Sutherland's diction "problem"
MIFrost
when she sings that he/she cannot enjoy her opera recordings? I find
that to be the case. It isn't that I can't understand her (I don't
speak Italian so that doesn't really matter) but rather it just sounds
so odd that it's distracting. And she's made so many great recordings
with outstanding colleagues it's a shame. She has such a lovely voice,
too.
MIFrost
Terry Simmons
sfr...@nycap.rr.com (MIFrost) wrote:
She declared her position often enough: "If it's words you want, go to a play."
In the (successful, imho) pursuit of tonal clarity, power and beauty, she was
prepared to sacrifice diction. She had a great career stretching over a
longer-than-average duration, and retired with her voice still in excellent
condition.
She was by no means incapable of crystal-clear diction. You only have to hear
her speaking voice to know that. She made a well-regarded recording of Noel
Coward songs, and it would be no trouble at all, for any listener to write out
the texts from listening to the recording -- first time.
--
Cheers!
Terry
REG
anonymity of much of her "interpretations". I know that she had lots of
rationalizations of what she was (or wasn't doing), but none of them hold
much water, since other singers don't begin to have the problem she did. I
suspect a lack of facility with languages, combined with an attempt to
"create" a legato through dumping consonants and mixing vowels, was at the
heart of it, but I've no doubt that a more musically responsible singer
would have approached the problem differently. A friend of mine called her
singing "the greatest trained dog act in the world", and he wasn't far off
the mark, as far as I was concerned.
"MIFrost" <sfr...@nycap.rr.com> wrote in message
news:5dc40039.04042...@posting.google.com...
Tatifan
Her diction is simply fabulous in her recording of Gliere's Concerto
for Coloratura Soprano and Orchestra! If only she had recorded the
Rachmaninoff Vocalise...
Ivailo Partchev
problems there. But words seem to mean so little to Sutherland. If a
phrase contains a particularly meaningful word, there is no accent on
that whatsoever -- instead, the whole blessed phrase is sung a bit more
'sadly'... There is the Turandot, however, where she was made to do
something with "grido"
Christopher Webber
>She declared her position often enough: "If it's words you want, go to
>a play." In the (successful, imho) pursuit of tonal clarity, power and
>beauty, she was prepared to sacrifice diction. She had a great career
>stretching over a longer-than-average duration, and retired with her
>voice still in excellent condition.
Well put. It's worth adding that earlier on in her career verbal clarity
was a watchword for her. Listen, for instance, to her illumination of
Jenifer's text as well as her music in the live premiere, on Gala, of
"The Midsummer Marriage" - deeply memorable singing, touching the parts
that her later vocalising simply did not reach. It's impossible to
square her dismissive public comments on the role (and opera) with what
she actually achieved in it.
The change in her priorities raises an interesting question: is
longevity of career an unmitigated good, at least for the listener, if
it comes at the expense of communicative urgency? Is the element of
danger, or of transience, part of a singer's appeal?
--
___________________________
Christopher Webber, Blackheath, London, UK.
http://www.zarzuela.net
Terry Simmons
Christopher Webber <c...@zarzuela.co.uk> wrote:
We will probably have to wait a decade or two for the "jury" to make up its
mind. As for me, the "jury" is irrelevant. I am happy to have lived at the same
time as Sutherland, and to have been present in the house on several marvellous
occasions. (I might add that I have never been in the house when she was
performing and the "house full" signs weren't out!)
--
Cheers!
Terry
CHSIII
> anonymity of much of her "interpretations".
