J.D. Florez and Aida Garifullina "Parigi O Cara"

[whipped guy]

I just came across this the final Section of the Mozart Exultate Jubilate recorded by Sutherland in 1978 and not released until later. The voice is larger almost 20 years later and she articulates the trills a bit differently. However the voice remains in great shape for a 52 year old compared to the 33 year old singer in the first example.

 

[+ sync]

TruHart1 and Whipped Guy thanks to you both for the side-by-side Auger/Sutherland Exultate Jubilate. Both are great listening, but I lean more towards the Auger for the beautiful blending with the instrumental work. Sutherland's vocal gymnastics, magnificent as they are, were a distraction for me. I really like Sutherland's presentation in Whipped Guy's most recent example (the 52 year-old Sutherland).

 

And, of course, I can't not mention Sutherland's gold-standard singing of Let The Bright Seraphim

[whipped guy]

TruHart1 and Whipped Guy thanks to you both for the side-by-side Auger/Sutherland Exultate Jubilate. Both are great listening, but I lean more towards the Auger for the beautiful blending with the instrumental work. Sutherland's vocal gymnastics, magnificent as they are, were a distraction for me. I really like Sutherland's presentation in Whipped Guy's most recent example (the 52 year-old Sutherland).

 

And, of course, I can't not mention Sutherland's gold-standard singing of Let The Bright Seraphim

Interestingly it is Sutherland's technique that grabs me in the earlier recording, which I prefer to the later recording. The orchestras in the earlier Sutherland version and that of the Auger are German Radio orchestras from Klön and Bavaria respectively. Of course with Bernstein you are going to get more attention to the orchestral aspects remembering that on his best day Alberto Erede who conducts the Sutherland would not be able to come close to Bernstein on his worst day. Plus I would guess that the Sutherland version was a quick "one take effort" with minimal rehearsal for radio broadcast that was never intended for commercial release. The second Sutherland was obviously conducted by her husband Richard Bonynge who again was not considered to be in the same league as Bernstein.

 

While Bonynge is credited with discovering and nurturing Sutherland's talents it is a pity that she did not get to work with more distinguished conductors throughout her career. Early on she did work with Serafin, Gui, Barbirolli, Klemperer, Ansermet, and others, but often she was forced to work with Italian bandmasters and even at the MET and La Scala in the early days. She did make several recordings with Solti and the famous Turandot recording with Mehta, but it was virtually all Bonynge for the most part.

 

Incidentally, the "Let the brighi seraphim" is from the Art of the Prima Donna, a recording that has not been bettered in the 50 plus years since it was taped where Sutherland demonstrated that there was not much that she could not do and do well.

[TruHart1]

Interestingly it is Sutherland's technique that grabs me in the earlier recording, etc...

 

Incidentally, the "Let the brighi seraphim" is from the Art of the Prima Donna, a recording that has not been bettered in the 50 plus years since it was taped where Sutherland demonstrated that there was not much that she could not do and do well.

The Art of the Prima Donna had some of Sutherland's most impressive recorded performances. Her tone clarity and perfect articulation were amazing on this recording. Here's the little aria Son vergin vezzosa from Bellini's I Puritani (with animated score to follow if you choose)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3qCYbonmV4

 

...and here's her definitive, almost perfect interpretation of Bel raggio lusinghier from Rossini's Semiramide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSIs7WLZ_OI

 

It's interesting that @whipped guy mentions she was forced to work with the "Italian bandmasters" all the time since the conductor on The Art of the Prima Donna is Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, an Italian bandmaster if ever there was, who conducted Italian opera at the MET constantly during the 1960's and 1970's!!! Still, this recording stands out as one of the young Sutherland's very best, IMHO! The original two LP set was recorded in London during August of 1960, about a year and a half after her debut of the role of Lucia di Lammermoor at Covent Garden on February 17, 1959, which catapulted her to major world star overnight, though she'd been working as a house soprano there since October of 1952, covering roles and doing whatever roles she was assigned by Covent Garden management!

