# Single Round: Divinities Du Styx Farrell, Traubel, Anderson



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)




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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I really like the Farrell version, I don't know much of her singing, but this is the first of her recordings that I have really enjoyed. There's far more fluency here than in the other dramatic soprano rep that I have heard her sing. The difference between high mezzo and dramatic soprano is one that flumoxes many and some would say why does it matter? Let's put it another way, Farrell sounds far more comfortable here than in her imolation scene or in her live Gioconda. We get nuance, class and style.

I expected to like Traubel as well, but the recording quality doesn't help her. This is a fine, noble reading of the aria and her voice is richer than Farrell's. However, she doesn't have quite the same sense of feeling within Gluck's style and it's overblown at moments. Still good though.

Anderson is a singer I know more by reputation than anything else and I was curious to hear a contralto in this aria. I love her voice and technically there is much to enjoy here. Another great version.

This is a tough one. I think Anderson is my favourite because I love a good contralto/dramatic mezzo rich sound. However, Farrell gets Gluck's style as few others have done (whilst a very different singer, she brought Janet Baker to mind as being suited to this music). Farrell gets the vote.

N.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The Conte said:


> I really like the Farrell version, I don't know much of her singing, but this is the first of her recordings that I have really enjoyed. There's far more fluency here than in the other dramatic soprano rep that I have heard her sing. The difference between high mezzo and dramatic soprano is one that flumoxes many and some would say why does it matter? Let's put it another way, Farrell sounds far more comfortable here than in her imolation scene or in her live Gioconda. We get nuance, class and style.
> 
> I expected to like Traubel as well, but the recording quality doesn't help her. This is a fine, noble reading of the aria and her voice is richer than Farrell's. However, she doesn't have quite the same sense of feeling within Gluck's style and it's overblown at moments. Still good though.
> 
> ...


It is fun to watch you think yourself through this. We have no one who can sing like these ladies today!


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

This is a dramatic piece that abounds in contrast, but that's not what we get from all the singers here.

Traubel is the most vocally resplendent but the least satisfactory from an interpretive point of view. She grandly sails through the aria with hardly any change of colour for the _Mourir pour ce qu'on aime_ section. It's monumental but that's about it and the only urgency she gets into it is when she suddenly quickens up the tempo for _Je sens une force nouvelle_. I'm pretty sure Gluck doesn't ask for such a change in tempo and I find it a rather unmusical decision.

Anderson does it too, though not so much, but, though this has its touching moments, it could do with a little of Traubel's monumentality. She transposes down, which displays her rich lower register. I doubt she'd have had the top notes anyway. Her version is just a bit too placid. Alceste should be raging against the Gods here, but I don't hear any rage at all.

Farrell is the most successful of the three. She rides the climaxes, but skilfully lightens her tone for the "Mourir" section. Nor does she mess around with the tempo too much. It is both the most musical and the most dramatic performance and, I think, the most stylish. I enjoyed this performance most of the three.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

This one is nigh on impossible for me. Each delivery was unique.
One has the prettiest voice and gives a smooth delivery(Farrell). 
One has given the aria a dramatic sound full of passion(Traubel).
And one has the sound of the golden era and chest tones that are enviable. (Anderson)
Oh dear! A quandary.
For old time's sake: Marian Anderson


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

nina foresti said:


> This one is nigh on impossible for me. Each delivery was unique.
> One has the prettiest voice and gives a smooth delivery(Farrell).
> One has given the aria a dramatic sound full of passion(Traubel).
> And one has the sound of the golden era and chest tones that are enviable. (Anderson)
> ...


