Bel Canto..! Anyone interested? - Music-Web Forums

reith · #1 15-03-2007, 11:20 AM

Just going through another Donizetti phase...(I tried keep taking the pills but they no longer work!) and it made me wonder whether I was still tied to particular singers and qualities. And whether others here, once they hear the first version of something, whether they stick to that and (over time) reject other versions they come across.

The following is purely personal opinion so apologies if it offends,
Thinking about Lucia di Lammermoor (because I took a chance and bought a DVD - I know I might have wasted my money). Lucia is sung by a soprano I don't know. I can't stand Sutherland as she seems to portamento between every note (probably because she can't hit them dead on) that she never gets into Bel Canto let alone coloratura. And I find Callas simply a screamer.

I happened on a (personally) ideal Lucia by chance - Beverly Sills; her voice light, airy, accuracy taken for granted, and she can be SO dramatic in a sadly touching way (exactly because she hasn't a terribly strong voice) - she did a compilation including the "Ah Tarde troppo - O luce di quest' anima" aria from Linda di Chimanoux which she brings off with verve and that ain' easy!

Just wondered if others have heard of/like Donizetti/Bellini and if they have favourite singers.

cheers,
reith

ps, just have to find enough to do to stop myself composing yet another first page of a potential neo-Donizetti blockbuster!

reith · #2 17-03-2007, 04:42 PM

The Lucia DVD arrived. A girl called Stephania Bonfadelli takes the Lucia role, Roberto Frontali does Enrico.

I took a chance and I'm mediumly impressed - not underwhelmed nor overwhelmed. She's a 'modern' singer - no Melba or Tetrazzini for sure. Her annoying trait is moving her body side to side with each syllable (a bit like some pianists waggle their elbows to squeeze more expression from a note!) - detracts from the drama. She as accurate as one could hope in this sort of work, a powerful voice.

Another irritating point - happens on a lot of operatic DVDs - it gives shots of orchestra and conductor here and there. They're supposed to be hidden in a pit.

Still, one can't have everything.

Silhouette · #3 19-03-2007, 01:17 PM

Do you have any recordings of this sutherland person? I'm intrigued to hear her now, and would like to give you my opinion. Surely if she's singing portamento, she isn't singing bel canto? "Bel canto singing is characterized by a focus on perfect evenness throughout the voice" but I'll have to hear!

Recently I have been criticised for using too many slides and jazz influences in 'Summertime' by Gershwin whilst presenting it as an opera piece, I was however singing it how it was written, but there are a few versions, and goodness knows which one Gershwin preferred! So this is perhaps the case with Sutherland? I dont know...

reith · #4 19-03-2007, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by Silhouette

Do you have any recordings of this sutherland person? I'm intrigued to hear her now, and would like to give you my opinion. Surely if she's singing portamento, she isn't singing bel canto? "Bel canto singing is characterized by a focus on perfect evenness throughout the voice" but I'll have to hear!

Recently I have been criticised for using too many slides and jazz influences in 'Summertime' by Gershwin whilst presenting it as an opera piece, I was however singing it how it was written, but there are a few versions, and goodness knows which one Gershwin preferred! So this is perhaps the case with Sutherland? I dont know...

I borrowed a DVD of Sutherland's 1982 (I think) Lucia and was disappointed. Her drama was ok but I can't understand why people rave over her singing. She treats it more like Puccini. I also have CDs of her Semiramide - they turned up cheap and I wondered what the opera was like...I should have known better because I can't tell if it's Rossini or Sutherland! but I suspect the latter.

Still, it's a matter of taste - she has/had a big following but I suspect that's because, in the 1950s, she was following in the wake of Verdi and Puccini, when bel canto was...not so much unfashionable but unperformable because the training had yet to be revived.

As for Gershwin, he wrote on the borderline between jazz and classical so some portamento would be okay, surely. (I love playing his stuff though I can't play it as he did I'd guess!) I've heard versions of Summertime with a few slurs so probably best just to be guided by your taste.

Any chance of you putting up a recording?

reith

Silhouette · #5 21-03-2007, 01:48 PM

I understand you can't post a recording because of legalities and everything, so I'll have to see if I can get hold of my own copy.

I am not very well involved in the who's who of the music world, but I suppose I'll be more immersed into that environment when I get to college, then I'll know who everybody's talking about! Hehe

Yeah I agree that Gershwin wrote between the two genres, that's why I was so confused that I was heavily criticised for using a jazz style. Must be a matter of taste just like you say.

I promise to put a recording up when I can, I might be able to get hold of my AS performance CD...

What about some recordings of you playing?

reith · #6 22-03-2007, 05:37 PM

Sutherland has made plenty of recordings. Something should be available at the library to save you shelling out!

Recording of me playing? I'll have to get my friend to record me secretly when I'm noodling around! It won't be anything special tho!

reith

Silhouette · #7 23-03-2007, 12:22 PM

Hehe I don't mind, something to listen to, i'm sure we all want to hear your talent!

reith · #8 25-03-2007, 05:49 PM

Hah! Well, at least you can't throw rotten fruit...directly, that is!!!

I'm just finishing a song (soprano/piano) but will probably post that as a synthesised version representing the voice with clarinet or oboe until I can find a soprano ready to take on its rhythmic problems! The piano part will substantially be how I'd play it (in other words, about grade 1)

Silhouette · #9 28-03-2007, 12:48 PM

cool, lol yeah i'm too brilliant at the piano either, must gets some lessons!

reith · #10 18-05-2007, 10:22 PM

It strikes me to ask what your favourite arias are - to sing, to listen to?

Sorry to say, I'm only likely to be on the listening end! Still, I do listen to work beyond Rossini-Bellini-Donizetti. To disclose a guilty secret I quite like In Questa Regia from Turandot and one or two Verdi numbers. Keep that quiet, though!