# Sopranos doing "Nessun Dorma" - a rant



## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

This, for me, is a *serious* pet hate. I'd go as far as saying that any soprano who attempts this in public should be shot.

I frequented the Covent Garden Piazza for years, and the amount of women screaming and skreeching their way through "Nessie" is just un-be-lievable. There were a couple of them that I was ready to dispose of, to be honest - or scream at. Especially the ones with a voice as rough as a badger's ****. Not pretty in the slightest, I tell ya.

THEIR argument is that "it's just an aria" and "it makes us a load of cash" (because people know it).

Personally I think it's musical murder. And how would they welcome every tenor under the sun stealing their thunder by doing Vissi d'Arte, O Mio Babbino Caro, the Habanera or the Queen of Night aria? Seriously? A tenor attempting any of the above would sound just as ridiculous as a soprano doing "Nessie" - but who cares, right? As long as we make _money_ from it, who cares about sticking to your own rep 

It may be "just an aria" but it was written for that voice type for a bloody good reason. Whenever I happened to walk into the Piazza and some idiot soprano did it, I walked out again - because it just sounds too awful for words. I don't care how good the soprano is, taking an aria and (insert word)ing around with it to suit their voicetype for the sake of cashing in is, in my book, unforgivable. Nevermind that it sounds awful every-single-time.

"Most people" may be none the wiser and clearly give money because they (finally) recognise a song. If they want so badly to sing songs that 90% of the public will know, maybe it's time to lay off the opera and start singing pop songs off the Top 20 instead.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

I think anyone, male or female, should be brutally mutilated for singing Nessun Dorma.


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

...unless they (and by "they" I mean "tenors") do it really, really well.


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## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk (May 9, 2011)

It could be worse: they could be using keyboard strings for accompaniment.

oh god they weren't any keyboard strings anywhere were there!!


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

AmericanGesamtkunstwerk said:


> oh god they weren't any keyboard strings anywhere were there!!


Haha, I couldn't be sure. I had enough trying to keep the contents of my stomach down from the "brought up in pitch on Audacity" arrangements they were sporting. It was a skreech-fest that sounded like cats having their tails pulled alongside noises as offensive as accordion and bagpipes put together.

*cringe*


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Operafocus said:


> ...unless they (and by "they" I mean "tenors") do it really, really well.


Paul Potts ftw!


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

I'll gladly line up PP next to these sopranos any day. lol.


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## Dins (Jun 21, 2011)

Now this is how it *should* be sung!






Patriotic? Me? Naaaah...


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

And like *this*


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Dins said:


> Now this is how it *should* be sung!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Jussi was the first singer I heard sing it and for my mind no one else has done it as well. According to the biography Anna Lisa wrote it was requested so many times at his recitals he came to hate it.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Is it ok if I sing a basso Ah Mes Amis or Una Furtiva Lagrima? Cause I do that in the shower a lot


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

rgz said:


> Is it ok if I sing a basso Ah Mes Amis or Una Furtiva Lagrima? Cause I do that in the shower a lot


:lol::lol:

Now that would cause a stir at Covent Garden.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

rgz said:


> Is it ok if I sing a basso Ah Mes Amis or Una Furtiva Lagrima? Cause I do that in the shower a lot


It depends. How many people are in there with you having to hear it?


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

amfortas said:


> It depends. How many people are in there with you having to hear it?


Well my cat cries outside the door if I look her out of the bathroom so while she's not in the shower per se she's definitely in the same room.


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## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

Operafocus said:


> This, for me, is a *serious* pet hate. I'd go as far as saying that any soprano who attempts this in public should be shot.
> 
> I frequented the Covent Garden Piazza for years, and the amount of women screaming and skreeching their way through "Nessie" is just un-be-lievable. There were a couple of them that I was ready to dispose of, to be honest - or scream at. Especially the ones with a voice as rough as a badger's ****. Not pretty in the slightest, I tell ya.
> 
> ...


Agree whole heartedly. The absolute worst I have the unfortunate experience to come across was a cross over 'artist' Jenkins, first name Catherine from New Zealand. Everytime I was reminded of it, I broke out in cold sweat.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Really, the same goes for countertenors:


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

Aksel said:


> Really, the same goes for countertenors:


Christ... Doesn't do it for me, no...


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aksel said:


> Really, the same goes for countertenors:


:lol::lol:

OK, I give in, countertenors ARE creepy!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> :lol::lol:
> 
> OK, I give in, countertenors ARE creepy!


I'm more creeped out by Simon Cowell


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> I'm more creeped out by Simon Cowell


It's the teeth, isn't it. The paradigm of excessive teeth whitening.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Dster said:


> Agree whole heartedly. The absolute worst I have the unfortunate experience to come across was a cross over 'artist' Jenkins, first name Catherine from New Zealand. Everytime I was reminded of it, I broke out in cold sweat.


I think the New Zealanders may feel slandered. The lady in question is Welsh -- although the Welsh may have disowned her by now.


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## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

MAuer said:


> I think the New Zealanders may feel slandered. The lady in question is Welsh -- although the Welsh may have disowned her by now.


My apologies to all Kiwis and I believe she spell her name with a K. Thank you for pointing out the mistake.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Especially for you *operafocus*. I knew I had a photo of her, no audio though.


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

Oh... My... God! That's the one! You guessed that from what I said? That's impressive! I take it that means I'm not alone in wanting to rip my ears off when she does what she does...? :lol:



sospiro said:


> Especially for you *operafocus*. I knew I had a photo of her, no audio though.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Operafocus said:


> Oh... My... God! That's the one! You guessed that from what I said? That's impressive! I take it that means I'm not alone in wanting to rip my ears off when she does what she does...? :lol:


I was in London to see _La fille du régiment_ last year & went for a stroll through Covent Garden. I heard this 'singing' & went to investigate. I nearly did take an mpeg but just got a photo. I didn't stay long - didn't want to ruin my hearing for the treats in store that evening.

I can't take credit for guessing - don't think there could be more than one 'soprano' who answers your description.


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

I think I love you! At least now I know it's not-just-me who's sensitive to, well, her in particular. It's worth comparing to a combo of cat and bagpipe - not a pretty noise.



sospiro said:


> I was in London to see _La fille du régiment_ last year & went for a stroll through Covent Garden. I heard this 'singing' & went to investigate. I nearly did take an mpeg but just got a photo. I didn't stay long - didn't want to ruin my hearing for the treats in store that evening.
> 
> I can't take credit for guessing - don't think there could be more than one 'soprano' who answers your description.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Operafocus said:


> I think I love you! At least now I know it's not-just-me who's sensitive to, well, her in particular. It's worth comparing to a combo of cat and bagpipe - not a pretty noise.


:lol:

What worried me though was the applause she got. 

Thank goodness Natalie Dessay's spectacular _Marie_ erased all memory from my brain.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Oh well. I was moaning to the librarian about the fact that a few of the full length operas in the library featured Bocelli in the title role, and the librarian obviously wasn't really listening, and he said to me "It's such a pity that such a wonderful singer with a great talent like that should be blind". 

I suppose if you have no one to compare people to, you think that they are pretty good.


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

My partner was once asked the following question: "Can you do that Paul Potts song, Nessun Dorma?" 

*throws furniture around*


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

This thing had a story behind, too:


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## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

Operafocus said:


> Paul Potts song, Nessun Dorma


 Iron nail scratching on a piece of slate gives a slightly more pleasant sound. 

Its all Big P's fault. He made the aria popular. Now it get abused left, right and centre.


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