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

The Art of the Prima Donna had some of Sutherland's most impressive recorded performances. Her tone clarity and perfect articulation were amazing on this recording. Here's the little aria Son vergin vezzosa from Bellini's I Puritani (with animated score to follow if you choose)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3qCYbonmV4

 

...and here's her definitive, almost perfect interpretation of Bel raggio lusinghier from Rossini's Semiramide:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSIs7WLZ_OI

 

It's interesting that @whipped guy mentions she was forced to work with the "Italian bandmasters" all the time since the conductor on The Art of the Prima Donna is Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, an Italian bandmaster if ever there was, who conducted Italian opera at the MET constantly during the 1960's and 1970's!!! Still, this recording stands out as one of the young Sutherland's very best, IMHO! The original two LP set was recorded in London during August of 1960, about a year and a half after her debut of the role of Lucia di Lammermoor at Covent Garden on February 17, 1959, which catapulted her to major world star overnight, though she'd been working as a house soprano there since October of 1952, covering roles and doing whatever roles she was assigned by Covent Garden management!

 

TruHart1

 

You beat me to it! I was planning to post the Semiramide aria this morning. What is interesting is that she never used the embellishments employed in any live performance of the opera. It is also sung in the original key of A major. Sutherland sang it in A major when she first performed it on stage at La Scala under Italian bandmaster Santini in 1962. So we get her rarely heard high E in alt in both performances. Thereafter she always sang the aria in A-flat so as to have the penultimate note be her trademark E-flat in alt. Later in her career she sang the final cabaletta section in G-flat with the aria proper in A-flat. That necessitated a change of key that was accomplished by a cadenza between the two sections that accomplished the modulation.

 

Here is the aria in A-fiat and she sings it better than on her complete recording of the opera in my opinion. The embellishments are also more in keeping with the Rossini style. The original Semiramide was Rossini's wife Isabella Colbran who was a low voiced soprano and almost a mezzo. Say what you want about Richard Bonynge, but in this case he embellished the aria for his wife in a manner that Rossini certainly would have done if Sutherland were available to perform the aria back in 1823.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_3tghy9NrA

 

Here is the aria sung in the original key by mezzo Joyce DiDonato from her Isabella Colbran album. This is probably closer to what the original sounded like in 1823. Still Sutherland's versions are a guilty pleasure!

 

 

[whipped guy]

At the conclusion of the above posted Semiramide aria I was directed to this. Again sung better than on her commercial complete recording of the opera! Sutherland in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda. This time the final cabaletta section is transposed up so she can end it on a high D. I was lucky to see her in the role at the now long defunct Connecticut Opera. Students were offered orchestra seat subscriptions at reduced prices. Other singers who appeared that season were Tucker, Sills, Caballé, Deutekom, among others. The biggest operatic bargain of my life.

 

[+ sync]

Following this thread has been akin to auditing a masters class in music appreciation for me. I fairly swooned from the singing of Joyce DiDonato.

[sydneyboy]

This wonderful thread brought back memories. Richard Bonynge was musical director of what was then called the Australian Opera from the late 1970's to the late 1980's and Joan Sutherland sang a number of roles each year. Of operas mentioned in this thread I have fond recollection of ''I Puritani'' a review of the opening night by our most acerbic local critic produced a sub editors heading ''Dame Joan dazzles in mad old warhorse''. The sang this role shortly afterwards at the Met and I recall a rapturous review in Opera Magazine. She was going through an Indian Summer. ''Semiramide'' likewise is fondly remembered when she sang alongside the great Australian mezzo Lauris Elms. ''Daughter of the Regiment'' I remember with less affection an opera one local wit summed up perfectly as ''musical mush''. Nobody can be anything but thrilled by the great tenor aria but the least said about the rest of the opera the better. Hearing J. D. Florez live is my great unfulfilled dream. I notice that ''Les Huguenots'' is entering his repertory next year (or the year after) another fond memory from the Bonynge/Sutherland Sydney years.

