# Verdian soprano of the century



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Just thinking about Callas "adoration", maybe it will be interesting to know what are the preferences of the members for the soprano roles in Verdi's opera, in terms of singers. Of course we could also select Puccini's tenors, or Wagner's basses, is just an example.

This list will do it for me, in terms of what's the best interpretation in record (complete opera must be recorded, not just arias) for each role (only what I consider the most interesting roles, not all. Please feel free to add):

Abigaille: Maria Callas
Giselda: Ghena Dimitrova
Elvira: Anita Cerquetti
Lucrezia: Leyla Gencer
Lady Macbeth: Maria Callas
Luisa: Gilda Cruz-Romo
Gilda: Lina Pagliughi 
Leonora (Trovatore): Maria Callas
Violetta: Maria Callas
Maria Boccanegra: Elisabeth Rethberg
Amelia: Zinka Milanov
Leonora (Ballo): Renata Tebaldi
Elena (Vespri): Martina Arroyo
Elisabetta: Anita Cerquetti
Aida: Renata Tebaldi
Desdemona: Elisabeth Rethberg
Alice: Barbara Frittoli
Nannetta: Mirella Freni

There is a typo in the title, but I can't change it. Could a moderator do it for me, please?.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm not that familiar with the Verdi oeuvre, but I do disagree on some of the choices:

Lady Macbeth: Fiorenza Cossotto (who, admittedly is a mezzo, but she has sung many of the early Verdi heroines, so I think she should count)
Callas is great in this role (it is truly a shame that she never recorded it in the studio), but something about Cossotto's balls-to-the-wall steeliness from the first note of _Vieni, t'affretta_ (I am here talking about the 1970-something (I think) recording with Milnes as Macbeth and Muti conducting, for those following along at home) to her confused and almost frightened Sleepwalking scene makes Cossotto take first prize here. Honorable mentions also go to Birgit Nilsson.

Alice: Elizabeth Schwarzkopf. 
Her bubbly, cheerful characterisation of the merry wife is one of the main reasons, along with Gobbi's magnificent Falstaff and Karajan's surprising humourous reading of the score, that the 1952 Karajan Falstaff is so amazing. Honorable mentions go also to Barbara Frittoli who I do think is the greatest living Alice Ford.

Nannetta: Anna Moffo. Honorable mentions go to Inva Mula.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Thanks, though the post is repeated, and this one was supposed to be deleted by a moderator. Well, let's keep this and delete the other.

I do like also Cossotto's Lady. In _Falstaff,_ much more that in any other Verdi opera, I go for the idiomatic approach, that's the reason behind Frittoli and Freni.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

schigolch said:


> In _Falstaff,_ much more that in any other Verdi opera, I go for the idiomatic approach, that's the reason behind Frittoli and Freni.


I do agree that Schwarzkopf wasn't the most idiomatic singer there ever was, but I find her Alice very charming, although somewhat strange at times. And the Solti Falstaff with Freni as Nannetta sounds rather wonderful, so I'm giving it a listen. Maybe I'll change my mind?


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Don't get me wrong. I love Schwarzkopf too, it's just a matter of personal preferences. 

Thanks for editing the typo in the title.


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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

schigolch said:


> Just thinking about Callas "adoration", maybe it will be interesting to know what are the preferences of the members for the soprano roles in Verdi's opera, in terms of singers. Of course we could also select Puccini's tenors, or Wagner's basses, is just an example.
> 
> This list will do it for me, in terms of what's the best interpretation in record (complete opera must be recorded, not just arias) for each role (only what I consider the most interesting roles, not all. Please feel free to add):
> 
> ...


there are no wrong or absolutely correct choices in your list; fortunately taste is not arguable 

it does, however, strike me as sad and disconcerting that of all the ladies listed, only one is singing, today... generally, they just don't make singers in the singer gingerbread factory like they used to... *sigh*


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Yes, of course is "Leonora - Forza". 

The funny thing is for each member to compile and publish his own list.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

To me, both Leonoras are Price. Aida too.

