# Favorite mezzo in the mezzo part of the Verdi Requiem



## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Cossotto especially in the video under Karajan. Dominguez is a close second as the timbre and tessitura of her voice fits the part ideally.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I like Ludwig on the Giulini and Baltsa in both the EMI Muti and, especiall, in the live Muti from Munich with Norman, Carreras and Nesterenko. She is also the best mezzo soloist I have ever heard in a live performamce.


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

Nell Rankin under de Sabata.
Agnes Baltsa under Muti.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Stignani from what many consider the best recording with Caniglia and Pinza. She was in her prime in the 30's and amazing.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Bruna Castagna in the 1940 Toscanini recording.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Shouldn't this be in the "vocal music" subforum? Btw, I feel the "vocal music" subforum should be merged with the "opera" subforum, since activity on the "vocal music" subforum is minimal anyway.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

hammeredklavier said:


> Shouldn't this be in the "vocal music" subforum? Btw, I feel the "vocal music" subforum should be merged with the "opera" subforum, since activity on the "vocal music" subforum is minimal anyway.


It's a bit of a gray area, isn't it? Singers are a major topic of discussion here. Verdi's _Manzoni Requiem_, written by a composer known almost entirely for opera, requires major operatic voices, and recordings always feature major opera singers. Although the work as a whole may logically be discussed in other forums - vocal music, religious music - a close focus on one soloist, as here, is natural for people who frequent the opera forum. It's a similar case with the "sing-offs" we've been enjoying, where we sometimes consider well-known opera singers doing non-operatic music. I don't see a problem with that, and do in fact enjoy the excursions.

I wouldn't merge opera with vocal music. The realm of vocal music is much wider than opera, and styles and techniques of singing through history have not been limited to what we identify as "classical." There's inevitably overlap between discussions of opera, song, choral music, religious music. early music, contemporary music, etc. Any number of topics might be discussed in several places, but that doesn't bother me. Maybe others would like to opine on or debate this. Why not open a thread just for that purpose?


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Meant to quote.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

hammeredklavier said:


> Shouldn't this be in the "vocal music" subforum? Btw, I feel the "vocal music" subforum should be merged with the "opera" subforum, since activity on the "vocal music" subforum is minimal anyway.


I just ran a contest featuring the soprano solo from Brahms Requiem and no one mentioned any thing. I understand your point of view but most of this stuff is sung by opera singers. I also include lieder in my contests as mezzos have so few arias compared to sopranos. There have been many discussions of the 4 Last Songs on here in the past.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

hammeredklavier said:


> Shouldn't this be in the "vocal music" subforum? Btw, I feel the "vocal music" subforum should be merged with the "opera" subforum, since activity on the "vocal music" subforum is minimal anyway.


Right, but vocal music written by a composer known for about 2 dozen operas who expected his work to be sung with an operatic technique. I think the question is appropriate here, but I agree with your suggestion of merging the other subforum into this one.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Cossotto in the video under Karajan
Agnes Baltsa under Muti.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Cossotto gets the win for me. Her singing is a combination of 

somber, lachrymose moments
blood and guts intensity which varied depending on the emotion wished to be expressed
sensitive legato phrasing
exciting acting that flirts with the line of histrionic without ever crossing it


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I REALLY need to watch the Karajan DVD! (I have it, but haven't seen it yet.)

My favourite recording of the Requiem is Muti's one from La Scala and the mezzo there is Zajic. I doubt she would be my favourite overall though. Ludwig on the Giulini would be a contender, as would Simionato on a live one from Salzburg in 1962 conducted by Karajan.

N.


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## ALT (Mar 1, 2021)

The Conte said:


> My favourite recording of the Requiem is Muti's one from La Scala and the mezzo there is Zajic. I doubt she would be my favourite overall though. Ludwig on the Giulini would be a contender, as would Simionato on a live one from Salzburg in 1962 conducted by Karajan.
> 
> N.


It happens to be my favorite Verdi Requiem as well. Everything fell in place for that one. With Zajick, Studer, Pavarotti (pre clown-tenor days) and Ramey, and with Muti at the helm, it’s gold-standard. If I have anything negative to say about it is that the sound is a bit recessed, dry and “boxy”. But that La Scala chorus! Incomparable in this work. Side note: Studer was a last minute replacement for Margaret Price.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I had a listen to a few different mezzos in the requiem and two stand out. Ludwig (and Giulini's conducting is a feature here) gives a Liber Scriptus that is enough to bring the fear of God to anyone. Simionato came second with a sumptious Recordare with Price.

N.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Norman is notable in having won ( if I remember correctly) the contest for the big final aria for soprano here but also being really wonderful as in the mezzo part. I am not aware of anyone else who sang both parts.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Norman is notable in having won ( if I remember correctly) the contest for the big final aria for soprano here but also being really wonderful as in the mezzo part. I am not aware of anyone else who sang both parts.


Margaret Jane Wray sang both parts


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

Francasacchi said:


> Margaret Jane Wray sang both parts


Shirley Verrett sang both parts as well. She did amazingly well for the soprano part.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Francasacchi said:


> Margaret Jane Wray sang both parts


Yes but she was no Jessye Norman. I didn't say that. She was okay when I saw her here but she didn't rock my world like Jessye did.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

OffPitchNeb said:


> Shirley Verrett sang both parts as well. She did amazingly well for the soprano part.


It has a soft B5 but I think all the rest of the climaxes are A5 or at most Bb which is why it fit Norman so well.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Yes but she was no Jessye Norman. I didn't say that. She was okay when I saw her here but she didn't rock my world like Jessye did.


I was just mentioning another singer who sang both parts and not making an evaluative move.


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## damianjb1 (Jan 1, 2016)

Cossotto in the Karajan video is my favourite.
I'm also a great admirer of Olga Borodina. The most beautiful voice I've heard in the part.


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