Thank you for the video, they are all very good! I will say that I personally don't mind seeing the "regular cast", especially Flagstad and Varnay! Jean Madeira is a welcome addition though. Not a criticism though, just for your information :)
I skipped the famous names (Tebaldi, Nilsson) because they’re well-known quantities. Much more interested in the fantastic Tinsley, who I saw once at the NYC Opera as Elisabetta to Sills’s Maria Stuarda. Also the marvelous Hunter, who I saw at the Met as Brunnhilde, unfortunately pigeonholed as a Wagner singer, when she could really sing anything. Madeira had thrilling low notes, not-so-thrilling highs.
Thanks as always. Nilsson sounds magnificent at the end of Siegfried. Other Brunnhilde's barely hold on, whereas she beams through all the sound and radio hiss like a laser. The big surprise here for me is Hunter's Norma. The high D is clearly her limit (nothing wrong with that), but her coloratura is really good! No excuse for other Norma's to be deficient there, then! I think that sandwiching Tebaldi between Tinsley and Nilsson is instructive. Tebaldi's thrilling, but she makes less adjustments at the top, so it is heavier than it needs to be, particularly later on (e.g., Adriana here). Madeira strikes me as the German-rep equivalent of Barbieri -- booming at the bottom, hanging on for dear life at the top. No issues at the top for young Milanov though here!
@@ER1CwC It's the original version of Macbeth (I forget the year), from the aria which Verdi later replaced with "La luce langue". I'll add all the recording details in the description in a moment.
@@dramaticsoprano5168 Oh right! Fascinating. 1847. I've got to say that La luce langue is a big improvement, but it's cool that Hunter sang the original version.
Well, Madeira and Barbieri were real "dramatic mezzos," as in the voice type, not merely woman singing roles artificially typed as one; their voices were lower and heavier by nature then other women in that "fach." Their high notes were A-flats and occasional As.
Hello!!!! I fell that I need to see in this list Ghana Dimitrova, before Renata Tebaldi, or Jessie Norman, or Flagstad, Obrastzova, etc…. The legendary dramatic voices!❤
@@operafreakify There's always room for more in future videos 🙂 Flagstad and Dimitrova I have showcased in many videos previously so I was a bit hesitant to repeat them in case it became too much, but thank you for the feedback!
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination I heard her live in Carnegie Hall…. I can say that “her soft” side, was a demonstration of pure technique, because her voice was HUGE!!!!!!! The thing is that doing not much verism or romanticism like other dramatics she developed this way of singing, not meaning that she cannot do a powerful performance. I am a witness that she really delivered a GREAT DRAMATIC!❤
A good high C here from Hunter in Norma. This is a tricky passage. My problem with her is the same problem I have with Roberta Peters, oddly enough; the middle is strong and even but then the top is shrill and kinda resembles a tin pot. Yes the notes are there but I miss the fullness in the upper register. I hear fullness in Nilsson and Tinsley, among others and that is more pleasing. About Madeira's top, the less said the better. In the middle and bottom she is putting Barbieri and even Flagstad to shame here. Truly exciting to listen to her where she sings more comfortably.
People are gonna hate me for this but I don't think Hunter was even close to a natural dramatic soprano. She had a big voice so was able to get away with singing the repertoire, but her voice was not really weighty perse. There's worlds of difference between her voice, and say, Flagstad or Varnay who had dark, smoky timbres but less vibrant and accessible highs. Most likely a spinto soprano naturally, but at times her top notes sound even lyrical. She reminds me of Grob-Prandl, both very bright with quick vibrato on the top, but Hunter not quite as heavy.
@pixelchords3201 she never was. A spinto for sure. Some people have doubts about Nilsson, Grob-Prandl, Jones, Rysanek, and Tinsmey as well. For certain reasons that you probably know yourself.
I've put them all in the description. Sorry, it took a while to find all the details. I have a lot of stuff saved so it takes a while to sift through and get all the details :)
Tinsley is a bit difficult to put in a fach because of her bright almost lyric timbre. But it had syrebetnings and good squillo and easily cutted though a heavy orchestration.
Tinsley reminds me somewhat of Johanna Meier; a real spinto with every technical skill in place (trill, pianissimo). Lesser singers had greater careers, perhaps because of that ephemeral charisma.
@@wotan10950Meier, she is lovely but some medium - big voice, but not a dramatic. Maybe just some ample lyric soprano, but that's from superficial view and she lasted more than 5 years somehow.
I don't know if that makes any sense to compare a density of lower - set mezzo - soprano with even a spinto/dramatic soprano. It's the same if you make a comparison between Estes/London and some Tucker/Penno. Simply an "unnecessary inclusion".
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination She also has better pitching on the top notes than Tebaldi, if you consider her equivalent of a B5-C6 are roughly G5-Bb5.
