# Loveliest Soprano......?



## classidaho

Anna Moffo must certainly place up there, and I must nominate her as tops on my list!


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Anna Netrebko?










Angela Gheoghiu still looks good:










Of course... Maria Callas!










And Magdalena Kozena:










These are just off the top of my head.


----------



## Herkku

So, we are talking about good looks? I certainly could have picked the same ladies as StlukesguildOhio. There is something special about Callas, though. She could be described as eternally beautiful.


----------



## Aramis

Callas often looks great, but have you seen her without makeup? Her nose is even longer that Chopin's and when the photo is not posed you can see that she can hardly be called really beautiful. 

I know that there are some lovers of Petitbon around. She's the real nightmare 

I can't recall any breathtaking soprano. There are few that lookes really good in couple of productions like Callas or Stratas in Salome with Bohm. But to tell the truth, everyday on the street you can see more good-looking hens than on CD covers and DVDs after years of explording opera.


----------



## Argus

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Anna Netrebko?


I approve of this post. You've used that picture before so here are some others.



















Then there's Meadow.










By lovely are we talking cute or stunning or either?

This thread might just help increase my interest in opera.


----------



## sospiro

I've always thought Kiri was beautiful. But I don't look at women in the same way as men do!!


----------



## classidaho

Forgive me sospiro (how shallow am I!).........You and others must include the most handsome tenors


----------



## jhar26

Anna Netrebko is so beautiful that I wish I was Rolando Villazon whenever I see them singing together. 










Kiri Te Kanawa - a Dame if ever there was one.










Renée Fleming, a beautiful and stylish lady.










Mirella Freni - maybe not a natural beauty, but I think she's cute and whenever she sings one of those sad Puccini arias I always want to give her a hug.


----------



## Art Rock

Dawn Upshaw, scoriing high on looks and sounds.


----------



## Herkku

I'm not sure where this discussion will lead to. There are so many beautiful singers about nowadays, but what about those who have not been blessed with such good looks? They can possess a lovely voice, but the record companies, at least, seem to favour the ones that could earn their living by modeling. I would like to see the female writers to build a similar thread of the best-looking tenors!

Inspite of that, I cannot help myself, but must add some favourites of my own - not yet displayed.










and


----------



## jhar26

Herkku said:


> I'm not sure where this discussion will lead to. There are so many beautiful singers about nowadays, but what about those who have not been blessed with such good looks? They can possess a lovely voice, but the record companies, at least, seem to favour the ones that could earn their living by modeling.


Not only the record companies, but the opera houses as well. Probably even more so in fact, and not only when it comes to females. They want singers that look the part they are singing and productions have become physically more demanding also. So I think we won't see many more 300 pound tenors standing at the same spot of the stage for three hours or Montserrat Caballe lookalikes taking on the role of Madama Butterfly.


----------



## Herkku

I do agree that Caballe (for example) is best heard on audio recordings, but she had one of the most beautiful voices of the last century. And, as mentioned in my message of Norma on DVD, the one with her from Orange was my favourite before the Cedolins. And I didn't mind the extra kilos at all. Good looks don't hurt, but it's possible to enjoy the singing even if it is the famous fat lady...


----------



## jhar26

Herkku said:


> I do agree that Caballe (for example) is best heard on audio recordings, but she had one of the most beautiful voices of the last century. And, as mentioned in my message of Norma on DVD, the one with her from Orange was my favourite before the Cedolins. And I didn't mind the extra kilos at all. Good looks don't hurt, but it's possible to enjoy the singing even if it is the famous fat lady...


Well, I love Caballe, Sutherland, Norman, Pavarotti and so on. And of course not everyone can look like Netrebko or Domingo. But at least on stage - even though not everyone can look perfect for his or her part, them looking ridiculous in it should also be avoided.

But I don't think we should take this thread TOO seriously. There are so many serious threads here that we are allowed a lighthearted one every now and then in my opinion. Besides, the photos and comments are just little tributes to ladies we love and admire. No harm in that.


----------



## Grosse Fugue

Mezzo-sopranos but I'm a rebel

Joyce Didonato


















Elina Garanca










Patricia Petibon-soprano


----------



## classidaho

I would certainly place Pettibon the most fun to watch with Callas a close second. They are both quite lovely (not beautiful)!. I am delighted over the wonderful choices, so far!


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Certainly Pettibon brings more personality to the opera than anyone since Maria Callas... and both were quite unique at that.


----------



## mamascarlatti

I usually spend more time thinking about gorgeous baritones, but...










Hei Kyung Hong - so cute as Zerlina in Don Giovanni.










Olga Guryakova (Lovely as Natasha in War and Peace)

And yes, it is about the voices, but I also enjoy watching physically attractive singers on DVDs. Aren't we genetically inclined towards physical beauty?


----------



## Herkku

I cannot resist adding Jessye Norman here, because I think that she can indeed be described beautiful, also. Perhaps impressive would be more accurate, but she really knows how to carry her weight with authority. And with a voice like hers, what else matters?


----------



## jurianbai

a singer should be pretty right? that's the basic qualification for the industry and market demands.


----------



## Herkku

I am sure, that I would have missed a lot, if I hadn't had the possibility of hearing the late Birgit Nilsson, for example, although I cannot see her having posed on the cover of Vogue.


----------



## Sebastien Melmoth

*Christine Schäfer*'s voice is so entrancing to me that she get's my vote everytime.


----------



## jhar26

jurianbai said:


> a singer should be pretty right?


Not necessarily. But mention the words 'pretty' and 'classical musician/singer' in the same sentence and people will all of a sudden act as though the two don't go together. It's as though it's a crime to be pretty or attractive and we're only allowed to take classical artists seriously when the're fat, bald, ugly and have a look on their face as though they never had a day of fun in their whole life......I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean. 

Besides, in lieder, oratorios (or opera cd's) and such it doesn't matter whatsoever how a singer looks. But although opera is first and foremost also about the singing, it's not the only important ingredient. Opera is also a form of theatre. And just like in regular theatre or the movies it's important to cast people who look the part. This should never be the most important consideration, but it shouldn't be entirely ignored either. Maria Callas herself lost weight and improved her physical appearance because she realized that it would be appropriate for many of the roles she sang.


----------



## Argus

jurianbai said:


> a singer should be pretty right? that's the basic qualification for the industry and market demands.


----------



## Grosse Fugue

Flicka









Theresa Berganza









Can I just say that this thread is just a bit of fun. If you want a discussion on looks in opera there is this thread http://www.talkclassical.com/2225-do-opera-singers-have.html


----------



## jurianbai

Argus said:


>


hey, that's why she made the news.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Kathleen Battle










Barbara Hendricks


----------



## classidaho

Cyndia Sieden.........not only 'next door' lovely , but also the most wonderful Mozart interpreter (for my taste).


----------



## classidaho

OK, I've refrained long enough.....gotta include our local Leslie Mauldin of Opera Idaho, Boise


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

How did I ever forget the ravishingly exotic Danielle de Niese? Of Sri Lankan heritage de Niese is not only a talented singer but she is also a fine dancer and can act (something a good number of operatic singers are not so good at) and exudes pesonality:










de NIese was absolutely marvelous... and stunning as **** in William Christie's production of Rameau's Les indes galantes:










At the end of the opera ****/de Niese acts as something of the "ringleader"/master of ceremonies:


----------



## Herkku

Danielle de Niese was already in my first message here, the second picture. I just didn't reveal the names. The first is Miah Persson.


----------



## classidaho

love·ly   /ˈlʌvli/ Show Spelled [luhv-lee] Show IPA adjective,-li·er, -li·est, noun,plural-lies, adverb 
-adjective
1.charmingly or exquisitely beautiful: a lovely flower. 
2.having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye, as a person or a face. 
3.delightful; highly pleasing: to have a lovely time. 
4.of a great moral or spiritual beauty: a lovely character

What adjective description of 'lovely' would you say would (could) define the appeal of your selected Diva? How much does 'voice' enter into the formula?

In my first two selections, Moffo and Sieden, voice caused research that led me to the two totally different appearances. Both are lovely (to me) in ways that cover all four adjective definitions.


----------



## Herkku

Well, I admit that "lovely" has several meanings, but somehow the thread has concentrated on the good looks. Of course it's difficult for us to know how lovely these persons are as human beings (Kathleen Barttle!).


----------



## mamascarlatti

When I look at Frederica von Stade I am convinced that she is lovely all through. Something in the smile...


----------



## classidaho

mamascarlatti said:


> When I look at Frederica von Stade I am convinced that she is lovely all through. Something in the smile...


+ 1 on Frederica......


----------



## Herkku

Would you buy a used car from her?


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

I'd buy anything Anna is selling.



















And what a sales technique!:






Sign me up... I'll take a dozen!


----------



## Herkku

The videoclip certainly left me dumbfounded! So much for sales technique. The roses will probably become collectors' items, should the gentlemen ever wish to part with them...

My suggestion for a car saleswoman might have actually tried something along these lines, given the time difference of at least half a century! She left Europe in the late thirties, moved to Hollywood, played a part in a couple of movies, and was forgotten. There is a single performance of a song she is still known for, at least in Finland.


----------



## nefigah

Herkku wins the thread for posting my personal crush


----------



## mamascarlatti

Anja Harteros, whose strong beauty shines in this Lohengrin:


----------



## classidaho

.....now, that would surely qualify and one of the best performed love scenes. And I must agree with your analyses of her beauty.....whoever is with her might get my vote for the most handsome (gorgeous?) tenor or?, , Chuck


----------



## mamascarlatti

Yes, Jonas Kaufmann, utterly delectable tenor, makes his appearance on another thread:

http://www.talkclassical.com/9083-gorgeous-baritones-ok-tenors.html#post97500


----------



## sospiro

*RIP Anneliese Rothenberger*

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/26/anneliese-rothenberger-obituary

She was very pretty in her day. I found this YouTube.

Interesting post script in today's Guardian

_Philip Purser writes: I must be one of the few surviving Britons who saw and heard Anneliese Rothenberger (obituary, 27 May) in the 1946 Hamburg State Opera production of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera. I and fellow sergeants in a Royal Engineers field squadron were persuaded by a Welsh member of the mess to join him in what was at least an hour's drive to Hamburg, in an armoured car, to take in a little culture. As mentioned in the obituary, the opera house itself was destroyed in the great Hamburg air raid, but the adjacent scenery dock had now been converted into a makeshift theatre.

We started with the Magic Flute, which worked its customary magic. The Masked Ball came the next week, I think. The plot gripped us, the singing was beautiful and Anneliese adorable. Studying the smudgy little programme notes during the interval, I reflected on the irony - but also the promise - of British squaddies enjoying a German production of an Italian opera based on a Swedish royal scandal transposed for political reasons to colonial America._


----------



## classidaho

> = British squaddies enjoying a German production of an Italian opera based on a Swedish royal scandal transposed for political reasons to colonial America.[/i]


 Now, that's cool!


----------



## classidaho

Maria without a pound of lipstick.......!






What a lovely Lady! Brava 'One of The Loveliest voices!'

and not a bad voice from the shadows (or lights?)


----------



## mamascarlatti

I'd rather listen to Maria, even in her decline.


----------



## classidaho

I also, but I have enjoyed a lot of SB, and Andrew Lloyd Webber without feeling guilty.


----------



## mamascarlatti

I would imagine that her voice is more suited to that kind of music theatre.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Annick Massis - watch her Le Comte Ory on DVD. And she can sing!


----------



## wolf

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I'd buy anything Anna is selling.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And what a sales technique!:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sign me up... I'll take a dozen!


Shouldn't she rather be in the porn business? But she is clever though. A poperasinging, rap-listening, pinupgirl, fooling todays ignorant audiences and horny critics.


----------



## mamascarlatti

wolf said:


> Shouldn't she rather be in the porn business? But she is clever though. A poperasinging, rap-listening, pinupgirl, fooling todays ignorant audiences and horny critics.


Miaow! Well, ignorant I might be among today's audiences (though not horny for women), but I have enjoyed many of her performances on DVD.


----------



## jhar26

wolf said:


> Shouldn't she rather be in the porn business?


A rather typical sexist remark that some can't resist to make when they see a sexy woman on stage. I wonder what the odds are of someone saying something like that on the 'gorgeous baritones' thread.


> But she is clever though. A poperasinging, rap-listening, pinupgirl, fooling todays ignorant audiences and horny critics.


Anna Netrebko is a legitimate operatic soprano who's only crimes are that she's beautiful and popular. She's singing in the most important opera houses of the world and she's one of the very few opera singers to enjoy her level of popularity who as far as I know has never made a crossover album (not that I would hold it against her if she did). In short - she's as far removed from a 'popera singer' as it gets. Listen to her "Russian Album", try to imagine that it isn't Netrebko but someone as unattractive looking as is in your opinion appropriate for an operatic singer and you will hear how good she really is.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Gaston, I think, judging from posts on other threads, that he's trolling. Best ignored from now on.


----------



## wolf

mamascarlatti said:


> Gaston, I think, judging from posts on other threads, that he's trolling. Best ignored from now on.


No. I do not know who Gaston is. I would have had no problem with Annas sexiness, if she could sing. That's not true, the real opera artists do not act the way she does. Being sexy is one thing, flaunting your boobs in peoples faces is another.


----------



## jhar26

mamascarlatti said:


> Gaston, I think, judging from posts on other threads, that he's trolling. Best ignored from now on.


Yeah, it's pretty obvious that you're right.


----------



## classidaho

mamascarlatti said:


> Annick Massis - watch her Le Comte Ory on DVD. And she can sing!


I'm staying out of this one......but I don't think Anna has the same class presentation as Annick portrays so wonderfully!


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

I'm staying out of this one......but I don't think Anna has the same class presentation as Annick portrays so wonderfully!

But is that her choice... or that of photographers and PR agents out to push a certain persona... that of "Sex Sells"?


----------



## classidaho

Of course, I have no idea where her head is or what she wants to be when it's all over....but, if she wants to become one of the great opera divas (not to say she isn't already), I would hope she will do it with her great talent and as a class lady. 

I discovered Anna several years ago and could not get enough of her.......but I personally am turned off by her recent public presentation and no longer seek her out.


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Personally, I don't see where the personae put forth by Netrebko has greatly declined:





































Of course opera is a visual spectacle, and one cannot blame a performer for capitalizing upon his or her looks. The notion that "sex sells" and the seductiveness of opera's leading ladies is nothing new. Of course one would assume that we judge a singer by the song and I will admit that I have a good many other contemporary singers that I might prefer to Netrebko, including Sandrine Piau, Véronique Gens, Renée Fleming, Cecelia Bartoli, and Magdalena Kozena... none of whom are painful to look at.


----------



## jhar26

I for one don't see anything wrong with any Netrebko picture posted on this thread. I had no idea that some of my fellow opera lovers are so prudish.


----------



## classidaho

I admit to being a little prudish, some of them look like Madonna with black hair to me.....Oh, I know, there's nothing wrong with Madonna


----------



## jhar26

classidaho said:


> I admit to being a little prudish, some of them look like Madonna with black hair to me.....Oh, I know, there's nothing wrong with Madonna


Please...Anna Netrebko's clothes look like a burka compared to some of the things that Madonna has been wearing over the years.


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> Annick Massis - watch her Le Comte Ory on DVD. And she can sing!


She's lovely.





 --- is beautiful.


----------



## classidaho

Wow......! I had no idea! Such concentration. Such control. Such perfection! I have a new lifelong heroine. Thanx much for sharing. , Chuck

I think I must watch that daily for awhile.


----------



## mamascarlatti

sospiro said:


> She's lovely.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> --- is beautiful.


That's really gorgeous. Thanks, Annie.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Sondra Radvanovsky - I've just been listening to her album of Verdi arias and I'm very impressed. Sadly she only appears on DVD in the (it seems) rather unappealing Cyrano de Bergerac by Alfano, but I see she is scheduled in the Met's HD Trovatore next season. Can't wait.


----------



## classidaho

I'm not sure whether the following performance should be nominated for 'Loveliest Soprano', 'Handsomest Baritone' or 'Best Performing Duet'...........Maybe all three


----------



## mamascarlatti

classidaho said:


> I'm not sure whether the following performance should be nominated for 'Loveliest Soprano', 'Handsomest Baritone' or 'Best Performing Duet'...........Maybe all three


Hvorostovsky is scheduled for the same Trovatore alongside Marcelo Álvarez.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Kate Lindsey - striking in the trousers role of Niklaus in the recent Met Tales of Hoffmann with Joseph Calleja.


----------



## mamascarlatti

OMG Kathleen Kim is so cute as Olympia in Tales of Hoffman. (unfortunately this YouTube clip doesn't do her justice as the quality is so bad.


----------



## classidaho

I totally agree with your take on both of these. Barcarolle is probably one my favorite melodies. I love the way it builds, adore the waltz like melody of the main and the wind down is ingenious. But, that is all I know of this Opera by Bach's cousin Offen.

After watching these two youtube presentations I must add it to my must have list.

I really enjoy all of your posts very much. Thanx for sharing. Chuck


----------



## mamascarlatti

classidaho said:


> After watching these two youtube presentations I must add it to my must have list.


It's quite a strange opera - I remember seeing it for the first time, knowing nothing about it and expecting something light and frothy in the Vie parisienne style. But it has been growing on me and I love the music.

This version will be available on DVD later in the year, I believe, although you can see it now on Met Player. Met Player also has a good version with Neil Shicoff, which will no doubt be back once their technical issues are resolved.


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto

Loveliest soprano thread? What more can one say?


----------



## mamascarlatti

Looking better there than in the previous post about her on this thread.


----------



## Gneiss

jhar26 said:


> I for one don't see anything wrong with any Netrebko picture posted on this thread. I had no idea that some of my fellow opera lovers are so prudish.


There are some very stuffy people about...

As I mentionned in another thread I saw her recently in Manon at the ROH and she was absolutely superb.

I wonder if Deanna can be included in this thread...


----------



## mamascarlatti

*Martina Janková* is winning my heart in Orlando, but here she is singing Deh vieni, non tardar










*Marijana Mijanović* also knocks my socks off with her wondrous deep contralto, and she's pretty cute as a guy too!


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Deanna Durbin? Yumm! Who cares if she could sing.

Seriously, you have to give her thumbs up if only for this:

"She helped me in my discovery of myself. You have no idea of the smelly old movie houses I patronized to see Deanna Durbin. I tried to create the very best in my music, to try and recreate, to approach her purity." - Mstislav Rostropovich (in a late 1980s interview cited Deanna as one of his most important musical influences)

Marijana Mijanović also knocks my socks off with her wondrous deep contralto, and she's pretty cute as a guy too!

For a cute guy you can't beat Elīna Garanča:



















And what could be better than Netrebko and Garanca together?


----------



## mamascarlatti

StlukesguildOhio said:


> For a cute guy you can't beat Elīna Garanča:


She is very beautiful, but you could never even begin to mistake her for a guy.


----------



## Gneiss

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Deanna Durbin? Yumm! Who cares if she could sing.
> 
> Seriously, you have to give her thumbs up if only for this:
> 
> "She helped me in my discovery of myself. You have no idea of the smelly old movie houses I patronized to see Deanna Durbin. I tried to create the very best in my music, to try and recreate, to approach her purity." - Mstislav Rostropovich (in a late 1980s interview cited Deanna as one of his most important musical influences)]


Possibly I'm a little biased, but Deanna also had one of the finest lyric Soprano voices there's ever been... She has been cited as having influenced a number of performers, among them Maria Callas.



StlukesguildOhio said:


> And what could be better than Netrebko and Garanca together?


I loved this performance of theirs


----------



## mamascarlatti

Isabel Leonard, also known as Mrs Teddy Tahu Rhodes. I'm watching her as Stéphano in Met Player's Romeo et Juliette.


----------



## classidaho

My gosh, mamma s, you do come up with the lovilies!


----------



## sospiro

Tatiana Lisnic (Mrs Joseph Calleja)


----------



## mamascarlatti

classidaho said:


> My gosh, mamma s, you do come up with the lovilies!


Yes, it's funny, I keep trawling for hot male singers for the gorgeous baritones thread and all I come up with are these beautiful women. There's a serious imbalance here.


----------



## classidaho

Hey, I'm loving it! I had no idea there were such lovely, elegant Divas as those you guys/gals have posted! I'm wearing out my screen with youtube!


----------



## classidaho

While going back to my favorite Soprano performing my favorite aria, I decided to post her also as a top choice for 'Loveliest Soprano'.

Angela GHEORGHIU


----------



## classidaho

If this were a poll and I had to choose (1), I couldn't.......I might be able to whittle it down to (5) or (6) [for that many different resons]. But that would be it!


----------



## Norse

I watched a DVD of Gardiner's Figaro (Archiv, 1993) and found *Alison Hagley* as Susanna to be quite charming. I couldn't find a decent pic, so here's a couple of youtube clips instead.


----------



## classidaho

Lovely Allison...........


----------



## mamascarlatti

Sophie Koch. At the moment I'm watching her sporting a rather fetching set of sideburns as the composer in Ariadne, but I first fell in love with her as Charlotte in the paris Werther. I WISH they would release this on DVD.


----------



## tsubomi

Sissel Kyrkjebø (She's mainly a crossover artist, but is nevertheless both a beautiful and talented soprano in my eyes.]









Sumi Jo (She has her moments when her beauty is rather debatable, and many times I see that either she or the make-up artists overdo it, but when she just drops much of the make-up, like in this photo, she's very pretty.)









Maki Mori

The three following are not "professionally" sopranos, but have all studied or do study classical music, and I can definitively see the potential:









Kokia (Commonly stylized KOKIA. She has studied and majored in opera in America, although she is more of an alternative/experimental artist than classical, or even crossover. But she does have her moments when she composes pieces like this, which really shows her beautiful voice. I believe if she trains more, she can become a very talented opera singer, although I guess she wouldn't want to do that, I think she enjoys the music she is currently singing, hehe. Anyway, she's definitively a pretty woman.)









Lydia Hoen Tjore (She has yet to make a professional music debut (on record), but when she does, I believe she will fall in the crossover genre, actually (judging by her other performances), without that being necessarily a bad thing, although I think she has the potential and hope to see her in an opera one day. She's only 15/16 years old, but I think she's a charming girl, regardless of her young age.)









