# Most promising young singers



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Who are the new talents worth following in the future ?


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elizabeth De Shong stood out for me in the Enchanted Island. I'd like to hear her Cenerentola.

Also thought Marita Sølberg was a wonderful Mimi in the Oslo La Boheme.

Hanna Hipp was a great Anna in Les Troyens in London, and Ed Lyon made a great Hylas in the same production


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Marita Sølberg is really good. Seeing her do Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi on Saturday. Definitely one to watch. Shame she doesn't sing much outside Oslo, though.

And another Norwegian lady to watch is Ingeborg Gillebo. She did a most terrific Rosina (in Oslo) last season, a wonderful Costanza (in Haydn's L'isola disabitata) this year, and she is covering Elina Garanca as Sesto in Clemenza di Tito at the Met later this season.

Here she is singing E amore un ladroncello from last year's Queen Sonja's International Music Competition (she placed second):





On the male side, there are the baritones Johannes Weisser and Audun Iversen who both are embarking on international careers. Weisser sang Don Giovanni on the Jacobs recording, and Iversen sang the Count in this summer's Glyndebourne production of Marriage of Figaro.


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

I don't find anyone that impressive to rely upon for the future. Today's singers seem like "golden mediocrities", but we have to live with what we have.
Lucy Crowe was good in the Baroque field (the recent Handel's "Pastor fido"). Anna Kiknadze is a fine mezzo (in the very recent Don Quichote by Massenet), but not even close to the luxuriant tones of a Crespin or Berganza.
At least, Stephanie d'Oustrac was quite impressive and convincing in the difficult and quite idiomatic repertory of works of Cavalli, Faggioli, Monteverdi, Strozzi, A. Scarlatti ,etc. (on Ambronay).
There are some "stars" to watch over there, but none really makes any difference or gives any added value vis a vis La voce d'Oro even of the near past.

Principe


----------



## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

*Maria Aleida*

This Cuban coloratura soprano is amazing! What a great name she has!






The same aria, by Maria Aleida:






And check this:

Her Una voce poco fa


----------



## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

*Teodora Gheorghiu*

This another lovely Romanian soprano, with a notorious name, but no connection! She is quite young!
Teodora Gheorghiu...


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

Are you sure she is Romanian? Her name sounds Greek to me, but who knows...

Principe


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

principe said:


> Are you sure she is Romanian? Her name sounds Greek to me, but who knows...
> 
> Principe


Not to me, though of course her first name does originally come from the Greek and means "gift of God". Lots of romanian surnames end in a "u" (Greek surnames are more likely to end in "is" or "as" or "os").


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Thanks so far, I plan to pay more attention to new singers in the future. I will check out all the singers that you recommend.


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

principe said:


> I don't find anyone that impressive to rely upon for the future. Today's singers seem like "golden mediocrities"


I really hope you are wrong. The young generation is the future ! And in 30 years I will still love live opera performances!


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

I really hope I am wrong too, but, as I grow older and older, I cannot possibly find any true great singer, worthy of the most important ones of the glorious past. There is some bright exceptions in the Baroque field, though.

Mamascarlatti, I happen to know few things about Greek names too. Theodora means "(the one sent as a) gift from God" and the way it is written is typical Greek, not Romanian at all, while the other Gheorghiu's first name (Angela) sounds at least more international. As for the Greek surnames, you are right as for the _male_ names; for the _female_, however, the names change to "ou" (or "u") for those ending in "os", "a" for those ending in "as" and in "i" for the ones ending in "is". Some male names end also in "ou"; in this case the female remains the same ("ou" as well). (I happen to have Greek friends/relations too; and some Romanian as well). By the way, her face looks very typical Greek too (if she is really Romanian, she might be of Greek descent). Anyway, let's hope she can be a very good singer to serve this genre as good as it gets.

Principe


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

One of my favourite new young singers is the Russian bass Grigory Soloviov. He's gradually building up a cv of good roles in smaller houses & I'm hoping he'll be a future star.

He's a young man who is managing his career & voice very intelligently.

Recent interview.


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

sospiro said:


> One of my favourite new young singers is the Russian bass Grigory Soloviov. He's gradually building up a cv of good roles in smaller houses & I'm hoping he'll be a future star.
> 
> He's a young man who is managing his career & voice very intelligently.


