# Princess Eboli sung by a soprano



## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Some years ago Opera News published a piece on the role of Eboli and its complex origins. I've always thought if it was more zwischenfach based on its vocal writing. Dramatic mezzos with easy high registers have made it their own especially as the opera becane more popular in the last century. Yet as Gianna Pederzini said after Iva Pacetti praised her assumption of the role said, "Don't be fooled. It is really written for a dramatic soprano with a good low register." What dramatic sopranos have sung the entire role? Some include Caterina Mancini, Christine Goerke, and Ghena Dimitrova. I have noticed more dramatic sopranos singing this part lately perhaps because of a lack of dramatic mezzos who can encompass its power and range.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The aria _O don fatale _is very attractive and a show stopper.


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## Otis B. Driftwood (4 mo ago)

The most recent Don Carlo I've seen was from 2013 Salzburg. 
In retrospect I don't think that performance will be bettered anytime soon.


Spoiler: Youtube clip


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Otis B. Driftwood said:


> The most recent Don Carlo I've seen was from 2013 Salzburg.
> In retrospect I don't think that performance will be bettered anytime soon.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Youtube clip


It's my almost constant Eboli.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

There is precedent for a soprano singing the role directly from Verdi. 

According to Andrew Porter (Proceedings of Royal Musical Association, 15, iv, 72) the song of the veil was originally written in G when Eboli was cast before the Paris premier with a young French mezzo-soprano; the aria was transposed up a tone by the composer when Pauline Gueymard, a soprano hardly less celebrated than Marie Sass herself, was given to role. (_The New Kobbé's Complete Opera Book_, p. 621, fn)


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Grace Bumbry did it, as she did Amneris. There is a video from Choregies, with Caballe as Elisabetta. Maria Guleghina sang Eboli recently, though I'm not sure if it were a good idea on that stage of her carrier. Nevertheless I didn't hear it live. Even in a certain decline she was in royal spirits sometimes. 
In general I'm not sure if sopranos should take this part at all. There are not so many leading parts for mezzo-sopranos in so called "big" opera (confound not with _grande opera_), they were unfairly neglected by Puccini and Strauss and even in barocco have to compete with countertenors. So, leave Eboli and Amneris to mezzos. 
I'm lucky that there is a choice of them in my theater, at last in post belcanto opera.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

I just watched the Met's latest production with *Jamie Barton* in the role. I thought she did a good job vocally, but physically did not come across as a femme fatale, IMO.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Most of today’s sopranos could probably not handle Eboli. They’d need strong middle and lower registers and should be able to handle high notes as well. They should also be able to handle some _coloratura _in the second (?) Act, though plenty of mezzos have not done a good job.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Nilsson sang it on her Verdi album early on. Her valkyrie enegy worked with it.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

7


ColdGenius said:


> Grace Bumbry did it, as she did Amneris. There is a video from Choregies, with Caballe as Elisabetta. Maria Guleghina sang Eboli recently, though I'm not sure if it were a good idea on that stage of her carrier. Nevertheless I didn't hear it live. Even in a certain decline she was in royal spirits sometimes.
> In general I'm not sure if sopranos should take this part at all. There are not so many leading parts for mezzo-sopranos in so called "big" opera (confound not with _grande opera_), they were unfairly neglected by Puccini and Strauss and even in barocco have to compete with countertenors. So, leave Eboli and Amneris to mezzos.
> I'm lucky that there is a choice of them in my theater, at last in post belcanto opera.


Bumbry was a mezzo when she sang Amneris. Then she decided to be a soprano. Sopranos don’t suddenly decide to sing Amneris one day.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Bumbry kept Eboli in her repertoire after she begsn singing mostly soprano repertoire.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

Francasacchi said:


> Some years ago Opera News published a piece on the role of Eboli and its complex origins. I've always thought if it was more zwischenfach based on its vocal writing. Dramatic mezzos with easy high registers have made it their own especially as the opera becane more popular in the last century. Yet as Gianna Pederzini said after Iva Pacetti praised her assumption of the role said, "Don't be fooled. It is really written for a dramatic soprano with a good low register." What dramatic sopranos have sung the entire role? Some include Caterina Mancini, Christine Goerke, and Ghena Dimitrova. I have noticed more dramatic sopranos singing this part lately perhaps because of a lack of dramatic mezzos who can encompass its power and range.


The original key for O Don Fatale was a bit lower. Closer to something like this:


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Of course one need not mention the fact that Callas was magnificent in "O don fatale." Which is probably why no one has.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

MAS said:


> 7
> 
> Bumbry was a mezzo when she sang Amneris. Then she decided to be a soprano. Sopranos don’t suddenly decide to sing Amneris one day.


I saw a relatively late video where she sang Amneris alongside with Leona Mitchell as Aida.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> Of course one need not mention the fact that Callas was magnificent in "O don fatale." Which is probably why no one has.


I wish she’d also recorded the _Canzone del velo _which I suspect she’d make sense of unlike most singers who tackle it.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Crespin recorded _O don fatale. _She's supposed to be a soprano, but her lower register is better here than her top. It's also a little too civilised. Callas is the only soprano I know who has powerful enough low notes. The _o mia regina _section is really beautiful. Other than her, I prefer it sung by a mezzo with a strong top. My favourites are Baltsa and Verrett.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

This ...



> In general I'm not sure if sopranos should take this part at all. There are not so many leading parts for mezzo-sopranos in so called "big" opera


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

ColdGenius said:


> I saw a relatively late video where she sang Amneris alongside with Leona Mitchell as Aida.


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## ColdGenius (9 mo ago)

Otis B. Driftwood said:


> The most recent Don Carlo I've seen was from 2013 Salzburg.
> In retrospect I don't think that performance will be bettered anytime soon.
> 
> 
> Spoiler: Youtube clip


This is Ekaterina Semenchuk, also good as Amneris and Azucena. Her other merit is acting, so she often steals the show.


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> The original key for O Don Fatale was a bit lower. Closer to something like this:


The original key not this transposed version which originated when mezzos and contraltos like Clara Butt wanted to sing the aria as a concert piece. Horne took this transposition at the Met when she sang the role making this same claim. Rosine Bloch was a mezzo and the Veil Song was a tone lower in the original but O don fatal was in the key we know. Giuseppina Pasqua who sang the role in the first Italian performance may have been a mezzo or even contralto but she also had Donna Anna in her repertoire. It does not appear she took any transpositions.


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