# MEZZO/CONTRALTO TOURNAMENT (By Request): Castagna vs Borodina



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Bruna Castagna, Italy, 1905-1983






Olga Borodina, Russia, 1963-






'Printemps qui commence' from Saint-Saens' _Samson et Dalila_.

Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Brown Chestnut sings this tenderly and in an easy, natural voice which I find most appealing, though the distortion in the recording is unfortunate. Daughter-of-Borodin has a richer timbre and does more to interpret the aria, but the effect is heavier, stodgier and more "operatic." I find the chestnut tastier.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Like so many mezzos and contraltos, Borodina falls into the trap of sounding maternal rather than sensual, and I prefer Castagna's cleaner, lighter timbre, so she gets my vote. That said she doesn't sound in the least bit sexy.

My benchmark for this aria has always been Callas who, as one reviewer puts it, sounds like a young tigress flexing her claws in the sun; sensuous, sexy and dangerous, which is what Dalila should be.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Borodin doesn't look like my mom, but she sounds as old as her. Winner is Castagna.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

*I voted for Olga Wladimirowna.* I like her warm voice and her superb musicality feeling. A convincing performance, suitable for the evening to remove from me the tension and stress of a hard day. Thanks Bonetan.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Like so many mezzos and contraltos, Borodina falls into the trap of sounding maternal rather than sensual, and I prefer Castagna's cleaner, lighter timbre, so she gets my vote. That said she doesn't sound in the least bit sexy.
> 
> My benchmark for this aria has always been Callas who, as one reviewer puts it, sounds like a young tigress flexing her claws in the sun; sensuous, sexy and dangerous, which is what Dalila should be.


This is one of several mezzo roles I wish Callas had recorded complete, whether or not she ever attempted it in the opera house. I've never cared for EMI's _Samson_ with the heldentenorish Vickers and the matronly Gorr, but had EMI used Callas I'd be more inclined to tolerate a Florestan/Siegmund/Otello in French opera, especially since he and Callas enjoyed working together and would probably have brought some excitement to this opera which doesn't generally excite me.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> This is one of several mezzo roles I wish Callas had recorded complete, whether or not she ever attempted it in the opera house. I've never cared for EMI's _Samson_ with the heldentenorish Vickers and the matronly Gorr, but had EMI used Callas I'd be more inclined to tolerate a Florestan/Siegmund/Otello in French opera, especially since he and Callas enjoyed working together and would probably have brought some excitement to this opera which doesn't generally excite me.


On the strength of the three arias she recorded from the opera, Alan Blyth in _Opera on Record_ makes Callas his dream-cast Desdemona. Legge states that she had diffculty sustaining the low tessitira, so maybe the role wouldn't have worked for her in the theatre, but a recording might have been a possibility. What a shame she didn't record it with Vickers.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> On the strength of the three arias she recorded from the opera, Alan Blyth in _Opera on Record_ makes Callas his dream-cast Desdemona. Legge states that she had diffculty sustaining the low tessitira, so maybe the role wouldn't have worked for her in the theatre, but a recording might have been a possibility. What a shame she didn't record it with Vickers.


Of course you mean Dalila.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

It's Borodina for me. Her voice seems richer to me.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> It's Borodina for me. Her voice seems richer to me.


I saw her my one and only time at the Met as Laura in Gioconda. She was both gorgeous and a very fine singer at that time. I got my money's worth!


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Woodduck said:


> This is one of several mezzo roles I wish Callas had recorded complete, whether or not she ever attempted it in the opera house. I've never cared for EMI's _Samson_ with the heldentenorish Vickers and the matronly Gorr, but had EMI used Callas I'd be more inclined to tolerate a Florestan/Siegmund/Otello in French opera, especially since he and Callas enjoyed working together and would probably have brought some excitement to this opera which doesn't generally excite me.


There's also the less well known performance where Vickers sings this with Verrett.









Although one could argue both are slightly past their prime, it is still a great performance. Here is Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix from the youtube.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

BachIsBest said:


> There's also the less well known performance where Vickers sings this with Verrett.
> 
> View attachment 155811
> 
> ...


My favourite DVD version. Verrett and Vickers are a powerful combination.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Castagna reminds me more of the the Snow Maiden of Rimsky-Korsakov: plain and, shall we say, _unexperienced_.
Borodina offers some sense of _danger_ at least and closer to what I would expect from Dalila. Her singing is more _full-bodied_ and that's actually a plus in my book. Some passages aren't too well-executed (check around 4:45 mark, that's quite awkward) but still, a very enjoyable performance.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Well this one surprised me. I liked Castagna's lightness of touch, but it was all too much of the same and I was bored by the time we came to the second verse. Borodina is at a disadvantage due to the prosaic conducting in her version, but she brings a greater variety of colour, tone and expression.

When it comes to other recordings of this aria then Callas, Meier (surprisingly perhaps), Baltsa and Dominguez are my favourites. For those who like Vickers in this opera, but not Gorr should seek out his live recording with Dominguez. It's in excellent sound for its time and offers a duo in the title roles who are their match and equal when it comes to both strength and appropriateness for the parts.

N.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The Conte said:


> Well this one surprised me. I liked Castagna's lightness of touch, but it was all too much of the same and I was bored by the time we came to the second verse. Borodina is at a disadvantage due to the prosaic conducting in her version, but she brings a greater variety of colour, tone and expression.
> 
> When it comes to other recordings of this aria then Callas, Meier (surprisingly perhaps), Baltsa and Dominguez are my favourites. For those who like Vickers in this opera, but not Gorr should seek out his live recording with Dominguez. It's in excellent sound for its time and offers a duo in the title roles who are their match and equal when it comes to both strength and appropriateness for the parts.
> 
> N.


My favorites are 1. Ponselle,2.Stignani,3 Early Jessye Norman,4. Farrell


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