The next Commendatore ?


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Dongiovanni said:


> The next Commendatore ?


Hope so, one day


----------



## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

Teodora Gheorghiu is Romanian! Her name is popular in Romania, both in men (Teodor) and women. 
Romania and Greece are quite close geographically and not only. Some Greek words also ended up in Romanian.
Her name is written Teodora, not Theodora.


----------



## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

First of all, great topic by the way.

A friend of mine is a tenor and has been climbing is way through in Portugal. A couple of weeks i saw him singing the tenor role in Mozart's Requiem, in Teatro são Carlos (http://www.saocarlos.pt/)

His name is Bruno Almeida. Here's Et lucevan le stelle by him 




He also sings other music genres but, beacuse this sub-forum is for opera only, i choose not to talk more about it.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

dionisio said:


> First of all, great topic by the way.
> 
> A friend of mine is a tenor and has been climbing is way through in Portugal. A couple of weeks i saw him singing the tenor role in Mozart's Requiem, in Teatro são Carlos (http://www.saocarlos.pt/)
> 
> ...


I wish him success


----------



## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

sospiro said:


> One of my favourite new young singers is the Russian bass Grigory Soloviov. He's gradually building up a cv of good roles in smaller houses & I'm hoping he'll be a future star.
> 
> He's a young man who is managing his career & voice very intelligently.


I did see him a few weeks ago in the COT Magic Flute and liked him alot. His youthful appearance and voice and strong stage presence lent his Sarastro a charismatic, cult-leader quality which worked really well with the rest of COT's young cast and their quasi-cosmic production. (The whole thing played out kind of like one of those anachronistic Star Trek episodes, minus the phazers.)

Here's an interview with him on his Chicago Sarastro with a photo in his cult garb:

http://commandopera.com/2012/09/14/grigory-soloviov-on-sarastro/

Speaking of young singers, COT really featured the boy soprano trio to splendid effect - though their mothers are probably still finding traces of gold face paint behind their ears. And the Queen of the Night, Emily Hindrichs, who I had not seen before, also nailed her showpieces.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Cavaradossi said:


> I did see him a few weeks ago in the COT Magic Flute and liked him alot. His youthful appearance and voice and strong stage presence lent his Sarastro a charismatic, cult-leader quality which worked really well with the rest of COT's young cast and their quasi-cosmic production. (The whole thing played out kind of like one of those anachronistic Star Trek episodes, minus the phazers.)
> 
> Here's an interview with him on his Chicago Sarastro with a photo in his cult garb:
> 
> ...


Fabulous! Sounds like a really interesting production!


----------



## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

sospiro said:


> Fabulous! Sounds like a really interesting production!


Yeah, I really wasn't in the "mood" for another Magic Flute, particularly an English language one, but this was a pleasant surprise. The hari krishna look of the Sarastro-ites and the faithful translation of their more misandrogenous lines meant their high minded moralizing didn't have to be taken as deathly seriously. Playing Monostatos (incongruously) as an abusive banana republic enforcer undermined their sanctity too. And Papageno was thankfully de-emphasized (the birdcatcher thing didn't really fit well with the cosmic theme), sparing us about 50% of the usual mugging and putting the emphasis on Tamino and Pamina where it belongs.

I don't know if it was the intention, but I got the impression at the end that the happy couples were going to beam up to the Enterprise or the Targus to reappear in next week's strange interplanetary adventure.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Cavaradossi said:


> Yeah, I really wasn't in the "mood" for another Magic Flute, particularly an English language one, but this was a pleasant surprise. The hari krishna look of the Sarastro-ites and the faithful translation of their more misandrogenous lines meant their high minded moralizing didn't have to be taken as deathly seriously. Playing Monostatos (incongruously) as an abusive banana republic enforcer undermined their sanctity too. And Papageno was thankfully de-emphasized (the birdcatcher thing didn't really fit well with the cosmic theme), sparing us about 50% of the usual mugging and putting the emphasis on Tamino and Pamina where it belongs.
> 
> I don't know if it was the intention, but I got the impression at the end that the happy couples were going to beam up to the Enterprise or the Targus to reappear in next week's strange interplanetary adventure.


