# Depuis Le Jour Round 2: Caballe and Popp



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

If you are unfamiliar with these two versions get ready to be seriously impressed with each in differing ways. Mas introduced me to Caballe's version and it gave birth to this contest. I prefer a more exciting version of this aria, but Caballe's ethereally dreamy version is jaw-dropping in it's beauty. The other version is by an artist I was not really familiar with other than her Queen of the Night: Lucia Popp. I enjoy reading comments on Youtube and someone said she was his favorite and I can see why. Lordy, it is gorgeous but in a different way than Caballe's glorious version. Enjoy and comment please! I haven't made up my mind yet - they are that close for me.





 Caballe




 Popp

I tried to embed the videos but it didn't work. Sorry. I think I can do it next time but can't delete this and start over.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

May I be blunt? I can't _stand_ what Caballe does to this aria. She may think she's being "expressive," but to me she sounds like an opera singer showing off her bag of tricks. This isn't the only instance of this kind of vocal narcissism to come from her. Just listen to this lugubrious, self-indulgent "O mio babbino caro" from, I think, the same year (1970):






Neither Louise nor Lauretta appears before us in these essentially identical exhibitions.

Popp has an immediately recognizable, shimmering quality in her voice that works well here, and I have no complaint about her version except that it feels slightly too fast. There's a balance to be struck between dreaminess and excitement - a progression from one to the other and back - and at this tempo the dreaminess is slighted somewhat. But we do at least hear Charpentier's teenage girl, and not some diva in love with her own voice.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Oh dear! Caballe herself once said she went through a period when all wanted was to make beautiful sounds and another when she wanted to be dramatic. I'm not quite sure what she wanted to be doing in this example, other than indulging herself, but it IS beautiful.

I love Lucia Popp, but she went through a period of squeezing out her notes in the upper register, which she does to several here. I'm not sure she is a Louise voice - I think I want a heftier sound, but but her voice does shimmer beautifully nevertheless.

Seattleoperafan is right that it is a tough choice that shouldn't have be tough. I'll have to listen again.

I'm giving it to Montsie, mostly because I just love her voice in this aria (but I prefer the 1979 Paris version) and Miss Popp doesn't convince me in her version.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

MAS said:


> Oh dear! Caballe herself once said she went through a period when all wanted was to make beautiful sounds and another when she wanted to be dramatic. I'm not quite sure what she wanted to be doing in this example, other than indulging herself, but it IS beautiful.
> 
> I love Lucia Popp, but she went through a period of squeezing out her notes in the upper register, which she does to several here. I'm not sure she is a Louise voice - I think I want a heftier sound, but but her voice does shimmer beautifully nevertheless.
> 
> ...


I wish I knew which version that was as none say that. Still, thanks for introducing me to this gorgeous performance.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Caballé's version is absolutely gorgeous - and absolutely wrong. At this speed the aria loses any sense of mounting ardour. I don't know what happened to Louise, because her place has been taken by a rather self-indulgent opera star, intent on showing us all her fabulous breath control and superb pianissimi? 

Popp takes two minutes less to make her points, and though the aria feels slightly rushed, I prefer it. To be honest, I didn't think it would suit her, but she actually gives a lovely performance. I get what MAS is saying about her slightly squeezed upper register, but all in all I prefer it. Funny, I expected to be choosing Caballé's version as I thought her voice would be perfect for the aria. In many ways it is, but her over-interpretation completely ruins it for me. Popp wins this round.

Incidentally,looking through youtube, it seems all sorts of unikely people have recorded it, including Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. I also came across a really lovely version by Valerie Masterson, although it's in English, which might just be my favourite so far. It reminds me that, like Mary Garden and Maggie Teyte before her, she had a considerable career in France singing French opera. Louise was one of her stage roles. I don't think any of the others we have heard so far have sung it.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Caballé's version is absolutely gorgeous - and absolutely wrong. At this speed the aria loses any sense of mounting ardour. I don't know what happened to Louise, because her place has been taken by a rather self-indulgent opera star, intent on showing us all her fabulous breath control and superb pianissimi?
> 
> Popp takes two minutes less to make her points, and though the aria feels slightly rushed, I prefer it. I actually didn't think it would suit her, but she actually gives a lovely performance. I get what MAS is saying about her slightly squeezed upper register, but all in all I prefer it. Funny, I expected to be choosing Caballé's version as I thought her voice would be perfect for the aria. In many ways it is, but her over-interpretation completely ruins it for me. Popp wins this round.
> 
> Incidentally,looking through youtube, it seems all sorts of unikely people have recorded it, including Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. I also came across a really lovely version by Valerie Masterson, although it's in English, which might just be my favourite so far. It reminds me that, like Mary Garden and Maggie Teyte before her, she had a considerable career in France singing French opera. Louise was one of her stage roles. I don't think any of the others we have heard so far have sung it.


Just you wait!!!!!!!!!!!! I have some showstoppers lined up for our next installment of this aria! It is one of the most beautiful arias of all time, in my opinion. I love Joan Sutherland doing it, but she wouldn't fare well in this crowd LOL Next time you WILL be blown away!


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Basically reiterating what others have said before: beautiful singing by Caballé but totally wrong. French repertoire wasn't her forte, there exists horrendous _Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix_, again flawless technically, but "Meh, she wasn't being serious recording this, was she?!?"
Lucia Popp is delightful and her performance has actually made my day, thanks Seattleoperafan!