I heard Sutherland in the house many times - oddly, the two that stick out
in my memory are her comedienne Marie in Fille, and the three-fold (actually
four including Stella, who did sing in Dickie's version) tour de force Tales
of Hoffmann. My recollection is that her characters were clearly etched - a
truly hilarious Olympia, a somewhat repulsively fleshy Giulietta, an
eyebrows-up, on the verge of expiration Antonia - perhaps the dimensions
were shallow, but the characters were delineated. The Marie of Fille was a
thorough realization, with many moods and attitudes, complicated even, and
perfectly played against the gigantic simplicity of the Pav. At any rate,
even though there were degrees of characterization in all her roles, at the
end of the show, Sutherland's "interpretations" weren't very important. It
was her vocalism that knocked people over. (As has been often discussed
here, sometimes that comes over in recordings, sometimes not. For my money,
if you want to really get an idea of how she sounded in the house, listen to
the earliest recording of the Hamlet mad scene, or the Attila aria,
especially that tremendous High C at the end of the first part, and listen
in a large empty room, with the volume turned high.) I don't recall anyone
having a "problem" with Sutherland's singing - her performances were always
vociferously, sometimes hysterically received triumphs in my experience with
one notable exception - a song recital, with a music stand, nothing from
memory, and glances exchanged with husband Richard throughout, clearly
revealing their discomfort and what seemed like embarrassment. Another
recital, of opera and operetta excerpts, with orchestra, on the other hand,
was one of the most enthusiastic concerts I ever witnessed. I would suppose
I have seen many other singers accomplish greater dramatic character
realizations, but I have yet to "hear" any dramatic coloratura come near to
"sounding" as "great" as Sutherland did in the house. But I must confess,
unlike others here with deeper critical gifts, and though I am somewhat
knowledgeable concerning scores and vocal details, I go to the theatre to be
moved out of my seat - anything less is forgettable. In my life, such
evenings have most often been accomplished by singers for whom
characterization and acting were definitely not the most important things
going on up on the stage - Nilsson, Tebaldi, Price, Tucker, Corelli,
Bergonzi, MacNeil, Siepi, etc. I was too late to hear and see Callas, and
Gobbi, although thrilling as an actor, was no longer much of a singer when I
finally got to hear him. At the moment, Rysanek is the only one I can think
of who balanced incredible vocalism with ravage-the-scenery acting. And she
was definitely an acquired taste. Also Vickers.
Simon Roberts
I rather doubt anyone *likes* the poor enunciation, but you should note that it
wasn't constant. It's absent from her earliest recordings, notably the 1958
(?)Donizetti/Verdi recital on Decca and the Giulini Don Giovanni (which in part
is why they're my favorite recordings of hers), reached its nadir in the early
60s, and diminished a bit later. So, if you want to give her another chance,
try one of those early recordings.
Simon
jszostaksr
singers since time immemorial. That practice puts greater import to the
sound/tone of the voice and the vowel and relegates diction to the back
burner. Dame Joan was the practitioner 'non pareil' of this technique...it
sounded exactly the same from the stage while standing right next to
her...or from the back of the house.
During her career she was extraordinary...a great artist with a sense of
humor that would never fail to entertain and put her colleagues at ease. A
very great lady and very special human being...the likes of her don't come
around every day. And she's probably the same in retirement...long may she
wave!
If the technique bothers you THAT much...don't listen...it's your loss
though.
Jon E. Szostak, Sr.
"MIFrost" <sfr...@nycap.rr.com> wrote in message
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Valfer
When Sutherland obliterated the orchestra with one of her amazing top
notes, the audience went wild - period! Who cared if she slurred her
words? Sutherland was quite aware that her distinctive voice and
stage presence was not conducive to character work. Her talent was
for portraying the leading lady, no matter the opera, no matter the
character. At that, she was supremely adept. She had several
contemporaries capable of delicate and nuanced acting, but when it
came time for planting both size-12 feet firmly on the floor and
letting go with a wall-shaking high Eb, Sutherland had no peers.
Valfer
"CHSIII" <chs...@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:<BGNjc.5716$g31....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...
MIFrost
> wasn't constant. It's absent from her earliest recordings, notably the 1958
> (?)Donizetti/Verdi recital on Decca and the Giulini Don Giovanni (which in part
> is why they're my favorite recordings of hers), reached its nadir in the early
> 60s, and diminished a bit later. So, if you want to give her another chance,
> try one of those early recordings.
>
> Simon
I wrote this after listening to her sing the fountain scene in
"Lucia." It was very off-putting. It's supposed to be one of her great
roles. I have the Giulini "Don Giovanni," one of my favorites too, and
I concede she's pretty clear (relatively speaking) there.