I would like to have seen this production.

This is on with double cast at ROH next April/May, hope to get tickets to see Christopher Maltman & Simon Keenlyside's Papageno.


----------



## Cavaradossi (Aug 2, 2012)

sospiro said:


> Simon Keenlyside's Papageno.


 

As much as I love Keenlyside, Papageno seems like one of those roles you outgrow eventually and cede to the next generation. But that's not as bad as a Don Giovanni at the Met I saw just a few years ago with Samuel Ramey(!) as Lepporello.

Or maybe I just have a hard time imagining Keenlyside as the birdcatcher after seeing his bloodsoaked Hamlet on the Met HD broadcast.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Cavaradossi said:


> As much as I love Keenlyside, Papageno seems like one of those roles you outgrow eventually and cede to the next generation. But that's not as bad as a Don Giovanni at the Met I saw just a few years ago with Samuel Ramey(!) as Lepporello.


Much as I love Sam, he's not been young enough to sing Leporello for a long time!! Grigory was 28 here.








Cavaradossi said:


> Or maybe I just have a hard time imagining Keenlyside as the birdcatcher after seeing his bloodsoaked Hamlet on the Met HD broadcast.


He won't be able to sing it for much longer but ever since I saw the DVD I've wanted to see this scene.


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

That Zauberflöte is worth getting just for the mallard hat!
Nat said she'd make me one once, but I'm still waiting.


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

Thanks for the clarification, Sabrina. Now, we know!


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

sospiro said:


> This is on with double cast at ROH next April/May, hope to get tickets to see Christopher Maltman & Simon Keenlyside's Papageno.


Interesting, I like this production, also Damrau as Queen of the night. Is she also in the cast of April/May ?


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Dongiovanni said:


> Interesting, I like this production, also Damrau as Queen of the night. Is she also in the cast of April/May ?


Not Damrau, as far as we know, but things change.

Damrau was supposed to be singing Isabelle in _Robert le diable_ but she had to cancel as she's pregnant.

Die Zauberflöte cast 1

Die Zauberflöte cast 2

'TBC' is a popular (& versatile) singer.


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Dongiovanni said:


> Interesting, I like this production, also Damrau as Queen of the night. Is she also in the cast of April/May ?


If I'm not very mistaken, Damrau has retired the role. She doesn't have the super high notes any longer


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Aksel said:


> If I'm not very mistaken, Damrau has retired the role. She doesn't have the super high notes any longer


I had no idea ! We're going offtopic (ah well, it's my thread) but Damrau sings Donna Anna in a brand new Don Giovanni recording:








I have high expectiations of this recording. This will be the next purchase.


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Dongiovanni said:


> I had no idea ! We're going offtopic (ah well, it's my thread) but Damrau sings Donna Anna in a brand new Don Giovanni recording:
> View attachment 8742
> 
> 
> I have high expectiations of this recording. This will be the next purchase.


Every thread on TC inevitably goes off-topic.

And yes, that DG should be really great. Damrau as Donna Anna, Joyce DiDonato as Donna Elvira, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as the Don, Luca Pisaroni as Leporello - What's not to love?


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

This new "Don Giovanni does not sound as good as it might look. I just got it and I cannot say it has any added value. Starting with the conductor, the whole work goes almost off the mark. This is a "nice" Don Giovanni.
None of the "bright" girls overshadow any previous great ones on the respective roles. On the contrary, some sound a bit less for the role (DiDonato). Damrau passes the test, but, when you have such a saturated set of great "Annas", she still cannot put her mark on the role. The male ones are more secure, but the same may apply to them. However, the recording is bright and detailed.
For something fresh, it is O.K. 

Principe


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

principe said:


> This new "Don Giovanni does not sound as good as it might look. I just got it and I cannot say it has any added value. Starting with the conductor, the whole work goes almost off the mark. This is a "nice" Don Giovanni.
> None of the "bright" girls overshadow any previous great ones on the respective roles. On the contrary, some sound a bit less for the role (DiDonato). Damrau passes the test, but, when you have such a saturated set of great "Annas", she still cannot put her mark on the role. The male ones are more secure, but the same may apply to them. However, the recording is bright and detailed.
> For something fresh, it is O.K.
> 
> Principe


Hm. Well, I'm buying the CD anyway. The main cast generally consists of some of my favourite singers.