[whipped guy]

This wonderful thread brought back memories. Richard Bonynge was musical director of what was then called the Australian Opera from the late 1970's to the late 1980's and Joan Sutherland sang a number of roles each year. Of operas mentioned in this thread I have fond recollection of ''I Puritani'' a review of the opening night by our most acerbic local critic produced a sub editors heading ''Dame Joan dazzles in mad old warhorse''. The sang this role shortly afterwards at the Met and I recall a rapturous review in Opera Magazine. She was going through an Indian Summer. ''Semiramide'' likewise is fondly remembered when she sang alongside the great Australian mezzo Lauris Elms. ''Daughter of the Regiment'' I remember with less affection an opera one local wit summed up perfectly as ''musical mush''. Nobody can be anything but thrilled by the great tenor aria but the least said about the rest of the opera the better. Hearing J. D. Florez live is my great unfulfilled dream. I notice that ''Les Huguenots'' is entering his repertory next year (or the year after) another fond memory from the Bonynge/Sutherland Sydney years.

I have an audio copy of the "Indian Summer Semiramide" that you mention and I was very impressed with Australian mezzo Lauris Elms! Likewise I was fortunate to see Sutherland at the Met for the "Indian Summer Puritani" in 1986. In both operas she took some downward transpositions (the Semiramide cabaletta noted above as well as that of the Puritani Mad Scene both sung in g-flat if I recall correctly) but the voice was basically in decent shape.

[+ Charlie]

I tend to rip through this site pretty quickly nowadays, so when I first noticed this thread, I thought I would put it aside until I had time to listen to the links. But each time I came back, it was even longer! I have just had a wonderful time listening to about half of the links.

 

My first exposure to many operas was on LP recordings with Victoria de los Angeles, so I am a sucker for vibrato. (Even Supervia or Virginia Zeani.) It does seem to me that vibrato is a natural (and noticeable) part of some voices, while other singers produce it on demand. Auger definitely seems to be one of the latter. I only saw her once, fairly early in her career, as Marzelline in Fidelio, and I didn't particularly notice any vibrato then. I really do enjoy it in lower male voices when it seems to be natural, and like WG, I have always been partial to Panerai.

 

One of my favorite memories of Sutherland was not of a performance. I was visiting a musical friend in Switzerland, who was an acquaintance of the Bonynges. He took me to brunch at a restaurant on a mountainside, and we were sitting out on the patio, when John pointed to a villa a little way below us on the mountain, and said, "Oh, by the way, that's Joan and Richard's place." And I looked down into their garden, where two people were sitting. I really couldn't tell who it was, but I like to think that it was the power couple, drinking their late morning coffee.

[sydneyboy]

To add to my earlier post J D Florez makes his debut as Raoul in ''Les Huguenots'' at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in November this year. A leap into much heavier territory.

[whipped guy]

To add to my earlier post J D Florez makes his debut as Raoul in ''Les Huguenots'' at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in November this year. A leap into much heavier territory.

Well JDF has already sung at least two roles written for Aldolpe Nourrit, Ory in Le Comte Ory and Arnold in Guillaume Tell. Therefore, Raoul is the next logical step. A heavier role by today's standards, but probably not back then. I'm not sure how high Nourrit sang with chest voice, but we know he did not have a high C from the chest. He probably sang his highest notes in a "voix mixte". Indeed that is how, for example, I always hear the duet with Valentine from Huguenots and the phrase "Ah, Matilde" from the first act duet of Tell sung in my mind's ear... caressed softly as opposed to being bellowed.

[+ Charlie]

Corelli bellowed it, but I still enjoyed it.

[whipped guy]

Corelli bellowed it, but I still enjoyed it.

Well Corelli that "Can Belto" tenor if there ever was one (as opposed to a "Bel Canto" tenor) was a guilty pleasure! I enjoyed his Raoul as well!

 

They don't make 'em like that any more.

[+ Charlie]

I didn't see Corelli very often, because he was a notorious hypochondriac who frequently cancelled, but he could give me goosebumps when he let go with a show-stopping aria, like "Pourquoi me reveiller" in Werther.

[whipped guy]

I Saw Corelli only once in Truandot... Enough said! Plus he was easy on the eyes!