MIFrost
CHSIII
Mr. Valfer,
Please quote postings correctly - the following comment was not made by me,
but by the writer I was answering.
Alan Watkins
way with her husband's conducting problems.
Kind regards,
Alan M. Watkins
REG
"Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> wrote in message
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Michael Hetsko
> We will probably have to wait a decade or two for the "jury" to make up
its
> mind. As for me, the "jury" is irrelevant. I am happy to have lived at the
same
> time as Sutherland, and to have been present in the house on several
marvellous
> occasions. (I might add that I have never been in the house when she was
> performing and the "house full" signs weren't out!)
>
> --
> Cheers!
>
> Terry
I, too, am happy to have lived in the Sutherland era. I saw and heard many
marvelous performances that will live forever in my memory. All the
negative things that people can say about her are essentially true. But,
all was forgiven by the virtuosic singing that she more often than not
delivered.
mh
Christopher Webber
>Whatever Ms Sutherland's diction problems they do not compare in any
>way with her husband's conducting problems.
Although they may have been related to them. The planned longevity of
Sutherland's career sometimes seems to have been more to his benefit
than hers.
Without wishing to be cruel to a likeable and popular personality, I
have to say that the mummified Leonora (Il Trovatore) which I
experienced at Covent Garden circa 1980 convinced me that good diction
and a shorter career would have been in everyone's better interest.
Serene vocalising and a dignified presence take one only so far in
operatic performance. On that occasion at least it was only possible to
relate the warm audience adulation to memories of palmier days.
Josep Vilanova
learnt her italian words more or less like a parrot would. That may
explain the mumbling and the theatrical univolvement. And that would
justify why her diction improved when singing English lyrics. Voice
alone is usually enough for most opera goers though. I speak a bit of
Italian but I'm not too concerned about her mumbling. Maybe I'm more
concerned about her lack of dramatic ability in some roles like La
Traviata, but I'm more than happy with her contribution to other
operas like Les Huguenots, where I don't really care much for words or
for dramatism.
It can be worse though, like Montserrat Caballe, who spoke perfectly
well loads of languages but because of her faulty memory tended to
make up the lyrics (I've heard a pirate tape of the last cabaletta of
Anna Bolena that is particularly hilarious).
josep
David7Gable
>when she sings that he/she cannot enjoy her opera recordings?
I don't think it's her non-existent diction that puts me off, but I find
Sutherland an almost total snooze anyway. Some of her recordings of individual
movements dazzle for the brilliance of her virtuosity: "Tornami a vagheggiar"
from the complete recording of Alcina, Arne's "The Soldier Tired." But demand
any expressivity from the soprano, as Mozart and Bellini do (and as Handel does
elsewhere), and I'd rather listen to almost anybody else. I absolutely cannot
stand to listen to her sing Bellini. She is 100% clueless.
-david gable
David7Gable
>contemporaries capable of delicate and nuanced acting, but when it
>came time for planting both size-12 feet firmly on the floor and
>letting go with a wall-shaking high Eb, Sutherland had no peers.
And such an accomplishment is not of the slightest interest to me.
-david gable
David7Gable
The words? How about the music? One phrase is like another to her. She never
does anything with any phrase. Or rather, she droops a little as a nod to
expressivity. Technically a perfect singer. Reasonably solid musicianship
even. But an interesting or expressive singer? Never.
-david gable
David7Gable
>way with her husband's conducting problems.
What kills me is that so many of Pavarotti's recordings were made with the
Bonynges. I can't stand them and love him.
-david gable
David7Gable
>operas like Les Huguenots, where I don't really care much for words or
>for dramatism.
That's because all of the empty-headed virtuosic writing in Huguenots goes to
Marguerite de Valois, Sutherland's role, while all of the expressive and
passionate music is given to Valentine. (The coloratura writing in "O beau
pays" is only of slightly more musical interest than Hanon exercises for the
piano.)
-david gable
Simon Roberts
says...
>
>I've been told that she didn't speak any Italian either and that she
>learnt her italian words more or less like a parrot would. That may
>explain the mumbling and the theatrical univolvement.