But what I really want is a DVD of the recent Stuttgart Don Giovanni. That was a whole lot of fun!


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aksel said:


> Every thread on TC inevitably goes off-topic.
> 
> And yes, that DG should be really great. Damrau as Donna Anna, Joyce DiDonato as Donna Elvira, Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as the Don, Luca Pisaroni as Leporello - *What's not to love?*


erm, Erdman?

But yes, on the whole a great cast.


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> *erm, Erdman?*
> 
> But yes, on the whole a great cast.


Having now listened quite a bit to Erdman's recordings (mainly that of Wolff lieder), I can't say I quite understand why people don't like her. It's got to do with the Grandage Don Giovanni, right?


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aksel said:


> Having now listened quite a bit to Erdman's recordings (mainly that of Wolff lieder), I can't say I quite understand why people don't like her. It's got to do with the Grandage Don Giovanni, right?


For me it was the Forest Bird in the Met Ring. Siegfried is my least favourite opera in the cycle, but I always look forward to that scene, and she really spoilt it for me - sounded very shrieky and unpleasant. Maybe it was just a bad night.


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> For me it was the Forest Bird in the Met Ring. Siegfried is my least favourite opera in the cycle, but I always look forward to that scene, and she really spoilt it for me - sounded very shrieky and unpleasant. Maybe it was just a bad night.


Don't really think the Forest Bird is the role for her. From what I've heard of her Mozart, that is much more her thing.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aksel said:


> Don't really think the Forest Bird is the role for her. From what I've heard of her Mozart, that is much more her thing.


Well I might consider that Don Giovanni then. Although I need another recording like a hole in the head.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Well I might consider that Don Giovanni then. Although I need another recording like a hole in the head.


Well someone's got to give Schiggy a run for his money.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Well someone's got to give Schiggy a run for his money.


Yes I've only got 26 versions so far. Peanuts.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Yes I've only got 26 versions so far. Peanuts.


Blimey. That's pretty good, I didn't think there'd be that many in existence!


----------



## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Well someone's got to give Schiggy a run for his money.


I'm beginning to think that's impossible. I mean, over a hundred Normas? Talk about dedication!


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Blimey. That's pretty good, I didn't think there'd be that many in existence!


CDs and Video recordings combined. There ARE more out there.


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

Yes, indeed, there are plenty out there, in the world market.
I, personally, have about as many as mamascarlatti, only on CD or SACD (Jacobs), since I'm not collecting DVDs, etc. I'm predominantly interested in music (the score).

Principe


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

For those interested in Teodora Gheorghiu, she has already made a quite interesting CD on the French label Aparte, called Arias for Anna de Amicis, containing a pre-classical program dedicated to the famous soprano who first created the role of Lucio Silla by Mozart. Apart from the obvious arias from the above Opera by Mozart, there are rarities from J.C Bach, Borghi, Cafaro, Jommelli and Myslivecek! Along the way, we have some Gluck too (Orfeo ed Euridice).
Les Talents Lyriques under C. Rousset accompany her throughout. It looks wonderfully interesting. I trust it will sound too.
I've ordered it already.

Principe


----------



## guythegreg (Jun 15, 2012)

Aksel said:


> I'm beginning to think that's impossible. I mean, over a hundred Normas? Talk about dedication!


Really? Over a hundred Normas? I am in awe.


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

mamascarlatti said:


> Yes I've only got 26 versions so far. Peanuts.


26 !

Has anyone listened to the new Don Giovanni with Damrau as Donna Anna ? I'm interested to know what you think of it.


----------



## principe (Sep 3, 2012)

I have already wrote about that in another thread. 
I could not find any "added value" either in the singers nor in the conducting, which sounds even more mediocre. With such a saturated list of superlative recordings, I do not think one should expect something spectacular from this set. In particular, Damrau, compared to the likes of a Sutherland of Giulini, sounds like a "golden mediocrity": nice...and pretty. Di Donato is even more flat, just thinking of e.g. Te Kanawa.
Of course, for those who wish to follow how our current "managers" of the great operatic roles can handle them, this is a "must". However, if you really love and appreciate this great and unique work, this new set is almost a pity. A good consolation: the recording is excellent. You may follow the work easily and clearly.