I am so glad you fans are struggling deciding on these. I am so mean Norman and Callas have very nice versions as well but we have heard a lot of them lately and I thought it would be nice to deliberate over some great singers who aren't represented a lot in these contests. It is one of the great arias from that era of music. Baker has a wonderful version as well but I just didn't think she had the right size voice for this piece. Nina, Anderson recorded Casta Diva and could sing up to high C but I like the way the transposition shows off her glorious low notes. I know someone who heard her in concert and he said his seat vibrated on some of her low notes! Sometimes I don't like her voice, but I love it here. This is some of Farrell's most stirring singing. Traubel doesn't have a super responsive Ferrari of a voice, but sometimes for me it is glorious listening to her as it is like riding along in a Rolls at top speed on the highway. It was to me always gorgeous and it was huge in a way Nilsson's wasn't. They say she could shake the walls at the Old Met. The story is worth repeating that her first operatic role was Sieglinde at the Met and overnight she became an world wide sensation and within a short time became the supreme soprano in the world and she remained so till Bing fired her for her pop singing, where she made twice the money. She was the highest paid operatic soprano in the world in her day.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

None of these singers make much of this aria interpretatively, so it’s a choice about vocal quality. I’ve never liked Farrell and Anderson is the wrong voice. By default, Traubel who I don’t hear often.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

I don't know why I should be so hard to please, given three such superb voices and three singers who give such solid performances. I'm just not getting from any of them quite the variety of expression I want in an aria that contains such contrasts. Anderson's dignified, gently expressive singing doesn't provide enough energy where it's needed, though it's a pleasure to hear her beautiful, deep voice in her transposed version. Traubel has a bracing strength and directness, but does little to vary her tone. Maybe Farrell offers the best balance, so I'll give her my vote even though she doesn't exactly grip me. I'll lay part of the blame on the conductors, whose articulation of the more energetic passages could use more snap and crackle.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

When I got into opera forums 20 years ago there was a huge contingent who worshipped Farrell but now only Callas is worshipped. All the Farrell queens except for me are dead now. I think I would make many people in our forum happy if I could have Callas in every round with sopranos because she has the only valid interpretations it seems and she sang virtually everything. It seems it is hard for people to enjoy other people singing an aria if Callas has claimed it already. I guess I could just stop having soprano contests LOL I asked if I could not have Callas in this contest as I didn't like her versions and this Callas fan said I worry too much, but her ghost lingers over the contest because no one emotes the aria like Maria ( unsaid by more than one). I guess I should have an extra round with Callas so her fans can get all the things they want to say about how much better she is than everyone. I feel like the odd man out as I like quite a number of sopranos. I'm trying to provide some variety and keep things interesting in the contests if I can but I am hampered.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Seattleoperafan said:


> When I got into opera forums 20 years ago there was a huge contingent who worshipped Farrell but now only Callas is worshipped. All the Farrell queens except for me are dead now. I think I would make most people in our forum happy if I could have Callas in every round with sopranos because she has the only valid interpretations it seems and she sang virtually everything. It seems it is hard for people to enjoy other people singing an aria if Callas has claimed it already. I guess I could just stop having soprano contests LOL


I think there are many many Other soprano queens who are too shy or haughty to respond and just lurk, too afraid too express an opinion. Many Sutherland fans are still here. Farrell was never popular and Traubel too old school to have raving fans. Netrebko, Fleming, Gheorghiu, Goerke, Radvanovsky fans are probably not engaged with the Golden Age because they have the recent girls to worship.

Do not envy Callas - she is forever, and many people hate her (they are cautious about expressing that for fear of eternal damnation).

At the San Francisco Opera, Sutherland evenings were always sold out, the standees four-deep. Well, maybe not for *The Merry Widow*, but bel-canto was king.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> this Callas fan said I worry too much, but her ghost lingers over the contest because no one emotes the aria like Maria (*unsaid* by more than one).


If you worry about what is UNSAID, you do worry too much.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

MAS said:


> I think there are many many Other soprano queens who are too shy or haughty to respond and just lurk, too afraid too express an opinion. Many Sutherland fans are still here. Farrell was never popular and Traubel too old school to have raving fans. Netrebko, Fleming, Gheorghiu, Goerke, Radvanovsky fans are probably not engaged with the Golden Age because they have recent the girls to worship.
> 
> Do not envy Callas - she is forever, and many people hate her (they are cautious about expressing that for fear of eternal damnation).
> 
> At the San Francisco Opera, Sutherland evenings were always sold out, the standees four-deep. Well, maybe not for *The Merry Widow*, but bel-canto was king.


You made my day. Some days my hat band is a little too tight. I have a lot of fun with you people. There are a lot of people who hate Callas but they are all quiet on our forum. Before I got medicated i got obsessed with singers so I appreciate the trait in others LOL/


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> If you worry about what is UNSAID, you do worry too much.


