# Treasure Cave of Underrated Mezzos and Contraltos



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

as usual, I will start with an Eastern European 

the sumptuous Russian mezzo soprano Tamara Sinyavskaya


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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

Probably my most favorite Russian mezzo soprano is *Nadezhda Obukhova*.


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Bruna Castagna. Gorgeous voice. She has one of the most amusing names around.






Oralia Dominguez. Those who are familiar with The Callas/Del Monaco 1951 Mexico Aida know who she is but they forget about her.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Eva Podles (pronounced "Poad-lesh")-- a very underrated contralto.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> Eva Podles (pronounced "Poad-lesh")-- a very underrated contralto.


she's quite possibly the most famous contemporary contralto in the world at the moment, which is related to the broader problem that contraltos overall are underrated


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> she's quite possibly the most famous contemporary contralto in the world at the moment, which is related to the broader problem that contraltos overall are underrated


I'd say "rare" rather than "underrated."


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> Eva Podles (pronounced "Poad-lesh")-- a very underrated contralto.


Wonderful voice.
I will add_ Lucia Valentini Terrani_ as very much underrated.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Lucia Valentini-Terrani - Una voce poco fa


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Romanian mezzo Viorica Cortez.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Jennifer Larmore never got the attention she deserved imo


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> Jennifer Larmore never got the attention she deserved imo


She's my favorite, but I think that generally everyone realized how excellent she was. I can't recall reading any serious criticisms of her, and she certainly has a lot of complete-opera recordings and recital discs.


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

I think Teresa Berganza is definitely underrated.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Tuoksu said:


> I think Teresa Berganza is definitely underrated.


Not by me she isn't .


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Mezzo: Doris Soffel
Contralto: Monica Sinclair


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Pugg said:


> Not by me she isn't .


Not by me either. But people aren't talking enough about her amazing voice and musicianship.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Valentina Levko: Star of the Bolshoi


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Here is my favorite (possibly underrated) mezzo:


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## Macbeth (Sep 6, 2017)

Romanian mezzo-soprano (with totally contralto-ish sound) Elena Cernei:











Powerful, wide and perfectly even voice, even if she may lack some imagination.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

British Contralto *Clara Butt*: Ombra mai fu (1917)


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> Jennifer Larmore never got the attention she deserved imo


Hear, hear! Totally agree.


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Pugg said:


> British Contralto *Clara Butt*: Ombra mai fu (1917)


Her name never fails to make me laugh :lol:


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)

Macbeth said:


> Romanian mezzo-soprano (with totally contralto-ish sound) Elena Cernei:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sumptuous voice and physique. Mi piace..


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Elizabeth Steiner
Best clip starts here:


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## Tuoksu (Sep 3, 2015)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Tuoksu said:


>


Brave from you to mention her, normally she is neglected like the plague around here.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Speaking of Russians neglected around here, who's more deserving of mention than Irina Arkhipova?


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Marian Anderson- Erbarme dich, mein Gott (Bach)


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

One of my absolute favorites, Huguette Tourangeau:





Much less known - Martine Dupuy:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Azol. I like both. Martine Dupuy plays Cesare here (I have the whole set with this different cover):


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Mahler "Urlicht". Bernard Haitink, Aafje Heynis

From the Netherlands, she was to modest and shy to do opera so no operas aria's


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Monica Sinclair "He was despised" Messiah


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> Monica Sinclair "He was despised" Messiah


Ah what a great shame. Such a wonderful voice and can only get this on Beecham's butchered Messiah set.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Pugg said:


> Monica Sinclair "He was despised" Messiah


....wow! 
she has been added to my list to find more of


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> ....wow!
> she has been added to my list to find more of


Dame Joan recordings will help you.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Pugg said:


> Dame Joan recordings will help you.


you mean her recording of Semiramide in '68? just listened


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> you mean her recording of Semiramide in '68? just listened


Lot's more to get your teeth in :

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/advsearch.php?&performer=Monica+Sinclair&page=1

:angel:


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Tuoksu said:


> Sumptuous voice and physique. Mi piace..


<3 <3 <3
bookmarked.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Sotto ai folti . . .Nei giardin del bello (Tatiana Troyanos)

:angel:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Carol Smith sings Brahms Lieder


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Macbeth said:


> Romanian mezzo-soprano (with totally contralto-ish sound) Elena Cernei.


I am officially addicted. ugh....I have to work but I want to listen to MOOOOOORE!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Diana Montague - Era mia... Che mi giovo ( Zoraida di Granata - Gaetano Donizetti )


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