Principe


----------



## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

I also bought Teodora Gheorghiu's CD from Amazon. I already got it! It's wonderful!


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Spent some time checking out new singers, sopranos, to be precise. I'm always checking out new Don Giovanni productions.

La Scala, 2011: Anna Prohaska as Zerlina.






Prohaska is a rising star with a DG contract and already one solo CD out. In the DG performance she is ok.

"Ach is fuhl es":






Not very much to my liking I'm afraid. I'll check out her album "Sirene" tomorrow.


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

mamascarlatti said:


> erm, Erdman?
> 
> But yes, on the whole a great cast.


Another Zerlina, this time Mojca Erdmann. After listening I have to agree with you. I don't like her singing at all here.


----------



## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

Audrey Luna was a brilliant coloratura soprano in the Met's Tempest:





Audrey Luna


----------



## xuantu (Jul 23, 2009)

Any taste for countertenors? There are quite a few good new ones in the operatic arena at the moment. The following clip features the wonderful Australian countertenor David Hansen singing Handel's "Yet, can I hear that dulcet lay" from The Choice of Hercules. Truly some of the most glorious singing (and music) I've ever heard.






There is also a famous and widely sought after young English countertenor Iestyn Davis, whom I thought was dramatically a little blend compared to the fiery David Daniels or the sensitive and equally emotive Philipee Jaroussky. A recent disc from Hyperion titled "Arias for Guadagni", however, displays his lavish asset through a very well put together and musically rewarding program, expertly accompanied by the ensemble Arcangelo and director Jonathan Cohen.


----------



## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

tyroneslothrop said:


> Audrey Luna was a brilliant coloratura soprano in the Met's Tempest:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Is it just me, or isn't this just vibratto on randomsly notes? In bel-canto, sopranos di coloratura were the top!. In romantic era, dramatic sopranos were awsome! Now the new pink is "sopranos di vibratto"????

I'm not talking about the soprano. I'm talking about the composition.


----------



## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

dionisio said:


> Is it just me, or isn't this just vibratto on randomsly notes? In bel-canto, sopranos di coloratura were the top!. In romantic era, dramatic sopranos were awsome! Now the new pink is "sopranos di vibratto"????
> 
> I'm not talking about the soprano. I'm talking about the composition.


Hardly random notes. Thomas Adès wouldn't even change the notes for the singers (this is one of the hardest works to perform). There are only two optional notes in the entire opera score--an optional F# and optional G. By the way, Audrey Luna is a professor of voice at some conservatory or other, so I'm going to guess that she doesn't do "random".


----------



## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

tyroneslothrop said:


> Hardly random notes. Thomas Adès wouldn't even change the notes for the singers (this is one of the hardest works to perform). There are only two optional notes in the entire opera score--an optional F# and optional G. By the way, Audrey Luna is a professor of voice at some conservatory or other, so I'm going to guess that she doesn't do "random".


I was joking about the random notes. However, dificult or not, i do not see what this is.

Thomas Adés didn't change the notes for the singers. Big deal! Nor did Beethoven with Missa Solemnis nor Wagner with Tristan nor Strauss with Salomé. But between those and this aria stands a mountain.


----------



## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

dionisio said:


> I was joking about the random notes. However, dificult or not, i do not see what this is.
> 
> Thomas Adés didn't change the notes for the singers. Big deal! Nor did Beethoven with Missa Solemnis nor Wagner with Tristan nor Strauss with Salomé. But between those and this aria stands a mountain.


I take it you don't appreciate Britten either?


----------



## dionisio (Jul 30, 2012)

tyroneslothrop said:


> I take it you don't appreciate Britten either?


I have nothing against the composers...just with the era, as the Macbeth's witches foresaw: "Faire is foule, and foule is faire" hehehe

I do not outcast any composition before hearing it. Sometimes there are compositions that i do not understand (zum Beispeil the Stokausen's Helicopter quartet). I simply don't understand it. Verdi also said something like that about Wagner, i.e., i didn't understand why Wagner chose some paths to express his music, where with easier ones he should get the same result.

