# The One You MIssed: Jessye Norman's Early Immolation Scene



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

If you were one of the unlucky ones who saw Jessye Norman late in her career on PBS opening Seattle's new Benaroya Hall you were subjected to a mezzo who completely and utterly failed to hit any of the high notes. Norman achieved her greatest fame after she lost 100 pounds and looked better on video, but those who saw her only in her post weight loss performances missed Jessye in all her vocal glory. She could never sing Bruinhilde onstage, but here in this early recording of the Immolation Scene she is vocally resplendent and conquers the high tessitura with ease. This is one of my very favorite Immolation Scenes and no one in my opinion delivers the opening phrases with more grandeur.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

This is impressive. I do sense that she's a trifle taxed toward the end, and think she was probably wise to confine her Wagnerian excursions to the concert stage and recordings. Tennstedt is superb here, btw.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Sieglinde worked for her really well, but even though it is considered a soprano part I don't think it ever goes above an A. Same for Elsa, which she did a fine recording of. She did Kundry, but the high notes were thin. Her most ideal role would have been as Erda. She could have been the penultimate Erda, but I don't think she wanted to be so closely identified with a contralto role. It also wasn't a star part and she was a prima donna! I heard her sing Schubert's The Death of the Maiden live and her lower register was every bit as large as Ewa Podles'.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

That's right, I forgot what Wagner she did sing in the theater. I think I've always felt she sounded too contraltoish and a bit too matronly for certain soprano parts. Her deep tone worked for Kundry, but less well for Elsa, however nicely she sings it. She'd have been more suitable as Venus than as Elisabeth. I could imagine her as Senta, though not really as a Norwegian! I agree: she would have been a great Erda.


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