Jackie Evancho (Yeah yeah, she's sooo young, I know, and I guess this thread was probably meant for women, not little girls, but come on, she's so adorable, and her voice is amazing, I was really impressed!)

And lastly I just have to include my favorite soprano, Elzbieta Towarnicka. She is probably not your "traditional" beauty, and I've seen many other sopranos way more beautiful than her, but I think she is a perfect case where her voice makes up for it, and she is really not the worst I've seen. I would never call her down-right ugly, but I guess maybe that's because I'm already in love with her voice, so no matter how I see it, she is just beautiful.


----------



## classidaho

a very delightful post.......and loveliest does seem to transcend 'only physical'.


----------



## Figaro78

Ashley Putnam. Not a familiar name but her performance as Arabella on a Kultur Video DVD is lovely...and so is she, very lovely.


----------



## Sebastien Melmoth

Elina Garanca.


----------



## Figaro78

Katia Ricciarelli. Gorgeous!


----------



## sospiro

Figaro78 said:


> Katia Ricciarelli. Gorgeous!


and has never forgotten a certain Catalan tenor.



> Gli amori? Gli uomini più importanti che hanno giocato un ruolo nella turbolenta vita sentimentale di Katia Ricciarelli, considerata una delle più grandi seduttrici del mondo teatro, sono tre: José Carreras, una lunga relazione; Paolo Grassi, si parlava di nozze; Pippo Baudo, 18 anni di matrimonio. Ma Katia risponde con un nome solo: José.


----------



## classidaho

Sebastien Melmoth said:


> Elina Garanca.


 +1


----------



## DarkAngel

Rising star exotic beauty *Nino Machaidze*


----------



## DarkAngel

*Fiorenza Cedolins*



I am pleased with the continued growth of opera released in HD streaming, DVD, and Blu Ray formats we have several beautiful new young ladies coming on the scence to join the established ranks of Netrebko, Garanca etc.........they make opera a pleasure to watch as well as listen in HD


----------



## Air

Nice picks.


----------



## classidaho

:d


air said:


> nice picks. :d


++++++++++++++++++1 :d


----------



## Ravellian

I hate to say this, but Anna Netrebko is the only singer so far in this topic I've found attractive. Then again, I don't listen to/watch opera for pretty singers, I do it for the music and the story. And if somebody like Anna was singing, I think I might be distracted..


----------



## rgz

Just want to say how happy I am that Natalie Dessay hasn't been mentioned. That means she's all mine 



















Also, special mention for Diana Damrau. Although her face is a bit too "German" for me to call her strictly beautiful, she is indeed lovely and her personality is sparkling and wonderful. And it's astonishing to me how from certain angles she so strongly resembles my late wife. They could easily pass for sisters, twins even, in these shots:


----------



## kg4fxg

*Beautiful.....*

Ok,

There all beautiful, stunning, and such a wonderful gift to the Opera World. One of my favorite is Magdalena Kozena, but it really is just hard to pick one.

On a more technical note, the color or what some might call fach of their voice, it is the range, weight, and color. Depending on this one voice maybe more suited to a particular piece.

To keep to the discussion here are the Soprano Fach's.

Soprano Fächer
1.1 Lyrischer Koloratursopran / Koloratursoubrette
1.2 Dramatischer Koloratursopran
1.3 Deutsche Soubrette / Charaktersopran
1.4 Lyrischer Sopran
1.5 Jugendlich Dramatischer Sopran
1.6 Dramatischer Sopran
1.7 Hochdramatischer Sopran

2 Mezzo-soprano and Contralto Fächer
2.1 Koloratur-Mezzosopran
2.2 Lyrischer Mezzosopran / Spielalt
2.3 Dramatischer Mezzosopran
2.4 Dramatischer Alt
2.5 Tiefer Alt


----------



## Norse

Ravellian said:


> And if somebody like Anna was singing, I think I might be distracted..


I agree with that. If I had been to an opera with Netrebko in it, I think my experience of the actual opera would have diminished slightly.


----------



## rgz

Norse said:


> I agree with that. If I had been to an opera with Netrebko in it, I think my experience of the actual opera would have diminished slightly.


Haha, nice and subtle jab


----------



## Norse

What about Petibon? She's not a "classic beauty" in some respects (this comes across better in some pictures than in others), but I think she has this fun and interesting quality that makes her kind of "alluring" anyway. I was surprised to just learn she was born in 1970, since I thought of her as a 32-ish year old..


----------



## classidaho

Patricia is probably the most fun to watch (for me), even topping Maria Callas.


----------



## jhar26

Ravellian said:


> I hate to say this, but Anna Netrebko is the only singer so far in this topic I've found attractive. Then again, I don't listen to/watch opera for pretty singers, I do it for the music and the story.


Yes, but there's nothing wrong with the singers on stage actually looking the part. Personally I find it much more distracting when the tenor sings about the girl he's in love with and who's according to him supposed to be a second to none beauty and then when she arrives on the scene she turns out to look like Pavarotti without a beard.


----------



## rgz

jhar26 said:


> Yes, but there's nothing wrong with the singers on stage actually looking the part. Personally I find it much more distracting when the tenor sings about the girl he's in love with and who's according to him supposed to be a second to none beauty and then when she arrives on the scene she turns out to look like Pavarotti without a beard.


Hey, could be worse -- she could look like Pavarotti _with_ a beard!


----------



## mamascarlatti

jhar26 said:


> Yes, but there's nothing wrong with the singers on stage actually looking the part. Personally I find it much more distracting when the tenor sings about the girl he's in love with and who's according to him supposed to be a second to none beauty and then when she arrives on the scene she turns out to look like Pavarotti without a beard.


And you wonder how in the elopment scene he's actually going to get her through the window.


----------



## mamascarlatti

I've recently become something of a Cecilia Bartoli fan after seeing her sparkling Despina in the Met's Cosi.

And she has amazing stage presence


----------



## Almaviva

*Anna Netrebko, no doubt*

She is not the best singer but she is surely the best looking singer in activity right now.


----------



## sospiro

Not sure whether Maria Guleghina is actually lovely but she sure is a diva.










Las malas artes de Guleghina

The gala was very well planned, but she wanted to manage it all and in the end she did, even though there were important artists such as Nucci, Gallardo-Domas, Berti, Rancatore, Montiel, Albelo, etc.

She would not sing "Nel di della vittoria" from "Macbeth" in the first part, as scheduled, but as an encore, and so she did. She sang in the second part an unexpected "Pace, pace mio Dio", apart from the announced duo from "Aida" with Berti. The worst thing was how she treated her colleagues: she vetoed Montiel in the final toast of "Traviata".

At the end of the gala, they sang the encores. She wanted to close the concert with the last one, but it should be a folk-song from Galicia (because that was the purpose of the gala, the celebration of the Xacobean Year), which was going to be sung by Gallardo-Domas. She didn't say anything about that but she decided to sing three times the cabaletta "Vieni t'affretta" from "Macbeth". After the show (she was great, indeed), it was really difficult to sing anything else. The Chilean soprano (Gallardo-Domas) decided not to sing her part, and she didn't show up in the first curtain call. When she came out, in the second one, she was crying and she was embraced by Montiel.

When they all went to sing the joint encore, Guleghina tried to prevent Montiel from singing with them. Leo Nucci then said that if Montiel didn't sing, none of them would, and Guleghina had to accept it.

After the concert a critic told Guleghina: "Madam, you are an extraordinary singer, but the way you behave is not acceptable." She literally froze and said she wasn't guilty. Later, when she had finished dinner, went to the critic and said: "I am an ambassador for Unicef and I travel around the world doing good, helping the children of Russia, etc. I do not want you to think I'm a bad person. If Gallardo-Domas did not sing is because she did not want to "And the critic replied, "Perhaps Madame, it's just that after three cabaletta it's impossible to sing a song".

And then her subconscious betrayed her: "That's her problem. I sang my repertoire. If she had sung Manon Lescaut ..."

(translation courtesy operatweets)


----------



## Argus

Almaviva said:


> She is not the best singer but she is surely the best looking singer in activity right now.


I watched as much as I could bear of Handel's Giulio Cesare today (4 hours was beyond me). Anyway, it featured Danielle de Niese as Cleopatra, and I certainly couldn't see anything wrong with her appearance. I have no idea how her voice compares to some of these womens, though.


----------



## Almaviva

Norse said:


> What about Petibon? She's not a "classic beauty" in some respects (this comes across better in some pictures than in others), but I think she has this fun and interesting quality that makes her kind of "alluring" anyway. I was surprised to just learn she was born in 1970, since I thought of her as a 32-ish year old..


Patricia Petibon is cute, charming, feminine, sexy, delicious. And she can sing.
Danielle de Niese looks very good.
Miah Persson has a beautiful face.
But nobody in the current opera field is as beautiful and as attractive as Anna Netrebko.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Stéphanie D'Oustrac - a lissom beauty in Rameau's les Paladins.


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> I would certainly place Pettibon the most fun to watch with Callas a close second. They are both quite lovely (not beautiful)!. I am delighted over the wonderful choices, so far!


Patricia Petibon is lovely, sexy, and ultra-feminine, although like you said not exactly as beautiful in terms of her face as Anna Netrebko or Elina Garanca. However, Patricia knows how to use what she's got, and *can* look very beautiful when she goes the extra mile in arranging her hair and make-up, etc. She is the casual girl next door who can dress up and become stunning when she wants. Watch this clip and you'll see what I mean:


----------



## Almaviva

*New blood*

This young singer - Isabel Leonard - I've seen her twice, in the Met's recent Romeo et Juliette, and in the recent Salzburg production of Così fan Tutte (just YouTube clips, it's been recently released on Blu-ray which I'm dying to buy but trying to contain costs).

She is very good looking and sexy, here with Miah Persson:


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> This young singer - Isabel Leonard - I've seen her twice, in the Met's recent Romeo et Juliette, and in the recent Salzburg production of Così fan Tutte (just YouTube clips, it's been recently released on Blu-ray which I'm dying to buy but trying to contain costs).


Yes, and she is much to be envied because she is married to the utterly delectable and charming Teddy Tahu Rhodes.


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> I totally agree with your take on both of these. Barcarolle is probably one my favorite melodies. I love the way it builds, adore the waltz like melody of the main and the wind down is ingenious. But, that is all I know of this Opera by Bach's cousin Offen.
> 
> After watching these two youtube presentations I must add it to my must have list.
> 
> I really enjoy all of your posts very much. Thanx for sharing. Chuck


I saw four of Offenbach's operas/operettas and love them all, and just bought another one which should come in the mail any time. The ones I've seen: Les Contes d'Hoffmann, La Belle Hélène, Orphée aux Enfers, and La Vie Parisienne - and I am waiting for La Périchole. Of course this is just a small fraction of his prolific works - he composed 99.

Offenback is sensational. I hope you'll enjoy his works.

By the way, an anedocte: the Barcarolle wasn't originally written for Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Offenbach added it for effect, but it belonged to an earlier operetta of his.


----------



## Almaviva

*This is a very impressively beautiful and classy woman*










Wonderful Slovak soprano Jolana Fogasova


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> I saw four of Offenbach's operas/operettas and love them all, and just bought another one which should come in the mail any time. The ones I've seen: Les Contes d'Hoffmann, La Belle Hélène, Orphée aux Enfers, and La Vie Parisienne - and I am waiting for La Périchole. Of course this is just a small fraction of his prolific works - he composed 99.
> 
> Offenback is sensational. I hope you'll enjoy his works.
> 
> By the way, an anedocte: the Barcarolle wasn't originally written for Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Offenbach added it for effect, but it belonged to an earlier operetta of his.


I've never seen or heard any of Offenbach's operettas. In fact, the only operettas I've ever heard are Viennese (J.Strauss, Lehar, Zeller, etc..) and the only theatrical work of Offenbach I'm familiar with is "Les Contes 'Hoffmann."


----------



## mamascarlatti

jhar26 said:


> I've never seen or heard any of Offenbach's operettas. In fact, the only operettas I've ever heard are Viennese (J.Strauss, Lehar, Zeller, etc..) and the only theatrical work of Offenbach I'm familiar with is "Les Contes 'Hoffmann."


Two recommendations:










La belle Helene you can see free on Arte TV - I enjoyed it so much I bought the DVD.










This is a hilarious version of Orphee aux Enfers. You'll never look at flies the same way again


----------



## jhar26

Thanks Natalie, I will check them out. Unfortunately picture quality from Classical tv is always a bit unsteady on my puter.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> This is a hilarious version of Orphee aux Enfers. You'll never look at flies the same way again


:lol::lol::lol: Spectacular! Thanks for posting it!!! The version I own isn't as explicit or as funny... I should have bought this one!


----------



## DarkAngel

*Offenbach opera...........*

Wonderful to listen to but I get turned off by works that cross the line from funny to silly absurd goofiness, each person has a breaking point

Back to beautiful divas now


----------



## jhar26

The one and only....


----------



## DarkAngel

Renee Fleming is a good ambassador for opera profession........

On newer MET DVDs she often interviews singers between acts, when she retires from stage I would love to see her involved in documentary productions and other activities to promote the profession


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Thanks Natalie, I will check them out. Unfortunately picture quality from Classical tv is always a bit unsteady on my puter.


Just for your information (or anybody else's) since we've been talking about budget for opera and costs, I found that these six complete operas stream for free from Classical TV:

R. Strauss - Ariadne auf Naxos (in German, no English subtitles - all the other five have them)
Handel - Rinaldo
Gluck - Alceste
Strauss II - Simplicius
Mozart - Così fan Tutte (Zurich production)
Offenbach - La Belle Hélène, like mamascarlatti said

I'll probably take advantage of Rinaldo, Alceste, and Simplicius - I haven't seen any of these three and the word FREE is a big attraction for me lately.

I do have the 101 operas for free I've been talking about but most of them, I was sad to realize, don't have any subtitles, so, while possible because one can download the libretti, it makes them less convenient to watch.

While it is easy to follow a libretto when listening to an opera on CD, I find it distracting when one needs to be browsing a libretto while trying to watch an opera on the computer screen, especially if it is in a language that I don't know (no German for me...) in which case I need bi-lingual libretti which are harder to follow.

Of course Classical TV has several very good productions on pay-per-view, but then I'm sure it will backfire on me because while the $5 they charge is much less than what we'd pay for the DVDs, most likely what will happen is that I'll love the production - I'll need to be very curious about it to order the PPV to start with so chances are I'll love it - and end up buying the DVD anyway, so, those $5 will go to waste, therefore I've been avoiding pay-per-views.

I wish they had more opera for free on Classical TV...


----------



## Almaviva

DarkAngel said:


> *Offenbach opera...........*
> 
> Wonderful to listen to but I get turned off by works that cross the line from funny to silly absurd goofiness, each person has a breaking point
> 
> Back to beautiful divas now


Sure, I understand, but this shouldn't stop you from enjoying Offenbach's work itself which is rather high quality. May I suggest then that you get the other version which is not as outrageous? Believe me, Orphée aux Enfers is a very, very nice operetta. (This production is not ideal either, but I mean, his music is fabulous)










I know that this should be in the Opera on DVD thread, so, yes, back to the lovely sopranos, but it's just that we're talking about it here.


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> Of course Classical TV has several very good productions on pay-per-view, but then I'm sure it will backfire on me because while the $5 they charge is much less than what we'd pay for the DVDs, most likely what will happen is that I'll love the production - I'll need to be very curious about it to order the PPV to start with so chances are I'll love it - and end up buying the DVD anyway, so, those $5 will go to waste, therefore I've been avoiding pay-per-views.
> 
> I wish they had more opera for free on Classical TV...


Most of the pay-per-view operas on Classical tv are Met productions that you can also see on Met player, and if you watch regularly you pay much less per opera with a monthly subscription there. And all operas on Met player have subtitles.


----------



## jhar26

DarkAngel said:


> Renee Fleming is a good ambassador for opera profession........
> 
> On newer MET DVDs she often interviews singers between acts, when she retires from stage I would love to see her involved in documentary productions and other activities to promote the profession


I agree. I hope she keeps on singing for at least another decade though, or at least for as long as she can do herself justice.


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Most of the pay-per-view operas on Classical tv are Met productions that you can also see on Met player, and if you watch regularly you pay much less per opera with a monthly subscription there. And all operas on Met player have subtitles.


Somehow I've been hesitating to subscribe to Met Player. First, because I've seen most of the recent Met productions from their Live in HD broadcasts, and I've seen most of the old ones from DVDs. Second, because I keep waiting for a vacation to get the 7 days for free deal, and then watch several of them that I haven't seen yet, then I'll decide whether the remaining ones are worth my money. The problem is, when I do get vacations, I'm often busy with something else (like traveling, LOL) or attending to the needs of my family so I end up not doing it. I need a staycation!


----------



## DarkAngel

A little love for Kathleen Battle........


----------



## DarkAngel

Somehow we have missed the very photogenic *Anna Caterina Antonacci*

Her recent Bizet DVD sets the standard for me.........


----------



## DarkAngel

Best known for her french opera especially Lakme performances, *Mady Mesple*


----------



## DarkAngel

*







Anna Bonitatibus*

Recently seen here:


----------



## Almaviva

Funny, her name, Bonitatibus. Bonita is Spanish (and Portuguese) for beautiful.


----------



## DarkAngel

Almaviva said:


> Funny, her name, Bonitatibus. Bonita is Spanish (and Portuguese) for beautiful.


an accurate description I would say.............


----------



## Almaviva

DarkAngel said:


> an accurate description I would say.............


Meh... I find her just OK.

Has anybody mentioned Svetla Vassileva?










And there's also Maya Dashuk:


----------



## classidaho

This one is beginning to grow on me.... Can she sing?


----------



## jhar26

classidaho said:


> This one is beginning to grow on me.... Can she sing?


Like an angel.


----------



## Aramis




----------



## Almaviva

Aramis said:


>


I think you cropped your picture wrongly. The lovely soprano was left out of the picture.


----------



## Weston

Virtually ever woman pictured in this thread is wearing too much makeup for me, especially the lipstick. Blecch!


----------



## Guest

Weston said:


> Virtually ever woman pictured in this thread is wearing too much makeup for me, especially the lipstick. Blecch!


Such is the nature of the performing arts - particularly opera and theater. While singers/actors can be easily seen on your screen while watching a DVD, if you are sitting in the back of a theater or opera house, they are not as visible. The over-the-top, garish make-up - even on the males - makes facial gestures and expressions more visible from afar. You'll notice in the earlier movies this had not yet been abandoned.


----------



## Aramis

> Virtually ever woman pictured in this thread is wearing too much makeup for me, especially the lipstick. Blecch!


Makeup? MAKEUP?!

It's photoshop I think.

And I agree, 90% of pictures here are photoshoped much beyond border of good taste, even cheap whores in erotic magazines for males have more classy photos.

But that concerns most of female classical performers who live in era of contemporary show business, I'm afraid.


----------



## Argus

Weston said:


> Virtually ever woman pictured in this thread is wearing too much *clothing*


:tiphat:

Apart from the on stage photos, I can't see anyone wearing that much make-up. And like DrMike says, the make-up has it's uses for the stage. :trp:


----------



## Almaviva

Aramis said:


> Makeup? MAKEUP?!
> 
> It's photoshop I think.
> 
> And I agree, 90% of pictures here are photoshoped much beyond border of good taste, even cheap whores in erotic magazines for males have more classy photos.
> 
> But that concerns most of female classical performers who live in era of contemporary show business, I'm afraid.


Cheap whores in erotic magazine have more classy photos???

All three women I posted here are very classy. Allow me to repost, please.










Wonderful Slovak soprano Jolana Fogasova

Svetla Vassileva










And there's also Maya Dashuk:


----------



## Aramis

Almaviva said:


> Allow me to repost, please.


I was referring to the whole thread. Allow me repost some of those that are just like I said, please.














































Heavily photoshoped.


----------



## Almaviva

Aramis said:


> I was referring to the whole thread. Allow me repost some of those that are just like I said, please. Heavily photoshoped.


Hm.... actually, you may have a point!:tiphat:

With one exception though, among the five you reposted above: Anna Netrebko actually does look like that. I don't think she needs a lot of photoshop. She is indeed incredibly beautiful and sexy. She looks the same way in her live presentations in operas and concerts, live interviews on TV, numerous videoclips in YouTube, etc. Sure, all women wear make-up and Anna is no exception, but in her case she is just blessed with these alluring looks and hardly needs any doctoring of her pictures. This is not to say that there aren't photoshopped pictures of her (those she did for the album Souvenirs do indeed look photoshopped because they are sort of artistic photos - but my point is that she is still just as beautiful in her natural state).

On the other hand and there you may have another point, I wouldn't call Anna exactly classy, though. She had a wild phase while she was single, and the rumor was that she was the terror of the spouses of tenors and baritones she worked with, LOL. She does look like a playboy playmate at times, and this picture you reposted is no exception.

Once she got married and had her baby she calmed down a lot, and there are no rumors of infidelity. So she is getting classier, but she is still far from being classy.

No matter, I'm happy with her being gorgeous and sexy although not exactly classy.

But the three *I* posted are indeed classy.


----------



## jhar26

If those are in poor taste than good taste is seriously overrated. :lol:


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> If those are in poor taste than good taste is seriously overrated. :lol:


LOL, great point!:tiphat:

Yeah, my Anna (I'm saying "my" just because I loooooove her, I wish she were mine, LOL) can be a little ****ty sometimes, but hey, I'd rather have a ****ty Anna than a classy Montserrat Caballé.


----------



## Aramis

Well, if one likes these photos from my post then I'm sorry for him since he likes some cheap, unreal plastic.

Seriously, if someone consider two last photos from my previous post to be beautiful or even lovely then I hope I'll never have chance to meet his mistress.


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> LOL, great point!:tiphat:
> 
> Yeah, my Anna (I'm saying "my" just because I loooooove her, I w ish she were mine, LOL) can be a little ****ty sometimes, but hey, I'd rather have a ****ty Anna than a classy Montserrat Caballé.


