Shirley Verrett is always a class act, sensitive to musical style, text, and never descends into mere histrionics. Her voice is always dignified, regal, and feminine. That's what makes her a Diva, in my opinion!
One of the very great singers in the operatic pantheon. Just forget about categories; more often than not she delivered. Shirley Verrett leaves a very distinguished body of work.
I met her in La Scala, I saw all the performances of Macbeth, she was absolutely wonderful, as a singer and also as a person, very kind and gentle not at all a diva, but with a very strong carisma.
Yes and although that charisma can never be fully understood except in real Life - it nevertheless comes across suprisingly well in her arias and interviews, and I must admit that she was not only beautiful but utterly seductive; one of the sexiest operatic stars ever. ;-)
I agree with my colleague below. I would defy anyone to name a singer with her range, ability, and dramatic intent gracing the operatic and concert world in recent memory.
Un Ballo in Maschera ("Ecco l' orrido campo" aria finale), Duke Bluebeard's Castle (opening of the Fifth Door, I think - I didn't know she had sung Judith!), Anna Bolena maybe (sorry), Tosca (Act 2 confortation with Scarpia), Medea, La Forza del Destino ("Pace mio Dio" aria finale) All sung perfectly!
The highest note that I've heard from her is a high D (in the Act I Finale of Norma). Interestingly, Grace Bumbry and Marilyn Horne have both mentioned in interviews that they too would regularly vocalize up to high E as well.
@@orion8835 Grace Bumbry voice was nothing to be sought after too bad. She was much better as a mezzo-soprano. And why people compare her to Shirley Verrett is beyond me they're totally two different singers. Arnold Bourbon Amaral
De aquerdo sin ninguna duda. Muy hermosa. El material de su voz es mas fuerte y rico en comparacion de Maria Callas. Esos dos unicos en opera lias quienes amo mucho de todo el corazon.
One of my favorite singer, but I thought she was a much greater mezzo than she was ever a soprano. She always sounded like a mezzo with good high notes, singing soprano, and the center of the voice sat lower than a real soprano, regardless of how good the top notes were.
+Shahrdad Your comment is exactly right. And great as she was, there was a lack of floating ease on the top--strong and even, it nevertheless seemed a bit squeezed and lacking in color/overtones. I also don't believe she had a mezza voce or ppp, which are essential in a soprano.
I would categorize Shirley's Voice as a Falcon Soprano -(a Hybrid voice) a dark soprano with a thick mezzo center, but not entirely soprano. It is said they should have heroic power in the their higher register, good for Verdi roles. (like dramatic sopranos) and heroic agility in the middle voice. I know! very weird! Other sops/Mezzos that might fit in this category are Grace Bumbry, Sylvia Sass, Christa Ludwig, and Giulietta Simionato should also fit into this category. I have heard people saying maybe Price or Dimitrova, but I'm not sure cuz even though they have the voice and the weight, but their tessitura is not really mezzo like... so yeah its a weird voice. Another weird in-between Hybrid voice is the Dugazon: A dark soubrette. A very light soprano with a strangely strong lower register. Soubrette like high notes, mezzo like low notes and great agility (light and high-pushed coloratura mezzo I call it or spinto-soubrette), This voice type fits in Baroque well. And I think Cecilia Bartoli fits in that category! :)
Yawn..Did you ever hear her live? She was very real as a clean dramatic soprano. And she did have a pianissimo. She just was not singing the lyric soprano repertory when on stage as a soprano. Sorry but Verrett never sold herself as a lyric soprano so your comment seems ignorant. The voice cut right thru to the back of the hall and was firm and very clear.
