# MEZZO/CONTRALTO TOURNAMENT (Round 1, Match 7): Mantelli vs Horne



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Eugenia Mantelli, Italy, 1860-1926






Marilyn Horne, USA, 1934-






'Nacqui all'affanno' from Rossini's _La Cenerentola_.

Who's singing did you prefer and why?


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

I have no doubt that I will be standing out here in the cold alone but much as I adore Marilyn Horne and recognize her good chest tones and always fine trills, Mantelli gets my vote because she sounded lighter and sang with more enthusiasm for me. (no snowballs, please)


----------



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Eugenia is a fine singer with a very pretty voice who has the advantage of sounding like a teenage girl. I took several demerits off of her performance because she completely avoided singing any notes in the chest register, rewriting the music to do this. I hope Nina Foresti is still speaking with me after I say that even with the poorer recording techniques that she cannot match Horne's vocalism at this point in her career. Perhaps there is more feeling there on Eugenia's part, but I am so wowed by Horne's vocalism at this point in her career it is no consequence to me. She was still young enough that she had those ringing high notes which she had early on. The chest notes, the precision of her coloratura and the truly astonishing sense of rhythm Horne always had got me to give her my enthusiastic vote.


----------



## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

I also vote for Mantelli. (For anyone else who doesn't like filtered sound in old recordings, you can hear Mantelli in a more natural transfer here.) In compairson, Horne sounds mannered. Mantelli sounds girlish but formidable, which is perfect. Her runs are absolutely incredible, and her lowest notes (in the first half, where she sings the low notes) are better than Horne's. Horne isn't bad (she doesn't sound as nasal as she sometimes did), but Mantelli wins in every category I can think of except audio quality, which I don't take into account.


----------



## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

I also voted for Mantelli; as good as Horne was, the sheer vocal virtuosity on display with Mantelli was near flabbergasting.


----------



## IgorS (Jan 7, 2018)

It is almost impossible to sing this one (or any other aria) worse than Horne and Mantelli is actually great here. Easy choice.


----------



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I really liked Mantelli's performance, though I regret the absence of the low notes in the final runs. Considering she had already demonstrated she had a fine chest register earlier in the aria, I wonder why she took a higher derivative. Nonetheless I preferred her performance for not only being technically accomplished, but for having more girlish charm. Horne's technical virtuoisity isn't in doubt, but she doesn't really sound like a Cenerentola to me. Mantelli gets my vote.


----------



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

vivalagentenuova said:


> I also vote for Mantelli. (For anyone else who doesn't like filtered sound in old recordings, you can hear Mantelli in a more natural transfer here.) In compairson, Horne sounds mannered. Mantelli sounds girlish but formidable, which is perfect. Her runs are absolutely incredible, and her lowest notes (in the first half, where she sings the low notes) are better than Horne's. Horne isn't bad (she doesn't sound as nasal as she sometimes did), but Mantelli wins in every category I can think of except audio quality, which I don't take into account.


That is a much nicer transfer and because I value you and some other posters opinions I re-listened to Mantelli with much more receptive ears. I am more disposed to like Horne than others here because I hear her with the gobsmaked ears I first listened to her with when I heard her as a budding opera queen at 15. I also like her manly low notes. Mantelli is really wonderful, but I can't get past her omitting my favorite low notes at the end section of the aria. For those who think about the role itself, Mantelli is the way to go.


----------



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

sorry, but....Marilyn Horne sounds like a countertenor. I can really only enjoy her in more limited repertoire. her coloratura is above average though, I will grant her that (it was better than I thought it would be. I gave it a fair listen, but Mantelli takes the win)


----------



## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Thanks to her awe-inspiring coloratura facility, Mantelli gets through the aria faster. Anyone who can help me spend less time listening to Rossini gets my vote.


----------



## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Oof, tough crowd. Hands off Gioacchino!
Mantelli has nice voice, but she rushes through with so much rubato and so few emotions I could hardly recognize the piece in question.
Horne is no ideal fit for the role, her coloratura is less perfect, but it's still there and highly enjoyable - in the absence of Von Stade I'd definitely give my vote to Marylin Horne.


----------



## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Well, if I’d have known the character was a teenage girl, I would have voted for Mantelli, but not knowing anything about the aria at the time I found her rendition too lighweight. But I’m also not a big fan of Horne’s voice, which sounds too “squawky” and matronly. Yet her skill in phrasing and deep pathos are very convincing, and perhaps I would have stuck with her anyway for these reasons.


----------



## Esclarmonde (May 10, 2021)

To my ears, Mantelli is rather stuffy - it sounds like she would rather be elsewhere.

And - Horne was one of the first singers to draw me into the world of opera. I will always love her. Brava!


----------



## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I don't like either, were Berganza, Von Stade and De los Angeles washing their hair?

However, Horne has better technique and is at least trying to interpret what she is singing even if she doesn't sound quite right for the role. Mantelli has a superbly florid voice and handles the runs stupendously, but she doesn't have any chest voice, the tone is mushy in places and she sounds bored. Horne wins by default.

N.


----------