Even IF those stories are true, she's probably no worse than some of her male colleages. But a tenor who boinks lots of sopranos is considered a cool guy (boys will be boys ) while a female is considered a ****. Besides, IF these stories are true, I can imagine that she wasn't always the one to make the first move. :lol:


----------



## jhar26

Aramis said:


> Seriously, if someone consider two last photos from my previous post to be beautiful or even lovely then I hope I'll never have chance to meet his mistress.


Don't worry, you won't. 

But seriously, to me these are just glamorous pictures of beautiful women. I don't understand what the fuss is about.


----------



## Aramis

> But seriously, to me these are just glamorous pictures of beautiful women. I don't understand what the fuss is about.


The fuss is about fact that these photos are photoshoped so hard that their realism equals zero. More - these photos are edited like by amateur. Honestly, compare way that these pictures were edited with... okay, I won't put you through it.

I don't know if under this huge retouch there is actually ANY women, what I know is that there is not a little piece of real skin on these faces, there is only plastic, if you like it you should buy rubber doll - there is as much of real women in rubber doll as in these pictures.


----------



## jhar26

Aramis said:


> The fuss is about fact that these photos are photoshoped so hard that their realism equals zero. More - these photos are edited like by amateur. Honestly, compare way that these pictures were edited with... okay, I won't put you through it.
> 
> I don't know if under this huge retouch there is actually ANY women, what I know is that there is not a little piece of real skin on these faces, there is only plastic, if you like it you should buy rubber doll - there is as much of real women in rubber doll as in these pictures.


COULD be that they are photoshopped, but I'm not sure. There are loads of unrealistic looking glamorous pictures from the likes of Garbo, Harlow and Dietrich. Good photographers can do a lot with things like light and make-up.


----------



## Weston

I wouldn't go quite as far as Aramis in dismissing the photos. Some of the ladies look very nice in spite of the makeup or Photoshopping or whatever. I just grew up in the late 60's / early 70's when there was still a back-to-nature trend and I really hate bright pink or red lipstick. Give me a hippie girl any day over a glossy-lipped, war painted mannequin.


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Even IF those stories are true, she's probably no worse than some of her male colleages. But a tenor who boinks lots of sopranos is considered a cool guy (boys will be boys ) while a female is considered a ****. Besides, IF these stories are true, I can imagine that she wasn't always the one to make the first move. :lol:


I have nothing against Anna sleeping around while single. Whoever has been to college in the United States knows that this is what single people do. My choice of the word ****ty was only in opposition to classy. Now I regret it. My big idol, my big crush, and I said she is ****ty, oh my!

Whether these stories are true or not, who knows? They are rumors. Anna is so pretty and famous that it is expected that she'd be the victim of that kind of rumor. But when asked, she usually doesn't deny it, without getting to specifics. I've seen her saying to reporters who inquired about rumors of "wild behavior": "Oh yeah, I was quite the party girl, I was single, with the whole world in front of me, with all sorts of possibilities, and I liked to enjoy myself." She used the words "party girl" and "enjoy myself" without directly confirming any affairs or promiscuous behavior, but if these rumors were completely groundless, one would expect a vehement denial, not this casual kind of answer.

I don't think Anna is classy. She just isn't. But like I made very clear above, I don't mind it and don't hold it against her. Sometimes poor Anna just looks a little ****ty. She does... I can't deny it... But that's OK. :lol:

She has a very pleasant personality, doesn't take herself too seriously, is funny, and jokeful in interviews and documentaries... She is feminine, simple, lively, joyful, and spontaneous. She has never had any prima donna kind of behavior, and everybody loves to work with her (there are several testimonies). While working she is very committed, punctual, professional, and all. Well, maybe the spouses of the male singers didn't like her a lot, LOL. But now that she is all married and all goody two shoes, not even those spouses need to be afraid of her.

These days, Anna instead of being a party girl, engages in advice to young mothers about how to raise a child, in her blog. She posts pics and videos of her adorable son. Supposedly she is very faithful to her husband. What's not to like? Sleeping around while single is normal human behavior.

Oh, and buy the way, there are male ****s as well.


----------



## Almaviva

Weston said:


> . Give me a hippie girl any day over a glossy-lipped, war painted mannequin.


Hm... I hope your hippie girl bathes and shaves her underarms...:lol:


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> She has a very pleasant personality, doesn't take herself too seriously, is funny, and jokeful in interviews and documentaries... She is feminine, simple, lively, joyful, and spontaneous. She has never had any prima donna kind of behavior, and everybody loves to work with her (there are several testimonies).
> 
> While working she is very committed, punctual, professional, and all


That makes her a classier person than a virgin that always behaves like a pain in the ***.


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> That makes her a classier person than a virgin that always behaves like a pain in the ***.


True. I blame myself. I regret calling my Anna a ****!
She is classy!


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> True. I blame myself. I regret calling my Anna a ****!


Keep it up. If she reads this maybe your Anna will become my Anna. :lol:


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Keep it up. If she reads this maybe your Anna will become my Anna. :lol:


Nope. She will forgive me. *You* are not going to see her live on October 29, after having paid $450 for a ticket. So there! Anna knows who really loves her.

Or are you? At least, I hope not...


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> Nope. She will forgive me. *You* are not going to see her live on October 29, after having paid $425 for a ticket. So there! Anna knows who really loves her.


Stop rubbing it in, Alma. It's just not fair. :scold:


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Stop rubbing it in, Alma. It's just not fair. :scold:


Well, I'm lying. It only cost $225. But my wife is coming, so, $450. Plus, air fare, meals... We do have a friend's apartment to stay in.

And my wife has already told me that if Anna falls in love with me and wants to take me to her hotel and make sweet love to me, she won't mind.

What, wishful thinking? No way, I've seen it happening in opera... the 5-second love-at-first-sight. Remember Der Rosenkavalier? I'm confident that Anna will spot me in the audience and fall in love with me.

Hmmm.... I don't know who the tenor is, though... Uhoh, I hope my wife doesn't have ideas... I hope he weighs 350 pounds.


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> Well, I'm lying. It only cost $225. But my wife is coming, so, $450. Plus, air fare, meals... We do have a friend's apartment to stay in.
> 
> And my wife has already told me that if Anna falls in love with me and wants to take me to her hotel and make sweet love to me, she won't mind.
> 
> I've seen it happening in opera...
> 
> Hmmm.... I don't know who the tenor is, though... Uhoh, I hope my wife doesn't have ideas... I hope he weighs 350 pounds.


I've heard it's Rolando Villazon.


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> I've heard it's Rolando Villazon.


You mean, that guy who looks like Mr. Bean? Oh, the relief! I'm safe!


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> You mean, th a t guy w ho looks like Mr. Bean? Oh, the relief! I'm safe!


:lol: Good one.

what's the opera you're going to see?


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> :lol: Good one.
> 
> what's the opera you're going to see?


Don Pasquale.
The next day, I'm seeing Boris Godunov with René Pape and Maestro Gergiev, Mussorgsky's orchestration. I only know the Rimsky version so I'm quite curious. But my wife doesn't want to attend this one (5 hours long) and prefers to shop in New York City. The fair sex is wired differently.

Oh well, if I spend the night with Anna, I won't be seeing my wife anyway, so, I hope she gets good shopping.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> Hmmm.... I don't know who the tenor is, though... Uhoh, I hope my wife doesn't have ideas... I hope he weighs 350 pounds.


Personally I'd keep my eye on the baritone...










Oops, wrong thread



Almaviva said:


> The fair sex is wired differently.


Not all of us...


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> And there's also Maya Dashuk:


She looks like Seven of Nine


----------



## mamascarlatti

sospiro said:


> She looks like Seven of Nine


Brilliant. I wondered why she seemed so familiar.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Personally I'd keep my eye on the baritone...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oops, wrong thread
> 
> Not all of us...




I'm doomed!

For the record, I said wired differently to indicate my surprise that anybody would prefer shopping to seeing Boris Godunov conducted by Maestro Gergiev. Women!


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Brilliant. I wondered why she seemed so familiar.


This thread has been lots of fun.:lol::lol::lol:


----------



## DarkAngel

sospiro said:


> She looks like Seven of Nine


Agreed, she may have some cyborg blood in her.......

*Now how about Anna Netrebko and Shania Twain......sisters?*


----------



## DarkAngel

*Katie Couric and Renee Fleming.......look like sisters?*


----------



## classidaho

DarkAngel said:


> Agreed, she may have some cyborg blood in her.......
> 
> *Now how about Anna Netrebko and Shania Twain......sisters?*


Whooaa! No kidding!


----------



## classidaho

DarkAngel said:


> *Katie Couric and Renee Fleming.......look like sisters?*


 Whooooaa! Really, No Kidding!


----------



## jhar26

DarkAngel said:


> Agreed, she may have some cyborg blood in her.......
> 
> *Now how about Anna Netrebko and Shania Twain......sisters?*


Remarkable.


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Remarkable.


No way! There is only one Anna!
Nobody messes with my Anna!:scold:


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> No way! There is only one Anna!
> Nobody messes with my Anna!:scold:


Rumour hàs it thàt Netrebko hàs càncelled her oktober 29th performànce àt the Met ànd thàt Jàne Eàglen will tàke her plàce.


----------



## mamascarlatti

jhar26 said:


> Rumour hàs it thàt Netrebko hàs càncelled her oktober 29th performànce àt the Met ànd thàt Jàne Eàglen will tàke her plàce.


Good one!:lol:



Almaviva said:


> For the record, I said wired differently to indicate my surprise that anybody would prefer shopping to seeing Boris Godunov conducted by Maestro Gergiev. Women!


I must be a man then.... Oh no, René Pape might have something to do with it. Phew, I'm a girl.

My big regret is that I am probably going to be on holiday in the woop-woops when Boris comes to screens in NZ.


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Rumour hàs it thàt Netrebko hàs càncelled her oktober 29th performànce àt the Met ànd thàt Jàne Eàglen will tàke her plàce.


Of course she cancelled! She wants to spend the *entire* evening in her hotel, making sweet love to me!


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> I must be a man then.... Oh no, René Pape might have something to do with it. Phew, I'm a girl.
> 
> My big regret is that I am probably going to be on holiday in the woop-woops when Boris comes to screens in NZ.


Is there shopping in the woop-woops?


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> Is there shopping in the woop-woops?


No, just penguins, seals, albatrosses and empty beaches. And sheep, we are in NZ of course.


----------



## Almaviva

Ashley Putnam a couple of decades ago


----------



## Almaviva

Young American soprano Melissa Citro, singing Sieglinde at Virginia Opera in February


----------



## sospiro

Ailyn Pérez steps in for Ermonela Jaho in Japan who stepped in for Angela Gheorgiu


----------



## Elgarian

I have several sopranos whom I could put forward as the loveliest, but here today I'd like to propose the Hungarian, Maria Zadori.










Her recordings of Handel Italian cantatas (she's made two CDs of them), are sung with such exquisite variety of expression, and such sensitivity, as to bring tears. The last few days I've been taking her with me on bicycle rides by the river. The landscape along the way is close to being Arcadian, so Handel's cantatas are very appropriate listening, but she brings a dimension to them that seems intimately and eternally feminine. She could be a wood nymph herself, conjured from the landscape to sing so beautifully and with such understanding of the music.


----------



## sospiro

Especially for Anna fans.

(Who may have already seen this)


----------



## Almaviva

sospiro said:


> Especially for Anna fans.
> 
> (Who may have already seen this)


:lol:
I loved this part:

TS: Can you just explain what this World Economic Forum thing is?
AN: What?
TS: You're an ambassador -
AN: I don't know. They told me something, so I said, 'Thank you, it's great.' I think it's a great honour.
TS: But you don't know what it is?
AN: I don't even know what I have to do.
TS: I think there's a conference in Dar es Salaam you have to go to.
AN: Me? Oh - I had no idea. Wow. I don't know. [pause]
:lol:

It reminded me of the famous Seinfeld episode of the puffy shirt. Anna (like Jerry Seinfeld) didn't understand what was being asked of her, said yes, and now is going - Whaat? What did I get into, this time???


----------



## jhar26

That's hilarious! :lol:


----------



## Almaviva

Elgarian said:


> I have several sopranos whom I could put forward as the loveliest, but here today I'd like to propose the Hungarian, Maria Zadori.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Her recordings of Handel Italian cantatas (she's made two CDs of them), are sung with such exquisite variety of expression, and such sensitivity, as to bring tears. The last few days I've been taking her with me on bicycle rides by the river. The landscape along the way is close to being Arcadian, so Handel's cantatas are very appropriate listening, but she brings a dimension to them that seems intimately and eternally feminine. She could be a wood nymph herself, conjured from the landscape to sing so beautifully and with such understanding of the music.


Wow, Elgarian, while we were mostly talking about the - ahem, cough cough - extra-musical assets of these lovely ladies, your description of her voice is so enticing that I think I'll rush to buy the CD.:tiphat:

Edit: I just bought it, will let you know what I think when it gets here (unavailable on Amazon.com, so I had to buy an import from overseas, it may take a while)


----------



## Elgarian

Almaviva said:


> Wow, Elgarian, while we were mostly talking about the - ahem, cough cough - extra-musical assets of these lovely ladies, your description of her voice is so enticing that I think I'll rush to buy the CD.:tiphat:
> 
> Edit: I just bought it, will let you know what I think when it gets here (unavailable on Amazon.com, so I had to buy an import from overseas, it may take a while)


I hope you like it - I realise the timbre of a voice is a very personal thing, but I don't sing her praises lightly. I really love Handel's Italian cantatas, and I have quite a large collection of recordings of them - including the wonderful recently-concluded series on Glossa by Bonizzoni/La Rissonanza. The point is that, even though I have a pretty rich selection to choose from, it's Maria Zadori that I take with me in the solitude of my bike rides.

I'm not sure which of the two CDs you've ordered, but for reference, the two cantatas in which her singing most totally reduces me to a quivering jelly of longing adoration are _Delirio amoroso_ and the exquisite oh-my-goodness-pinch-me-for-I-must-be-dreaming) _Notte placida_. I can't express what it is - a certain catch in the voice? a peculiarly delicate lilt? - that just for a moment assures me that all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well. She's singing _Notte placida_ for me right now, and my eyes are filling with tears every half minute.

*A little later*
But why did I say nothing about _Crudel tiranno amor_, which she's singing now, and which is sending little shivers up and down my spine? The _gentleness_ she gets into her voice is extraordinary. It's like a soft glove; a warm touch of understanding between friends; a murmur of wind in the trees....


----------



## Almaviva

Elgarian said:


> I'm not sure which of the two CDs you've ordered, but for reference,
> 
> ....
> 
> But why did I say nothing about _Crudel tiranno amor_, which she's singing now, and which is sending little shivers up and down my spine? The _gentleness_ she gets into her voice is extraordinary. It's like a soft glove; a warm touch of understanding between friends; a murmur of wind in the trees....


Uhoh, there are two of them? The site had the same cover image you posted and I just clicked on it, blindly trusting your recommendation, so, we'll see when it gets here (or I guess I can find out by logging in again).

Stop! Don't rub it in! Your bliss will make me so envious and I'll have such high expectations that I may feel disappointed!


----------



## Elgarian

Almaviva said:


> Uhoh, there are two of them?


Indeed. This is the other one, on the original Hungaroton label:










Amazon UK link

Until very recently they were both available together as a reissued Brilliant Classics 2CD set for some ludicrous amount - £5 or so - which is the form in which I have them:










It seems there are a few cheap secondhand copies of this available at Amazon US, here.


----------



## Almaviva

Elgarian said:


> Indeed. This is the other one, on the original Hungaroton label


Of course, since we've been talking about lovely sopranos, I had to buy the one with the picture of the soprano herself on the cover.


----------



## Elgarian

Almaviva said:


> Of course, since we've been talking about lovely sopranos, I had to buy the one with the picture of the soprano herself on the cover.


Yes well, you see, I don't have that ....


----------



## jhar26

Elgarian said:


> Yes well, you see, I don't have that ....


Is there a translation of the lyrics in English included with the booklet?


----------



## Elgarian

jhar26 said:


> Is there a translation of the lyrics in English included with the booklet?


In the cheap 2CD set, no, though the lyrics in Italian are given. I do have translations of them in other sets though, so it's not a problem from my point of view.

Almaviva will be able to tell us if there are translations in the original Hungaroton releases, when his CD arrives.


----------



## jhar26

Elgarian said:


> In the cheap 2CD set, no, though the lyrics in Italian are given. I do have translations of them in other sets though, so it's not a problem from my point of view.
> 
> Almaviva will be able to tell us if there are translations in the original Hungaroton releases, when his CD arrives.


Ok, thanks.


----------



## Almaviva

Elgarian said:


> In the cheap 2CD set, no, though the lyrics in Italian are given. I do have translations of them in other sets though, so it's not a problem from my point of view.
> 
> Almaviva will be able to tell us if there are translations in the original Hungaroton releases, when his CD arrives.


Will report as requested!


----------



## sospiro

Apparently as Anna is in Japan & as it's already the 18th September where she is, we can wish her Happy Birthday!









Happy Birthday To You!!















Happy Birthday To You!!















Happy Birthday To Anna!!









Happy Birthday To Yoooouuuuu!!!


----------



## jhar26

:trp: Happy birthday Anna!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX :tiphat:


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> :trp: Happy birthday Anna!
> 
> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX :tiphat:


Anna's birthday is soon to be small peanuts for her.
The date she will be really celebrating from now on will be our anniversary, once she dumps her husband and marries me.


----------



## jhar26

Almaviva said:


> Anna's birthday is soon to be small peanuts for her.
> The date she will be really celebrating from now on will be our anniversary, once she dumps her husband and marries me.


Well, don't invite me to the party Almaviva, because I can be a very effective Cherubino.


----------



## DarkAngel

jhar26 said:


> Well, don't invite me to the party Almaviva, because I can be a very effective Cherubino.


Perhaps more like Don Giovani with Zerlina during wedding celebration.........
(just keep Masetto occupied)


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Well, don't invite me to the party Almaviva, because I can be a very effective Cherubino.


You won't be a problem, because I'm sure that...Non piu avrai questi bei penacchini,
quel cappello leggiero e galante, quella chioma, quell'aria brillante, quel vermiglio donnesco color! So she won't be looking at you, because *I* plan to still have all these assets.


----------



## Almaviva

DarkAngel said:


> Perhaps more like Don Giovani with Zerlina during wedding celebration.........
> (just keep Masetto occupied)


Well, no problem. Don Giovanni never got into anybody's pants that day, Zerlina remained pure, and he was taken to Hell, so, no competion again. I'm safe with my Anna!


----------



## jhar26

DarkAngel said:


> Perhaps more like Don Giovani with Zerlina during wedding celebration.........
> (just keep Masetto occupied)


Yes, but the problem is that I'm not cruel enough to treat Anna that way. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about Almaviva. Just think about how he tried to cheat on poor Rosina. Such a shame that Anna will be his next victim. :scold:


----------



## Almaviva

jhar26 said:


> Yes, but the problem is that I'm not cruel enough to treat Anna that way. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing about Almaviva. Just think about how he tried to cheat on poor Rosina. Such a shame that Anna will be his next victim. :scold:


Uhoh... I suppose I can say that I'm the Almaviva from Il Barbiere, not the one from Le Nozze... (this may not work since they are one and the same). OK, I got it: I'm Almaviva the wine (see my avatar), not the count.

It's delicious wine. I'll serve it to Anna, to proper wine and dine her so that she falls in love with me.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Susanna Branchini, very lovely as Leonora in La Forza del Destino


----------



## Almaviva

Talking about lovely sopranos, I just got in the mail the Met Opera season calendar, and they are having the most lovely soprano-laden performance of them all: they got Miah Persson, Danielle de Niese, and Isabel Leonard *together* in Così fan Tutte - Nov 9, 13, 17, 20, 23, 27, and Dec 2.

Three very beautiful, very hot women!

Isn't it a shame that this one is not on Met in HD??? I guess I'll have to travel to New York City for this one! Can't be missed!




























Oh - my - God, what a team!!!


----------



## DarkAngel

Almaviva said:


> Talking about lovely sopranos, I just got in the mail the Met Opera season calendar, and they are having the most lovely soprano-laden performance of them all: they got *Miah Persson, Danielle de Niese, and Isabel Leonard* *together* in Così fan Tutte - Nov 9, 13, 17, 20, 23, 27, and Dec 2.
> 
> Three very beautiful, very hot women!
> 
> Isn't it a shame that this one is not on Met in HD??? I guess I'll have to travel to New York City for this one! Can't be missed!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh - my - God, what a team!!!




*Persson and Leonard are the two sisters here...........*

But then we have Patricia Petibon for Despina which I have doubts about, but I have absolutely no doubt that Danielle can play Despina to the hilt, she is a natural sly troublemaker


----------



## Almaviva

DarkAngel said:


> *Persson and Leonard are the two sisters here...........*
> 
> But then we have Patricia Petibon for Despina which I have doubts about, but I have absolutely no doubt that Danielle can play Despina to the hilt, she is a natural sly troublemaker


I know, that's why I have already pre-ordered this blu-ray.

But adding Danielle to the mix is certainly explosive, making the score of the famous Almaviva Hot Soprano Rating Scale (have you heard of it?) go through the roof for this Met production, thus I *must* attend it...

(Well, easier said than done, I'll be in NYC in late October so it's unlikely that I'll be back in November)

By the way, this Salzburg performance you quoted is available in its entirey on YouTube in several 10' segments, so if you want you can check on how Patricia did as Despina, in advance of the 9/28/10 release date:






I'll not watch it in its entirety, though. I prefer to wait and watch it in gorgeous high definition and big screen. But I saw parts of it, and Miah and Isabel are smoking hot!!! I wouldn't dismiss Miss Petibon. She can be very sly and sexy as well. While not technically as pretty as the other three women, I think that Patricia Petibon knows how to use what she's got, and can be very attractive when she puts some effort into it.










See what I mean?

