Tintin Forums

Everybody seems utterly captivated by Bianca's singing. Concerts here, concerts there. Fans, applause, and fame are always awaiting her.
But Tintin and Capt. Haddock seem to deeply dislike her singing.
Does it mean that she actually sings awfully, but the public cheers her only because she's famous?
Or does it only means that Tintin and Haddock dislike the genres she sings?
May it be a clear interpretation of the situation?

That seems like a terribly loaded question: to suppose that everybody - with only the exception of two people - is involved in some sort of mass conspiracy to pretend to like someone?

Why not work from the position that she is just as she appears to be - a great operatic diva, with fans who are devote to her because of her ability, and that Haddock doesn't like opera?

As I have pointed out before, it's Haddock and Snowy, not Tintin, that actively dislike Castafiore's singing - Tintin seems to be more surprised by the force of her voice than showing antipathy to it.

Hergé was channeling his own dislike of opera - as a child he was made to listen to an aunt singing opera whenever they went to visit her - into Haddock, but was aware that many people enjoy and even love the form (Belgium's own independence as a country, according to legend, was brought about by people rising up after being inspired to do so by an opera). Scenes such as the one in The Calculus Affair described here make that point, and show that while Haddock is impervious to her charm, that Castafiore has a dedicated following of genuine fans.

Hergé might have been channeling his own thoughts about opera through the Captain.

He - the Captain - disliked Castafiore to the point of attempting to flee to Italy when the great diva threatened to visit Marlinspike Hall. So, it must have been pretty confusing from his POV, as to the huge popularity and charm of opera and Castafiore around the whole world.

But as jock123 said, we can safely assume that the Signora is a very accomplished artist to have gained recognition throughout the world, although as in any form of art, opinions may vary.

Whether you like Castafiore's singing or not, she is sure to affect you, one way or the other. And that might just be the mark of a true artist?

Also in the same book (King Ottokar's Sceptre), a few frames after Tintin is put in prison (I haven't got the book on me...a page or two before page 31?), we see a frame of Castafoire singing, and the reader can see a member of the orchestra below with a surprised face!

Is Maureen Forrester's voice (she voiced Castafiore in the Nelvana series) what you would expect for the real Castafiore?
I watched the Spanish version of the episodes, in which Raquel Cubillo provides the singing voice (in a translatated version of the aria) for Castafiore. I must say Cubillo's voice it's shockingly shocking. Just like our Bianca.

I'm one of those who thinks she and her audience is satire or homage (you decide) of overrated fame.
I listen to classical music every day, seen a few operas live...

I think she is a very characteristic stereotype that makes sense in the world of Tintin. But I also think she is supposed to represent "the less pleasant diva". Guess in the same way captain Haddock is miserable drunk, but also based on reality, simplified as a stereotypical man of the sea.