Shahrdad real incomparable mezzo& falcon.The most ideal Selika.She could be also the most ideal Rachel or Valentine.Unforgettable Neocle& Azucena.Bumbry was a ....hidden soprano ,&Verrett has always been mezzo.Some soprano phrases for experienced ears are technically sung with musicality ,dignity &intelligence ,but they aren't natural,& even more or less...secretely forced. Alceste wants a real soprano.It's so difficult.Medea also...Alceste & Selika have different lines
Jagoda Sawczuk No she's not a falcon but Shirley Verrett is. Why is it when it comes to Jessye Norman or Denyce Graves, there fach is lowered; Jessye Norman has to be a falcon and Denyce Graves needs to accept she's a contralto? Only in UA-cam comment section is Norman a Mezzo.
Edward E Both Jessie N and Shirley V sang dramatic rep. most of the pieces in this clip are for the dramatic fach. it seems Jessie's voice is just thicker which makes sense. she has a wider build they're both falcons just have different vocal characteristics.
Shirley Verrett is always a class act, sensitive to musical style, text, and never descends into mere histrionics. Her voice is always dignified, regal, and feminine. That's what makes her a Diva, in my opinion!
And a very accurate opinion my friend. Our beautiful falcon Shirley Verrett 👑🙏🎵🎶💙 Arnold Bourbon Amaral
I can't believe how GREAT she was I enjoyed this VERY VERY MUCH
One of the very great singers in the operatic pantheon. Just forget about categories; more often than not she delivered. Shirley Verrett leaves a very distinguished body of work.
There never be another Verrett!
I met her in La Scala, I saw all the performances of Macbeth, she was absolutely wonderful, as a singer and also as a person, very kind and gentle not at all a diva, but with a very strong carisma.
Yes and although that charisma can never be fully understood except in real Life - it nevertheless comes across suprisingly well in her arias and interviews, and I must admit that she was not only beautiful but utterly seductive; one of the sexiest operatic stars ever. ;-)
Very very true...
@@dubbelhenke854 That is why Pavarotti loved her so much ...
Is it necessary to classify her voice? Can we not just enjoy it for what is was a beautiful voice and a beautiful woman!
Love her, love her, love her; high notes and low. Thanks for posting this!
Such an "Elegant" voice!
I was surprised at how striking she was in real life when I met her face to face.
what was this luke?
Still magical in 2019
Elle est vraiment unique dans son genre! Extraordinaire! Merci à vous foropera
I agree with my colleague below. I would defy anyone to name a singer with her range, ability, and dramatic intent gracing the operatic and concert world in recent memory.
@bcom11
the first is from ballo in maschera, followed by: bluebeard's castle, anna bolena, tosca, medee, forza del destino.
Un Ballo in Maschera ("Ecco l' orrido campo" aria finale), Duke Bluebeard's Castle (opening of the Fifth Door, I think - I didn't know she had sung Judith!), Anna Bolena maybe (sorry), Tosca (Act 2 confortation with Scarpia), Medea, La Forza del Destino ("Pace mio Dio" aria finale)
All sung perfectly!
Dimitris Lianos .
Yes Anna Bolena. Singing Giovanna di seymour's last cabaletta.
Fabulous!!!
maravillosa,un terciopelo,siempre una dama con buen gusto
Magnifica Voz
The highest note that I've heard from her is a high D (in the Act I Finale of Norma). Interestingly, Grace Bumbry and Marilyn Horne have both mentioned in interviews that they too would regularly vocalize up to high E as well.
Bumbry wished she had a E above high C..lol....If it was done it was TINY and probably sounded like a freight train lol...
@@orion8835 Grace Bumbry voice was nothing to be sought after too bad. She was much better as a mezzo-soprano. And why people compare her to Shirley Verrett is beyond me they're totally two different singers. Arnold Bourbon Amaral
Shirley es la más sexy mezzosoprano que eh visto!!! La amo!!!
De aquerdo sin ninguna duda. Muy hermosa. El material de su voz es mas fuerte y rico en comparacion de Maria Callas. Esos dos unicos en opera lias quienes amo mucho de todo el corazon.