Also modern art, or what we consider modern art, has always seemed to me to be lack of something. It seems to me it lacks of a "spinal tap", a solid structure, an well constructed building. It seems to me it was built with strings and with no leitmotif (and i'm not refering to Wagner's leitmotif). But, as i think, it is its very nature to be built that way.

And i accept that perfectly. I don't like the way we are going, but i accept it.


----------



## Donizetti (Dec 3, 2012)

sabrina said:


> Maria Aleida - This Cuban coloratura soprano is amazing!


There's something about Maria - Malibran, Callas, Aleida. Magnificent.


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Maria.... Agresta.


----------



## JohnGerald (Jul 6, 2014)

The Bel Canto Crowd here must be like the Libertarian Party in US politics! But not as vocal (pun intended!)

There are several exceptional singers, many coming from the ROF.

1 Mezzo Anna Goryachova
2. Bass Alex Esposito
3. Tenor Yijie Shi
4. Soprano Olga Peretyatko

From elsewhere:

1. Mezzo Jamie Barton
2. Soprano Hui He (whose recently released DVD of Aida left me breathless)
3. Soprano Maria Agresta (ditto in Gemma di Vergy)
4. Soprano Ailyn Perez, and
5. Stephen Costello, her SO.

While I enjoy many singers of the past, having seen them perform, and although I am probably older than most on this site, I am firmly convinced that if opera can survive economically, we have no shortage of excellent young performers (who can act far better than their predecessors!) and whose vocal skills are splendid. Now if we could just "deep six" some stage directors ... but I digress ...


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

JohnGerald said:


> T
> 3. Tenor Yijie Shi


His name on a DVD is a guaranteed "proceed to checkout" imperative for me.


----------



## Sloe (May 9, 2014)

JohnGerald said:


> 2. Soprano Hui He (whose recently released DVD of Aida left me breathless)


I like Hui He too but I would not call a singer who is only one year younger than Anna Netrebko young and promising. I would say the promise is already fulfilled.


----------



## Giordano (Aug 10, 2014)

Fresh out of school and totally not world-famous:

Tess Mattingly


----------



## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Opolais
Camarena
Hymel


----------



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Issachah Savage won the Seattle International Wagner Competition First Prize. He had the largest, most beautiful, most baritonal tenor voice I've heard. He's recently lost 100 lbs in the past year, but is still very large. That could be his only hindrance to an international career as a Heldentenor.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Issachah Savage won the Seattle International Wagner Competition First Prize. He had the largest, most beautiful, most baritonal tenor voice I've heard. He's recently lost 100 lbs in the past year, but is still very large. That could be his only hindrance to an international career as a Heldentenor.


A really beautiful voice. IMO the weight becomes an issue if it stops him moving or acting (cough Johan Botha cough) But with a sound like that much could be forgiven.

Edit - and he's a nice looking guy too, even with the weight.


----------



## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

I bought the CD of Elena Xanthoudakis , 
it takes a few minutes then you understand the voice, guided by the ever gifted Richard Bonynge she must become a star.


----------



## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Issachah Savage won the Seattle International Wagner Competition First Prize. He had the largest, most beautiful, most baritonal tenor voice I've heard. He's recently lost 100 lbs in the past year, but is still very large. That could be his only hindrance to an international career as a Heldentenor.


He's quite impressive -- and he sings the music; he doesn't bellow or shout it. His German pronunciation needs just a tiny bit of tweaking, but if he works with some good répetiteurs, he could definitely have a major career.


----------



## TravisTouchdown (Aug 17, 2014)

xuantu said:


> Any taste for countertenors? There are quite a few good new ones in the operatic arena at the moment. The following clip features the wonderful Australian countertenor David Hansen singing Handel's "Yet, can I hear that dulcet lay" from The Choice of Hercules.


I can count on one hand males singing falsetto that are on par with women. He is incredible.


----------



## TravisTouchdown (Aug 17, 2014)

Dufay said:


> Fresh out of school and totally not world-famous:
> 
> Tess Mattingly


For comparison:
Dorothea Röschmann




Fleming:





Sounds to me as Mattingly sounds more relaxed, less vibrato - and hard to say from the recording, but perhaps lower SPL?