And do you want sexy Patricia? See her in Lulu:










Not to forget her daring, bizarre, practically naked Olympia (actually I can't say I like this performance, but this woman is wild):

http://www.dailymotion.com/pageitem...eMynextvideo":0,"player.hideVideoActions":1}]


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

Talking about lovely sopranos, I just got in the mail the Met Opera season calendar, and they are having the most lovely soprano-laden performance of them all: they got Miah Persson, Danielle de Niese, and Isabel Leonard *together* in Così fan Tutte - Nov 9, 13, 17, 20, 23, 27, and Dec 2.

Three very beautiful, very hot women!

Isn't it a shame that this one is not on Met in HD??? I guess I'll have to travel to New York City for this one! Can't be missed!

Ooh! I'm tempted to make the New York trip for this one myself.


----------



## Elgarian

I've just realised that I never understood what this thread was about - I didn't read it from the beginning but just launched in on the general notion of 'loveliest sopranos' in the _widest_ sense, but most particularly on those whose _voices_ sound 'loveliest'.

However ... when I come to think about it, I still think that's the most important aspect for me. I _listen_ to opera and indeed all vocal music _far_ more than I watch it; so the 'loveliness' that I respond to is usually more aural than visual - hence my advocacy of Maria Zadori.

Another contender for loveliest soprano (again in the aural sense, though she also happens to be very beautiful too) is Sophie Daneman. Her Galatea (in Handel's _Acis & Galatea_ with Christie) is particularly beguiling. Again, it's something to do with a certain catch in the voice, as if she were singing with a kind of thrilling and delicate understanding, very personal. It's that notion of the eternal feminine - Demeter/Persephone/ Kore, the thread that joins mother to lover to maiden - that somehow comes through the voice. You can hear her singing here:

Heart, the seat of soft delight

And here she is:


----------



## Almaviva

Elgarian said:


> Another contender for loveliest soprano (again in the aural sense, though she also happens to be very beautiful too) is Sophie Daneman.


Sure, but she needs to see her dentist about whitening her teeth.


----------



## Almaviva

Elgarian said:


> I've just realised that I never understood what this thread was about - I didn't read it from the beginning but just launched in on the general notion of 'loveliest sopranos' in the _widest_ sense, but most particularly on those whose _voices_ sound 'loveliest'.


LOL, Elgarian, it took you this long to realize what kind of - cough, cough, ahem, how shall I put it? - "assets" from these ladies we'be been talking about?:lol:


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> I
> Not to forget her daring, bizarre, practically naked Olympia (actually I can't say I like this performance, but this woman is wild):


He he I have this production, Two funny things.

1. This is from Geneva, where I grew up, a pretty conservative city. I can just see the good stolid citizens with their eyes on stalks, particularly later during the simulated sex scenes.

2. That pubic hair is a wig.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> He he I have this production, Two funny things.
> 
> 1. This is from Geneva, where I grew up, a pretty conservative city. I can just see the good stolid citizens with their eyes on stalks, particularly later during the simulated sex scenes.


You grew up in Geneva? Wow! So on top of English and Italian you speak French too, and what else? Switzerland, Italy, New Zealand... are you a citizen of the world?:tiphat:


> 2. That pubic hair is a wig.


I figured this much, LOL (we heterosexual men do have - cough, cough, I'd say... some rather significant interest in that particular area of a woman's anatomy and some knowledge about it).

But that semitransparent tight outfit with nothing underneath it doesn't leave much to imagination. Patricia's body is rather exposed there, and for much, much longer than in Salomé. She is a courageous woman.
Gotta love her!!!


----------



## Almaviva

OK, not a soprano, so pardon the off-topic post, but Wagner's great-grandaughter Katharina Wagner, co-director of the Bayreuth Festival, seen here with her half-sister Eva who is the other co-director, has some impressive - cough, cough - assets.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> OK, not a soprano, so pardon the off-topic post, but Wagner's great-grandaughter Katharina Wagner, co-director of the Bayreuth Festival, seen here with her half-sister Eva who is the other co-director, has some impressive - cough, cough - assets.


OMG, men and bewbs, you guys crack me up:lol::tiphat:.


----------



## classidaho

I was listening to several Bach cantatas and was overwhelmed by the lovely, striking voice of Elly Ameling (Dutch soprano b. 1933).

I did a quick search and, indeed, depending on ones definition of lovely, I find her very lovely.....:tiphat:



















Chuck


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> I was listening to several Bach cantatas and was overwhelmed by the lovely, striking voice of Elly Ameling (Dutch soprano b. 1933).
> 
> I did a quick search and, indeed, depending on ones definition of lovely, I find her very lovely.....:tiphat:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Chuck


Huh... methinks you need a new dictionary.:lol:


----------



## classidaho

well, I did go to the correct 'nationality' translation......and I think it fits

Nederlands (Dutch)
mooi, schattig, beeldig, snoezig, enig, lekker, lief, een mooie vrouw


----------



## jhar26

The great Renata Tebaldi.......
mooi, schattig, beeldig, snoezig, enig, lekker, lief, een mooie vrouw


----------



## DarkAngel

Another spot for Nino

Exotic beauty *Nino Machaidze* getting glammed up.........you can get lost in those eyes 
(and not care about ever returning, heh heh)

She scales up nicely from her normal more natural look










PETA hopes that is faux fur.....:lol:


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> well, I did go to the correct 'nationality' translation......and I think it fits
> 
> Nederlands (Dutch)
> mooi, schattig, beeldig, snoezig, enig, lekker, lief, een mooie vrouw


No, I mean, you said "depending on someone's definition of lovely." That's why I tried to poke some harmless fun at you (no offense intended) in terms of getting to a better definition of "lovely" because I didn't find this lady lovely at all...

As for what you said in Dutch, no clue. I suppose they are definitions of "lovely." The definition we've been using in this thread have to do with physical assets.

Anyway, sorry if my joke was in bad taste.


----------



## mamascarlatti

classidaho said:


> well, I did go to the correct 'nationality' translation......and I think it fits
> 
> Nederlands (Dutch)
> mooi, schattig, beeldig, snoezig, enig, lekker, lief, een mooie vrouw


Love those Dutch words. Snoezig is so cute! Now I need Gaston to tell me how to pronounce it!


----------



## jhar26

mamascarlatti said:


> Love those Dutch words. Snoezig is so cute!


Exactly. Snoezig means cute. 



> Now I need Gaston to tell me how to pronounce it!


You pronounce the oe of snoezig like the o of do.


----------



## Almaviva

*Nino Machaidze*

Whoa, she looks like Angelina Jolie!


----------



## Elgarian

First appearance of the Mimiest Mimi of them all.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Elgarian said:


> First appearance of the Mimiest Mimi of them all.


Totally convincing. Even better when she starts to sing.


----------



## jhar26

Elgarian said:


> the Mimiest Mimi of them all.


:lol:

She's adorable......snoezig in fact.


----------



## Elgarian

mamascarlatti said:


> Totally convincing. Even better when she starts to sing.


Would you believe ... I just spent half an hour nudging the DVD backwards and forwards one frame at a time, trying to catch the 'definitive' Mimi entrance moment. (There's a wonderful moment where you can only just see her in the dark, outside in the corridor, but I resisted that one since you have to have the eye of faith....)


----------



## mamascarlatti

Elgarian said:


> Would you believe ... I just spent half an hour nudging the DVD backwards and forwards one frame at a time, trying to catch the 'definitive' Mimi entrance moment. (There's a wonderful moment where you can only just see her in the dark, outside in the corridor, but I resisted that one since you have to have the eye of faith....)


A bit OT, but how do you then turn the frame into a photo to post?

Gaston, snoezig is the perfect word for this Mimi. I've found out how to pronounce it courtesy of the web and it's in my vocabulary. Lots of Dutch in NZ so even a chance of being understood once in a while.


----------



## Elgarian

mamascarlatti said:


> A bit OT, but how do you then turn the frame into a photo to post?


I'll tell you, but only if you'll reassure me by acknowledging my behaviour to be perfectly normal and nothing at all to worry about.

I play the DVD on my computer using 'Power DVD' which has a snapshot facility - it's possible to pause the DVD, then nudge it forwards or backwards one frame at a time, then click the snapshot button to save the shot to a pre-selected folder.

I'm pretty ignorant in this area, but I presume most players have a similar facility? (VLC player does, for instance.)


----------



## mamascarlatti

Elgarian said:


> I'll tell you, but only if you'll reassure me by acknowledging my behaviour to be perfectly normal and nothing at all to worry about.


Sorry Alan, you're barking mad.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Federica Bragaglia. The love interest in Roberto Devereux.

This was the opposition:


----------



## Elgarian

mamascarlatti said:


> Sorry Alan, you're barking mad.


I'm afraid I don't have time to reply just now, as I'm in one of my 'I am a teapot' phases, and have a great deal of pouring to do.


----------



## DarkAngel

mamascarlatti said:


> Federica Bragaglia. The love interest in Roberto Devereux.
> 
> This was the opposition:


Federica Bragaglia has young fresh sassy look.........nice

Oh dear, the queen appears to be having a bad day. Perhaps a spot of tea will help :lol:


----------



## classidaho

I think a Dutchman might find her Highness 'quite lovely'! Chuck


----------



## mamascarlatti

classidaho said:


> I think a Dutchman might find her Highness 'quite lovely'! Chuck


Well there is nothing even remotely snoezig about her.

But to do her justice, this is what she looks like without acres of makeup, a hideous red wig and a temper tantrum:


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Well there is nothing even remotely snoezig about her.
> 
> But to do her justice, this is what she looks like without acres of makeup, a hideous red wig and a temper tantrum:


Still not that great...:lol:


----------



## DarkAngel

*Jadranka Jovanovic*

A mezzo soprano beauty from Belgrade ready to follow in the footsteps of our darling draculette


----------



## Almaviva

DarkAngel said:


> *Jadranka Jovanovic*
> 
> A mezzo soprano beauty from Belgrade ready to follow in the footsteps of our darling draculette


Is she any good at being a prima donna, throwing tantrums, and all? If yes, then OK, Draculette needs to watch her own back.:lol:


----------



## mamascarlatti

Lovely funny intelligent mezzo Jennifer Rivera, whose blog is guaranteed to make you laugh or make you think.

(And a hint of bewbs for Alma)


----------



## Grosse Fugue

moderators please erase the picture I posted above. The source I took it from was not that large. The picture is so large that it pushes the edit button off my screen. Again sorry


----------



## Chris

Take your time deleting it moderators....no hurry...


----------



## Almaviva

Chris said:


> Take your time deleting it moderators....no hurry...


I second this... Isabel is gorgeous.


----------



## Grosse Fugue

Lets try this again

Isabel Leonard


----------



## classidaho

the wonderful detail of the one on steroids is absolutely stunning....as is Isabel!


----------



## Krummhorn

Grosse Fugue said:


> moderators please erase the picture I posted above. The source I took it from was not that large. The picture is so large that it pushes the edit button off my screen. Again sorry





Chris said:


> Take your time deleting it moderators....no hurry...





Almaviva said:


> I second this... Isabel is gorgeous.


:lol: That was one nice picture for sure 

Sorry guys, but it had to go ...


----------



## charismajc

Did anyone mention Lisa Della Casa? I think people used to call her the Liz Taylor of opera? She happened to be an exquisite Mozartean soprano as well.


----------



## Almaviva

Indeed, not bad.


----------



## DarkAngel

*Magali Leger*
I discovered this fresh exotic beauty singing role of Blonde in this DVD:
(Malin Hartelius sings Konstanze)


----------



## Almaviva

Has Anne Howells been mentioned?


----------



## Almaviva

Sylvia Sass:


----------



## Herkku

In the Mireille DVD I recently reviewed there was Amel-Brahim Djelloul singing a minor role. I couldn't find a better picture, but I'm sure better ones could be taken.










And she can trill! And she can thrill!


----------



## DarkAngel

*Veronique Gens*

Unfortunately does not appear in many DVDs, but she looks great.......


----------



## mamascarlatti

Isabel Bayrakdarian - I've seen her beaten and bruised in the M22 Don Giovanni and regally beautiful in Serse


----------



## mamascarlatti

OMG another pixel explosion - and I can't get to the edit button - sorry folks.

If a moderator sees this please delete my posts!


----------



## classidaho

s'OK, she's just my size!!


----------



## jhar26

mamascarlatti said:


> OMG another pixel explosion - and I can't get to the edit button - sorry folks.
> 
> If a moderator sees this please delete my posts!


Unfortunately the computer screens of moderators aren't any wider than those of anyone else, Natalie. :lol: I mean, I can't get to the edit button either. But she's a nice looking lady, so it's not that bad.


----------



## mamascarlatti

jhar26 said:


> Unfortunately the computer screens of moderators aren't any wider than those of anyone else, Natalie. :lol: I mean, I can't get to the edit button either. But she's a nice looking lady, so it's not that bad.


You guys are supposed to be superheroes.










That's what Alan said anyway!


----------



## jhar26

mamascarlatti said:


> You guys are supposed to be superheroes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's what Alan said anyway!


Not me, Natalie. It may be true that other mods like Lars and Eric are Tarzan, but I'm only Cheeta.


----------



## Aramis

jhar26 said:


>


She's lovely indeed, but this thread is about sopranos, not pianists (otherwise I would agree with this nomination).


----------



## Almaviva

Aramis said:


> She's lovely indeed, but this thread is about sopranos, not pianists (otherwise I would agree with this nomination).


Aramis, see the open mouth? She is singing while she is playing the piano, so, it's OK


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> You guys are supposed to be superheroes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> That's what Alan said anyway!


T'was me!









Surely if the mods can delete spammers' posts they can delete an accidental overload?


----------



## Herkku

Talking about larger than life...


----------



## Almaviva

Natasha Marsh


----------



## Almaviva

Sissel - other than the looks, she's got a crystalline voice


----------



## padrino

http://www.facebook.com/people/Nino-Machaidze/1476016530


----------



## sospiro

Nino was great in L'elisir which I saw in Munich.

 

Her & Joseph had great rapport so I expect Rigoletto will be fantastic. Are you going to see it?


----------



## sospiro

Natalie in rehearsal Giulio Cesare

*warning* nudity


----------



## Almaviva

sospiro said:


> Natalie in rehearsal Giulio Cesare
> 
> *warning* nudity


Whoa!!
Natalie fans will have a heart attack!
Damn, she remains hot at her age! Gravity isn't taking a toll yet!


----------



## mamascarlatti

Oh I really hope they put this out on DVD. It looks like a fun production (not sure about the Cesare though, he sounded a bit hooty).

Edit: Review from Opera cake. It sounds as though it has been filmed for the cinema so will probably appear on DVD. The boys might be interested that Isabel Leonard plays Sesto, and the girls (few though we are here) that Christophe Dumaux, "a man with zero % body fat" according to Opera Cake, reprises Tolomeo.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Oh I really hope they put this out on DVD. It looks like a fun production (not sure about the Cesare though, he sounded a bit hooty).
> 
> Edit: Review from Opera cake. It sounds as though it has been filmed for the cinema so will probably appear on DVD. The boys might be interested that Isabel Leonard plays Sesto, and the girls (few though we are here) that Christophe Dumaux, "a man with zero % body fat" according to Opera Cake, reprises Tolomeo.


Oh well, I found this among the comments:

"I just wanted to say that I was at Garnier last night and I am sorry to disappoint you but those were not Natalie's breasts that we saw! It was silicone breast forms.But I do admit that It looked real!"

Too bad... but I kind of thought so. I've seen Natalie's breasts in a production of Lucia di Lammermoor when her gown falls apart and you can briefly see them. They are small and with a different shape. Those breasts in this production are huge. They did look kind of strange to me and not consistent with the rest of her body and the brief glimpse I had had before.

So, what a pity, but at least, our friend rgz won't die of a heart attack once he sees this video.:lol:


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> Too bad... but I kind of thought so. I've seen Natalie's breasts in a production of Lucia di Lammermoor when her gown falls apart and you can briefly see them. They are small and with a different shape. Those breasts in this production are huge. They did look kind of strange to me and not consistent with the rest of her body and the brief glimpse I had had before.
> 
> So, what a pity, but at least, our friend rgz won't die of a heart attack once he sees this video.:lol:


He can still get a peak in the "Making of" video in the Manon DVD, when she's rehearsing the bath scene. Nothing left to the imagination there.


----------



## Aramis

This is supposed to be Manon Lescaut but I really wonder who the hell is this second soprano behind supposed to be:


----------



## rgz

sospiro said:


> Natalie in rehearsal Giulio Cesare
> 
> *warning* nudity


Holy moley, how did I miss this for so long?
Thoughts:
- That production looks AMAZING. Hope it's released on dvd!
- Not really liking those fake breasts, completely at odds with her body type and looks ridiculous. But in the context of this production and how Cleopatra is being portrayed, I suppose it works.
- Who's the counter-tenor? Really liked his voice, was a bit startling at first b/c I didn't really expect it, not having seen Guilio Cesare aside from a few YT clips. How is that role normally played - trousers role, transposed to tenor?
- Man is that one ugly sweater Laurent Pelly is wearing.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Nancy Fabiola Herrera. Catch her in Luisa Fernanda:


----------



## Grosse Fugue

She already is here but after seeing her recital in Kansas City Joyce Didonato deserves another mention. She is so Beautiful inside and out.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_evRqjbrDAZE/SnX-5uXYtfI/AAAAAAAAAto/BEwXE8PC8QI/d02h9236.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01567/Joyce-DiDonato_1567998c.jpg


----------



## Almaviva

__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content



















This is a more efficient way to display your pictures. Just click on the picture you want to show, right click on it, go to the properties tab, copy the entire URL address (make sure you scroll down while highlighting it so that you get the complet address including the .jpg end), then you click on the little yellow icon with the mountain, a dialogue box opens, delete the http:// line there and paste the entire URL address for the picture, click OK, and your picture shows directly as above.


----------



## Grosse Fugue

I tbought I did that


----------



## Almaviva

Grosse Fugue said:


> I tbought I did that


It looks to me like you've copied and pasted the links directly to the body of your post, instead of to the dialogue box that you get when you click on the yellow icon.


----------



## Almaviva

Isabelle Philippe - Just finished watching her in Meyerbeer's Dinorah and she is wonderful.


----------



## sospiro

This is for Ian 

Dessay news


----------



## MAuer

sospiro said:


> Natalie in rehearsal Giulio Cesare
> 
> *warning* nudity


Now why can't there be an opera production like this with el Guapo??

Joking aside: if nudity makes sense within the context of an opera's plot (as it does here, or, for example, in the Dance of the Seven Veils in "_Salome_") and the singer is comfortable with it, than it shouldn't be an issue.


----------



## sospiro

MAuer said:


> Now why can't there be an opera production like this with el Guapo??
> 
> Joking aside: if nudity makes sense within the context of an opera's plot (as it does here, or, for example, in the Dance of the Seven Veils in "_Salome_") and the singer is comfortable with it, than it shouldn't be an issue.


You mean like this? 



*Gregory Dahl*


----------



## MAuer

sospiro said:


> You mean like this?
> 
> 
> 
> *Gregory Dahl*


I think that would be an excellent costume for el Guapo's next appearance as Florestan!


----------



## sospiro

Blogger review of Anna Netrebko - La Bellissima in Anna Bolena.


----------



## Aksel

sospiro said:


> Blogger review of Anna Netrebko - La Bellissima in Anna Bolena.


Interesting. The soundbite at the end did sound rather good. Sure, she's no bel canto singer and her vibrato is a tad too large for this repertory, but she does a decent job in that aria. It shall be exiting to (hopefully) see her this autumn.

And was I the only one struck by the likeness of Coppia iniqua from Anna Bolena and Vieni t'affretta from Verdi's Macbeth?


----------



## classidaho

The only number on this album is 33 1/3.... not sure if it's Renata's age or not, but I think she's quite 'lovely'


----------



## MAuer

I'm usually more interested in the gentlemen (a certain Bavarian tenor, particularly). But I think my fave Leonore, Camilla Nylund, is an attractive woman.


----------



## AlbaCountertenor

I haven't seen her mentioned thus far but Adriana Kučerová is worth a shout, don't you think?


----------



## classidaho

Gosh! Kinda looks like a singing Sandra Bullock!


----------



## AlbaCountertenor

Here's a clip of her singing Hansel und Gretel. Enchanting...


----------



## classidaho

very lovely, very lovely voice


----------



## Truvianni

Beauty is entirely a point of view for what is beautiful in the eye of one individual may not be in the eye of another. For example I have yet to see any beauty what so ever in women like Maria Callas, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman or Gwyneth Paltrow for that matter yet to some they are considered very lovely. I, however for my part am physically attracted to Pamela Anderson (I said physically not mentally) yet if the issue be opera sopranos; it is Angela Gheorghiu whose beauty I find to go beyond all the rest though this I do make clear is a matter of taste; as all beauty is and not one of fact. I as a writer have even written poems about her and fictional stories in which my fantasies are revealed. 

here is one of my poems about Angela Gheoghiu


Angela Gheorghiu’s Rose 

Phrases regarding Angela Gheorghiu’s most intimate flower.

Angela’s rose be black pearl 
swathed in deluxe crimson silk of the orient 
dearly cherished as jewel of deity 

Angela’s rose be moist flower 
delicate dew, delight of spring rain

Angela’s rose be exquisite fragrance 
of feminine sensual perfume 

Angela’s rose be satin to the touch of palate


----------



## Almaviva

Truvianni said:


> Beauty is entirely a point of view for what is beautiful in the eye of one individual may not be in the eye of another. For example I have yet to see any beauty what so ever in women like Maria Callas, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman or Gwyneth Paltrow for that matter yet to some they are considered very lovely. I, however for my part am physically attracted to Pamela Anderson (I said physically not mentally) yet if the issue be opera sopranos; it is Angela Gheorghiu whose beauty I find to go beyond all the rest though this I do make clear is a matter of taste; as all beauty is and not one of fact. I as a writer have even written poems about her and fictional stories in which my fantasies are revealed.
> 
> here is one of my poems about Angela Gheoghiu
> 
> Angela Gheorghiu's Rose
> 
> Phrases regarding Angela Gheorghiu's most intimate flower.
> 
> Angela's rose be black pearl
> swathed in deluxe crimson silk of the orient
> dearly cherished as jewel of deity
> 
> Angela's rose be moist flower
> delicate dew, delight of spring rain
> 
> Angela's rose be exquisite fragrance
> of feminine sensual perfume
> 
> Angela's rose be satin to the touch of palate


Wow! Someone whose fanship of a soprano may actually surpass mine regarding Anna Netrebko La Bellissima!:tiphat:

I haven't written poems to Anna yet. Now I feel like a lousy fan.