I don't think that's the right explanation - she doesn't mumble and sounds
fairly involved in that early Decca disc I keep droning on about, as well as
Giulini's Don Giovanni.
Simon
Christopher Webber
>But demand any expressivity from the soprano, as Mozart and Bellini do
>(and as Handel does elsewhere), and I'd rather listen to almost anybody
>else. I absolutely cannot stand to listen to her sing Bellini. She is
>100% clueless.
I've been in sympathy with many of the criticisms, but this is unjust.
Get her away from Bonynge (as in the egregiously cast but moving
"Athaliah" under Hogwood, or those early opera recordings - Tippett &
Donizetti under Pritchard, Mozart under Giulini) and a beast of quite
another colour emerges.
Ygor Coelho
Joan Sutherland did have a bad diction, but in my opinion she never
put the characterization and the interpretation aside. Her diction was
a problem of vocal technique, and perhaps if she had chosen to have a
good diction she couldn't that warm enormous voice. And I think her
diction problem was quite diminished after the 70's. In her Maria
Stuarda recording, which was made in 1975, she demonstrates a good
diction and, particularly, a great sense of how to stress the words in
order to give a more dramatical text. Comparing her 1965 Norma and her
much later Norma recorded in 1984, we can notice the evolution of her
diction.
By the way, I suppose many people think Sutherland did not interpret
well especially because of her perfect, homogeneous and immense voice.
If we hear carely to her recordings, we hear every little feeling and
action in her voice, with so many colours and nuances.
I hope one day everyone will get to appreciate Sutherland as she
deserves!
EG
I want music with words. Old Giuseppe didn't write his arias to be
moaned, mumbled
and massacred in this way. Neither did Bellini and others. This crap
is against international law.
Some experts here may dig deep and find moments in Moan Sutherland's
career when she
was marginally listenable. I think it's not worth bothering: it's not
just the diction that sucks,
her delivery is so bad that I'm guessing she must be a very stupid
woman. (In any case, for her
fans: no personal offense is intended; I have no problem with people
listening to rap either,
but rap is not opera, and neither is Moan Sutherland).
Terry Simmons <tlst...@tpgi.com.au> wrote in message news:<tlsterry-F4EEA8...@dnews.tpgi.com.au>...
Alan Watkins
> He was a conductor?
No.
Alan Watkins
They recorded works which might not otherwise have been recorded at
that time and I would think music/opera lovers should be grateful for
that. Personally, I think her problems with enunciation a drawback
(and, in my opinion, it is also quite rare) but perhaps the repertoire
is/was more important? Perhaps better to hear something flawed that
not to hear it at all? I would settle for that, personally.
I am probably biased. I caught Gwynneth Jones at what was apparently
the wrong part of her career and was confronted with a vibrato so
wide, as previously posted, that I had to place pads on the timpani to
stop them resonating in sympathy, an action previously reserved only
in brass/double bass passages or Alexander Verdenikov if he hit the
bottom of his register (and he COULD do that with very little
vibrato).
Being unable to enunciate, while obviously troubling to some, is less
of a problem than being unable to conduct while conducting. "Why are
you playing in 3/4....oh yes, you are right. It is in 3/4....sorry, I
missed the change."
JEG
You may thank the 'Bonynge's' for launching Pavarotti's international
career by including him in the company for the legendary
Sutherland/Williamson opera season in Australia (1965).
As for Maestro Bonynge's 'conducting problems', in the last twelve
months I've felt very fortunate to attend Opera Australia performances
in which he conducted "Lucia di Lammermoor", and a pair of Rossini
rarities "Il Signor Bruschino" and "La scala di seta'. How I wish he'd
also been conducting the current Melbourne season of "Norma", (instead
of Andrea Licata) because the Bonynge style was sorely missed by many,
but Sydney will have that pleasure instead this year.
JEG
Alan Watkins
I am NOT knocking Ms Sutherland for I am not qualified to do so but I
would like to make a small point: opera and songs are essentially
story telling and if you cannot properly catch the words where on
earth are you and how would you understand the story?