More than once you are the voice of reason to me. I try not to care too much about the contests LOL I think the next contest could have some new singers for some of you and they are really good.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> When I got into opera forums 20 years ago there was a huge contingent who worshipped Farrell but now only Callas is worshipped. All the Farrell queens except for me are dead now. I think I would make many people in our forum happy if I could have Callas in every round with sopranos because she has the only valid interpretations it seems and she sang virtually everything. It seems it is hard for people to enjoy other people singing an aria if Callas has claimed it already. I guess I could just stop having soprano contests LOL I asked if I could not have Callas in this contest as I didn't like her versions and this Callas fan said I worry too much, but her ghost lingers over the contest because no one emotes the aria like Maria ( unsaid by more than one). I guess I should have an extra round with Callas so her fans can get all the things they want to say about how much better she is than everyone. I feel like the odd man out as I like quite a number of sopranos. I'm trying to provide some variety and keep things interesting in the contests if I can but I am hampered.


John my dear: You might like to look into 3 fine sopranos doing "To This We've Come" from _The Consul_ because Callas turned it down. Two goodies are Patricia Neway and Eileen Farrell. There are others.
If you're not familiar with it you are in for a real treat (bring hanky).


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

nina foresti said:


> John my dear: You might like to look into 3 fine sopranos doing "To This We've Come" from _The Consul_ because Callas turned it down. Two goodies are Patricia Neway and Eileen Farrell. There are others.
> If you're not familiar with it you are in for a real treat (bring hanky).


Zeani did it, too, but in Italian.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

MAS said:


> Zeani did it, too, but in Italian.


Done! I found enough for two rounds. I know the great Farrell version. Thanks for reminding me and I like having more modern works when I can. I don't know Neway at all so I would never have picked her.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

MAS said:


> Zeani did it, too, but in Italian.


And it was exquisite


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Done! I found enough for two rounds. I know the great Farrell version. Thanks for reminding me and I like having more modern works when I can. I don't know Neway at all so I would never have picked her.


She was in the original broadway show and impossibly hard to beat


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> This is a dramatic piece that abounds in contrast….
> Traubel……she suddenly quickens up the tempo for _Je sens une force nouvelle_. I'm pretty sure Gluck doesn't ask for such a change in tempo and I find it a rather unmusical decision.


Actually, that passage is marked _Presto_, but how fast that is is the conductor's decision. In this case, it was Charles O'Connell. No, I hadn't heard of him before.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

MAS said:


> Actually, that passage is marked _Presto_, but how fast that is is the conductor's decision. In this case, it was Charles O'Connell. No, I hadn't heard of him before.


As you say, these decisions are up to the performers. In this case I think such an abrupt and extreme change of pace was a mistake and the aria loses its shape.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I had a quick look at youtube and was astonished at how many sopranos and mezzos have recorded the aria. There are old timers like Jeritza, Ponselle, Louise Homer, Rethberg, Marjorie Lawrence and Flagstad. Then there are versions by Leontyne Price, Verrett, Bumbry, Gorr, Caballé, Horne, Varady, Edda Moser, Sylvia Sass, Rosalind Plowright, Zajick, Berganza, Stignani, Tebaldi, Crespin and Suzanne Danco, not to mention Janet Baker (better live from Covent Garden than the studio recital), Callas and Jessye Norman. 

I haven't listened to them all!


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I had a quick look at youtube and was astonished at how many sopranos and mezzos have recorded the aria. There are old timers like Jeritza, Ponselle, Louise Homer, Rethberg, Marjorie Lawrence and Flagstad. Then there are versions by Leontyne Price, Verrett, Bumbry, Gorr, Caballé, Horne, Varady, Edda Moser, Sylvia Sass, Rosalind Plowright, Zajick, Berganza, Stignani, Tebaldi, Crespin and Suzanne Danco, not to mention Janet Baker (better live from Covent Garden than the studio recital), Callas and Jessye Norman.
> 
> I haven't listened to them all!


...........................


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

I'm giving my vote to Farrell (well, I would, but it's closed now haha). Mighty middle register singing that blossoms triumphally above the staff.


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