----------



## MAuer

classidaho said:


> The only number on this album is 33 1/3.... not sure if it's Renata's age or not, but I think she's quite 'lovely'


Nope, not her age: the speed of the recording in the old days of the LP -- 33 1/3 RPM (revolutions per minute). Which says something about my age . . .


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> Wow! Someone whose fanship of a soprano may actually surpass mine regarding Anna Netrebko La Bellissima!:tiphat:
> 
> I haven't written poems to Anna yet. Now I feel like a lousy fan.


There can't be many fans who've given their fav singer their _officially recognised and personally approved_ nick-name.


----------



## jhar26

Truvianni said:


> I, however for my part am physically attracted to Pamela Anderson *(I said physically not mentally)*


:lol: :lol:


----------



## Truvianni

Well I am a writer so poetry is a part of what I do and besides I am hoping she might actually read it and who knows I may meet her and get her permission to write her official biography. It could happen.


----------



## Truvianni

taste is not factual but a point of view.


----------



## migrjo

For me, this would be a tie between Kathleen Battle and Renee Fleming.


----------



## classidaho

...........now that's diversity!


----------



## Il_Penseroso

Lovliest voice or face ?  If there is (or better say was ) only one primadonna bellissima , she is (was) *Lucia Popp* !


----------



## sospiro

Il_Penseroso said:


> Loveliest voice or face ?


Now if you're asking Alma, neither of these


----------



## Guest

Il_Penseroso said:


> Lovliest voice or face ?  If there is (or better say was ) only one primadonna bellissima , she is (was) *Lucia Popp* !


My absolute favorite, hands down, Queen of the Night in Mozart's Zauberflote. The EMI recording with Klemperer is phenomenal for her alone.


----------



## Il_Penseroso

sospiro said:


> Now if you're asking Alma, neither of these


:lol:

Now, Alma's all-time vote for Netrebko is just killing me !!



DrMike said:


> My absolute favorite, hands down, Queen of the Night in Mozart's Zauberflote. The EMI recording with Klemperer is phenomenal for her alone.


Quite agree ... and with no doubt the best performer of Solveig's Song with Orchestra of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Neville Marriner (This is also on EMI).


----------



## Almaviva

Il Penseroso, this thread is not for voice at all, but for these lovely ladies' other "assets." Voice should have no bearing here. It would be a good idea to open a thread considering sopranos by voice, though.

Regarding their other assets I do tend to focus on one particular aspect of their anatomies, the one that Natalie calls very handy to feed babies with.


----------



## Il_Penseroso

Almaviva said:


> Il Penseroso, this thread is not for voice at all, but for these lovely ladies' other "assets." Voice should have no bearing here. It would be a good idea to open a thread considering sopranos by voice, though.
> 
> Regarding their other assets I do tend to focus on one particular aspect of their anatomies, the one that Natalie calls very handy to feed babies with.


Ouch ! The other assets ! That particular one, you call "Lovely", eh !? :lol: Then Netrebko is number one for sure !


----------



## Guest

Almaviva said:


> Il Penseroso, this thread is not for voice at all, but for these lovely ladies' other "assets." Voice should have no bearing here. It would be a good idea to open a thread considering sopranos by voice, though.
> 
> Regarding their other assets I do tend to focus on one particular aspect of their anatomies, the one that Natalie calls very handy to feed babies with.


Ah, so you like their hands. That's kind of weird.


----------



## Aksel

DrMike said:


> Ah, so you like their hands. That's kind of weird.


Alma's all for the upper extremities.


----------



## Guest

Il_Penseroso said:


> Ouch ! The other assets ! That particular one, you call "Lovely", eh !? :lol: Then Netrebko is number one for sure !


Of course, because keep in mind, she has huge . . . tracts of land.


----------



## classidaho

I have looked at those 'tracts'........nothing but sand, no water, maybe some oil?


----------



## sabrina

*Virginia Zeani* is one of the most beautiful sopranos ever with a wonderful voice! She is pretty old right now!
I don't know how to copy/paste an image on this forum. I tried to open Manage Atachment, to upload an image saved as a word doc. It said invalid...
This are some links with her image:

__
https://flic.kr/p/2578765976


----------



## mamascarlatti

sabrina said:


> *Virginia Zeani* is one of the most beautiful sopranos ever with a wonderful voice! She is pretty old right now!
> I don't know how to copy/paste an image on this forum. I tried to open Manage Atachment, to upload an image saved as a word doc. It said invalid...
> This are some links with her image:
> 
> __
> https://flic.kr/p/2578765976
> 
> http://www.cantabile-subito.de/Sopranos/Zeani__Virginia/zeani__virginia.html


Goodness, Ingrid Bergman and Elizabeth Taylor rolled into one.


----------



## Almaviva

@ Sabrina: I have inserted one of the images for you, but the other one is resisting my attempts because it is an image with copyright, all rights reserved.

Welcome to the forum.


----------



## mamascarlatti

OK Alma, are you sitting down? 

Yes?

Then you can go to the next post.


----------



## mamascarlatti




----------



## Almaviva

Oh! My! God!
You've ruined my day of work! I won't be able to concentrate! I should as well call in sick!
Nat, I love you for this!
It's my Christmas/Birthday present rolled into one!
It's the day I've been waiting for. Ecstasy! Bliss!


----------



## sabrina

Wow, poor Anna! Or better, poor Erwin Schrott!


----------



## sabrina

again Virginia:









Let's see if it works


----------



## sabrina

Last one:


----------



## Guest

mamascarlatti said:


>


Well, we already knew that Anna's girls need extra support, and such a flimsy dress wouldn't be adequate. After all, we already have seen how she needed Elina Garanca to hold them up in the past:


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> While going back to my favorite Soprano performing my favorite aria, I decided to post her also as a top choice for 'Loveliest Soprano'.
> 
> 
> 
> Angela GHEORGHIU


Except that the lady pictured above is not Angela Gheorghiu. I forgot her name and they do look alike but it's not Angela.


----------



## mamascarlatti

sabrina said:


> Wow, poor Anna! Or better, poor Erwin Schrott!


Embarrassing yes, but then a bra, or a well fitting dress, or the famous opera dresser's boob tape, or at least the bend-forward test if you are wearing none of these, might have saved her the picture.

On the other hand look how ecstatic this has made Alma. You could call it a social service.


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> Embarrassing yes, but then a bra, or a well fitting dress, or the famous opera dresser's boob tape, or at least the bend-forward test if you are wearing none of these, might have saved her the picture.


But she does pass the pencil test



mamascarlatti said:


> On the other hand look how ecstatic this has made Alma. You could call it a social service.


That must be worth several 'El Guapo' votes


----------



## Guest

mamascarlatti said:


> Embarrassing yes, but then a bra, or a well fitting dress, or the famous opera dresser's boob tape, or at least the bend-forward test if you are wearing none of these, might have saved her the picture.
> 
> On the other hand look how ecstatic this has made Alma. You could call it a social service.


You are assuming this was unintentional? I don't mean to imply something, but, you know, whenever my wife gets all dressed up, she spends at least a good 10 minutes in front of the mirror, making sure everything is "in place" and nothing is showing that shouldn't be. I usually have to do a walk-around inspection to make sure no straps are showing, no slips are exposed, etc. And my wife isn't a performer by trade, where image is even more important.

I think, just maybe, she is a close follower of this forum, and knew a little something of one of our moderator's great interest, and decided to throw him a bone, as it were.:lol:


----------



## Almaviva

DrMike said:


> I think, just maybe, she is a close follower of this forum, and knew a little something of one of our moderator's great interest, and decided to throw him a bone, as it were.:lol:


Hey, if she's willing to be this generous to me (which is perfectly understandable, since she has acknowledged my efforts to make the La Bellissima moniker stick), may I humbly suggest that instead of just allowing a picture of her assets like this one to end up here for my delight, she might want to show me said assets in person? I'd be willing to allow her to do so.


----------



## Grosse Fugue

How about an operatic 3some.


----------



## jhar26

mamascarlatti said:


>


World press photo of the year. :clap:


----------



## kv466

two of my favs are Cheryl Studer and Felicity Lott


----------



## sospiro

Alma's nickname of Anna has made it into the British mainstream press.

_... Ms Netrebko, who is sometimes dubbed "La Bellissima" thanks to her radiant looks ..._

Independent


----------



## Air

sospiro said:


> Alma's nickname of Anna has made it into the British mainstream press.
> 
> _... Ms Netrebko, who is sometimes dubbed "La Bellissima" thanks to her radiant looks ..._
> 
> Independent


Woah! That's beyond cool


----------



## mamascarlatti

.


sospiro said:


> Alma's nickname of Anna has made it into the British mainstream press.
> 
> _... Ms Netrebko, who is sometimes dubbed "La Bellissima" thanks to her radiant looks ..._
> 
> Independent


OH wow, Alma, you did it! Today the Independent, tomorrow the world.


----------



## Almaviva

Good. Now I just have to make sure she acknowledges my effort and moves in with me, as my second wife [Alma consults flight schedules and house prices in Utah].

Oh and by the way what I said about Calleja not caring for the Japanese people doesn't apply to sweet Anna La Bellissima, of course. *She* must have had good reasons to cancel.


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> Good. Now I just have to make sure she acknowledges my effort and moves in with me, as my second wife [Alma consults flight schedules and house prices in Utah].


Not to mention consulting Mrs. Alma



Almaviva said:


> Oh and by the way what I said about Calleja not caring for the Japanese people doesn't apply to sweet Anna La Bellissima, of course. *She* must have had good reasons to cancel.


Well at least Il Cioccolatissimo isn't such a wuss


----------



## Almaviva

sospiro said:


> Not to mention consulting Mrs. Alma


Mrs. Almaviva says that as long as Anna's hunky husband joins as well in one big happy hippie family - maybe we should move to California or Oregon, not Utah - she'll be fine with it.:lol:


> Well at least Il Cioccolatissimo isn't such a wuss


Are you implying that Anna my future second wife is a wuss?!?!?!?:scold:
[I don't understand this people. They don't seem to realize how dangerous a bronze fish statue can be!]


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> .
> 
> OH wow, Alma, you did it! Today the Independent, tomorrow the world.


What do ya mean, tomorrow? La Bellissima has conquered the world already!


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> Mrs. Almaviva says that as long as Anna's hunky husband joins as well in one big happy hippie family - maybe we should move to California or Oregon, not Utah - she'll be fine with it.:lol:














Almaviva said:


> Are you implying that Anna my future second wife is a wuss?!?!?!?:scold:
> [I don't understand this people. They don't seem to realize how dangerous a bronze fish statue can be!]


:lol: was actually referring to JC


----------



## MAuer

sospiro said:


> Alma's nickname of Anna has made it into the British mainstream press.
> 
> _... Ms Netrebko, who is sometimes dubbed "La Bellissima" thanks to her radiant looks ..._
> 
> Independent


I am impressed!!  But what did they mean by TWO of the Met's adored stars? Have they forgotten that el Guapo was also supposed to be part of this tour??


----------



## DarkAngel

*Sabina Puertolas*

Came accross her in this new CD release:



She has performed with heavy hitters like Domingo and Villazon in Europe since mid 2000s, just came to my attention with above release


----------



## Almaviva

Lovely face!!! Now we just need a full body picture to gauge how nice her boobs are.


----------



## DarkAngel

Almaviva said:


> Lovely face!!! Now we just need a full body picture to gauge how nice her boobs are.


yes master, your wish is my command...............
a svelte Sabina doing a sassy spanish number for you


----------



## Almaviva

DarkAngel said:


> yes master, your wish is my command...............
> a svelte Sabina doing a sassy spanish number for you


Nice. They are of the small **** variety but she is sexy enough in her interpretation - better than Elina's.


----------



## BalloinMaschera

ok... i know this thread is for sop's, and she's a mezzo...very purty...

http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/singers/mezzo-soprano/clara-mouriz


----------



## Il_Penseroso

And I know the thread is about the 'other' assets of those poor sopranos especially that particular part of their anatomy, but I always prefer to see a lovely face rather than ...

*Roberta Peters*










Warning : No full-body photo, just face !


----------



## Almaviva

BalloinMaschera said:


> ok... i know this thread is for sop's, and she's a mezzo...very purty...
> 
> http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/singers/mezzo-soprano/clara-mouriz


No, no, we'll gladly take mezzo-sopranos... especially one as cute as this one.


----------



## Il_Penseroso

BalloinMaschera said:


> ok... i know this thread is for sop's, and she's a mezzo...very purty...
> 
> http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/singers/mezzo-soprano/clara-mouriz


Feel free ! Post a soprano, mezzo-soprano, even a contralto, who cares ... ? as long as she's not a flat chested one, she'll be Alma's granted, looks pretty to him !


----------



## Guest

So has this thread simply become a Mardi Gras-inspired, leering at women's chests commentary? IMHO, it has declined into the tacky.

That is my soap box for the day.


----------



## Aramis

Or you can also ride a bus ride and, for example, enter the controller says a ticket TO CONTROL do you say DO NOT ASK YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT READ THE WHOLE _In Search of Lost Time_ WILL YOUR ignored and he read it and you FRAGMENT TO TELL, and he begins to tell and tells the bus takes you to a stop and jumps and he runs behind you and talks continue in the face and give you steal a bike and rider going to escape him and he collapses in the face or the guy on the scooter, and riding a scooter steals treats with you on the bike and then advocates have already told one third of the first volume, and so is chasing you around town in the landing gear finally catch an airplane taking off and so you raise to the heavens, and after 10 minutes, suddenly catches up with you in this position 100 miles above the ground controller that the magical bird and then it rideth advocates and you let go and fall to the ground and he too jumps off the bird, and fly off together side by side 100 km, and he talks up falling and dying


----------



## Aksel

Aramis said:


> Or you can also ride a bus ride and, for example, enter the controller says a ticket TO CONTROL do you say DO NOT ASK YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT READ THE WHOLE _In Search of Lost Time_ WILL YOUR ignored and he read it and you FRAGMENT TO TELL, and he begins to tell and tells the bus takes you to a stop and jumps and he runs behind you and talks continue in the face and give you steal a bike and rider going to escape him and he collapses in the face or the guy on the scooter, and riding a scooter steals treats with you on the bike and then advocates have already told one third of the first volume, and so is chasing you around town in the landing gear finally catch an airplane taking off and so you raise to the heavens, and after 10 minutes, suddenly catches up with you in this position 100 miles above the ground controller that the magical bird and then it rideth advocates and you let go and fall to the ground and he too jumps off the bird, and fly off together side by side 100 km, and he talks up falling and dying


Are you streaming consciously, Aramis?


----------



## Almaviva

DrMike said:


> So has this thread simply become a Mardi Gras-inspired, leering at women's chests commentary? IMHO, it has declined into the tacky.
> 
> That is my soap box for the day.


It's just innocent fun, Dr. Mike, but if you think the company here is too childish for your taste, there are other serious threads out there and you don't need to click on this one.


----------



## DarkAngel

*Marina Poplayskaya*

Elegant beauty with porcelan complexion, really looks striking on film like a sleek fashion model.......
Best seen in this recent Don Carlo........


----------



## sospiro

Jette Parker Young Artist, Madeleine Pierard, from New Zealand.

A day in the life of a Young Artist


----------



## classidaho

:tiphat:Thanx for keeping this thread on track with such a lovely and wholesome entry!


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> :tiphat:Thanx for keeping this thread on track with such a lovely and wholesome entry!


Was it off-track before?


----------



## classidaho

Hoping not to sound too self righteous, I think this thread includes a lot of elite sopranaos and honestly think focusing on one, or more, of their anatomical areas is just a bit distastefull.


----------



## Vaneyes

Mimi Coertse, Gundula Janowitz, Edith Mathis.


----------



## mamascarlatti

I'm going to plug Anna Leese, another lovely Kiwi girl who is just about to take part in the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.










I saw her as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin last year.


----------



## DarkAngel

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm going to plug Anna Leese, another lovely Kiwi girl who is just about to take part in the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I saw her as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin last year.












She looks like "desperate housewife" Marcia Cross (few pounds heavier I suspect)


----------



## mamascarlatti

DarkAngel said:


> She looks like "desperate housewife" Marcia Cross (few pounds heavier I suspect)


Yup, she's a good Kiwi dairy-fed girl, not a Hollywood stick-insect:


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm going to plug Anna Leese, another lovely Kiwi girl who is just about to take part in the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition.
> 
> I saw her as Tatiana in Eugene Onegin last year.


I'm going to record it


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> Hoping not to sound too self righteous, I think this thread includes a lot of elite sopranaos and honestly think focusing on one, or more, of their anatomical areas is just a bit distastefull.


 That's what this thread is about. There are other threads for their singing. This thread is about their physical attributes, their beauty. The boobs thing is just an innocent running joke, not to be taken seriously. As for the thread being distasteful, in my many decades of life I'm still to find a woman who doesn't like to be called lovely and beautiful.
If you think that this thread is distasteful then I suggest you don't click on it. Simple, no? It's better than complaining of the innocent fun other people are having. If this is too gross for you, maybe you should just stay away.


----------



## classidaho

Hey, my friend. Why are you trying to make such a big thing about a simple, honest comment. I don't think 'stay away' is a useful moderator approach under the circumstances. II think good damage control, at the moment, would be a little moderator constraint. Peace and hugs, Chuck


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> Hey, my friend. Why are you trying to make such a big thing about a simple, honest comment. I don't think 'stay away' is a useful moderator approach under the circumstances. II think good damage control, at the moment, would be a little moderator constraint. Peace and hugs, Chuck


I'm sorry, much before this reply of yours, I had already apologized to you (see my original post in the poll I have published about this - I said I had reacted unkindly to your comment for which I apologized, and I said I'd take your observation seriously). I should have done it here too, I kind of forgot (since in my mind I had apologized already) but I'm catching up now and doing it now on this thread as well. Sometimes I get snappy and moody like any other human being. Peace and hugs too, Alma.:cheers:


----------



## classidaho

thanx much and I do appreciate your position and input to this forum.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Yup, she's a good Kiwi dairy-fed girl, not a Hollywood stick-insect:


 In the first picture she reminds me of the actress who used to do one of the Desperate Housewives.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> In the first picture she reminds me of the actress who used to do one of the Desperate Housewives.


The first picture in my post IS a Desperate Housewife:lol:. That's what DA said.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> The first picture in my post IS a Desperate Housewife:lol:. That's what DA said.


Oops, that's right, I scrolled down too fast.:lol:


----------



## classidaho

In my defense for the use of 'lovely' as an ajective, the following is a good example for an opera forum: adjective 
1. charmingly or exquisitely beautiful: a lovely flower. 
2. having a beauty that appeals to the heart or mind as well as to the eye, as a person or a face. 
3. delightful; highly pleasing: to have a lovely time. 
EXPAND
4. of a great moral or spiritual beauty: a lovely character

and I must include 'lovely voice'.

I'm sure there are other locations on the net for a more refined, intellectual use of the word.....:devil::lol: but I don't think I should go elswhere for my enjoyment, just because I don't agree with the 'intended' use of the word here. :tiphat:, Chuck (maybe, at 74, I am in the wrong location).


----------



## kiwisop

classidaho said:


> :tiphat:Thanx for keeping this thread on track with such a lovely and wholesome entry!


Wow, I've never been called wholesome before.


----------



## classidaho

Gosh,  I was referring to your young nominee, Madeleine Pierard, but after thinking about it, you are included also! :tiphat:


----------



## kiwisop

classidaho said:


> Gosh,  I was referring to your young nominee, Madeleine Pierard, but after thinking about it, you are included also! :tiphat:


I know.... c'est moi!


----------



## Almaviva

kiwisop said:


> I know.... c'est moi!


You mean, you are Madeleine Pierard?


----------



## kiwisop

Almaviva said:


> You mean, you are Madeleine Pierard?


Ha! Yes, yes I am.


----------



## Almaviva

kiwisop said:


> Ha! Yes, yes I am.


 Oh wow, welcome to the board. A real soprano among us! I hope you stick around, because your opinions would be highly appreciated in the matter of vocal technique and others.:tiphat:

Suggestion: why don't you use our blog capability and post your experiences as a soprano? Most of us would read it with pleasure.


----------



## classidaho

wow!  Kiwi Soprano! :tiphat: I'm really too slow.......I'm glad someone is alert, thanx much and I second his observation and comments.


----------



## amfortas

sabrina said:


> Wow, poor Anna! Or better, poor Erwin Schrott!


I'm afraid I have to lodge a formal complaint against this site:

I can't get mamascarlatti's "poor Anna" pic from a month ago to come up in my browser. And from all the comments surrounding it, I can tell I'm missing out on something special!

Can anyone help me out here?


----------



## sospiro

kiwisop said:


> I know.... c'est moi!


Welcome!!! Hope you get time to read some of our stuff - we can be a bit irreverent at times but we all adore opera so much, I hope you'll forgive us.

Looking forward to seeing you at the JPYA Summer Performance; seeing Tosca that night so will be all opera'd out by the time I get back to my hotel.


----------



## presto

I didn't get though the whole thread but did anyone mention Katherine Jenkins?


----------



## sospiro

presto said:


> I didn't get though the whole thread but did anyone mention Katherine Jenkins?


----------



## Vsoprano

What abbey leontye price?? I think she's quote beautiful and she doesn't wear much makeup in this pic...

IMG_0107.JPG


----------



## DarkAngel

presto said:


> I didn't get though the whole thread but did anyone mention Katherine Jenkins?


Lovely...........I have a question though, does Miss Jenkins have an active opera stage career with an opera company or just sing recitals and record misc. classic and crossover CDs?

I haven't seen her on any major label full opera CD or DVD release

Is this the lady from the opera talent TV show "pop star to opera star" ?


