# Thelma Votipka



## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

Thelma Votipka was a soprano, not a mezzo, even though she sang mezzo and even contralto comprimaria roles. For example, her role in Carmen was Frasquita.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Nevvahoidova.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Woodduck said:


> Nevvahoidova.


She’s in lots of live recordings especially at the Metropolitan Opera, where she was in over 1,400 appearances over 28 years. Her debut was in 1935 in *La Traviata *as Flora. You’d hear her name in most broadcasts (that’s how I remembered her).


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

Can someone please confirm that these recordings are truly hers?






How come a comprimario soprano sounds much more serviceable than most of the current prima donna, like Netrebko and Peretyatko? Which soprano at the moment can sing "_Il est doux_" like this?


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## Francasacchi (7 mo ago)

OffPitchNeb said:


> Can someone please confirm that these recordings are truly hers?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


She made her debut in a smaller opera house as the Countess in Figaro. She had a lovely well trained lyric soprano. She chose to do comprimaria roles because of the job security and alas, because she was not much of looker, she was told she should do character parts, which was really shameful, because she was really a fine singer who could do major parts.


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

Francasacchi said:


> She made her debut in a smaller opera house as the Countess in Figaro. She had a lovely well trained lyric soprano. She chose to do comprimaria roles because of the job security and alas, because she was not much of looker, she was told she should do character parts, which was really shameful, because she was really a fine singer who could do major parts.


What a shame the Lebendige Vergangenheit series didn't include her!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

OffPitchNeb said:


> How come a comprimario soprano sounds much more serviceable than most of the current prima donna, like Netrebko and Peretyatko? *Which soprano at the moment can sing "Il est doux" like this?*


My wild guess is "none." The are tears in my eyes, not only for the beauty and naturalness of Ms. Votipka's singing, but for so much that's been lost to the world or is soon to be lost.

Forgive an old man.


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## OffPitchNeb (Jun 6, 2016)

Woodduck said:


> My wild guess is "none." The are tears in my eyes, not only for the beauty and naturalness of Ms. Votipka's singing, but for so much that's been lost to the world or is soon to be lost.
> 
> Forgive an old man.


Naturalness is the keyword, mister Woodduck. I don't know why naturalness has faded. Even in very talented sopranos post-1950s like Freni, Scott, and Ricciarelli, we don't hear them sing as if they were speaking.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

OffPitchNeb said:


> Naturalness is the keyword, mister Woodduck. I don't know why naturalness has faded. Even in very talented sopranos post-1950s like Freni, Scott, and Ricciarelli, we don't hear them sing as if they were speaking.


Indeed. So much of today's singing sounds manufactured, and the factories all seem to use the same design manual. I think the title of it is "How to Produce that Opera Sound."


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