# Single round: The Nightingale and the Rose. Ponselle, Sayao, Sills



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

See the intro below


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

This is one of the most beautiful songs I know of and all three ladies do wonderful versions. Sills does it very different from the other two. I think you will enjoy this contest. This is one of my favorite things that Ponselle sang.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Ponselle's voice is just so gorgeous here and in a piece like this that counts for a lot, I wish I could have heard her in person. I only listened to a little of Sayao and none of Sills before I knew I'd vote for Ponselle and went back to listen to her again.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I really liked all three versions. They all sound very good and in excellent voice, but the sheer gorgeousnes of Ponselle's voice wins it for me.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I really liked all three versions. They all sound very good and in excellent voice, but the sheer gorgeousnes of Ponselle's voice wins it for me.


I agree totally. It is breathtaking, her English is remarkable, and the recording quality is excellent for the time. All are great. Such a haunting piece!


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Because of these "contests" I became a crazy fan of Celestina Boninsegna. Now Poncelle is ever close to the same. I'm about to listen to her again and again like Bette Davis in "All about Eve".
But other ladies were superb, it's a pity that I can't vote for all of them. Sayao sounded most oriental, the orchestration helps in it. Originally the piece is signed as oriental romance (in Russian music this word means Lied).


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Garifullina maybe is not perfect. But here is the song in Russian.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

This was a unique pairing from light lyric to a more rich soprano. Although I think Sills did a gorgeous job I cannot help but feel the sadness behind Ponselle's approach. So Rosa it is.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I don't really have a preference here, but Sills floating her soft notes into the stratosphere is rather magical. If she were recorded better I might choose her.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Forget about Garifullina.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

ColdGenius said:


> Forget about Garifullina.


She sang at my only Met performance and she was a star.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> She sang at my only Met performance and she was a star.


Which opera?


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

ColdGenius said:


> Which opera?


Gioconda, an opulent production with Violeta Umana and it was luckily an opera we would never do here because of the great cost. I'm guessing 15 years ago. I love the over the top music.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

ColdGenius said:


> Forget about Garifullina.


I only heard her once live, as Margeurite in a non-staged performance of Berlioz's _La Damnation de Faust_ conducted by Colin Davis. There was no doubting the quality of the voice, and she was quite suited to the role of Margerite. On record, I've found her a little too placid for roles like Dalila, beautifully though she sings it. I prefer my Dalilas to have a bit more bite in their sound.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

In the theater her Dalilah was magnificent, even in concert performance and maybe a little bit after her prime. It was a woman whom it was impossible to escape.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

ColdGenius said:


> In the theater her Dalilah was magnificent, even in concert performance and maybe a little bit after her prime. It was a woman whom it was impossible to escape.


 It is not a particularly individual voice so I don't know if I'd want to hear her on disc, but she was an exciting live performer both physically, in attractiveness, and quality of voice. She had a long career.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Now she is partially retired. As she said in an interview, "I can't sing what I want, and I don't want to sing what I can". She effortlessly sings the Countess and this winter I attended "Khovantchina", where she sang Martha. I also hope to catch her chamber programme.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

ColdGenius said:


> Forget about Garifullina.


This is surely slower than Rimsky imagined it and slower than I like it, but Borodina sustains it beautifully. She isn't in the contest, but I'll give her an honorary blue ribbon.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I only heard her once live, as Margeurite in a non-staged performance of Berlioz's _La Damnation de Faust_ conducted by Colin Davis. There was no doubting the quality of the voice, and she was quite suited to the role of Margerite. On record, I've found her a little too placid for roles like Dalila, beautifully though she sings it. I prefer my Dalilas to have a bit more bite in their sound.


She was Dalila twice in SF and very sensuous - the second time more _zaftig _but no less womanly - costumes to die for - the voice rotund and ductile, flowing like silky streams of sound. The Samson was Berti, unlistenable in the house, but at the transmission to the ballpark (!) he was splendid. Go figure. 

The production was premiered by Verrett, then came Marilyn Horne, then Borodina, who was more interesting and totally herself.


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## BBSVK (10 mo ago)

I didn't know the song, but I already managed to create a platonic ideal of it in my head. It should sound "oriental" (and be in Russian). Actually, one translation says "orienral rose". It does not seem necessary for the "plot" at all, but the mood is very similar to other orientalist works of Korsakov. (Not that I know him extensively, ha ha !) Sills gives it the most of the orientalist / exoticist feel, so she has my vote.


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