----------



## DarkAngel

sospiro said:


> Welcome!!! Hope you get time to read some of our stuff - we can be a bit irreverent at times but we all adore opera so much, I hope you'll forgive us.
> 
> Looking forward to seeing you at the JPYA Summer Performance; seeing Tosca that night so will be all opera'd out by the time I get back to my hotel.


Perfect timing..........you submit miss Pierard as lovely soprano as like magic she appears, bravo!

*Mamascarlatti is so happy* to see another Kiwi on the forum


----------



## Almaviva

presto said:


> I didn't get though the whole thread but did anyone mention Katherine Jenkins?


I think she was mentioned at the beginning, or else, she figured as a candidate for the vote we had for the loveliest one (Anna Netrebko won, of course) but I'd say that she is not a real opera singer.


----------



## mamascarlatti

DarkAngel said:


> Perfect timing..........you submit miss Pierard as lovely soprano as like magic she appears, bravo!
> 
> *Mamascarlatti is so happy* to see another Kiwi on the forum


I am delighted, but also sad that there are so few opportunities for aspiring singers in NZ.


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> I think she was mentioned at the beginning, or else, she figured as a candidate for the vote we had for the loveliest one (Anna Netrebko won, of course) but I'd say that she is not a real opera singer.


:scold:

She is NOT a real opera singer even though she likes to say she is.


----------



## mamascarlatti

sospiro said:


> :scold:
> 
> She is NOT a real opera singer even though she likes to say she is.


Ooh it takes a lot to get Annie angry. Must say I agree with her.


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> I am delighted, but also sad that there are so few opportunities for aspiring singers in NZ.


If you look on Madeleine's site she's touring NZ in September.


----------



## mamascarlatti

sospiro said:


> If you look on Madeleine's site she's touring NZ in September.


Oh, you're right. Nice line up with Simon O'Neill and Jonathan Lemalu. Might even go although it's not opera. Thanks for that Annie.


----------



## kiwisop

sospiro said:


> Welcome!!! Hope you get time to read some of our stuff - we can be a bit irreverent at times but we all adore opera so much, I hope you'll forgive us.
> 
> Looking forward to seeing you at the JPYA Summer Performance; seeing Tosca that night so will be all opera'd out by the time I get back to my hotel.


I hope you're going to catch Cendrillon as well... the production is amazing and Joyce DiDonato puts the Joy in Joyce! Such a lovely woman. I'm playing her gangly step-sister, Noémie.


----------



## kiwisop

DarkAngel said:


> Perfect timing..........you submit miss Pierard as lovely soprano as like magic she appears, bravo!
> 
> *Mamascarlatti is so happy* to see another Kiwi on the forum


Thank you... ! I'm an insomniac (many singers have this problem... too much music on loop...) so spend a lot of time online. Terrible really. It did motivate me to spend time wisely and build myself a website though. Simple, but I'm proud of it


----------



## sospiro

kiwisop said:


> I hope you're going to catch Cendrillon as well... the production is amazing and Joyce DiDonato puts the Joy in Joyce! Such a lovely woman. I'm playing her gangly step-sister, Noémie.


Sadly I'm not seeing Cendrillon. Living on bread & water after my Macbeth Experience.


----------



## kiwisop

mamascarlatti said:


> Oh, you're right. Nice line up with Simon O'Neill and Jonathan Lemalu. Might even go although it's not opera. Thanks for that Annie.


Please do! We're in Auckland on Sept 24 and the next day, my sister, Anna Pierard, mezzo-soprano ( a real one!) is singing Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with New Zealand Opera. She is incredible.. and I'm not just saying that. A very Russian sounding mezzo and beautiful, too...


----------



## kiwisop

sospiro said:


> Sadly I'm not seeing Cendrillon. Living on bread & water after my Macbeth Experience.


In that case you can catch it on the big screen... We're going to be movie stars! Live streaming is on July 13 and it's showing internationally, too.

http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/bpbigscreens/index.aspx
http://cinema.roh.org.uk/


----------



## sospiro

kiwisop said:


> In that case you can catch it on the big screen... We're going to be movie stars! Live streaming is on July 13 and it's showing internationally, too.
> 
> http://www.roh.org.uk/whatson/bpbigscreens/index.aspx
> http://cinema.roh.org.uk/


Sadly I don't live near enough to a Big Screen but it looks like it will be on at my local cinema so I'll see it then. Thanks for the info.


----------



## amfortas

kiwisop said:


> Wow, I've never been called wholesome before.


I've been slow to pick up on this thread, but now that I realize we have the actual Madeleine Pierard among us, let me also take the opportunity to welcome you. I won't speculate so far as wholesomeness goes, but you are definitely lovely in a variety of ways (including your speaking voice, as shown in that video clip).


----------



## Almaviva

OK, Madeleine, now please convince your colleague Anna Netrebko to join our site as well!


----------



## mamascarlatti

kiwisop said:


> Please do! We're in Auckland on Sept 24 and the next day, my sister, Anna Pierard, mezzo-soprano ( a real one!) is singing Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with New Zealand Opera. She is incredible.. and I'm not just saying that. A very Russian sounding mezzo and beautiful, too...


You've certainly given me an extra incentive to come and hear you! And I'm so glad you are coming back to NZ.

I've already got my tickets to Cav and Pag - bought them last November....So I'll watch/listen out for your sister.


----------



## mamascarlatti

kiwisop said:


> In that case you can catch it on the big screen... We're going to be movie stars! Live streaming is on July 13 and it's showing internationally, too.


How exciting!:tiphat:

Guess that means we can hope for an eventual DVD release, as there is a definite gap on the market for this opera, and it sounds like a perfect one for the Laurent Pelly treatment.

Agree with you about Joyce DiDonato - it sounds as though she's as lovely to work with as she seems from her blog and interviews. I also admire the way she can go from devastatingly tragic (Dejanira) to light-hearted and cheerful (Rosina) and be totally convincing in both types of role.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> OK, Madeleine, now please convince your colleague Anna Netrebko to join our site as well!


Don't mind Alma, he's hopelessly and single-mindedly besotted. We're happy to have YOU with us.:trp:


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> OK, Madeleine, now please convince your colleague Anna Netrebko to join our site as well!


 Alma - behave!!

@ Madeleine - ignore him (he's harmless!), I am absolutely delighted that you have graced our little forum with your presence.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Isabel Leonard totally kicks *** as Sesto in the Paris Giulio Cesare. If I were Tolomeo I'd be hightailing it to Nubia.


----------



## Almaviva

sospiro said:


> Alma - behave!!
> 
> @ Madeleine - ignore him (he's harmless!), I am absolutely delighted that you have graced our little forum with your presence.


Hey, I was the first one to welcome Madeleine (see post #383). It's just that it would be *also* good if Anna joined.


----------



## hutchscott

Hi...unfortunately I don't know how to import photos into the forum.

I nominate soprano Cyndia Sieden, who is local to me, living in Olympia, WA. I bagged her groceries once.

Scott


----------



## amfortas

hutchscott said:


> I bagged her groceries once.


I am so out of step with these current euphemisms. :lol:


----------



## classidaho

I beat you to the punch with post #27....... Glad to see her name come up again tho.

Cyndia's Mozart, 'Arias for Aloysia Weber' is probably the most beautiful compilation of arias that I have heard (personal oppinion). I'm not sure if it's Mozart, Cyndia or both but I love this CD!


----------



## hutchscott

Thanks. Cyndia is married to the baritone Charles Pailthorp.


----------



## Almaviva

Yep, to paste, it's not right clicking, it's control-V
Anyway, regardless of the browser, what you need to do is, you copy the location (URL) of the picture, it will be a http address and it will end on .jpg
Then you paste it into the dialogue box that comes up when you click on the picture icon, after erasing the http that comes up automatically (of course you don't want http to be written twice) and after positioning your cursor inside the dialogue box - then you hit control-V.
As for knowing this stuff, I think that Natalie knows it better than I do. I usually learn from her.


----------



## sabrina

Here is a rare recording with Angela Burlacu (before becoming Gheorghiu):
She is so good, so beautiful, she was 22 years old! Enjoy!
Singing Vivaldi:






Or this one:






And the last one from 1989:


----------



## mamascarlatti

hutchscott said:


> It still doesn't work. Keep the conversation flow going...


So what happens? Are you sure you copied the URL - because of course it won't work if you haven't successfully copied anything. (This is probably obvious but hey let's check it anyway)


----------



## Philmwri

Cecilia Bartoli does a wonderful job of singing soprano.Her coloratura is unbeatable.Her stage presence is amazing.There's never a dull moment when she's on stage.There's still some debate even to this day if she's a mezzo-soprano or soprano.I don't care either way.I just love her light lyric voice.





 She sings an E6 in this aria.Her voice has no limits.


----------



## kiwisop

sabrina said:


> Here is a rare recording with Angela Burlacu (before becoming Gheorghiu):
> She is so good, so beautiful, she was 22 years old! Enjoy!


Wow! Thank you so much for this!! Just gorgeous. Love her or hate her (I love her, for the record), sitting in Adriana Lecouvreur rehearsals last November brought me to tears every day. She is a masterpiece.


----------



## classidaho

I agree.....she has my vote


----------



## hutchscott

What lovely clips you've posted. Thanks.

I'm curious what the group thinks of Renee Flemming?


----------



## Almaviva

hutchscott said:


> What lovely clips you've posted. Thanks.
> 
> I'm curious what the group thinks of Renee Flemming?


Well we have a major fan of hers here in the person of jhar26 (a.k.a. Gaston). I love her too, I think she is a classy lady with gorgeous looks for her age, and is an excellent soprano. I believe that most people have nothing against her since she is a very reliable and professional singer who is also very intelligent and a pleasure to listen to, both in performances and in interviews. She is also a formidable actress.


----------



## Almaviva

kiwisop said:


> Wow! Thank you so much for this!! Just gorgeous. Love her or hate her (I love her, for the record), sitting in Adriana Lecouvreur rehearsals last November brought me to tears every day. She is a masterpiece.


Good, you're back. I was afraid my tongue-in-cheek running joke about Anna Netrebko had chased you away. Our friends Annie and Natalie (sospiro and mamascarlatti) set me straight. Welcome back.


----------



## DarkAngel

sabrina said:


> Here is a rare recording with Angela Burlacu (before becoming Gheorghiu):
> She is so good, so beautiful, she was 22 years old! Enjoy!


*Wasn't aware of Angela's original name............*
did some research her first major label recording was actually in my collection already, the 1994 ROH Traviata with Solti, she is so good here as Violetta I assumed she had many previous recordings


----------



## Almaviva

Really, that was her first one? Wow, I have it too and also hadn't realized that it was her first major hit.
(Of course, it's still not as good as Anna's)


----------



## Philmwri

hutchscott said:


> What lovely clips you've posted. Thanks.
> 
> I'm curious what the group thinks of Renee Flemming?


I love Renee Fleming.She very versatile and she has an awesome chest register(down F#3) for a lyric soprano.She also does well singing coloratura roles(up to G6). I watched her perform 'Summertime' from Porgy and Bess.She was awesome.She's also a jazz singer.She mixed elements of both in that performance.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Kristine Opolais


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Kristine Opolais


 She is very beautiful. The one you picked may not be her best picture, though.







I like her more mysterious, femme fatale look here.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> She is very beautiful. The one you picked may not be her best picture, though.


I wanted one which showed her natural beauty without all the make up, which makes her look like a trophy wife.


----------



## DarkAngel

*Ainhoa Arteta*.......a classic beauty, very striking in her famous La Rondine performance below










Even though this is probably best DVD of La Rondine, I don't really like the opera itself.......
(except act 2 night club scence, fun stuff)


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> I wanted one which showed her natural beauty without all the make up, which makes her look like a trophy wife.


When trophy wife looks this good, me like trophy wife.[Alma, drooling in an ape kind of way]


----------



## Almaviva

I hate to say it, but for the first time in a long time, it looks like Anna got serious, serious competition. Boys, look at what happens at 3'20" - wow. I must say, wow! Beware, Anna. You gotta get into a diet to fight back because this time, your dominance is seriously threatened.






And the end of this clip?!?!?!!!! OMG, where is my blood pressure medication?

I'm in love!!!!


----------



## DarkAngel

Almaviva said:


> I hate to say it, but for the first time in a long time, it looks like Anna got serious, serious competition. *Boys, look at what happens at 3'20" - wow*. I must say, wow! Beware, Anna. You gotta get into a diet to fight back because this time, your dominance is seriously threatened.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And the end of this clip?!?!?!!!! OMG, where is my blood pressure medication?
> 
> I'm in love!!!!


*Nice touch*......but remember this is her home/bedroom so naturally after a party she would be taking off her dress and preparing for bed, the* symbolic image is the nice touch* as she sings sempre libre removing the confining stuffy dress and getting wild and free in her undergarments

Unfortunately so far almost no major label DVDs for miss Opalais except the one below, we will have to see what the future holds


----------



## Almaviva

Yes, but YouTube has clips of her in several major roles. It looks like she was very active in Northern Europe before this Rusalka that is certain to launch her International career. Too bad that this Traviata is not on DVD (although musically I'm not very thrilled, the tempi are slow and the tenor is not that great - but her looks and acting, OMG!!!!).

Oh and you do realize it's her on the cover of the new Rusalka, right?

I have ordered the Rusalka, and was about to order the Gambler when I realized that it is available on Netflix so I'll just rent it and save the money. I placed it on the top spot of my queue.

It looks like I'll be getting EVERYTHING that comes out from this gorgeous soprano, from now on. I hope that the recording companies realize the potential and start releasing one after the other.

If I didn't profess soprano polygamy, Anna would be very endangered. But thanks to my stance on this, I'll be able to marry Kristine Opolais without dumping Anna - I mean, supposing that Anna dumps Erwin and marries me soon, as I'm sure will happen - she should better hurry if she wants to be the second wife (after my own, of course) with Kristine as third - Anna, please, get the plan going otherwise you'll end up third wife! [Alma calls his real state agent about that house in Utah]


----------



## mamascarlatti

This is historical. This is the first serious threat to Anna in the whole history of "Loveliest Soprano". They are going to have to commemorate this on 4 July even if it means bumping something else.


----------



## Almaviva

Not to forget that after seeing Christie's Armide, I'm very impressed with this one too:


----------



## schigolch




----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> Not to forget that after seeing Christie's Armide, I'm very impressed with this one too:


No excuses. I talked about her killer legs quite some time ago. Take another look at Les Paladins.


----------



## jflatter

Almaviva said:


> Yes, but YouTube has clips of her in several major roles. It looks like she was very active in Northern Europe before this Rusalka that is certain to launch her International career. Too bad that this Traviata is not on DVD (although musically I'm not very thrilled, the tempi are slow and the tenor is not that great - but her looks and acting, OMG!!!!).
> 
> Oh and you do realize it's her on the cover of the new Rusalka, right?
> 
> I have ordered the Rusalka, and was about to order the Gambler when I realized that it is available on Netflix so I'll just rent it and save the money. I placed it on the top spot of my queue.
> 
> It looks like I'll be getting EVERYTHING that comes out from this gorgeous soprano, from now on. I hope that the recording companies realize the potential and start releasing one after the other.
> 
> If I didn't profess soprano polygamy, Anna would be very endangered. But thanks to my stance on this, I'll be able to marry Kristine Opolais without dumping Anna - I mean, supposing that Anna dumps Erwin and marries me soon, as I'm sure will happen - she should better hurry if she wants to be the second wife (after my own, of course) with Kristine as third - Anna, please, get the plan going otherwise you'll end up third wife! [Alma calls his real state agent about that house in Utah]


I think that once you see the Rusalka DVD you are going to be very happy but might have to fight off her hubby Andris Nelsons.


----------



## Almaviva

jflatter said:


> I think that once you see the Rusalka DVD you are going to be very happy but might have to fight off her hubby Andris Nelsons.


 In my fantasy life of soprano polygamy, their husbands are not important. They always dump them for me. The only annoying thing is that when I wake up, the sopranos aren't there any longer.


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

This ought to but Anna back on top... ummm... errr... so to speak. Alma, just make sure you've taken your blood pressure medicine before viewing this one:


----------



## Philmwri

Michael Maniaci is worth mentioning here.He is a full lyric soprano.His larynx never fully developed so he is a male soprano and not a countertenor.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Philmwri said:


> Michael Maniaci is worth mentioning here.He is a full lyric soprano.His larynx never fully developed so he is a male soprano and not a countertenor.


He he I don't think he's going to be knocking Anna off her perch in Alma's affections any time soon:










(Maniaci is the one in the pink wig)


----------



## Aksel

mamascarlatti said:


> He he I don't think he's going to be knocking Anna off her perch in Alma's affections any time soon:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Maniaci is the one in the pink wig)


What on earth is he in? 'Cause that costume is fab-u-lous. *z-motion with hands*


----------



## mamascarlatti

Aksel said:


> What on earth is he in? 'Cause that costume is fab-u-lous. *z-motion with hands*


----------



## amfortas

Philmwri said:


> Michael Maniaci is worth mentioning here.He is a full lyric soprano.His larynx never fully developed so he is a male soprano and not a countertenor.


Could we not talk about things never fully developing? Too many painful memories.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


>


 Is this as good as Il Burbero di Buon Cuore?


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> He he I don't think he's going to be knocking Anna off her perch in Alma's affections any time soon:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (Maniaci is the one in the pink wig)


Anna who? I'm in love with Kristine Opolais now.

(Kidding)


----------



## Philmwri

I wish Natalie Dessay would get her act together.She was awesome in the 90's and she's still good today. She's not even even 50 and is already declining vocally.She strains when she sings E6 and higher these days.


----------



## mamascarlatti

I saw a wise interview on this DVD. The message was as follows:

The voice is produced by the body. Bodies decline with age. So voices will also naturally decline. But at the same time the artist is maturing and learning.

So let's celebrate the young'uns for their high notes, and the old'uns for the depth of understanding, interpretation and wisdom they bring to their roles.


----------



## Guest

I can't believe nobody has mentioned this performance of Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mzensk, with the estimable vocal talent on one Marketa Hrubesova! I understand that she has a striking vocal resemblance to Galina Vishnevskaya, among her other striking qualities.

















:devil:


----------



## amfortas

Philmwri said:


> I wish Natalie Dessay would get her act together.She was awesome in the 90's and she's still good today. She's not even even 50 and is already declining vocally.She strains when she sings E6 and higher these days.


I'm a big fan of Natalie, too, and want her to do well. I'm curious: how do you see her getting her act together? Is her vocal strain simply an inevitable result of age and medical problems, or is there something she could/should be doing to help her voice? I'm not a singer, so I'd be interested in hearing from those who know more about vocal technique.

P.S. After writing all of that, I came across mamascarlatti's post above (#451), which may go a long way toward answering my question.


----------



## Philmwri

Natalie started having vocal problems in 2001 when she was 36 which is very young.She had surgery in 2002 and 2003.She took on some that were too heavy for her very lyric coloratura voice.


----------



## sospiro

Great reviews of Cendrillon including some nice compliments for our Kiwisop (Madeleine Pierard)

Mark Ronan



> The nasty sisters were vivaciously played by Madeleine Pierard and Kai Rüütel, both in the young artists programme


Opera Britannia



> .. was given good support by Jette Parker Young Artists Madeleine Pierard and Kai Rüütel as her daughters, similarly ridiculously costumed


The Arts Desk



> ..well foiled by two of the house's Jette Parker Young Artists, Madeleine Pierard and Kai Rüütel, as her strutting-chicken daughters


and quote of the day from The Independent



> .. the legendary Polish contralto Ewa Podles who now uses the break into her chest register like a weapon of mass destruction.


----------



## Almaviva

Jekaterina Tretjakova


----------



## Almaviva

Silvia Moi


----------



## Almaviva

Malin Hartelius


----------



## classidaho

I've been enjoying a very lovely album (LP circa972) of Bidu Sayão (Brazilian born soprano and thought her to be very lovely.


----------



## Almaviva

classidaho said:


> I've been enjoying a very lovely album (LP circa972) of Bidu Sayão (Brazilian born soprano and thought her to be very lovely.


Oh yeah. She was lovely. She's appeared in a couple of our threads already (great singers of the past, opera on CD) but I'm not sure if she had found her way to this thread before, so thanks for remembering her.


----------



## macgeek2005

jhar26 said:


> Not only the record companies, but the opera houses as well. Probably even more so in fact, and not only when it comes to females. They want singers that look the part they are singing and productions have become physically more demanding also. So I think we won't see many more 300 pound tenors standing at the same spot of the stage for three hours or Montserrat Caballe lookalikes taking on the role of Madama Butterfly.


Oh is this true!? I SO hope you're right! It absolutely ruins a production when Eva Marton plays Leonora (Il Trovatore), or Sharon Sweet plays the lead in La Forza del Destino.... blegh. I hate it. It ruins it completely.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Something about Natalie D, for Ian.

http://blog.onopera.com/2011/08/from-santa-fe.html


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Something about Natalie D, for Ian.
> 
> http://blog.onopera.com/2011/08/from-santa-fe.html


Knowing what *you* usually post about our favorite lovely sopranos, I clicked on your link with trepidation, fully expecting that it was a picture of Ms. D's cough cough assets.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Almaviva said:


> Knowing what *you* usually post about our favorite lovely sopranos, I clicked on your link with trepidation, fully expecting that it was a picture of Ms. D's cough cough assets.


No, I usually only post assets for *you*.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> No, I usually only post assets for *you*.


 Why, thank you, sweetie!:kiss:
Erm... since we're talking about it, do you happen to have any more of those?:devil:


----------



## Norse

Norwegian coloratura Mari Eriksmoen


----------



## sospiro

The beautiful Kai Rüütel. A former ROH Young Artist, she will be singing Meg in Falstaff next year.










Read more about her here.


----------



## Almaviva

Wow, the two new additions above are gorgeous! But Annie, your link to read more about her only goes back to the picture.


----------



## Aksel

Almaviva said:


> Wow, the two new additions above are gorgeous! But Annie, your link to read more about her only goes back to the picture.


