# Single Round: Susannah- Trees on The Mountain. Fleming and Studer



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I feel like celebrating for some reason so I thought we'd have one of my favorite arias and two singers I greatly enjoy singing it.




Floyd: Susannah / Act 2 - "The trees on the mountain" · Renée Fleming · Metropolitan Opera Orchestra · James Levine




Susannah, Act Two, Scene 3: The trees on the mountains are cold and bare · Cheryl Studer/Jerry Hadley/Samuel Ramey/Choeurs de l'Opéra National de Lyon/Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Lyon/Kent Nagano/Kenn Chester/Michael Druiett/Steven Cole/Stuart Kale/David Pittsinger/Anne Howells/Della Jones/Jean Glennon/Elisab


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The trees on the mountains are cold and bare
The summer jes' vanished an' left them there
Like a false-hearted lover jes' like my own
Who made me love him, then left me alone

The coals on the hearth have turned gray and sere
The blue flame jes' vanished an' left them there
Like a false-hearted lover jes' like my own
Who made me love him, then left me alone

Come back, O summer, come back, blue flame
My heart wants warmin', my baby a name
Come back, O lover, if jes' fer a day
Turn bleak December once more into May

The road up ahead lies lonely an' far
There's darkness around me an' not even a star
To show me the way or lighten my heart
Come back, my lover, I fain would start

The pore baby fox lies all cold in his lair
His mama jes' vanished an' left him there
Like a false-hearted lover jes' like my own
Who made me love him, then left me alone

Come back, O summer, come back, blue flame
My heart wants warmin', my baby a name
Come back, O lover, if jes' fer a day
Turn bleak December once more into May

Come back, O summer, come back, blue flame
My heart wants warmin', my baby a name
Come back, O lover, if jes' fer a day
Turn bleak December once more into May
Come back! Come back! Come bac


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Are we celebrating the risk-free inclusion of Studer?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Op.123 said:


> Are we celebrating the risk-free inclusion of Studer?


Ain't it obvious, an' ain't it grand?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Oh dear! Will it be Fleming's more luxuriant vocal equipment or Studer's clearer diction? Dilemmas, dilemmas! I've heard _Susannah_ only once, long ago, and I can't really judge which singer might be truer to the character, though I suspect it's Studer, who is more plain-spoken and doesn't insert those little Fleming inflections that drive us mad in Bellini but work OK in this pseudo-Appalachian American music. "I Want Magic" is one of Fleming's best recitals, I think. The Studer _Susannah_ impressed me too, when I heard it...

I'm stalling for time here. I don't know what to do! Help!


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Talk about tough! Especially after being bombarded for years by the Studer Queen. Yet still, her voice is lovely and she sang beautifully.
But.... (yes there is a but coming) .... the clarity and pureness of Fleming's voice cannot be denied. For me she has the most beautiful soprano voice I have ever heard (and she's not even in my top 10). But with a song like this, it's purely the gorgeousness of the voice that comes first and Fleming has got it wrapped up and tied with a pretty bow.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Oh dear! Will it be Fleming's more luxuriant vocal equipment or Studer's clearer diction? Dilemmas, dilemmas! I've heard _Susannah_ only once, long ago, and I can't really judge which singer might be truer to the character, though I suspect it's Studer, who is more plain-spoken and doesn't insert those little Fleming inflections that drive us mad in Bellini but work OK in this pseudo-Appalachian American music. "I Want Magic" is one of Fleming's best recitals, I think. The Studer _Susannah_ impressed me too, when I heard it...
> 
> I'm stalling for time here. I don't know what to do! Help!


This one is hard for me. Both are so beautiful. I voted for Studer because WE CAN but Renee's voice is so ice cream with whipped cream on top gorgeous here!!! She is much better in unornamented singing like this on the whole. Studer really sounds like a hick.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> This one is hard for me. Both are so beautiful. I voted for Studer because WE CAN but Renee's voice is so ice cream with whipped cream on top gorgeous here!!! She is much better in unornamented singing like this on the whole. *Studer really sounds like a hick.*


Hahahaha! Isn't it liberating to be able to say that, knowing you're safe?

Yes, Studer is more in character for the role. Still, Renee...


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Hahahaha! Isn't it liberating to be able to say that, knowing you're safe?
> 
> Yes, Studer is more in character for the role. Still, Renee...



We might have another Studer contest soon I have been wanting to put up for vote.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Believe it or not, I actually saw Fleming as Susannah at the Met back in 1999, when I had a long weekend in New York, so I'm probably a little biased in her favour. I also have the recital disc this is taken from and I think it one of her most successful discs. 

Studer's diction is better and she sings it really well, maybe more in character, but the sheer gorgeousness of Fleming's voice really does it for me here. All the little Fleming mannerisms that bother me in Italian music (and sometimes even in Strauss) don't bother me at all in this piece. Definitely Fleming.