P.S. If you are open to suggestions for French repertoire, I'd say try _Ombre legere _next for a change of pace, how about it? Callas vs Sutherland vs Sills... mmmm... :tiphat:


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Azol said:


> Basically reiterating what others have said before: beautiful singing by Caballé but totally wrong. French repertoire wasn't her forte, there exists horrendous _Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix_, again flawless technically, but "Meh, she wasn't being serious recording this, was she?!?"
> Lucia Popp is delightful and her performance has actually made my day, thanks Seattleoperafan!
> 
> P.S. If you are open to suggestions for French repertoire, I'd say try _Ombre legere _next for a change of pace, how about it? Callas vs Sutherland vs Sills... mmmm... :tiphat:


Azol, that sounds GREAT. I love that aria anyway!


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Just you wait!!!!!!!!!!!! I have some showstoppers lined up for our next installment of this aria! It is one of the most beautiful arias of all time, in my opinion. I love Joan Sutherland doing it, but she wouldn't fare well in this crowd LOL Next time you WILL be blown away!


Here's the Valerie Masterson clip, if your're interested in adding it.






PS If you click on the film icon (between the photo and quote icons) then paste the youtube link, it embeds the video.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I will be curious to read what others' opinions were because the two renditions were so far apart and yet both exquisite.
Caballe took the Fleming approach with a very slow tempo as opposed to Popp who seemed to be a bit rushed but then in listening to so many others seems to actually have been in the proper tempo.
So it comes down to those two things again-- most stunning voice versus the most touching rendition, and once again I must be kicking myself because I was so ready to flatly go with Caballe I almost didn't even listen to Popp, because who could deliver an aria any better than Caballe's perfection?
But I found myself being drawn in by the magic and pureness of Popp's take that made me sit up and take notice, and for that reason I must go with Popp.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Here's the Valerie Masterson clip, if your're interested in adding it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It took me a bit to finally discover that what I thought was a poor French accent was indeed not French at all but...wait for it...English! I must say that for me it completely lost that special something that only the language it was written in can deliver.
Aside of that, I found her voice to be a generic pleasant one but not one that gave me that stomach punch I so badly require.


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## ALT (Mar 1, 2021)

Once again, neither.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> It took me a bit to finally discover that what I thought was a poor French accent was indeed not French at all but...wait for it...English! I must say that for me it completely lost that special something that only the language it was written in can deliver.
> Aside of that, I found her voice to be a generic pleasant one but not one that gave me that stomach punch I so badly require.


I did actually say it was in English in post 5, and this post was a response to Seattleopera's reponse to that post, so I though that was understood.

Personally I think Valerie Masterson had one of the loveliest voices I'd ever heard live and it's one I could always recognise in a blind test. I wouldn't say it was generic at all. Incidentally, as I also mentioned in post 5, she was immensely popular in France and sang French repetoire there quite a lot. Of all these singers I think she is the only one who had the role of Louise in her stage repertoire.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I did actually say it was in English in post 5, and this post was a response to Seattleopera's reponse to that post, so I though that was understood.
> 
> Personally I think Valerie Masterson had one of the loveliest voices I'd ever heard live and it's one I could always recognise in a blind test. I wouldn't say it was generic at all. Incidentally, as I also mentioned in post 5, she was immensely popular in France and sang French repetoire there quite a lot. Of all these singers I think she is the only one who had the role of Louise in her stage repertoire.


Tsaralondon:
I didn't mean my post as a criticism of her lovely voice. It is just that I missed your #5 announcement that it was in English and it kind of got me off the right track. I am sure there are many roles where she is outstanding and I look forward to hearing more of her and about her.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Caballé's version is absolutely gorgeous - and absolutely wrong. At this speed the aria loses any sense of mounting ardour. I don't know what happened to Louise, because her place has been taken by a rather self-indulgent opera star, intent on showing us all her fabulous breath control and superb pianissimi?
> 
> Popp takes two minutes less to make her points, and though the aria feels slightly rushed, I prefer it. To be honest, I didn't think it would suit her, but she actually gives a lovely performance. I get what MAS is saying about her slightly squeezed upper register, but all in all I prefer it. Funny, I expected to be choosing Caballé's version as I thought her voice would be perfect for the aria. In many ways it is, but her over-interpretation completely ruins it for me. Popp wins this round.
> 
> Incidentally,looking through youtube, it seems all sorts of unikely people have recorded it, including Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. I also came across a really lovely version by Valerie Masterson, although it's in English, which might just be my favourite so far. It reminds me that, like Mary Garden and Maggie Teyte before her, she had a considerable career in France singing French opera. Louise was one of her stage roles. I don't think any of the others we have heard so far have sung it.


I love Valerie! And the French loved her, too!


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## JanacekTheGreat (Feb 26, 2021)

I slightly prefer Popp's version but Caballe's voice is gorgeous.

May I recommend the very young Gheorghiu? She never sounds this great again (but of course she is an excellent singer). I wished she had always sung like this and with less mannerism.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

JanacekTheGreat said:


> I slightly prefer Popp's version but Caballe's voice is gorgeous.
> 
> May I recommend the young Gheorghiu? She never sounds this great again (but of course she is an excellent singer).


I'm interested in doing her but I'd like to keep it to 6 and the last two have never been in a contest before.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I'm not sure which surprised me more, that Popp sang this aria or that her version is superior to Caballe's. I agree with those who have pointed out the beauty of Caballe's voice here and it's a voice that I love. However, her high notes don't work for me here. They make me feel uncomfortable as they have a thin quality that is totally foreign to the usual floatiness of her pianissimi. I'm not sure what she is doing here. Popp, on the other hand, is a revelation. This is my preferred performance of the aria so far.

N.


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