# 1st Roound: Cara Sposa.Stutzmann, Daniels



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Here's the link for Daniels:https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=C8ZEEVssXMk&list=PL_SCWeemtYi2YTvqAF-I-OeTk2ecuEU2t&index=3


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

That Daniels link doesn't work for me. It says "YouTube is not currently available on this device," which is not true for my "device" and makes no sense. Whatever the case, the link won't bring up a musical performance.

This link to Daniels _does_ work:






MAS posts the same Daniels performance below.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

The link above takes me to a dark rectangle


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I don’t respond well to Nathalie Stutzmann’s lack of brightness in her voice however well she may sing, so I give it to David Daniels on this occasion - his voice is warm as well as bright and I like his handling of the aria.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Daniels is just beautiful here. His performance has both feeling and refinement, and if there's anything to criticize I'm not inclined to do it. 

Stutzmann is an odd duck. Watch her mouth and you'll see why her tone is so dark and her vowels so odd, with "o" sounding like "oo": "Cooro spooso." Her vibrato is big and lazy. Her musical approach I can only call "expressionistic," with exaggerated emphases; the brief, fast middle section sounds insane. Having said all that, if I forget everything I know about this piece and about singing in general, I can enjoy this somewhat as a visceral experience. I admire individuality in music making, but Stutzmann is an individual who can somewhat obliterate a piece of music with her peculiarities.

Daniels without question.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Daniels is just beautiful here. His performance has both feeling and refinement, and if there's anything to criticize I'm not inclined to do it.
> 
> Stutzmann is an odd duck. Watch her mouth and you'll see why her tone is so dark and her vowels so odd, with "o" sounding like "oo": "Cooro spooso." Her vibrato is big and lazy. Her musical approach I can only call "expressionistic," with exaggerated emphases; the brief, fast middle section sounds insane. Having said all that, if I forget everything I know about this piece and about singing in general, I can enjoy this somewhat as a visceral experience. I admire individuality in music making, but Stutzmann is an individual who can somewhat obliterate a piece of music with her peculiarities.
> 
> Daniels without question.


Stutzman is interesting, which isn't quite the same as saying I enjoyed her version. I suppose it's one way of performing the aria, but I don't think it makes for repeated listening.

The Daniels version MAS posted is from the compete recording, which I have and know well. There's also introducing a video of him performing the role in a srange Peter Sellars production. You might find his trench coat and hat incongruous, but the singing is wonderful. If any countertenor ever had a more beautiful sound, a more perfect legato, I have yet to hear it. As Woodduck says his performance is both deeply felt and refined.






The first time I heard Daniels was in a Vivaldi programme at the Barbican Hall in London. I didn't like countertenors at all and I wasn't that much of a Vivaldi fan either, but a friend insisted I went with her and I am so pleased she did. I instantly became a fan and now have most of his recital discs, each one attesting to his superb musicality and natural ability to communicate.

Daniels is easily the winner here.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

MAS said:


> The link above takes me to a dark rectangle


Thanks for rescuing this peril prone contest. I am under the weather but fortunately it is not covid. I heard David Daniels live and it was plentiful in both volume and beauty.


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

Of course these days we have to compromise the actual voice Handel had in mind (thankfully!) as the role was created by the castrato Nicolini. He might have sounded somewhere between these two? We can never know. But just on performance it is Daniels - singing beautifully - while acknowledging the others’ artistry.


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