# Ben io t'invenni/Salgo Gia Contest (Second Place) Varady, Souliotis and Dimitrova



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Callas won the last one by the most friggin ridiculous landslide I've ever seen, so I thought it was only fair to make another round for runner up.

Ghena Dimitrova 





Julia Varady





Elena Souliotis


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> Callas won the last one by the most friggin ridiculous landslide I've ever seen, so I thought it was only fair to make another round for runner up.
> 
> Ghena Dimitrova
> 
> ...


I don't know what you expected. That is why I don't enter Callas in every contest as she usually will win by a landslide in this crowd. Especially in big coloratura numbers.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I don't know what you expected. That is why I don't enter Callas in every contest as she usually will win by a landslide in this crowd. Especially in big coloratura numbers.


There might be a reason for that. :devil:

As to the three ladies here, I already gave my preferences. Souliotis wins by a slight margin over Varady, who nonetheless impressed me greatly. I would not have expected this of her. Dmitrova comes in third because of her lack of precision in the coloratura.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I know some were disappointed by the outcome of this contest, but I'm happy to find others discovering one of my favourite singers, Julia Varady. She's one of those artists who recorded little, but she did, at least, record a number of recital albums for the Orfeo label. There's Tchaikovsky, Strauss and Wagner arias (all excellent) and her Italian rep (Puccini and two Verdi disks) is surprisingly good. She reminds me somewhat of Cheryl Studer, who I also like.

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The Conte said:


> I know some were disappointed by the outcome of this contest, but I'm happy to find others discovering one of my favourite singers, Julia Varady. She's one of those artists who recorded little, but she did, at least, record a number of recital albums for the Orfeo label. There's Tchaikovsky, Strauss and Wagner arias (all excellent) and her Italian rep (Puccini and two Verdi disks) is surprisingly good. She reminds me somewhat of Cheryl Studer, who I also like.
> 
> N.


I really enjoyed her discs of Verdi Arias!


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Suliotis for throwing herself at the _cabaletta_ fearlessly, though you can hear the strain.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

MAS said:


> I really enjoyed her discs of Verdi Arias!


There's a short review on Julia Varady's recording compilation in the current issue of Opera Now that might be of interest.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

MAS said:


> There's a short review on Julia Varady's recording compilation in the current issue of Opera Now that might be of interest.
> 
> View attachment 162524
> View attachment 162525


Thanks for this, I will enjoy reading the article. I bought this box set as soon as it came out (Varady was the first Sieglinde I heard and I've been a fan ever since). I did already have most of the albums, but it was worth getting it for the two I didn't have (one is a compilation from complete recordings of very obscure works) and will save a little space.

N.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I’m surprised Varady didn’t get any votes. I much prefer her version to Dimitrova’s. I find Varady’s version much more accurately and musically sung, though it lacks Souliotis’s wild abandon, which is very exciting, even if it ended up wrecking her voice.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I'm surprised Varady didn't get any votes. I much prefer her version to Dimitrova's.


You and me both!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I'm surprised Varady didn't get any votes. I much prefer her version to Dimitrova's. I find Varady's version much more accurately and musically sung, though it lacks Souliotis's wild abandon, which is very exciting, even if it ended up wrecking her voice.


I agree. However, perhaps a clue is provided by the less than fully complimentary review MAS has shared. One of Varady's strengths in my book was her ability to sing rep that wasn't her natural metier as if it were. There's many a Brunhilde type voice who has sung Abigaille and Lady Macbeth well, but how many natural Sieglindes? The review criticises her for recording too much Italian rep and too often with her late husband (although it does praise her Abigaille). I suspect that Varady didn't get any votes because despite singing very well, her voice isn't naturally what you would choose for the part.

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The Conte said:


> I agree. However, perhaps a clue is provided by the less than fully complimentary review MAS has shared. One of Varady's strengths in my book was her ability to sing rep that wasn't her natural metier as if it were. There's many a Brunhilde type voice who has sung Abigaille and Lady Macbeth well, but how many natural Sieglindes? The review criticises her for recording too much Italian rep and too often with her late husband (although it does praise her Abigaille). I suspect that Varady didn't get any votes because despite singing very well, her voice isn't naturally what you would choose for the part.
> 
> N.


I was quite surprised at the negative review in that featured article.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I'm surprised Varady didn't get any votes. I much prefer her version to Dimitrova's. I find Varady's version much more accurately and musically sung, though it lacks Souliotis's wild abandon, which is very exciting, even if it ended up wrecking her voice.


I don't believe Varady ever sang in the cavernous halls of the states, but confined her career to much smaller houses in central Europte so she could get by singing roles she coudn't sing well here. I went through a Varady phase 20 years ago or so.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I'm surprised Varady didn't get any votes. I much prefer her version to Dimitrova's. I find Varady's version much more accurately and musically sung, though it lacks Souliotis's wild abandon, which is very exciting, even if it ended up wrecking her voice.


Without the presence of Callas, I might have chosen Varady. Clearly a superb musician.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I don't believe Varady ever sang in the cavernous halls of the states, but confined her career to much smaller houses in central Europte so she could get by singing roles she coudn't sing well here. I went through a Varady phase 20 years ago or so.


She was a regular in Berlin, Munich and Vienna, so not exactly small houses (either in size or reputation). The only American opera venue I have been to was the Met (and that's so huge, everyone has a small voice when singing there).

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The Conte said:


> She was a regular in Berlin, Munich and Vienna, so not exactly small houses (either in size or reputation). The only American opera venue I have been to was the Met (and that's so huge, everyone has a small voice when singing there).
> 
> N.


The U.S. has a penchant for gigantism, with the three most important opera companies being the Metropolitan Opera, the Chicago Lyric Opera, and San Francisco Opera in order of capacity - all over 3,000 seats, the MET approaching 4,000 seats. The old house was almost as large as the Lincoln Center one. A singer has to have excellent projection in order to be heard there - you don't have to be Flagstad or Nilsson, you could just be a Sayao or an Albanese.


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