# SOPRANO TOURNAMENT: (Semifinal 2): Destinn vs Sayao



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Emmy Destinn, Czech Republic, 1878-1930 (defeated Tetrazzini 13-7, Caballe 16-13)






Bidu Sayao, Brazil, 1902-1999 (defeated Fleming 18-5, Rethberg 13-8)






Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

I'm not sure if Sayão quite has the voice for this music; I went with Destinn.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Is Bidu Sayao ever less than enchanting, not to mention vocally impeccable? Destinn may have the larger and thus more appropriate instrument, but she doesn't give the phrases much breathing room (possibly the 78rpm side problem).


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Both are really marvelous, but, perhaps Destinn suffers from poorer recording techniques , because I find Bidu Sayao to have the more beautiful voice and more emotional involvement. I have a feeling things might be different if heard by an audience.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I agree with those above. Destinn probably has the more appropriate voice, but she is a little rushed (possibly by the limits of 78rpm sides) which makes the _Chi sara, chi sara_ section a little perfunctory.

Sayão is charming and the voice is lovely. She also characterises the aria better. Did she sing Butterfly in the theatre? I'm not sure she would have had enough voice, thouh Toti Dal Monte was a famous Butterfly and I doubt her voice was any bigger.

A vote for Sayão then, with a proviso that if she'd been up against De Los Angeles, Tebaldi, Callas, Scotto or Freni, the outcome might have been different.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Sayao never sang *Madama Butterfly* on stage. Throughout her career she only sang roles that were safe for her voice, though she wanted to sing the more dramatic roles (her original intention was to become an actress, which her family wouldn't permit).

The aria seems a strange choice for either singer - I wouldn't associate the role with these particular sopranos. Sayao sounds girlish, more suited to the teenage geisha in this aria, but the voice is probably not weighty enough for the entire role. Destinn sounds more detached than her colleague, and the Prima Voce recorded sound does her no favors.

I pick Sayao for the fervor of her singing, and her involvement with the character.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

The Numbus transfers with their echoey, boxy sound are appalling, but even with that disadvantage I prefer Destinn as there is more of an emotional connection with the music. Sayao is lovely in every way, but Destinn sounds more modern and less prone to a singing by numbers approach.

N.


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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

This is a good comparison. We have to recognize that it is not easy to overlap the repertoire of Destinn and Sayao.

A Butterfly with a consistent girlish timbre like dal Monte or a solid large voice like Tebaldi, who would fulfill the later parts of the score, are both enjoyable to me (and of course, there is Callas whose wonderful vocal portrait grows with the story). Falling into the two camps, the two selections here are vastly different but valid readings.

Sayao's is a more touching self-conversation. Destinn's has a "spacious" feeling like she is projecting hope into a faraway landscape and future. I slightly prefer Destinn here.

P/S: Since we are talking historical, the first Butterfly of the revised version was the famous Solomiya Krushelnytska, a Ukraine soprano who had an active career at La Scala. Like Destinn's, she sang heavy German roles like Salome, Elektra, Brunnhilde, etc., but was equally successful in Italian lyrical roles. John Steane called Krushelnytska, Claudia Muzio, and Callas the three most imaginative singers on record. Here's is her Un bel di:


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I voted for Sayao for the third time in a row. In my opinion, her voice suits this aria perfectly (Cio Cio San is supposed to just turn 18 if we speak about Acts 2 and 3).


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Oh well, here comes my prejudice showing. My Mama is looking down at me with a certain look on her face saying "you'd BETTER pick Sayao if you know what's good for you!"
Actually Mama this time I AM choosing her, despite the emoting (which I should have just closed my eyes to instead).
But the truth is that the voice of Destinn just doesn't happen to turn cartwheels inside of me. My problem!


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