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## Mostart (3 mo ago)

Again and not surprisingly Studer does it for me. I find her more honest in a part that calls for just that. Then again do not all or at least most roles call for honesty or at least a modicum of?


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> Believe it or not, I actually saw Fleming as Susannah at the Met back in 1999, when I had a long weekend in New York, so I'm probably a little biased in her favour. I also have the recital disc this is taken from and I think it one of her most successful discs.
> 
> Studer's diction is better and she sings it really well, maybe more in character, but the sheer gorgeousness of Fleming's voice really does it for me here. All the little Fleming mannerisms that bother me in Italian music (and sometimes even in Strauss) don't bother me at all in this piece. Definitely Fleming.


What did you think of the American opera? I don't know anything but this? Would there be other arias worthy of the contest?
So glad to encounter a Fleming fan here. She is the only big name diva of this century that I got excited about.To me she is almost on the level of the divas from my youth. I may have mentioned I saw her before in her prime in a concert with the symphony here ( a real rarity) and she was not just spectacular but she was the most glamorous person I have ever seen in person since I saw Dietrich in a sewn on glittery dress and white fur stole in concert in Jackson Miss. in high school with my mama. Fleming had on a gown by Galianos and was dripping diamonds. I am enough of an opera queen to have been sent into heaven at the sight of her. She has tremendous charisma onstage. To have heard one of my favorite arias, Bel Raggio, sung live including all the high notes was nirvana for this boy from the town of the band Nirvana


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> What did you think of the American opera? I don't know anything but this? Would there be other arias worthy of the contest?
> So glad to encounter a Fleming fan here. She is the only big name diva of this century that I got excited about.To me she is almost on the level of the divas from my youth. I may have mentioned I saw her before in her prime in a concert with the symphony here ( a real rarity) and she was not just spectacular but she was the most glamorous person I have ever seen in person since I saw Dietrich in a sewn on glittery dress and white fur stole in concert in Jackson Miss. in high school with my mama. Fleming had on a gown by Galianos and was dripping diamonds. I am enough of an opera queen to have been sent into heaven at the sight of her. She has tremendous charisma onstage. To have heard one of my favorite arias, Bel Raggio, sung live including all the high notes was nirvana for this boy from the town of the band Nirvana


Except for Menotti, I really dislike American sounding operas. Next to the gutteral German sound, I dislike the sound of English which, when sung, I actually can't understand anyway. 
I prefer Italian, French and Russian.
As for Fleming: Yes she is a glamorous looking lady with a simply gorgeous singing voice. Would that she could get inside herself and come up with a real depthful performance instead of creating a false one.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> What did you think of the American opera? I don't know anything but this? Would there be other arias worthy of the contest?
> So glad to encounter a Fleming fan here. She is the only big name diva of this century that I got excited about.To me she is almost on the level of the divas from my youth. I may have mentioned I saw her before in her prime in a concert with the symphony here ( a real rarity) and she was not just spectacular but she was the most glamorous person I have ever seen in person since I saw Dietrich in a sewn on glittery dress and white fur stole in concert in Jackson Miss. in high school with my mama. Fleming had on a gown by Galianos and was dripping diamonds. I am enough of an opera queen to have been sent into heaven at the sight of her. She has tremendous charisma onstage. To have heard one of my favorite arias, Bel Raggio, sung live including all the high notes was nirvana for this boy from the town of the band Nirvana


I can't remember that much about the opera, to be honest, but it was certainly enjoyable. 

As for Fleming, I'm pretty sure I mentioned before that I actually worked with her, when the London Symphony Orchestra did a semi-staged performance of Previn's *A Streetcar Named Desire *with Previn himself conducting. I was the doctor who took her off to the asylum at the end. I also did a few other bits in the opera, such as one of Stanley's cronies and one of the ghostly soldiers when Blanche talks about visiting them in their barracks. I was naked from the waist up and she draped herself over my naked torso as she sang. You could say we worked quite closely together 

I really liked her. She had a very serious attitude to her work and wasn't in the least bit diva-ish.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> Except for Menotti, I really dislike American sounding operas. Next to the gutteral German sound, I dislike the sound of English which, when sung, I actually can't understand anyway.
> I prefer Italian, French and Russian.
> As for Fleming: Yes she is a glamorous looking lady with a simply gorgeous singing voice. Would that she could get inside herself and come up with a real depthful performance instead of creating a false one.


Nina, it is very hard to get it all right!!!!!! It is a very demanding artform!!!!!!!!! I don't always like her but in the right stuff she is wonderful. 
English is the ugliest language for opera but works well for pop music.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Since I’m allergic to Fleming, I pick Studer, whom I’ve liked in otner things and who is musicianly and involved.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

MAS said:


> Since I’m allergic to Fleming, I pick Studer, whom I’ve liked in otner things and whomps musicianly and involved.


I'm sort of allergic too, and Studer is more in character, but Fleming's richer, creamier voice still makes this a draw for me. I can sit comfortably on this fence. It's split rail rather than picket or chain link.


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