# Round 3: Voi lo sapate. Nicolai, Boninsegna, Stignani



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)




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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I said before I don’t like mezzos for this aria, as their sound is more mature-sounding than a soprano. In this case both Nicolai and Stignani sound as if they could have “taken care” of Turriddu on their own. Both end their interpretation with a melodramatic flourish. 

Bonisegna’s version is too slow, almost a dirge. I’m afraid it spoiled it for me. 

I’m giving it to Nicolai.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Wow! More humble Sicilian peasant folk piango-ing in their chianti! Or is it their sheep milk? Don't get me wrong; I like chianti. Sheep milk scares me though.

I certainly agree with MAS in finding Boninsegna's tempo too slow. Did she choose that tempo, or did her conductor? The musicians seem flummoxed by it and at moments sound unsure about when the next beat will come. And yet, tempo aside, Boninsegna sings this very much as I want to hear it sung, and unlike others we've been hearing she is a soprano with a powerful chest voice. Nicolai and Stignani both give solid, straightforward performances, and I have nothing really negative to say about them, but I'm going to cast what may be a minority vote and choose Boninsegna. The lady could really sing.


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## Shaafee Shameem (Aug 4, 2021)

I liked both Bonsinsegna and Stignani a lot. Both sing with wonderful legato, great chest notes and appropriate pathos. Nikolai seemed a little too matronly in comparison. However, Boninsegna was particularly special due to the solemn and quiet intensity in her performance, and how she navigated the slow tempo with concentration. It’s different from how this music is usually performed, very bel canto oriented. She was criticized in her time by Verismo specialists as lacking temperament, and singing too sweetly, but I love it. She gets my vote.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Like MAS, I too prefer a soprano for this role. Mezzos often sound too mature and this is the case here for both Nicolai and Stignani.

As others have pointed out, Bonisegna's version is too slow, but she sounds more like a Santuzza to me and shapes the aria with more sensitivity. It wouldn't be my favourite version, but of the three here I prefer her.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

All seemed to have emotional ties to the music so I had to decide by whose sound appealed to me the most and as I happen to prefer a more hefty sound to a lighter feminine sound, my vote goes to Elena Nicolai whose chest tones really resonated with me.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I miscalculated this contest. I would have picked different singers if I had known sopranos were the hot ticket in this crowd on this opera. I like mezzos. Oh, well LOl


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I miscalculated this contest. I would have picked different singers if I had known sopranos were the hot ticket in this crowd on this opera. I like mezzos. Oh, well LOl


I like mezzos too, and, let's face it, plenty of mezzos have sung the role, it being one of the few a mezzo can sing and actually be prima donna for once. My preference is personal.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Simionato is a perfect example


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