Please remember that most "live" audiences do not have the advantage
of a multi-translated libretto in front of them, as a record owner may
have.
As posted in another thread, the wonderful singer Elena Ivanova
recorded The Sailor's Bride in the Shostakovich setting of 8 English
and American Folk Songs and if you understand Russian you would not
need any help to understand the words she is singing and you would, at
the same time, understand her emotional committment to the score.
On the Melodiya LP of Ms Ivanova that I have there is no "libretto"
but you do not need one. Admittedly, sung in Russian but in her
performance of the Appalachian song "O, My Ash and Oak" you can hear
every word of it, and more importantly, WHY it is emotional music.
Yes, of course it is funny to hear her declaim Billy Boy with a
Russian accent but (in Russian) you can hear every word she sings.
Just as Shostakovich wrote: "Seems She Walked Along the Rye" (as for
Coming Through the Rye) but remembered to include the Scottish bagpipe
harmonies and "snap" for the wind section so Ms Ivanova helps a
potentially alien audience to understand the depth and importance of
the words by enunciating them beautifully.
David7Gable
>career by including him in the company for the legendary
>Sutherland/Williamson opera season in Australia (1965)
Somebody would have discovered him. We can't do an experiment to see if he
would have had a career without Bonynges' championship.
-david gable
REG
"Alan Watkins" <alanwa...@aol.com> wrote in message
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Andrew T. Kay
Well, and even if they represented his one shot at the big time, you can't like
their singing/acting and conducting more because they were a big help to Pav;
any more than you can like the way Karajan conducts _La Boheme_ because of
*his* undeniable ability to spot talent and open doors for singers (e.g., L.
Price, Janowitz, et al).
Todd K
Josep Vilanova
> >I've been told that she didn't speak any Italian either and that she
> >learnt her italian words more or less like a parrot would. That may
> >explain the mumbling and the theatrical univolvement.
>
> I don't think that's the right explanation - she doesn't mumble and sounds
> fairly involved in that early Decca disc I keep droning on about, as well as
> Giulini's Don Giovanni.
Yes, but she had Giulini conducting! Giulini isn't someone that would
let the singers mumble away. Most of her involved-mumbled performances
were with her husband conducting, someone much more interested in
beauty for its own sake. I attended a rehersal in Barcelona, with
Sutherland (just about to retire) and the husband, Richard Bonynge,
conducting. There was no sign of the conductor giving any special
instructions to the singer about anything remotely dramatic. It was
rather the opposite. Sutherland was just strolling around the stage
screaming RICHAAAAAARD and giving different instructions to Bonynge
(and Bonynge was more interested eying up young male singers than to
conduct, but that's another subject).
josep
Simon Roberts
says...
>
>> >
>> >I've been told that she didn't speak any Italian either and that she
>> >learnt her italian words more or less like a parrot would. That may
>> >explain the mumbling and the theatrical univolvement.
>>
>> I don't think that's the right explanation - she doesn't mumble and sounds
>> fairly involved in that early Decca disc I keep droning on about, as well as
>> Giulini's Don Giovanni.
>
>Yes, but she had Giulini conducting! Giulini isn't someone that would
>let the singers mumble away.
Perhaps not; but that suggests a rather different explanation from the one you
initially offered (and, presumably, that Nello Santi - conductor on the Decca
disc - is another conductor who won't allow mumbling). I note, though, that
Giulini was evidently unable to stop Schwarzkopf from making grotesque and
unitalianate noises on certain vowels....
Simon
Josep Vilanova
> initially offered
Maybe. But Giulini would make sure that the singers understand the
text sung. I believe that when he was rehersing Falstaff with his Los
Angeles orchestra he gave a copy of the translated text to all the
orchestral players! (I assume he used to take even more care with diva
singers)
(and, presumably, that Nello Santi - conductor on the Decca
> disc - is another conductor who won't allow mumbling). I note, though, that
> Giulini was evidently unable to stop Schwarzkopf from making grotesque and
> unitalianate noises on certain vowels....
