OTHER
SINGERS
NATALIE
DESSAY
Natalie
Dessay is a talented coloratura who takes on the neglected roles as well
as some of the more well-known coloratura showpieces. She is known
for her acting ability and her range.
HER
BEST: Lakmé. Click here
to hear the extent of her range.
SUMI
JO
Sumi Jo
is another incredible coloratura. Especially well-known for her interpretation
of the Queen of the Night and also Korean songs, she has one of the loveliest
voices in modern opera, and is probably the most talented coloratura since
Joan Sutherland. Her voice is much less harsh than Sutherland's,
however. Here
is the Queen of the Night's "Revenge aria."
HER
BEST: The Queen of the Night
MADO
ROBIN
Another
coloratura. And while Anna Moffo, Natalie Dessay, and Sumi Jo can
all sing circles around her, I think I'm pretty justified in saying "HOLY
COW!" Click here
to hear why.
HER
BEST: Lakmé
ELEANOR
STEBER
Samuel
Barber composed the wonderful "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" for this beautiful,
powerful soprano, which she sang better than anyone else has since, including
such great singers as Leontyne Price and Kathleen Battle. She had
a somewhat humiliating departure from the Met, slowly being replaced by
more "modern" singers like Maria Callas. She had alcohol problems
and weight problems, failed marriages, humiliating snubs, and still she
held on to her love of life and music. She once said, after retiring,
"I have relished my work and enjoyed my travels and the people I have met....
I felt as a little girl skipping her way to school, filled with wonder
at the beauty of sunlight dancing through the trees." She died on October
3, 1990, at the age of 76. Rest in peace.
HER
BEST: Berlioz's "Les nuits d'été"
MIRIAM
GAUCI
Miriam
Gauci's alternately powerful and gentle voice can stir the emotions just
as well as many more famous opera singers in the 90's, plus all of her
stuff is pretty cheap. I for one would be willing to pay a lot more
to hear her Suor Angelica than Joan Sutherland's, although Christa Ludwig
as the Princess in the Joan Sutherland version is almost worth it.
Miriam Gauci is probably my second favorite singer.
HER
BEST: Suor Angelica. Here
is an example.
CECILIA
BARTOLI
The only
mezzo-soprano that I'm truly a fan of, Cecilia Bartoli's beautiful voice
and astonishing skill put her on my list of favorites. She's currently
very in demand.
HER
BEST: Any Rossini mezzo-soprano role
KATHLEEN
BATTLE
Yeah, she's
hard to work with. But she really is a good singer, most people admit
that. I for one think she's excellent, especially in French opera,
although she's not as skilled a coloratura as Natalie Dessay, nor does
she have the range.
HER
BEST: Anything by Handel
RENATA
SCOTTO
Renata
Scotto combined a lovely voice with the ability to convey the emotions
of her character. She was a marvelous Butterfly, Walter (from La
Wally), and Liú.
HER
BEST: Probably Butterfly.
OTHERS
Other singers
that I think are good, but I wouldn't consider myself a real "fan" of,
would be...
Christa
Ludwig, mezzo-soprano, an excellent Princess (from Suor Angelica)
Edita
Gruberova, soprano, versatile and beautiful as Olympia, Antonia, Stella,
and Giulietta
Rosalind
Elias, mezzo-soprano, especially good in secondary mezzo roles like Suzuki
Robert
Merrill, baritone, a fantastic Gérmont
Leontyne
Price, soprano, a good Floria Tosca
Maria
Callas, soprano, a superb actress, amazing as Norma and Tosca.
Giorgio
Tozzi, bass, a fine Colline
Hildegarde
Behrens, soprano, affecting as Tosca and Senta
MY
FAVORITE SONGS
S. RACHMANINOV:
"Vocalise" sung by Anna Moffo
G.
PUCCINI: "Senza Mamma" sung by Miriam Gauci
A.
CATALANI: "Ebben? Ne andro lontana" sung by Miriam Gauci
W.
MOZART: "Der hölle rache" sung by Sumi Jo
G.
VERDI: "Willow Song/Ave Maria" sung by Anna Moffo
G.
PUCCINI: "Vissi d'arte" sung by Miriam Gauci
G.
PUCCINI: "Un bel di" sung by Montserrat Caballé
G.
GERSHWIN: "Summertime" sung by Sumi Jo
W.
MOZART: "Matern aller arten" sung by Sumi Jo
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