Davanti a lei, incontratola per strada quando avevo 19 anni, mi inginocchiai!
wonderful
she was more of a lyric singer and with many coluratura aspects of her voice she was thrilling to hear live
this is not a lyric voice
Can anyone write the names of operas included in this video? Thanks
A melhor!
A qué aria corresponde el segundo agudo?
@foropera Gracias :)
What's the aria of the high note in the very beginning of the video?
sorry to bother you but could you name all the pieces featured for me please?
Маладця.
Who was the baritone in the picture of her and the male wearing black?
Thanks, I now know exactly who he is now (thanks to some research and indepth comparison of his singing to Mr. Milnes.) Thanks anyway!
That would be Mr. Cornell MacNeil, from the Met in 1978 with Pavarotti
Strepitosa!
One of my favorite singer, but I thought she was a much greater mezzo than she was ever a soprano. She always sounded like a mezzo with good high notes, singing soprano, and the center of the voice sat lower than a real soprano, regardless of how good the top notes were.
+Shahrdad Your comment is exactly right. And great as she was, there was a lack of floating ease on the top--strong and even, it nevertheless seemed a bit squeezed and lacking in color/overtones. I also don't believe she had a mezza voce or ppp, which are essential in a soprano.
I would categorize Shirley's Voice as a Falcon Soprano -(a Hybrid voice) a dark soprano with a thick mezzo center, but not entirely soprano. It is said they should have heroic power in the their higher register, good for Verdi roles. (like dramatic sopranos) and heroic agility in the middle voice. I know! very weird!
Other sops/Mezzos that might fit in this category are Grace Bumbry, Sylvia Sass, Christa Ludwig, and Giulietta Simionato should also fit into this category.
I have heard people saying maybe Price or Dimitrova, but I'm not sure cuz even though they have the voice and the weight, but their tessitura is not really mezzo like... so yeah its a weird voice.
Another weird in-between Hybrid voice is the Dugazon: A dark soubrette. A very light soprano with a strangely strong lower register. Soubrette like high notes, mezzo like low notes and great agility (light and high-pushed coloratura mezzo I call it or spinto-soubrette), This voice type fits in Baroque well. And I think Cecilia Bartoli fits in that category! :)
Yawn..Did you ever hear her live? She was very real as a clean dramatic soprano. And she did have a pianissimo. She just was not singing the lyric soprano repertory when on stage as a soprano. Sorry but Verrett never sold herself as a lyric soprano so your comment seems ignorant. The voice cut right thru to the back of the hall and was firm and very clear.
Shahrdad real incomparable mezzo& falcon.The most ideal Selika.She could be also the most ideal Rachel or Valentine.Unforgettable Neocle& Azucena.Bumbry was a ....hidden soprano ,&Verrett has always been mezzo.Some soprano phrases for experienced ears are technically sung with musicality ,dignity &intelligence ,but they aren't natural,& even more or less...secretely forced.
Alceste wants a real soprano.It's so difficult.Medea also...Alceste & Selika have different lines
So this is where I got my voice and my love of latin from. O.o go cousin shirley
🙄
That voice is so dark, she's almost a spinto, can't possibly call her a lyric.
We can't classify her voice...Her fach is just soprano!
Joanne Koehn Well they say she's a falcon soprano which makes sense. Jessie Norman is another too.
Christopher Williams Jessye Norman is a Dramatic Soprano.
Edward E They are both falcon.
Jagoda Sawczuk No she's not a falcon but Shirley Verrett is. Why is it when it comes to Jessye Norman or Denyce Graves, there fach is lowered; Jessye Norman has to be a falcon and Denyce Graves needs to accept she's a contralto? Only in UA-cam comment section is Norman a Mezzo.
Edward E Both Jessie N and Shirley V sang dramatic rep. most of the pieces in this clip are for the dramatic fach. it seems Jessie's voice is just thicker which makes sense. she has a wider build they're both falcons just have different vocal characteristics.
Couldn't agree more with you Charles. Check out my comments regarding her La Scala Lady Macbeth from the late 70's......She was a marvel!!