Dion’s Lovely Noise Missing Meaning

Thanks for the terrific article on Celine Dion (“Her Heart Will Go On, Minus One,” by Mike Boehm, Calendar Weekend, Oct. 22).

I have held the same opinion of her singing for quite some time now. The woman certainly packs tremendous power, and I can appreciate her voice as an incredible instrument, much as I appreciate Mariah Carey’s. However, neither of these women can tell a story worth listening to.

I have always come away after listening to either one of them feeling startled or impressed at the power but wondering what the heck was the point! I had no feeling for the story the lyrics wanted to tell, no emotional impression, no aha!

In my mind, a great (truly great) vocalist has the ability to launch fireworks but really saves it for the moments when it makes sense. There is much more subtlety and storytelling going on than E-ticket nonsense.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time training vocally with a teacher who was more impressed by storytelling than vocal gymnastics for their own sake, or “sounding great,” as she told it.

She always told me that the greatest compliment someone could pay me after a song was not “Wow, you have an incredible voice,” but “Thanks, I was very moved and understood what you were wanting to say.”

GABRIELE FRIEDMAN

Dana Point