 

Here is the Huguenots duet referenced above. The passage I (and I assume Charlie) was referencing begins at about 6:25 and continues for about 5 minutes. One of the highlights of the score and it works for Corelli and mezzo Gulietta Simionato perfectly. Here sung in Italian at La Scala as Gli Ugonotti.

 

[TruHart1]

I didn't see Corelli very often, because he was a notorious hypochondriac who frequently cancelled, but he could give me goosebumps when he let go with a show-stopping aria, like "Pourquoi me reveiller" in Werther.

No question about it, Franco Corelli had an extraordinarily exciting voice. His Franco-Italiano accent when he sang French, though, was unfortunate. Still, it was always a tremendously thrilling voice. Thankfully the famous 1962 La Scala production of Gli Ugonotti (Les Huguenots) was in Italian translation, which gave him the freedom to do what only he could. He was one of the greatest and most sensational tenor voices ever. From a 1960 Monte Carlo Turandot, the audience refused to let the performance continue until Corelli did an encore!!!

 

TruHart1

[whipped guy]

No question about it, Franco Corelli had an extraordinarily exciting voice. His Franco-Italiano accent when he sang French, though, was unfortunate. Still, it was always a tremendously thrilling voice. Thankfully the famous 1962 La Scala production of Gli Ugonotti (Les Huguenots) was in Italian translation, which gave him the freedom to do what only he could. He was one of the greatest and most sensational tenor voices ever. From a 1960 Monte Carlo Turandot, the audience refused to let the performance continue until Corelli did an encore!!!

 

TruHart1

Interestingly when I heard Corelli in Turandot (sans encore unfortunately) conductor Gabor Ötvös ended the aria at the final "vicerò!". That way the audience could applaud as much and as long as they wanted. Of course nowadays the concert ending is used at least in recitals and concerts. It was strange to hear the aria end abruptly when one is used to hearing it with the orchestral postlude which never resolves, but I guess given that there would be quite an ovation it was decided that would be the best alternative. In any event, I have always wondered if Puccini, being a man of the theater, would have revised that portion of the score (had he lived to do so) after experiencing the piece on stage so as to allow for applause.

[+ Charlie]

Many years later, when "Nessun dorma" became a staple of tenor concerts, I asked Dame Eva Turner (Turandot at the Covent Garden premiere), who was in the audience at that first performance of the opera at La Scala in 1926, how she reacted when she heard it. She said she didn't remember any special ovation for the aria, and she was somewhat surprised at how popular it had become.

[whipped guy]

Many years later, when "Nessun dorma" became a staple of tenor concerts, I asked Dame Eva Turner (Turandot at the Covent Garden premiere), who was in the audience at that first performance of the opera at La Scala in 1926, how she reacted when she heard it. She said she didn't remember any special ovation for the aria, and she was somewhat surprised at how popular it had become.

I always considered "Nessun dorma" to be a very special aria, an aria reserved for that special occasion. Then the Three Tenors got ahold of it and it became run-of-the-mill. May the gods bless the Three Tenors for introducing opera to a large segment of the population that ordinarily would not be exposed to it, but... At the height of their popularity "Nessun dorma" became the equivalent of "Granada" and "O sole mio", just another humdrum and overly done tune.

 

It may sound strange, but some things in life are just too beautiful and so special that they are best taken in small doses. That's how I view Turandot as a whole and "Nessun dorma" in particular.

 

Incidentally, in retrospect (and in spite of what I posted above) I would guess that if he had lived Puccini would not have tampered with the postlude of "Nessun dorma" to allow for applause. After all, in La Bohème there's no room for applause at the conclusion of Musetta's Waltz. I would guess he would have preferred the same with "Nessun dorma". Interestingly, as early as 1820 Rossini experimented with supressing applause. Yes, he of the bombastic applause getting endings! There are two very long stretches in his opera Maometto Secondo (Monhammed the Second) where either nothing resolves or sections flow directly into one another so that there is no room for applause. When it does come it's right after the title character's big scenes in both acts.