On the whole I feel the same as Doc John on the topic of classically trained singers tackling other genres. All the things, which annoy him, annoy me too. I can not help but admire their craft and skill when they sing their "own" music, although I generally do not like that either. However, when I have heard good soloists singing in "The Messiah", or when I heard Robert Tear's tenor once making every timber of the building reverberate to Fourré's "Libere Me Domine", I could not help but be moved. My mother had a recording of Kiri Te Kanawa singing jazz standards. It came as a pleasant surprise to me that she concentrated on showing the songs rather than simply showing off her voice. I would not buy it, but I found it quite bearable.

On the subject of Shakespeare, I can appreciate that it is not for everyone, but I will take the liberty of remarking that Doc John is one of the less erudite critics whom I have read.