# MEZZO/CONTRALTO TOURNAMENT (Round 1, Match 4): Bumbry vs Rachvelishvilli



## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

Grace Bumbry, USA, 1937-






Anita Rachvelishvilli, Georgia, 1984-






'Judgement Scene' from Verdi's _Aida_.

Who's singing did you prefer and why?


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

It's been a while since I last heard Bumbry, and I'd forgotten what exciting "go" she had in her sopranoish mezzo voice, from her firm chest register on up to her brilliant top. Rachvelishvilli has an attractive instrument, but the voice is not so well-knit as Bumbry's, with the bottom weaker and the top pushed and spreading into the slow vibrato epidemic among contemporary singers. An easy choice.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Rachvelishivili is certainly something of a power house, but I prefer the sound of Bumbry's voice, and, even though she slightly runs out of steam before her final note, I'm going to vote for her, as I found her the more committed performer. I just found her performance in general a bit more exciting. Also, like many modern singers, Rachvelishvili is a bit sparing in her use of chest voice and, the usual fault of modern singers, has too much vibrato. Bumbry's voice is much cleaner.

Incidentally, the sound on Bumbry's version is really awful, which makes it difficult to make an evaluation. I did find a better one on youtube, also live from New York in 1970. Sound only but it gives a better impression of Bumbry's virtues.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

I started listening to the second and shut it off after the hearing the unattractive, slow, and distracting vibrato. It wasn't terrible, perhaps even good by modern standards, but some days you just don't want to listen to yet another modern singer with an obtrusive too-wide vibrato.

In short, Bumbry got my vote.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

To me it seems terribly unfair to pit poor Bumbry's very mediocre production up against the much better recorded Rashvelishvili.
I know Bumbry to be an extremely fine singer but it doesn't show itself to me here.
Anita gets my vote.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

The sound in Bumbry's video is not doing her favors, but singing is exquisite, and Grace is a thing of beauty! Her emotional charge wins my vote.
Anita has impressive chest register, she's a fine singer but she begins to develop that hideous "flapping" vibrato which makes it hard to get through to the end of the scene.


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## BalalaikaBoy (Sep 25, 2014)

nina foresti said:


> To me it seems terribly unfair to pit poor Bumbry's very mediocre production up against the much better recorded Rashvelishvili.
> I know Bumbry to be an extremely fine singer but it doesn't show itself to me here.
> Anita gets my vote.


personally, I'm voting on whichever singer has the best version, rather than only the two recordings presented.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

As Tsaras has written the Georgian is true power house. Massive performance here. Grace is legend, no question, but the unknown (to me)* Anita *has broken some of my bones and* I voted for her.* This area isn't from my very beloved, but the Georgian made it sound extremely beautiful to my ears. Thanks Bonetan!


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

I mean the sound on the Bumbry recording isn't ideal, but it's not that bad in the scheme of things. It's good enough to hear that her voice is fantastic, her interpretation impassioned.


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

I had a hard time with the recordings on this one yall. Unfortunately I only found the one from Rachvelishvilli and in the spirit of fairness I thought Bumbry's should be a live stage performance on video as well...please forgive me


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Bonetan said:


> I had a hard time with the recordings on this one yall. Unfortunately I only found the one from Rachvelishvilli and in the spirit of fairness I thought Bumbry's should be a live stage performance on video as well...please forgive me


You are forgiven .


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Frankly, Bumbry was such a pleasure to watch and listen to that it never occurred to me that the sound was poor. Like love, great singing conquers all.


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## BachIsBest (Feb 17, 2018)

Woodduck said:


> Frankly, Bumbry was such a pleasure to watch and listen to that it never occurred to me that the sound was poor. Like love, great singing conquers all.


In the case of some opera singers you might even say, like love, great singing is blind. Fortunately in this case, there is no need for blindness with Bumbry.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I find the sound on both recordings rather less than spectacular. Bumbry has sung this better (most notably in 66 or 67 in the live recording with Price and Bergonzi). On the other hand, whilst I like Rachvelishvilli's general tone, she doesn't quite bring the role to life as well as Bumbry. Bumbry it is.

N.


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