# Danielle de Niese



## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

Can I get some opinions on soprano Danielle de Niese? Just within the past month I've become interested in Baroque opera and have come across Ms. de Niese on Youtube. I've only listened to her briefly and in Handel; my impression is that her voice is nice but rather limited -- not a voice for 19th-century bel canto opera, or at least not one that I'd care to hear in that repertoire. In other words, I think she's wise to specialize in Baroque music. Yet to read comments on Youtube and even Amazon you'd think she has no vocal talent at all and got where she has gotten simply on the basis of her looks. I've long suspected that Youtube opera comment sections are full of bitter, unsuccessful singers, so I thought I'd come here to see what everyone thinks of her.


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

As someone who is in no position to judge vocal talent, I can say that I have enjoyed her performances many times. It's probably because I watch opera as much for the acting and the visuals as I do for the singing. She's in the top tier of actress/singers, IMO. Right up there with Natalie Dessay.


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## Dustin (Mar 30, 2012)

I enjoy watching her quite a bit as well despite always hearing she has no talent.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I can very strongly recommend her two excellent recital discs: one with Haendel arias and another devoted to Mozart.


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## JohnGerald (Jul 6, 2014)

I have the DVD of The Enchanted Island,in which she comes across quite well, and some (but not all) reviewers have given postive reactions to her recent Blu ray of Don Pasquale


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Sometimes I enjoy her performances immensely - for example as Cleopatra the sex kitten in the Giulio Cesare DVD from Glyndebourne. But although I cannot deny her dancing talent, commitment, charm and enthusiasm, I do often find her hammy (that Glyndebourne Don Pasquale comes to mind). That said, I would prefer to watch her in a production than simply listen (I've got those recital discs, and although the Handel is OK I am not a fan of the Mozart, it's a bit strident).


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

mamascarlatti said:


> Sometimes I enjoy her performances immensely - for example as Cleopatra the sex kitten in the Giulio Cesare DVD from Glyndebourne. But although I cannot deny her dancing talent, commitment, charm and enthusiasm, I do often find her hammy (that Glyndebourne Don Pasquale comes to mind). That said, I would prefer to watch her in a production than simply listen (I've got those recital discs, and although the Handel is OK I am not a fan of the Mozart, it's a bit strident).


I saw several people describe her voice as strident, and I have to admit I don't hear it -- but then, I tend to like bright, "pinging" voices anyway. What I do hear is that her vibrato is a bit wide, but then other successful sopranos, like Pilar Lorengar, have had vibratos on the wide side. And anyway, I'd much rather hear vibrato in Handel than that awful (in my opinion) "studio-Baroque" straight-toning. If I buy one of her CDs it will be "Beauty of the Baroque," as I hardly need another Mozart recital!

Another thing people have said is that her intonation is regularly faulty. Since I lack a perfect sense of pitch, I can't know to what extent this is actually true. I'll only say that the claim is not at all unique to de Niese; I've seen the same thing said about nearly every singer I can think of. What always irritates me about Youtube comments is that so often they play the game of "I know something you don't know," as in "Oh, you like so and so? Haven't you realized that she never sings in tune?" It's like what you said a while ago in another thread, about comments like "Only _truly musical_ people realize that [fill in the blank] can't sing!"


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

Bellinilover said:


> rather limited -- not a voice for 19th-century bel canto opera, or at least not one that I'd care to hear in that repertoire.


that. I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to her in anything that didn't require a perky personality. Even so, in The Enchanted Island she got all the bravura arias and there wasn't one I didn't like better done by someone else.


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## atmplayspiano (Apr 12, 2014)

I think she's great. I have her album of Handel arias and her voice has a nice, full tone. Plus, she's a sexy Cleopatra.


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