Violetta is Callas.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Sheesh ... I see y'all compiling lists like this, makes me realize how far I have to go in my opera journey. I couldn't even begin to compile such a list; haven't seen nearly enough versions of all the Verdian operas


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Of course, rgz. This is just a matter of time for you to be familiar with enough stuff.

About that almost all the ladies in my list are not singing today, I think this has some logic. After all, we have recordings of Verdian opera from the 1920s, i.e. roughly some 80 years. So, chances are many good sopranos singing this repertoire are already retired.

This will be my list taking into account only active singers (some watched on stage, some in recordings):

Abigaille: Maria Guleghina
Giselda: Dimitra Theodossiou
Elvira: Dimitra Theodossiou
Lucrezia: Dimitra Theodosiou
Lady Macbeth: Maria Guleghina
Luisa: Fiorenza Cedolins
Gilda: Inva Mula 
Leonora (Trovatore): Sondra Radvanovsky
Violetta: Angela Gheorghiu
Maria Boccanegra: Fiorenza Cedolins
Amelia: Violeta Urmana
Leonora (Forza): Violeta Urmana
Elena (Vespri): Daniela Dessì
Elisabetta: Marina Poplavskaya
Aida: Nina Stemme
Desdemona: Krassimira Stoyanova
Alice: Barbara Frittoli
Nannetta: Mariola Cantarero


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Desdemona: Krassimira Stoyanova

I love listening to this woman. I'm watching her in La Juive at the moment and her voice knocks my socks off (bit blank in the acting stakes though)


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I love _La Juive_, and I love Stoyanova singing Rachel, too.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Aprile Millo did a few, including Aida whose is worth a mention.


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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

schigolch said:


> About that almost all the ladies in my list are not singing today, I think this has some logic. After all, we have recordings of Verdian opera from the 1920s, i.e. roughly some 80 years. So, chances are many good sopranos singing this repertoire are already retired.
> 
> This will be my list taking into account only active singers (some watched on stage, some in recordings):
> 
> ...


True, that... I just feel that (and I am sure others will disagree- which is fine)... that the new generation is sadly simply not of the same caliber as that of the Callas, Tebaldi, Milanov and co...


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Aprile Millo did a few, including Aida whose is worth a mention.


A true verdian soprano, indeed.

About Callas, Tebaldi... those are really wonderful artists. Yes, maybe we don't have today someone that can sing Abigaille as well as Callas did, or Aida, the way Tebaldi was able to sing the nubian slave. At least, there is no one that can do it, in my opinion.

However, we do have very good Violettas, or Gildas, or Desdemonas...


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

mamascarlatti said:


> Desdemona: Krassimira Stoyanova
> 
> I love listening to this woman. I'm watching her in La Juive at the moment and her voice knocks my socks off (bit blank in the acting stakes though)


Have you seen her in the DVD of the Willy Decker _Otello_ from Barcelona? She's sings gorgeously and is very moving, albeit in a role requiring a limited emotional range. Jose Cura's Otello is intense but falls way short vocally. Decker's production is sparse, with his usual heavy-handed but effectively employed symbolism.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Yes, I've got that one. I have to say I was mainly concentrating on Cura, whom I love for his intensity despite his vocal flaws (actually I quite like his voice too). I'll have to give it another spin.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I watched one of these performances live, at Liceu.

Stoyanova was impressive, though Mr. Cura's vocal prowess was poorly received by many people in the audience.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

schigolch said:


> I watched one of these performances live, at Liceu.
> 
> Stoyanova was impressive, though Mr. Cura's vocal prowess was poorly received by many people in the audience.


Lucky you to see this. I have some DVDs from the Liceu that I like very much - Tristan and Isolde with Stemme, L'Orfeo conducted by Savall, L'arbore di Diana, Pique Dame with Didyk, Hamlet with Keenlyside, and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk with Secunde and Ventris.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

mamascarlatti said:


> Lucky you to see this. I have some DVDs from the Liceu that I like very much - Tristan and Isolde with Stemme, L'Orfeo conducted by Savall, L'arbore di Diana, Pique Dame with Didyk, Hamlet with Keenlyside, and Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk with Secunde and Ventris.


Which Tristan is this, mama, and how did you get ahold of it? I'm not seeing it on Amazon, Premiere Opera, or House of Opera.


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