And rather talented. Mari Eriksmoen covered Zerbinetta for Diana Damrau in Vienna whilst Mrs. Damrau was busy having a baby.


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> Wow, the two new additions above are gorgeous! But Annie, your link to read more about her only goes back to the picture.


Link to story


----------



## mamascarlatti

Alma: check out the title of this article in the Daily Beast.


----------



## Almaviva

mamascarlatti said:


> Alma: check out the title of this article in the Daily Beast.


Hehehe, fabulous! I made a dent in opera history.
I'll tell my grandchildren one day that the great diva Anna Netrebko La Bellissima got her nickname thanks to my efforts.
Yay!!!


----------



## MAuer

Here's the review from yesterday's Met opening:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/a...an-opera-performs-donizettis-anna-bolena.html


----------



## Almaviva

MAuer said:


> Here's the review from yesterday's Met opening:
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/a...an-opera-performs-donizettis-anna-bolena.html


Nice. Anna was praised enough, although Anthony Tommasini *had* to nitpick a little (so that people think he knows his stuff).


----------



## Almaviva

Whoa! I didn't know this soprano, until the current Opera News issue showed some beautiful pics of her. Hot!!!










Mojca Erdmann

Does anybody have an opinion on her singing and acting?

Well, I liked this sample even thought the voice is a bit irregular (some lovely pics at the end):






Edit - OK, I have realized that I actually do know this soprano, I have a DVD with her, she sings Zaide for the M22 box set.


----------



## sospiro

mamascarlatti said:


> Alma: check out the title of this article in the Daily Beast.


Great interview (and smiley!)


----------



## rgz

Almaviva said:


> Nice. Anna was praised enough, although Anthony Tommasini *had* to nitpick a little (so that people think he knows his stuff).


When are you seeing it? And, more importantly, will you wait by the stage door? If that's not an option, someone from another site gave me tips about getting on the guest list pre-show if you're interested


----------



## MAnna

Well, Opera San Jose just picked up a promising resident soprano - Jasmina Halimic. Do they count in this contest? A guy can dream


----------



## Almaviva

rgz said:


> When are you seeing it? And, more importantly, will you wait by the stage door? If that's not an option, someone from another site gave me tips about getting on the guest list pre-show if you're interested


I had to change the date and won't be there for the Met in HD performance. I'm seeing it on Monday October 10. Yes, I *want* to be at the stage door, but I'm afraid my wife, my friend and his wife won't want to wait for hours. So yes, what are the tips for the guest list pre-show?


----------



## Almaviva

MAnna said:


> Well, Opera San Jose just picked up a promising resident soprano - Jasmina Halimic. Do they count in this contest? A guy can dream


Wow! Beautiful!!!!


----------



## rgz

Almaviva said:


> I had to change the date and won't be there for the Met in HD performance. I'm seeing it on Monday October 10. Yes, I *want* to be at the stage door, but I'm afraid my wife, my friend and his wife won't want to wait for hours. So yes, what are the tips for the guest list pre-show?


Here's the info verbatim. Got this info too late for my March 2011 trip but will use it next March when I see l'Elisir

_Back when I was in college (97-03) I went to the manhattan school of music and went to the MET more than a 100 times in the standing room which was super cheap. The reason I say this is because there I learned that if you go into the backstage entrance in the concourse section under lincoln center you can (though I should say I don't know if they still do this but it's worth a try) go to the green room entrance and ask to leave a note for whatever artist you'd want to meet. I usually just left a short note saying "I'm a big fan and would love to be on your guest list" and after the show I'd be on the guest list. Then it was just a matter of standing in line before you get to go into the green room and say hi. Some artists are friendlier than others but I never did not get on the list. It's very much worth a shot. And me getting in wasn't at all related to me being a music student or anything. _

e: so just to clarify, you have to leave a note pre-show, but actually meeting Anna would be post-show, which while faster than waiting by the stage door might still be too late for your wife and friends.


----------



## Almaviva

Oh wow, I like this. Maybe if the other three people in my party don't want to wait, I'll just tell my friend and his wife to take my wife to the hotel and then I'll wait by myself for as long as necessary. My hotel is at walking distance from the Lincoln Center so it wouldn't be a big problem for the three of them. 

I really want to meet Anna and tell her that I'm the guy who spread the word about the moniker La Bellissima, which has made it into Wikipedia, The Independent (UK), The Daily Beast, and Newsweek. And I have her agent's email to prove it to her (I'll print a copy). I'd love to see her reaction.


----------



## MAuer

Almaviva said:


> Oh wow, I like this. Maybe if the other three people in my party don't want to wait, I'll just tell my friend and his wife to take my wife to the hotel and then I'll wait by myself for as long as necessary. My hotel is at walking distance from the Lincoln Center so it wouldn't be a big problem for the three of them.
> 
> I really want to meet Anna and tell her that I'm the guy who spread the word about the moniker La Bellissima, which has made it into Wikipedia, The Independent (UK), The Daily Beast, and Newsweek. And I have her agent's email to prove it to her (I'll print a copy). I'd love to see her reaction.


And then you'll have to give us all the details! :devil:


----------



## MAnna

Has anyone else noticed that this thread has 482 replies and *18,892 *views?

I'm just sayin'


----------



## Almaviva

MAnna said:


> Has anyone else noticed that this thread has 482 replies and *18,892 *views?
> 
> I'm just sayin'


Well of course... these nice looking ladies do attract views... This proves my running point that looks in opera are important.


----------



## ooopera

For Alma ...


----------



## DarkAngel

*Alexandrina Pendatchanska*

Has appeared in several Rene Jacobs opera sets including the newest Agrippina release:


----------



## mamascarlatti

DarkAngel said:


> *Alexandrina Pendatchanska*
> Has appeared in several Rene Jacobs opera sets including the newest Agrippina release


And as a very fine Donna Elvira in the Jacobs Don Giovanni DVD, alongside *Malin Byström* as Donna Anna










and the winsome *Sunhae Im *as Zerlina










Quite a charming lineup.


----------



## DarkAngel

*While we are talking about Don G...........*

making her MET debut this season as Zerlina in Don G, *Mojca Erdmann*


----------



## Almaviva

^ Yep, but I beat you to her. See post #475.


----------



## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk

Carmen Reppel, as Freia in the boulez/chereau ring. way too hot.


----------



## ooopera

*Sabina Cvilak*

She recently sang Britten's War requiem with Simon Keenlyside, Ian Bostridge and London Symphony Orchestra in New York and London.


----------



## kv466

Lina Cavalieri


----------



## Almaviva

ooopera said:


> *Sabina Cvilak*
> 
> She recently sang Britten's War requiem with Simon Keenlyside, Ian Bostridge and London Symphony Orchestra in New York and London.


Oh wow!
[Alma, in shock: MUST! HAVE! DVD!]


----------



## sospiro

Almaviva said:


> Oh wow!
> [Alma, in shock: MUST! HAVE! DVD!]


Well I just hope she can sing cos these photos are considerably photo-shopped


----------



## Aramis

ooopera said:


>


She reminds me here of the other soprano I know with the difference that she (Sabina Cvilak) looks inferior.


----------



## Almaviva

Aramis said:


> She reminds me here *of the other soprano I know *with the difference that she (Sabina Cvilak) looks inferior.


Who?
..............................


----------



## Almaviva

sospiro said:


> Well I just hope she can sing cos these photos are considerably photo-shopped


After I realized that Anna in person looks even better than in her photo-shopped photos, I was willing to give Sabina the benefit of the doubt. But you're right. And she definitely can't sing. Unpolished and strident. [Alma, disappointed]






For appropriate contrast, refer to the same aria by a pro:


----------



## ooopera

Almaviva said:


> And she definitely can't sing. Unpolished and strident. [Alma, disappointed]


Oh yes! That's what I wanted to hear! She looks great, but she can't sing.
[ooopera, satisfied]

P.S.: But she's still singing with Keenlyside etc.


----------



## Aramis

Almaviva said:


> Who?
> ..............................


Well, like I said, soprano that *I* know, not one that is familiar to opera listeners around the globe.


----------



## Almaviva

^Lucky you. Does she sing a really high note, at, you know, cough cough, that moment?


----------



## CountessAdele

She may have been mentioned before, but here's Rachele Gilmore a young colorautra soprano:


----------



## sospiro

*Nino Machaidze *










Interview with Nino. I like this: 'Opera's beauty is recognized in the theater.'


----------



## Almaviva

sospiro said:


> *Nino Machaidze *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Interview with Nino. I like this: 'Opera's beauty is recognized in the theater.'


""The Angelina Jolie of the opera world" -- this always amuses me. And actually I take it as a compliment, because I think that Angelina Jolie is a very beautiful woman. So I just say thank you! Why not? But as for a "new Anna Netrebko" -- I always say that I am not a new Anna Netrebko. She is a great singer, and I admire Anna and her voice. But I am Nino Machaidze. And I keep repeating it: I am Nino Machaidze."

One can sense some tension there, especially in the large context of the interview when she did mention Russian's invasion of Georgia (the full interview is available when one clicks on "source").


----------



## CountessAdele

She's been mentioned before but when I saw this picture I just had to post it because I don't think I've ever seen her look more beautiful.









And I can't remember if Joan was mentioned, it's true she's not a conventional beauty, but she looks very lovely in this picture!









:tiphat:


----------



## CountessAdele

I know these two ladies were mentioned already but again the picture was too good not to share.


----------



## Grosse Fugue

Where is that image from? Is it a cd or something?


----------



## CountessAdele

Grosse Fugue said:


> Where is that image from? Is it a cd or something?


I'm not sure, and I don't remember where I got it.  Sorry.


----------



## Bardamu

Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz


----------



## edge

This is my favorite thread so far!


----------



## Itullian

hey, i'm a leg man. who's got the best gams is what i wanna know.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Itullian said:


> hey, i'm a leg man. who's got the best gams is what i wanna know.


Stéphanie D'Oustrac. Check out the DVD of Les Paladins by Rameau. I am green with envy.


----------



## Itullian

mamascarlatti said:


> Stéphanie D'Oustrac. Check out the DVD of Les Paladins by Rameau. I am green with envy.


me thinkst you're too modest mama s.


----------



## FookMeToo

Bogna Sokorska has a lovely voice. She was trained by Ada Sari.


----------



## Desiree

I'm sure she has already been mentioned here before because I can hardly believe that such a pretty face can go unnoticed. Anyway, I just want everyone to know that for me, the loveliest soprano is this woman:









Lucia Popp, a lovely face that matched an even lovelier voice.


----------



## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk

Wendy Bryn Harmer gutrune.

if waltraud meier ever wants a divorce i know who i'm goin after.


----------



## Badinerie

I hate to fall in with the crowd, but I have to admit...Anna Netrebko is just my type. Angela Gheorghiu is still hot though...Close call for a man of my years.


----------



## AndyS

FookMeToo said:


> Bogna Sokorska has a lovely voice. She was trained by Ada Sari.


I'm a fan too, although I haven't much to go on. Criminally underacknowledged I think, she has a really beautiful voice, although admittedly her Italian and French diction isn't great


----------



## AlainB

There's pretty much only one soprano which I really like, and although it may be a little cliché choice in some people's opinion, which would be Montserrat Caballé. She sings Bel Canto as it should, and she just has a very lovely, and soft touch to her voice. She opens my heart every time I listen to her performances.

She did a great job in Don Carlos.


----------



## AndyS

Just watched Renee Fleming in the first act of La Traviata with Sir Antonio conducting

Not a soprano I could listen to often on record, but watching her she's amazing. A live soprano without peer in the current generation. Gorgeous woman, even though she's old enough to be my mum


----------



## fuzzyLogic

Natalie Dessay is the loveliest in my opinion, both vocally and otherwise


----------



## fuzzyLogic

"Bogna Sokorska has a lovely voice. She was trained by Ada Sari."
oh she is nice sounding!


----------



## loveforsatin

CountessAdele said:


> She may have been mentioned before, but here's Rachele Gilmore a young colorautra soprano:
> 
> View attachment 2625


 lovely dress


----------



## guythegreg

sospiro said:


> I've always thought Kiri was beautiful. But I don't look at women in the same way as men do!!


I was going to mention Kiri! The opening scene in Rosenkavalier ... just gives me the shivers. Netrebko, now, you can have Netrebko. Kiri did the Duchess of Krakenthorp recently at the Met, and sang a little song, and did a little dance, and I was there ... sigh. Still a ferociously attractive woman.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Got to post Antonacci again. I saw in the flesh in Les Troyens in London, and afterwards backstage, and she is really gorgeous.


----------



## guythegreg

mamascarlatti said:


> Got to post Antonacci again. I saw in the flesh in Les Troyens in London, and afterwards backstage, and she is really gorgeous.


and look at this: you're up to 27,000 views! lol I love it ... we should do a loveliest tenors thread too, right?


----------



## mamascarlatti

guythegreg said:


> and look at this: you're up to 27,000 views! lol I love it ... *we should do a loveliest tenors thread *too, right?


There is one, that was buried away in the archives; I've just revived it. To be honest there seem to be more lovely women than men in opera. Tenors are particularly disappointing, they are often tubby little men with beards, and I usually fancy the baritone far more.


----------



## guythegreg

Oh I know ... wonderful singers, but short and fat! Well, whaddayagonnado ...


----------



## myaskovsky2002

The best ever!






Martin


----------



## guythegreg

Martin, that was EXCELLENT! I must have this woman. lol


----------



## MAuer

mamascarlatti said:


> There is one, that was buried away in the archives; I've just revived it. To be honest there seem to be more lovely women than men in opera. Tenors are particularly disappointing, they are often tubby little men with beards, and I usually fancy the baritone far more.


We have some very good-loooking tenors around today, and while they may occasionally sport beards, they definitely aren't tubby. Jonas Kaufmann, Juan Diego Florez, and Charles Castronovo immediately come to mind, but I'm sure there are others. Klaus Florian Vogt and Piotr Beczala aren't bad looking, either.


----------



## mamascarlatti

MAuer said:


> We have some very good-loooking tenors around today, and while they may occasionally sport beards, they definitely aren't tubby. Jonas Kaufmann, Juan Diego Florez, and Charles Castronovo immediately come to mind, but I'm sure there are others. Klaus Florian Vogt and Piotr Beczala aren't bad looking, either.


I think I already posted all of them.


----------



## SnowMaiden

my favourite (both appearance and singing) are: Pons, Anderson, Swenson, Gruberova, Persson, Netrebko, Solberg, Moffo, Feodulova, Miroshnichenko and others. Lots of, they are are all unique and gorgeous!

Magnetic June Anderson and her Ombres legeres:


----------



## BevSills

My Loveliest Soprano is Anneliese Rothenberger. Her record covers always melted my heart.


----------



## Jobis

Living? Barbara Hannigan. She's dreamy.


----------



## JohnGerald

Well, THIS is an interesting thread! I am a bit surprised that it survives in our politically correct environment, But since I am one of the least PC people on the planet ...

I think that Netrebko, DiDonato, Damrau, Susanna Brancini, Svetla Vassileva, and Antonacci (that slow strip in Un Giorno di Regno gave me the vapors, you betch'a!) are all delights to the eyes.

As far as the comments on morality go, I respectfully note that (1) morality is a moving target from an historical perspective; what is cool today, ain't tomorrow. Second, I cherish many fond memories of ladies with whom I was friendly over the decades and would vigorously object to anyone trying to diminish those memories or the women who populate them on gounds of morality or immorality. None were professional opera singers, sad to say ...


----------



## perempe

Klára Kolonits is my favourite local singer.


----------



## Bellinilover

Joan Sutherland is rarely mentioned as having been lovely to look at, but I think she was beautiful and regal:


----------



## Bellinilover

sospiro said:


> I've always thought Kiri was beautiful. But I don't look at women in the same way as men do!!


I've always been struck by how beautiful she looks as Desdemona in the Covent Garden video of _Otello_:


----------



## Bellinilover

And of course there are Anna Netrebko and Elizabeth Futral, two of the loveliest ever IMO:














That's also Anna in my avatar, by the way.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Bellinilover said:


> I've always been struck by how beautiful she looks as Desdemona in the Covent Garden video of _Otello_:
> 
> View attachment 47321


She still looks amazing. She was having coffee in the next door cafe from where I work the other day!


----------



## nina foresti

Plenty of eye candy out there. Not including past "lovelies" like Corelli, Callas and Te Kanawa:

Netrebko/Opolais/Fleming/Gheorghiu/Garanca/Perez
Hvorostovsky/Kaufmann/Alagna/Castronovo/Florez/Mattei/Hampson/Grigolo


----------



## MAuer

I've always thought Camilla Nylund is an attractive woman. Here she is as Countess Almaviva (in concert) with Gerald Finley as the Count:


----------



## Tsaraslondon

I haven't gone through every post yet, but has anyone yet mentioned Elisabeth Schwarzkopf?


----------



## SixFootScowl

Frederica Von Stade in La Cenerentola


----------



## Tsaraslondon

Florestan said:


> Frederica Von Stade in La Cenerentola


Love Von Stade in *La Cenerentola*, but she's a mezzo.


----------



## DavidA

Try Auger in Handel's Messiah with Pinnock.


----------



## Marschallin Blair

GregMitchell said:


> I haven't gone through every post yet, but has anyone yet mentioned Elisabeth Schwarzkopf?
> 
> View attachment 47379
> 
> 
> View attachment 47380
> 
> 
> View attachment 47381


Goddess.

Goddess.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand 'Goddess.'

I think that covers it.


----------



## Itullian

mamascarlatti said:


> Isabel Leonard, also known as Mrs Teddy Tahu Rhodes. I'm watching her as Stéphano in Met Player's Romeo et Juliette.


:guitar: :kiss:


----------



## SixFootScowl

GregMitchell said:


> Love Von Stade in *La Cenerentola*, but she's a mezzo.


Well Wikipedia says she is mezzo-soprano so I thought I could squeeze her in to this thread.

But here is a lovely soprano:


----------



## Dongiovanni

Don Giovanni thinks this Zerlina is very lovely.


----------



## Dongiovanni

Very nice backstage candid portrait by a famous photographer...


----------



## TomC

Malin Hartelius


----------



## MAuer

Hartelius is wonderful as Servilia in the video of _La Clemenza di Tito_ from the Zürich Opera.


----------



## mamascarlatti

Such a beautiful photo pf Kristine Opolais:


----------



## deggial

GregMitchell said:


> but she's a mezzo.


sort of. Falcon, eh?


----------



## SixFootScowl

GregMitchell said:


> Love Von Stade in *La Cenerentola*, but she's a mezzo.


However, 


> For a listener who had not thought of Miss von Stade as a coloratura soprano, the performance was a revelation.


from HOUSTON DIGS UP ROSSINI 'DONNA DEL LAGO', published 1981


----------



## Seattleoperafan

Herkku said:


> I do agree that Caballe (for example) is best heard on audio recordings, but she had one of the most beautiful voices of the last century. And, as mentioned in my message of Norma on DVD, the one with her from Orange was my favourite before the Cedolins. And I didn't mind the extra kilos at all. Good looks don't hurt, but it's possible to enjoy the singing even if it is the famous fat lady...


Videos of Caballe in the early 60's show a very handsome, much, much thinner woman than we normally picture when we think of her. I always thought Gwyneth Jones was very striking on stage. Renee Fleming is a gorgeous woman on stage! Callas looked great in photos and in an interview with a BRitish lord, but in general I found her much harder looking on video than in still photographs. Kathleen Battle was breathtaking in both beauty and voice when I saw her in concert. I thought Jessye Norman was very, very striking.


----------



## Sloe

Seattleoperafan said:


> Videos of Caballe in the early 60's show a very handsome, much, much thinner woman than we normally picture when we think of her.


Her daughter Montserrat Marti who is also a soprano is a slim and handsome woman and still similar to her mother. Then there are better looking sopranos.


----------



## Tsaraslondon

deggial said:


> sort of. Falcon, eh?


Not really, Falcon sang quite a few dramatic roles I can't imagine Von Stade attempting - Julia in *La Vestale*, Valentine in *Les Huguenots*, Rachel in *La Juive*, for instance.


----------



## deggial

hm, then she must be a high mezzo.


----------



## Tsaraslondon

deggial said:


> hm, then she must be a high mezzo.


A high _mezzo_ certainly, but still a mezzo.


----------



## SixFootScowl

Louise Le Cavelier. Not much info online and searches are confounded by a dancer who has the same name but for one letter being different. It appears Louise only had this one album in 1978, which was re-released on CD with a much later photograph:


----------



## Itullian

Graziella Sciutti
:kiss: :guitar:


----------



## Couac Addict

...too late to cast my vote for Mari Lyn?


----------



## DarkAngel

Itullian said:


> Graziella Sciutti


I found her opera double......


----------



## JohnGerald

It looks like Ann Margaret ...


----------



## Itullian

DarkAngel said:


> I found her opera double......


Pretty close DA.  :tiphat:


----------



## Pugg

Souliotis was a beautiful woman, I do love her Norma , but this is stunning.

​


----------



## Couac Addict

Bianca Castafiore?


----------



## Itullian




----------



## Itullian

Jennifer Larmore
:angel:


----------



## Marschallin Blair

Itullian said:


> Jennifer Larmore
> :angel:


She's a genuinely-nice person as well.


----------



## Pugg

​
Another one of my favourites, beautiful voice and in my humble opinion did also stay always in the works she performed within her vocal range.


----------



## SixFootScowl




----------



## Itullian




----------



## Itullian

Jill Gomez


----------



## Itullian

My favorite. Judith Blegen


----------



## SixFootScowl

I like Judith Belgin. In fact my fist Messiah set (Westenburg) was selected base on her voice in the track, Rejoice Greatly.


----------



## Guest

I like this three ladies and they can sing also.


----------



## Tsaraslondon

traverso said:


> View attachment 49594
> View attachment 49595
> View attachment 49593
> I like this three ladies and they can sing also.


Except one is a contralto, and one a mezzo-soprano.


----------



## Guest

I overlooked that a bit in my urge to find these ladies, and beautiful they are.My choice is Lisa della Casa.


