# Help: Why is Abigaille such a killer rolw????????



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I am doing a spotlight speech for Toastmasters on Abigaille from Nabucco tomorrow. I know it sounds hard just listening to it, but why in your words would you say this lives up to it's reputation as a voice killer??? If you can be specific,even better. My example will be sung by Dimitrova. Thanks for your help. The title should read ROLE but I can't change it. John


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

- immense vocal weight and dramatic presence 
- extensive coloratura facility in all parts of the voice
- grueling 2 octave leaps
- a strong, mezzo/contralto chest register which must be projected through dense orchestration
- evenness of tone throughout a wide range of tessitura
- clean onsets, trills and glides up and down the scale



Seattleoperafan said:


> My example will be sung by Dimitrova.\


Excellent choice. The only singer I can think of who frequented the role without wrecking her voice. Only other singers to do this role justice are Callas and Soliotis


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

BalalaikaBoy said:


> - immense vocal weight and dramatic presence
> - extensive coloratura facility in all parts of the voice
> - grueling 2 octave leaps
> - a strong, mezzo/contralto chest register which must be projected through dense orchestration
> ...


I figured you could help help focus me on this. I was thinking along those lines but you said it so so much better than I was trying to do. I totally agree with you about the singers. If if if we had a video, which I like to use in my speech, of Callas in this role.... well!!!!!! I believe she sang it once and she, who sang everything, said it was a voice wrecker!!! Soliotist... it wrecked, but her recording is so wonderful!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Here is my final speech. Thanks Balalaikaboy for your help!!!!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I figured you could help help focus me on this. I was thinking along those lines but you said it so so much better than I was trying to do. I totally agree with you about the singers. If if if we had a video, which I like to use in my speech, of Callas in this role.... well!!!!!! *I believe she sang it once and she, who sang everything, said it was a voice wrecker!!! Soliotist... it wrecked, but her recording is so wonderful*!


Yes Maria did a three performance run of Nabucco Dec 20,22,27 1949 in Naples and never performed the opera again, only select arias for recitals.......and she did say basically what you comment


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

DarkAngel said:


> Yes Maria did a three performance run of Nabucco Dec 20,22,27 1949 in Naples and never performed the opera again, only select arias for recitals.......and she did say basically what you comment


She also advised Caballé against singing it.


> It would be like putting a precious Baccarat glass in a box and shaking it. It would shatter.


. Caballé heeded the advice and never attempted it.


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