her student days she did some nude modelling for artists. However, she didn't say anything about posing for nude photographs but there is always the possibility! Maybe she just doesn't want to admit it.

Lesley is quite a free spirited lady and agree wullie i wouldn`t be surprised if she did nude,but would like to keep it hush hush lol.I hear today that she wants to lose weight and is having pain from her ample breasts.I pray she doesn`t have them reduced as she is gorgeous the way she is,and has the kind of figure i just love.

You're not alone in the search! I've found all manner of sopranos - of varying sizes and shapes - disrobing or partially disrobing in the portrayal of Saloimé nut nary a glimpse off La Garrett at it. It's been a bucket list item for so long there's a hole in y bucket . . !