# The Impossible Recital



## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

*The proposition:*
A recital where the greatest singers will be lined up to perform our favourite arias at the same performance.
I've got Dr. Who backstage; warming up the time machine and he's in the mood to go on a kidnapping spree.

Who do we get?
What aria will they sing?

Don't worry about acting acting ability. Whose voice is best suited for your much loved aria?


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## Operafocus (Jul 17, 2011)

I take it that Dr Who's involvement means they no longer have to be among us. Well, in that case I'd like *Jussi Björling and Robert Merrill* to do the Pearl Fishers duet. Wouldn't mind *Mario del Monaco* singing "Dio mi potevi" as well. Oh, *Jerome Hines* could do "Ella giammai m'amo" and I wouldn't object. *Mario Lanza *could do "E lucevan le stelle" or "Che gelida manina". Or both. *Maria Callas* should definitely do "La mamma morta". *George London* - "Leb Wohl".


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

> A recital where the greatest singers will be lined up to perform our favourite arias at the same performance.


That's not recital. More like gala concert.

I'll have Mario del Monaco singing _Ecco Ridente in Cielo_ and JDF doing Siegfried forging scene.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Aramis said:


> That's not recital. More like gala concert.
> 
> I'll have Mario del Monaco singing _Ecco Ridente in Cielo_ and JDF doing Siegfried forging scene.


Bit of a sadist streak there, Aramis? Or would it be masochist? 

Next you'll be wanting to hear Kirstin Flagstad's _Un Pensiero Nemico di Pace_ and Kathleen Battle as Salome

As for me, just give me 3 hours of Maria Callas, Luciano Pavarotti, and Natalie Dessay singing anything -- hell, sing the phone book -- and I'll be happy.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aramis said:


> JDF doing Siegfried forging scene.


Now I've got the weirdest imaginary earworm.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

rgz said:


> Next you'll be wanting to hear Kirstin Flagstad's _Un Pensiero Nemico di Pace_ and Kathleen Battle as Salome


:lol: _Un pensiero_ is one of my favourite arias. I would want that attempted! I'm sure it would be _something_. Somehow I can kinda see Battle in that, although vocally it would be funny, although not sure it would be funnier than the previous.

my fave singers are still singing, but if I could make use of the time machine I'd have Cotrubas singing any Susanna, Adina or Violetta arias, Conchita Supervia do a Carmen and, of course, Siepi with any DG arias. But if that time machine really worked magic, I'd summon Giuditta Pasta and Isabella Colbran.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Farinelli and Senesino battling it out.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Dream Team:
Farinelli: Big aria of Arsace from Semiramide
Ponselle and Caruso: Final Scene with Radames and Amneris in Aida ( I thought she'd be a great Amneris)
Eileen Farrell:Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix
Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne and Pavarotti: Final Trio from Act 2 of Norma
Traubel and Melchoir: Love Duet Tristan
Varnay: Allein weh ganz allein from Elektra
Nilsson and Corelli: Riddle Scene Turandot
Eva Turner: In Questa Reggia from Turandot
Fat Callas: Ah forze lui and Eva Turner: In Questa Reggia Libera
Eileen Farrell: Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix from Samson and Delilah
Fat Jessye Norman: Suicidio from La Gioconda
Flagstad: Immolation Scene


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

It is a gala. Or, just an excuse to scoop out the best performances from opera recordings.
Now then, if we poach everyone from their best recording years...

Bjorling: Di quella pira from Il Trovatore
Corelli: Nessun dorma from Turandot 
Vickers: Inutiles regrets from Les Troyens
Pavarotti: Una furtiva lagrima from L'elisir d'amore
Rolfe Johnson: Fuor del mar from Idomeneo

This is turning into a _sausage-fest_. We need some ladies.
How about duets?
Bergonzi/Scotto: the drinking song from La Traviata
Pons/Sutherland: the flower duet from Lakme.

Flagstad: Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde
Rysanek: Johohoe from The Flying Dutchman
Popp: Queen of the Night aria from The magic flute
Jurinac: Voi che sapete from The marriage of Figaro
Tebaldi: O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi
de Los Angeles: Habanera from Carmen
Freni: Tatiana's letter from Eugene Onegin or (because I really can't decide) Je veux vivre from Romeo et Juliette

I think the tickets would sell quickly :lol:
Whilst all have had their _hits and misses_. I do think they nailed these arias if you can dig up the right recording.


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## Pip (Aug 16, 2013)

I would like to tour around 19th century europe with a 21st century digital tape recorder and listen to all the first performances of
the great works premiered. Wagner and Verdi Operas, Beethoven and Brahms symphonies ect.
I would also want to here Liszt play and Jean de Reszke sing.Above all to sit in the Phiharmonie and listen to Furtwängler conduct Mahler 2.
Sorry, I expanded the recital, and overused the time machine.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

^ whilst you're at it, might as well go for instrumentals  I might even check out the French Revolution.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

mamascarlatti said:


> Farinelli and Senesino battling it out.


I'd be curious to at least hear what these gentlemen actually sounded like, even if I'm not a countertenor fan.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Dream Team:
> Farinelli: Big aria of Arsace from Semiramide
> Ponselle and Caruso: Final Scene with Radames and Amneris in Aida ( I thought she'd be a great Amneris)
> Eileen Farrell:Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix
> ...


Fat Callas: Ah forze lui and Eva Turner: In Questa Reggia Libera should read Fat Callas: Ah forze lui Sempre Libera and 
Eva Turner: In Questa Reggia


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Ah forze lui


"Ah powers he"?

What opera might it be from...


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

Pip said:


> I would like to tour around 19th century europe with a 21st century digital tape recorder and listen to all the first performances of
> the great works premiered.


If I see anyone selling bootleg CDs from the back of a DeLorean, I'll know who it is.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Aramis said:


> "Ah powers he"?
> 
> What opera might it be from...


Google does a lot but it has not yet come up with a way to spell check names of arias. I can generally spell operas but arias get a little iffy;-) Please don't have me banned from this esteemed forum;-) I can spell " Surabaya Johnny" and "Bali hai" but that doesn't count on this forum.


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## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Pip said:


> I would like to tour around 19th century europe with a 21st century digital tape recorder and listen to all the first performances of
> the great works premiered. Wagner and Verdi Operas, Beethoven and Brahms symphonies ect.
> I would also want to here Liszt play and Jean de Reszke sing.Above all to sit in the Phiharmonie and listen to Furtwängler conduct Mahler 2.
> Sorry, I expanded the recital, and overused the time machine.


I'll join you and I'll bring my camera.


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