----------



## BaronScarpia

Olga Peretyatko (my future wife)


----------



## Pugg

BaronScarpia said:


> Olga Peretyatko (my future wife)
> 
> View attachment 49668
> View attachment 49669
> View attachment 49670
> View attachment 49671


I am sorry to say :she's married to Michele Mariotti  conductor .


----------



## BaronScarpia

Pugg said:


> I am sorry to say :she's married to Michele Mariotti  conductor .


Yes, I know... people do have accidents, though... :devil:


----------



## DavidA

Wonder how much airbrushing goes into these pictures!


----------



## Pugg

BaronScarpia said:


> Yes, I know... people do have accidents, though... :devil:


I do understand your nickname now :lol:


----------



## BaronScarpia

Pugg said:


> I do understand your nickname now :lol:


I can't imagine Ms Peretyatko ever singing Tosca, though!


----------



## BaronScarpia

DavidA said:


> Wonder how much airbrushing goes into these pictures!


With Olga? None! I refuse to believe that she is anything but natural and pure. Why else does she sing so many -inas?


----------



## SixFootScowl




----------



## ribonucleic

DavidA said:


> Wonder how much airbrushing goes into these pictures!


OK, here is Ms. Peretyatko in an (as far as I can tell) unretouched photograph:










She'll do. :devil:


----------



## ribonucleic

Also, nothing wrong with Diana Damrau...










... or Christine Schäfer.


----------



## Marcel

I like the voice Netrebko than Gheorghiu. Both are beautiful. I was also impressed by the physical beauty of Magdalena Kozena and Christine Schäfer. The mezzo Elina Garanča is beautiful in every sense.


----------



## Itullian




----------



## Itullian




----------



## Scopitone

What a delightful topic for discussion!

I listened to a Miah Persson album last night (_Portraits_), and I am listening to Elina Garanca's _Bel Canto_ right now - both inspired by this thread. :tiphat:

What's a good first DVD purchase for Anna Netrebko? _La Traviata_?

How about Elina Garanca? _Cinderella_?


----------



## Op.123

Seriously, this woman was a work of art, will nature ever again create a face with such incredible expressive lines and effortless beauty?


----------



## Scopitone

Burroughs said:


> Seriously, this woman was a work of art, will nature ever again create a face with such incredible expressive lines and effortless beauty?


Otherworldly, indeed.


----------



## Sloe

I had a dream once were I was together with Hyunju Park. That is a dream I want to live in:






As Lucia Di Lammermoor:










As Madama Butterfly:


----------



## Pugg

Scopitone said:


> What a delightful topic for discussion!
> 
> I listened to a Miah Persson album last night (_Portraits_), and I am listening to Elina Garanca's _Bel Canto_ right now - both inspired by this thread. :tiphat:
> 
> What's a good first DVD purchase for Anna Netrebko?La Traviata
> 
> How about Elina Garanca? _Cinderella_?


Noooooo ................... don't go there, it's horrible , avoid it like the plague .


----------



## Scopitone

Pugg said:


> Noooooo ................... don't go there, it's horrible , avoid it like the plague .


Avoid which one like the plague?


----------



## Pugg

Scopitone said:


> Avoid which one like the plague?


La Traviata, it's horrible , just a clock on stage , please don't you are going to regret it .


----------



## Scopitone

Pugg said:


> La Traviata, it's horrible , just a clock on stage , please don't you are going to regret it .


Haha, thanks. I will keep that suggestion in mind.

What video for Anna, then?


----------



## Pugg

Scopitone said:


> Haha, thanks. I will keep that suggestion in mind.
> 
> What video for Anna, then?


I cant be objective on that question , I am not her biggest fan ,but this one will do.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Erato/3633529


----------



## Seattleoperafan

David Hanson is the best looking soprano in the world to me among current opera singers. Also my favorite. Anna Moffo is my favorite from the past.


----------



## Pugg

Seattleoperafan said:


> David Hanson is the best looking soprano in the world to me among current opera singers. Also my favourite. Anna Moffo is my favourite from the past.


Are you head off his fan club?


----------



## Seattleoperafan

Pugg said:


> Are you head off his fan club?


LOL. I am mad for him like half this forum is insanely mad for La Divina. I love his voice and he is so damn cute!!!!


----------



## BalalaikaBoy

1) Mary Costa
2) Anna Moffo
3) June Anderson
4) Annick Massis 
5) Edda Moser
6) Dragana Rodovic 
7) Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
8) Natalie Dessay

honestly, I find Gheorghiu and Trebs kind of obnoxious looking for some reason

mezzos are _much_ easier. in no particular order
1) Elina Garanca
2) Mignon Dunn
3) Jennifer Larmore
4) Joyce DiDonato
5) Eula Beal
6) Rise Stevens
7) Brigitte Fassbaender 
8) Denyce Graves


----------



## Lensky

and *Lisa Della Casa* ????


----------



## Scopitone

Lensky said:


> and *Lisa Della Casa* ????
> 
> View attachment 86929


What a Stunner!

I like this one, in what looks to be the same gown:


----------



## BalalaikaBoy

Seattleoperafan said:


> David Hanson is the best looking soprano in the world to me among current opera singers. Also my favorite. Anna Moffo is my favorite from the past.


nooooo, Jarrousky, then Hanson


----------



## Belowpar

Lensky said:


> and *Lisa Della Casa* ????
> 
> View attachment 86929
> 
> 
> View attachment 86930
> 
> 
> View attachment 86931


Something missing


----------



## Scopitone

Belowpar said:


> Something missing


My favorite comment under that video:

"Every one (including Strauss) raves about her Strauss. Too bad Mozart wasn't around to rave about her Mozart, which is every bit good."


----------



## Scopitone

Watch her in the interview at the beginning. I have no idea what she's saying, but I am pretty sure I am now in love with her. And that's _before _the divine singing begins.


----------



## satoru

How about Ayako Tanaka? Portrait taken from her web page (http://www.ayakotanakasoprano.com/?lang=eng)









Her singing (hope she was more precise on the pitch but nonetheless good enough for me)





PS. This maybe better


----------



## Seattleoperafan

BalalaikaBoy said:


> nooooo, Jarrousky, then Hanson


Very sexy. Probably would be more fun as David claims to be heterosexual.Max Cencic was also gorgeous when he was young. Really gorgeous.


----------



## Pugg

Seattleoperafan said:


> Very sexy. Probably would be more fun as David claims to be heterosexual.Max Cencic was also gorgeous when he was young. Really gorgeous.


So does Jarrousky


----------



## Seattleoperafan

Pugg said:


> So does Jarrousky


The most I could find was that he didn't want to discuss it. To me he seems very gay acting, but that is not a reliable determiner of sexual orientation. Have you found anything more definite.


----------



## Pugg

Seattleoperafan said:


> The most I could find was that he didn't want to discuss it. To me he seems very gay acting, but that is not a reliable determiner of sexual orientation. Have you found anything more definite.


I don't, probably the same source, "don't wanna talk about it" .
2016 come on man, records sales will hit the roofs.


----------



## BaritoneAssoluto

Seattleoperafan said:


> The most I could find was that he didn't want to discuss it. To me he seems very gay acting, but that is not a reliable determiner of sexual orientation. Have you found anything more definite.


I read he was in a relationship with a man but that's been a while ago.


----------



## Scopitone

Been watching the 2009 Met production of _Hoffman_, and I am really digging on mezzo Kate Lindsey. As Nicklausse, she spends most of the show walking around like Marlene Dietrich, and it's sexy as hell. Plus, she has a gorgeous voice and a very expressive face. She's been working her way up, playing lots of leads around the world in the last couple of years. But not much has been recorded, sadly.


----------



## BaritoneAssoluto

Scopitone said:


> Been watching the 2009 Met production of _Hoffman_, and I am really digging on mezzo Kate Lindsey. As Nicklausse, she spends most of the show walking around like Marlene Dietrich, and it's sexy as hell. Plus, she has a gorgeous voice and a very expressive face. She's been working her way up, playing lots of leads around the world in the last couple of years. But not much has been recorded, sadly.


I think PBS showed this like a few months back or even last year, or so. I didn't record it or watch it due to me having to go to work then .


----------



## Loge

OK, she is a Mezzo-Soprano, but I will go for the kinky option






Am I the only one?


----------



## Scopitone

Excuse me, Loge, but I have something in my eye.

That. Was. Fantastic.


----------



## Loge

Scopitone said:


> Excuse me, Loge, but I have something in my eye.
> 
> That. Was. Fantastic.


I can see where you are coming from. But here is some more






Managed to see Sarah Connolly in Tristan as Brangane and she was great.


----------



## BalalaikaBoy

this is Dragana Radakovic (it's particularly impressive to find a good looking dramatic soprano. that almost never happens lmao)


----------



## Pugg

Give me this one, any day of the week .


----------



## Scopitone

Borrowed this image from an article about modern opera that says the ladies must be pretty, good singers, and good actors. The author saw Fleming as a beginning of that modern trend. (before then, it wasn't always necessary that they be beautiful and good actresses, though of course some were)


----------



## Scopitone

Elīna Garanča


----------



## Reichstag aus LICHT

As one of the commentators at the _Cardiff Singer of the World_ said, Korean soprano Hye Jung Lee is "as cute as a button", and I couldn't agree more. She's also a remarkable singer:


----------



## Becca

I haven't scanned through all 42 pages of this thread but in the event that she hasn't been mentioned...

Danielle De Niese


----------



## huntsman

:tiphat::tiphat:


----------



## SixFootScowl

She looks rather scary!



huntsman said:


> View attachment 95463
> :tiphat::tiphat:


----------



## Sloe

I think Hyunju Park is the loveliest soprano and also my favourite soprano. Here she is in the opera Lutgarda were she plays a Christian martyr:


----------



## Becca

huntsman said:


> View attachment 95463
> :tiphat::tiphat:


Elina Garanca? Although that's her Met Carmen wig, she is actually a blonde.


----------



## huntsman

Becca said:


> Elina Garanca? Although that's her Met Carmen wig, she is actually a blonde.


Yes - I was horrified to learn that the curly, dark tresses were not her own... This was the first I had seen of her.


----------



## huntsman

She does actually! :lol:


----------



## Sloe

huntsman said:


> Yes - I was horrified to learn that the curly, dark tresses were not her own... This was the first I had seen of her.


I prefer brunettes but I have to admit that Elina Garanca is very beautiful:


----------



## BalalaikaBoy

huntsman said:


> View attachment 95463
> :tiphat::tiphat:


that's cheating! she's a mezzo (honestly, mezzos are prettier than sopranos on average imo).


----------



## BalalaikaBoy

Lensky said:


> and *Lisa Della Casa* ????
> 
> View attachment 86929
> 
> 
> View attachment 86930
> 
> 
> View attachment 86931


I didn't know Queen Elizabeth was an opera singer in her early years


----------



## Scopitone

In terms of "lovely soprano", Lisa Della Casa is probably my all time fave.


----------



## Pugg

Lovely and one of the best.:angel:


----------



## Seattleoperafan

I don't remember anyone mentioning Renee Fleming,but I saw her up close live in a recital dressed in Galianos and dripping in diamonds and she was the singularly most glamorous person I have ever seen live. I saw Kathleen Battle live in concert and she was breathtaking. I think that in her prime Gwyneth Jones was one of the most striking women on the operatic stage. Lisa Della Casa was a great beauty. Guleghena is also a very striking woman. I saw Anna Moffo as a mature woman in recital and even then she was spectacular looking.


----------



## Seattleoperafan

Pugg said:


> Lovely and one of the best.:angel:


 I spoke with her up close after a performance and she was riviting in person. Photos can't convey.


----------



## Pugg

Seattleoperafan said:


> I don't remember anyone mentioning Renee Fleming,but I saw her up close live in a recital dressed in Galianos and dripping in diamonds and she was the singularly most glamorous person I have ever seen live. I saw Kathleen Battle live in concert and she was breathtaking. I think that in her prime Gwyneth Jones was one of the most striking women on the operatic stage. Lisa Della Casa was a great beauty. Guleghena is also a very striking woman. I saw Anna Moffo as a mature woman in recital and even then she was spectacular looking.


​
Summer Night Concert 2017
If you ever have the opportunity to see this DVD, S.O.P you be even more stunned......
Only 6 songs but the way she dresses makes one jealous not to be so glamorous .


----------



## Becca

Anyone can be glamorous with the right combination of gown, makeup, hairdo and jewelry (even me!) - it really says very little about the person. If you really want to judge physical beauty then do so when they aren't trying.

View attachment 95489


----------



## Scopitone

Lisa Della Casa


----------



## Woodduck

Seattleoperafan said:


> I don't remember anyone mentioning Renee Fleming,but I saw her up close live in a recital dressed in Galianos and dripping in diamonds and she was the singularly most glamorous person I have ever seen live. I saw Kathleen Battle live in concert and she was breathtaking. I think that in her prime Gwyneth Jones was one of the most striking women on the operatic stage. Lisa Della Casa was a great beauty. Guleghena is also a very striking woman. I saw Anna Moffo as a mature woman in recital and even then she was spectacular looking.


I saw a video of Rene Fleming in an outrageous garment that brought to mind the story about Winston Churchill at a party asking a woman in a strapless gown, "What's holding that dress up?" The reply was, "Your age and my discretion."


----------



## Becca

Woodduck said:


> I saw a video of Rene Fleming in an outrageous garment that brought to mind the story about Winston Churchill at a party asking a woman in a strapless gown, "What's holding that dress up?" The reply was, "Your age and my discretion."


That quote actually was from Mary Garden!


----------



## Woodduck

Becca said:


> That quote actually was from Mary Garden!


Yes, I remember now. I must have read that forty years ago.


----------



## Scopitone

Woodduck said:


> I saw a video of Rene Fleming in an outrageous garment that brought to mind the story about Winston Churchill at a party asking a woman in a strapless gown, "What's holding that dress up?" The reply was, "Your age and my discretion."


I suspect Pugg can point us to this video if we ask nicely. :angel:


----------



## Scopitone

Of course La Sills sings right purty. But also, look at that picture!


----------



## Pugg

Scopitone said:


> I suspect Pugg can point us to this video if we ask nicely. :angel:


I am sorry, as much as I love to help, I am sure you can find your way around on you tube.


----------



## Woodduck

Scopitone said:


> Of course La Sills sings right purty. But also, look at that picture!


This proves Becca's point in post #646 above.


----------



## Pugg

Woodduck said:


> This proves Becca's point in post #646 above.


It proves nothing, I've seen Barbara Hannigan with the same amount of styling, just saying.


----------



## Becca

Pugg said:


> It proves nothing, I've seen Barbara Hannigan with the same amount of styling, just saying.


Clearly you did not understand my point.


----------



## Pugg

Becca said:


> Clearly you did not understand my point.


I did, I can find pics from _all artis_t behind the stages like you posted, the thread is about nice pics not home made selfies.
That's the point.


----------



## Itullian

I had a crush on Judith Blegen


----------



## Becca

Pugg said:


> I did, I can find pics from _all artis_t behind the stages like you posted, the thread is about nice pics not home made selfies.
> That's the point.


The title of the thread is "Loveliest Soprano......?", not "Nice Pics....?"


----------



## Pugg

Becca said:


> The title of the thread is "Loveliest Soprano......?", not "Nice Pics....?"


You know exactly what I mean, thanks you very much.


----------



## huntsman

You two been married long?


----------



## Tuoksu

just came across this photo of Anna Moffo and I'm not sure she belongs in this thread anymore..


----------



## Pugg

Lovely and style goes hand in hand.


----------



## Scopitone

Aaaaaand, I suspect that's the gown in question from the other day - the one you made me go look for myself. I didn't know what to find. 

It fit's the description, though. And she looks divine.


----------



## Woodduck

Scopitone said:


> Aaaaaand, I suspect that's the gown in question from the other day - the one you made me go look for myself. I didn't know what to find.
> 
> It fit's the description, though. And she looks divine.


Actually it was a different gown. She clearly has a terrific support system.


----------



## Pugg

Scopitone said:


> Aaaaaand, I suspect that's the gown in question from the other day - the one you made me go look for myself. I didn't know what to find.
> 
> It fit's the description, though. And she looks divine.


I do think she's sponsored by that couturier, sometimes the same name keep coming up after she's on telly, gowns by so and so as is the jewellery by so and so.


----------



## Scopitone

Pugg said:


> I do think she's sponsored by that couturier, sometimes the same name keep coming up after she's on telly, gowns by so and so as is the jewellery by so and so.


The best way to be. Looking like a million dollars can sometimes cost. . .a million dollars. It helps to have help.


----------



## Scopitone




----------



## Pugg

Scopitone said:


>


If you do like Strauss , you should watch that one .:clap:


----------



## Scopitone

Pugg said:


> If you do like Strauss , you should watch that one .:clap:


That's _Capriccio_, isn't it?

I have watched it. She was delightful, and so was the opera - especially her long piece at the end about her brother.

ETA: I saw your post in the other thread. No, this is not the version I have seen. I saw The Met's, which also had Sarah Connolly. It was very good.


----------



## Pugg

Pugg said:


> Lovely and style goes hand in hand.


I wonder what she's wearing , but most of all sounding, next Monday.:angel:


----------



## MAS

I think this one counts in loveliness in both appearance and voice


----------



## MAS

La Donna più bella del mondo, Lina Cavalieri









And her movie counterpart


----------



## Pugg

How about a young Lucia Popp? :angel:


----------



## Tuoksu

MAS said:


> And her movie counterpart
> 
> View attachment 97186


I've always thought Gina Lollobrigida is the counterpart of Anna Moffo (post plastic surgery.)


----------



## DarkAngel

Pugg said:


> Lovely and style goes hand in hand.


There is no doubt that Miss Fleming has aged extremely gracefully barely surrending any beauty to her younger self, no wonder Pugg is under her spell ha ha............


----------



## MAS

Tuoksu said:


> I've always thought Gina Lollobrigida is the counterpart of Anna Moffo (post plastic surgery.)


I'd accept that, but whose plastic surgery?


----------



## Pugg

DarkAngel said:


> There is no doubt that Miss Fleming has aged extremely gracefully barely surrending any beauty to her younger self, no wonder Pugg is under her spell ha ha............









From last Monday, dazzling as ever.:angel:


----------



## Tuoksu

MAS said:


> I'd accept that, but whose plastic surgery?


Anna's. She looks radically different before and after. Almost unrecognizable.


----------



## Sloe

Floria Tosca is an indeed lovely soprano:


----------



## VitellioScarpia

Netrebko has gone from lovely to looking like an ungainly fishwife: she belongs with the "lavandaie" when Falstaff is thrown down the window by Ned, Will, Tom, and Isaac!


----------



## Pugg

VitellioScarpia said:


> Netrebko has gone from lovely to looking like an ungainly fishwife: she belongs with the "lavandaie" when Falstaff is thrown down the window by Ned, Will, Tom, and Isaac!


Harsh but true.


----------



## Scopitone

Pugg said:


> Lovely and style goes hand in hand.


Quoting this pic because. . .

Just because.


----------



## ICHTHUS

ANNA NETREBKO, beautiful. It would be hard to place anyone above her.


----------



## ldiat

WELL I KNOW A FEW MEMBERS KNOW WHO I LO........LIKE, LIKE CHOOSE.


----------



## Pugg

ICHTHUS said:


> ANNA NETREBKO, beautiful. It would be hard to place anyone above her.


The real beauty is above her, in the picture. :angel:


----------



## Sloe

Aramis said:


> I was referring to the whole thread. Allow me repost some of those that are just like I said, please.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Heavily photoshoped.


Maki Mori is however a truly beautiful woman:

A more recent and less photoshoped picture:










Singing the fourth movement in Mahler´s fourth symphony:






From Rigoletto:


----------



## akhchew

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. Really physical appearance doesn't matter much to opera IMO unless it's something like Carmen maybe 

But this young lady is certainly easy on the eyes and singing with the Wiener Staatsoper is a mark of recognition in itself.

https://www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en/artists/opera/detail/artist/357-garifullina-aida/

I like her voice too. Not as dark as her compatriot Netrebko but technically very sound imo.


----------



## Sloe

I think Saekyung Rim is a very beautiful singer:

As Madama Butterfly:






As Giorgetta in Il Tabarro










A tv interwiev I don´t understand a word of what she is saying but she is really elegant:


----------



## SixFootScowl

classidaho said:


> Anna Moffo must certainly place up there, and I must nominate her as tops on my list!


For sure!


----------



## Rogerx

Can only be one.


----------



## ldiat




----------



## Sloe

Can only be Hyunju Park:


----------



## Tsaraslondon

Rogerx said:


> Can only be one.


Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.


----------



## Robert Thomas

Norse said:


> I watched a DVD of Gardiner's Figaro (Archiv, 1993) and found *Alison Hagley* as Susanna to be quite charming. I couldn't find a decent pic, so here's a couple of youtube clips instead.


I agree, Alison was also lovely as Melisande


----------



## Meyerbeer Smith

Yende is rather Pretty.


----------



## nina foresti

Isabel Leonard - gorgeous

Oropesa


----------



## VitellioScarpia

Tsaraslondon said:


> Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.


Very delicately put, Tsaras!


----------



## Rogerx

VitellioScarpia said:


> Very delicately put, Tsaras!


It's in the blood, personally I find it a compliment instead of a #####

Besides that, it's about Loveliest Soprano, not the most beautiful.


----------



## Rogerx

Nathalie Dessay


----------



## VitellioScarpia

Rogerx said:


> It's in the blood, personally I find it a compliment instead of a #####
> 
> Besides that, it's about Loveliest Soprano, not the most beautiful.


OK, then loveliness is in the eye of the beholder... :tiphat:


----------



## Rogerx

VitellioScarpia said:


> OK, then loveliness is in the eye of the beholder... :tiphat:


Indeed......................................


----------



## Sloe

I still think the loveliest soprano is Hyun Ju Park:










I also think Sonya Yoncheva is really lovely:










I think they both sing as beautiful as they look.

Too bad for me but hopefully not for them that both are married.


----------



## Rogerx

What a joy we all can have our own choice.


----------



## Rogerx




----------



## Plague

Asmik Grigorian:









Lisette Oropesa:









Maija Kovalevska:


----------