----------



## TravisTouchdown (Aug 17, 2014)

My entry:


----------



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

TravisTouchdown said:


> I can count on one hand males singing falsetto that are on par with women. He is incredible.






. David Hansen in dazzling vocal display displaying amazing charisma, high notes and in an interview reveals he is married to a woman.


----------



## TravisTouchdown (Aug 17, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> . David Hansen in dazzling vocal display displaying amazing charisma, high notes and in an interview *reveals he is married to a woman*.


I have heard of cross-dressers married to women as well. 
I kinda agree this is outrageous. They should be flogged for not being gay.


----------



## BaronScarpia (Apr 2, 2014)

Ah, I love Julia Lezhneva. What a voice, and what musicality. Sonya Yoncheva is already pretty famous, as is Kristine Opolais, but those are two entrancing young sopranos.

On the not-so-famous side of things, there is Anna Rajah. She is a young soprano who has just finished at the Royal College of Music, and she is seriously talented. She has one of the most beautiful, powerful voices I've ever heard. Listen to her singing _Regnava nel silenzio_. You will not be disappointed!

http://www.annaanandarajah.com/#!recordings/c1yi7

I also like Rosa Feola:









As well as these two, Virginie Verrez and Deanna Breiwick, who were in masterclasses at Juilliard with Joyce DiDonato:


----------



## Dawood (Oct 11, 2015)

TravisTouchdown said:


> My entry:


I was just doing a search on what folk thought about Sonya Yoncheva and found this instead. Many thanks Travis - a really beautiful voice...


----------



## howlingfantods (Jul 27, 2015)

I've been keeping an eye out for Heidi Melton since I watched the video of the recent Met Ring. Her Third Norn was one of the few bright spots of the Gotterdammerung cast.

Haven't heard her in anything else yet, and she doesn't seem to have a lot of recent performance snippets online. This is promising, though:


----------



## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

sabrina said:


> This another lovely Romanian soprano, with a notorious name, but no connection! She is quite young!
> Teodora Gheorghiu...


I like it. fresh and youthful, kind of like a cross between Natalie Dessay and Anna Moffo


----------



## Dongiovanni (Jul 30, 2012)

Looking back some 6 and a half years after I created the topic, it's interesting to see the current status of the singers mentioned here.

The ones mentioned in the thread:
Anna Prohaska: Heard her live twice, last time as Susanna she was ok, but her voice just doesn't appeal to me.
Alex Esposito: Heard him many times, great voice. His Leporello is outstanding.
Olga Peretyatko: Heard her twice, ok but not great
Kristine Opolais: is a star now. Heard her twice as Manon Lescaut which was very good, still the high notes are not that great, her Tatyana in Munich was underwhelming as was the production
Julia Lezhneva: Got that cd where she sings Exultate Jubilate, which is amazing. Heard her as Zerlina, not a good match for her voice.

Some new mentions:
Marianna Crebassa: Wonderful Cherubino, great voice, great actress
Nina Minasyan and Rame Lahaj: It was a big surprise to hear them as Lucia and Edgardo. Really outstanding !
Lisette Oropesa: Amazing as Gilda in Amsterdam Rigoletto


----------



## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

dionisio said:


> Is it just me, or isn't this just vibratto on randomsly notes? In bel-canto, sopranos di coloratura were the top!. In romantic era, dramatic sopranos were awsome! Now the new pink is "sopranos di vibratto"????
> 
> I'm not talking about the soprano. I'm talking about the composition.


I don't believe it's entirely her fault given the tessitura, but I cannot understand a single word (assuming she is singing words). I even bought the DVD of this to try to "appreciate" what I knew would be a thorny work. I have managed to struggle about two-thirds of the way through Act I. I suppose someday I may get up the courage to try again. But I'm getting older, and _tempus_ doth_ fugit._

Kind regards, :tiphat:

George


----------



## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

^^^^
It looks like I replied to a comment four years old above. To clarify (if anyone cares), I am discussing Audrey Luna singing Ariel in Ades' _The Tempest _above. Screechatura soprano.

Kind regards, :tiphat:

George


----------