@pixelchords3201 people can't come up with something different than saying that Tebaldi was flat. Anything else? From what I hear from Madeira, when it comes to the production of voice, the whole top is covered by white, non - vibrant sound. An immense voice, but not an example of perfect technique. If you consider this kind of sound superior in emission, well, it is what it is. I don't mind that either.
For my taste - Tebaldi is always unnecessary. In addition, anything above a Bb is *always* questionable. She goes up Violetta early on because Sempre libera had to be brought brought down a whole, even a minor 3rd. The last phrase of the first acts in both Bohème *and* Butterfly had great potential to be train wrecks --- having heard them. 1 tenor at the Met literally dropped out because she was in a completely different "world of tonality" 😅 On the Other hand --- I LOVE her Santuzza! The passion and the meat in the mid-lower voice is Awesome!
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination I'm not a Tebaldi hater, I think she has some very good high notes and I even like her better than Callas. But her pitch on B-flat and above was just never consistent, that's all. I actually agree with your comments about Madeira, but it is a super thrilling voice nevertheless.
The difficulties with certain passages, which is forgiven for 1970, have nothing to do with "difficulties above G". There is some bullcrap in here. There is no problem for C in 2nd act in all 5 events, neither for B's at the big final nor for B - flats at the end of poker scene.
This is some stunning BIG singing!
Thank you for the Norma 😉😎
Thank you for the video, they are all very good!
I will say that I personally don't mind seeing the "regular cast", especially Flagstad and Varnay! Jean Madeira is a welcome addition though. Not a criticism though, just for your information :)
I skipped the famous names (Tebaldi, Nilsson) because they’re well-known quantities. Much more interested in the fantastic Tinsley, who I saw once at the NYC Opera as Elisabetta to Sills’s Maria Stuarda. Also the marvelous Hunter, who I saw at the Met as Brunnhilde, unfortunately pigeonholed as a Wagner singer, when she could really sing anything. Madeira had thrilling low notes, not-so-thrilling highs.
Great choices! 🎉
Another great one’s definitely the callas armida from ‘52
Zinka Milanov.... The Best. ❤
Thanks as always. Nilsson sounds magnificent at the end of Siegfried. Other Brunnhilde's barely hold on, whereas she beams through all the sound and radio hiss like a laser. The big surprise here for me is Hunter's Norma. The high D is clearly her limit (nothing wrong with that), but her coloratura is really good! No excuse for other Norma's to be deficient there, then! I think that sandwiching Tebaldi between Tinsley and Nilsson is instructive. Tebaldi's thrilling, but she makes less adjustments at the top, so it is heavier than it needs to be, particularly later on (e.g., Adriana here). Madeira strikes me as the German-rep equivalent of Barbieri -- booming at the bottom, hanging on for dear life at the top. No issues at the top for young Milanov though here!
Remind me also of which Verdi opera the cabaletta Hunter sings is from?
@@ER1CwC It's the original version of Macbeth (I forget the year), from the aria which Verdi later replaced with "La luce langue". I'll add all the recording details in the description in a moment.
@@dramaticsoprano5168 Oh right! Fascinating. 1847. I've got to say that La luce langue is a big improvement, but it's cool that Hunter sang the original version.
Well, Madeira and Barbieri were real "dramatic mezzos," as in the voice type, not merely woman singing roles artificially typed as one; their voices were lower and heavier by nature then other women in that "fach." Their high notes were A-flats and occasional As.
@@alleviation91 Yes, but I think they also had technical problems.
Marisa Galvany should be included in future videos as well as Lina Bruna Rasa. Pauline Tinsley is brilliant
Marisa Galvany as a singer is absolutely crude. She sing Un Ballo as she would sing Zaza.
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination Marisa Galvany voice was not big, I know people who listened her
Hello!!!! I fell that I need to see in this list Ghana Dimitrova, before Renata Tebaldi, or Jessie Norman, or Flagstad, Obrastzova, etc…. The legendary dramatic voices!❤
Kein Flagstad? Weh
Jessie Norman with her "soft" middle voice? No way.
@@operafreakify There's always room for more in future videos 🙂
Flagstad and Dimitrova I have showcased in many videos previously so I was a bit hesitant to repeat them in case it became too much, but thank you for the feedback!
@@dramaticsoprano5168❤❤❤❤ we can’t never get enough of them😂 don’t you worry about it!!!🫠🙏♾️ thank you for posting!!!!!
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination I heard her live in Carnegie Hall…. I can say that “her soft” side, was a demonstration of pure technique, because her voice was HUGE!!!!!!! The thing is that doing not much verism or romanticism like other dramatics she developed this way of singing, not meaning that she cannot do a powerful performance. I am a witness that she really delivered a GREAT DRAMATIC!❤
What is Tinsley singing after "Pace pace"???
