Bad Taste

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Am I alone in considering it to be bad taste to have a ten year old singing this song?

https://youtu.be/lTnvK5QNsrk

[Shaker]

Not alone, but in a vanishingly minuscule minority.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Not alone, but in a vanishingly minuscule minority.

You think that a majority opinion holds that it is a good idea to encourage a ten year old to sing a song about adult passion & flirting?

[Shaker]

You think that a majority opinion holds that it is a good idea to encourage a ten year old to sing a song about adult passion & flirting?

I don't think anybody but a few oddities gives it a nanosecond's brain room.

[jeremyp]

Wikipedia has the lyrics translated into English. They don't seem particularly risqué or bad taste.

[Shaker]

Wikipedia has the lyrics translated into English. They don't seem particularly risqué or bad taste.

Melody-wise the song is one of the most famous and popular pieces in the classical repertoire* but I didn't know the words so I looked them up as well.

No fits of the vapours so far.

*Even Del Boy knew it on his first and only, rather disastrous trip to the opera 

[Owlswing]

Am I alone in considering it to be bad taste to have a ten year old singing this song?

https://youtu.be/lTnvK5QNsrk

I can think of several child acts on the Simon Cowell shows that have sung songs that. from a child. were in far worse taste.

And I seem to remember there being a young comedian whose act was close to the Frankie Boyle class of humour

[floo]

I don't think it a good idea for a young child to be flaunted in public in that way, however good their singing voice.

[Shaker]

I don't think it a good idea for a young child to be flaunted in public in that way, however good their singing voice.

Why not?

[ekim]

Here's a 1930's version with Shirley Temple...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFJWmqMzvJU

[Humph Warden Bennett]

Wikipedia has the lyrics translated into English. They don't seem particularly risqué or bad taste.

The flirtatiousness of the lyrics is lost in the English translation.

Here is the song in an actual performance: 

https://youtu.be/KJ_HHRJf0xg

[floo]

Why not?

I don't think it is good for a child to be in the limelight at a young age, it makes them grow up far too quickly. Besides which, it is more for the parent's benefit than that of the child, 'my child is more talented than yours', syndrome!

[Owlswing]

The flirtatiousness of the lyrics is lost in the English translation.

Here is the song in an actual performance: 

https://youtu.be/KJ_HHRJf0xg

And just how often is the song sung in English?

And how many people, out of the millions watching the child sing, had a clue what the english words are and of those who did, actualy gave a damn because they were listening to the performance.

[Owlswing]

I don't think it is good for a child to be in the limelight at a young age, it makes them grow up far too quickly. Besides which, it is more for the parent's benefit than that of the child, 'my child is more talented than yours', syndrome!

In some cases I would agree, but how do you decide which ones are for the parents and which are just a kid who has a talent and wants to show it off?

Especially when it might well be the only thing that they are good at.

Many years ago, on a show, Hughey Green I think, a child was on who had such a bad stammer that he was barely intelligable - until he started to sing . . . .

[Robbie]

Indeed & there have been many child stars who have not been spoiled by the experience. Think of the young Harry Potter actors.  Charlotte Church promoted herself at 12/13 & now, as an adult, seems totally unphased by having been the 'voice of an angel'.

It all depends on the individual child, their parents and - not to be ignored - their school.

General education is just as important as anything dramatic or musical a child or young person may do, that mustn't be forgotten.

The same applies to outstanding talent in art, sport, mathematics, even chess.

Sometimes talent needs to be nurtured from a young age but not at the expense of other experiences.  Getting the balance right isn't easy but some do manage it.

I loved hearing the girl in the link singing, her voice is amazingly mature.

[Humph Warden Bennett]

And just how often is the song sung in English?

And how many people, out of the millions watching the child sing, had a clue what the english words are and of those who did, actualy gave a damn because they were listening to the performance.

This may come as a huge shock to you, but I think it quite possible that quite a few people speak French!

And just because you seem to know nothing about this opera, does not mean nobody else does!

[floo]

Children can be encouraged to develop their talents without being put before the public and the media in the way some of these children are.

[Owlswing]

Children can be encouraged to develop their talents without being put before the public and the media in the way some of these children are.

And what happens when you spend £XXX and X,XXX hours in giving your child absolutely every possible encouragement and tutoring toward 'developing their talents without being put before the public and the media' only to find that, the first time they face a live audience they shit themselves in terror and are unable to perform ever again?

At least on TV their terror and humiliation can be edited out.