I don't know any of the two pieces between Pace and Lady Macbeth...
"Madre, pietosa Vergine" from Forza: ua-cam.com/video/rkIbXhLRS0g/v-deo.html
A good high C here from Hunter in Norma. This is a tricky passage. My problem with her is the same problem I have with Roberta Peters, oddly enough; the middle is strong and even but then the top is shrill and kinda resembles a tin pot. Yes the notes are there but I miss the fullness in the upper register. I hear fullness in Nilsson and Tinsley, among others and that is more pleasing.
About Madeira's top, the less said the better. In the middle and bottom she is putting Barbieri and even Flagstad to shame here. Truly exciting to listen to her where she sings more comfortably.
People are gonna hate me for this but I don't think Hunter was even close to a natural dramatic soprano. She had a big voice so was able to get away with singing the repertoire, but her voice was not really weighty perse. There's worlds of difference between her voice, and say, Flagstad or Varnay who had dark, smoky timbres but less vibrant and accessible highs.
Most likely a spinto soprano naturally, but at times her top notes sound even lyrical. She reminds me of Grob-Prandl, both very bright with quick vibrato on the top, but Hunter not quite as heavy.
@pixelchords3201 she never was. A spinto for sure. Some people have doubts about Nilsson, Grob-Prandl, Jones, Rysanek, and Tinsmey as well. For certain reasons that you probably know yourself.
Could you put the names of all the pieces?? I don't know many of them and I'm dying to know more!!
PS. I live your videos!!! They are amazing!!!
I've put them all in the description. Sorry, it took a while to find all the details. I have a lot of stuff saved so it takes a while to sift through and get all the details :)
La Tinsley and huge wall of sound at 00:52.. A true spinto.
Tinsley is a bit difficult to put in a fach because of her bright almost lyric timbre.
But it had syrebetnings and good squillo and easily cutted though a heavy orchestration.
@draganvidic2039 it's not difficult. Dramatic voice with a more lyrical color, huge column of sound, and open top. A 100% spinto soprano.
Or rather a dramatic soprano with a high tessitura @@draganvidic2039
Tinsley reminds me somewhat of Johanna Meier; a real spinto with every technical skill in place (trill, pianissimo). Lesser singers had greater careers, perhaps because of that ephemeral charisma.
@@wotan10950Meier, she is lovely but some medium - big voice, but not a dramatic. Maybe just some ample lyric soprano, but that's from superficial view and she lasted more than 5 years somehow.
Tinsley was a nice surprise, but wow, Jean Madeira ate them all for breakfast.
Tebaldi feels like an unnecessary inclusion but she is fine.
I don't know if that makes any sense to compare a density of lower - set mezzo - soprano with even a spinto/dramatic soprano. It's the same if you make a comparison between Estes/London and some Tucker/Penno. Simply an "unnecessary inclusion".
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination She also has better pitching on the top notes than Tebaldi, if you consider her equivalent of a B5-C6 are roughly G5-Bb5.
@pixelchords3201 people can't come up with something different than saying that Tebaldi was flat. Anything else? From what I hear from Madeira, when it comes to the production of voice, the whole top is covered by white, non - vibrant sound. An immense voice, but not an example of perfect technique. If you consider this kind of sound superior in emission, well, it is what it is. I don't mind that either.
For my taste - Tebaldi is always unnecessary. In addition, anything above a Bb is *always* questionable. She goes up Violetta early on because Sempre libera had to be brought brought down a whole, even a minor 3rd.
The last phrase of the first acts in both Bohème *and* Butterfly had great potential to be train wrecks --- having heard them. 1 tenor at the Met literally dropped out because she was in a completely different "world of tonality" 😅
On the Other hand --- I LOVE her Santuzza! The passion and the meat in the mid-lower voice is Awesome!
@@Thearchivebeyondimagination I'm not a Tebaldi hater, I think she has some very good high notes and I even like her better than Callas. But her pitch on B-flat and above was just never consistent, that's all. I actually agree with your comments about Madeira, but it is a super thrilling voice nevertheless.
What is the song at 12:00?
ua-cam.com/video/xJ3JXHwBx5g/v-deo.html
I love Jean Madeira to death and she's in my top five favorite mezzos, but good god damn those high notes were NOT her forte! Lmao
Please, a ban on all of Tebaldi in ‘Fanciulla’ singing above G.
The difficulties with certain passages, which is forgiven for 1970, have nothing to do with "difficulties above G". There is some bullcrap in here. There is no problem for C in 2nd act in all 5 events, neither for B's at the big final nor for B - flats at the end of poker scene.
Martin Eric Anderson Christopher Johnson Jessica