Hmm... being the wife of that megalomaniac producer should have its
perks!
josep
Alan Watkins
I do not know anything about "young male singers" nor do I care much,
for that is not my more serious complaint. My complaint is that the
conductor concerned gave little indication of having studied the
score. When instrumentation/technical questions were asked of him he
never appeared to know the answer or why the question was asked in the
first place.
She gave the instructions and if you got away with her screaming
RICHAAAAARD you got off lightly because the next volley was usually to
suggest, in descending order, that the orchestra was CRAP and then
that he was. I would naturally dissent and believe that she got the
order wrong but of course these things always help rehearsals go with
a swing.
It seems to me from posts in this thread that she sang better without
him conducting and he conducts better without her singing which is
perfectly possible.
Over three decades ago, I played for another "husband and wife team",
Viktoria Postnikova and Gennadi Rozhdestvensky in Tchaikovsky's second
Piano Concerto (yes, I know it is NOT a great work but the slow
movement is rather beautiful) and to see them embracing in rehearsal
and after the public performance was nice to an Old Chap who generally
favours the romantics rather than one of the "items" screaming at the
other "item."
Jon A Conrad
>Maybe. But Giulini would make sure that the singers understand the
>text sung. I believe that when he was rehersing Falstaff with his Los
>Angeles orchestra he gave a copy of the translated text to all the
>orchestral players! (I assume he used to take even more care with diva
>singers)
Maybe. But the two productions aren't parallel. The DON GIOVANNI was 2
decades earlier, with Giulini not necessarily in a position to boss stars
around -- in fact, if memory serves he jumped into this recording
practically overnight, didn't he? The two Mozart opera events were planned
for Klemperer, who was unable to do them (was this when he burned himself
so badly?). I belive Colin Davis filled in for the concerts, and Giulini
did the recordings.
Mind you, I'm sure Giulini did all he could to guide her performance, but
perhaps more crucial was that she was at a stage of her career (just
become a star but not yet a fully marmorealized "diva") when she was also
amenable to such advice.
As to the more general Sutherland question as posed, I go back and forth.
It doesn't seem to me that clear projection of vowels and consonants is
inimical to optimum tone production (the evidence of other great singers
suggests rather the contrary), but I'm not the one who has to do it. And
it's hard to conduct a comparative experiment, as there was no other
soprano in her generation with a near-ideal cultivation of tonal size +
beauty + roundness + extension + flexibility who could have demonstrated
that such achievements (on that level) do indeed allow clear enunciation
too. So I don't know.
Jon Alan Conrad
Department of Music
University of Delaware
con...@udel.edu
Alan Watkins
> As for Maestro Bonynge's 'conducting problems', in the last twelve
> months I've felt very fortunate to attend Opera Australia performances
> in which he conducted "Lucia di Lammermoor", and a pair of Rossini
> rarities "Il Signor Bruschino" and "La scala di seta'. How I wish he'd
> also been conducting the current Melbourne season of "Norma", (instead
> of Andrea Licata) because the Bonynge style was sorely missed by many,
> but Sydney will have that pleasure instead this year.
>
> JEG
It could be that the conducting problems only become obvious when you
are in the orchestra rather than listening to it?
David Blumberg
I absolutely cannot
> stand to listen to her sing Bellini. She is 100% clueless.
>
> -david gable
Then I suppose that all those who attended the AOS Town Hall
performance of Beatrice di Tenda must have been stone cold
deaf or stoned or paid to go wild. Along with the audience at La Scala
where she also sang the Bellini role.
I have both Live recordings.
Who is the clueless one?
Josep Vilanova
> It doesn't seem to me that clear projection of vowels and consonants is
> inimical to optimum tone production (the evidence of other great singers
> suggests rather the contrary), but I'm not the one who has to do it. And
> it's hard to conduct a comparative experiment, as there was no other
> soprano in her generation with a near-ideal cultivation of tonal size +
> beauty + roundness + extension + flexibility who could have demonstrated
> that such achievements (on that level) do indeed allow clear enunciation
> too. So I don't know.
Caballe got close to that ideal, at least when she was singing in
italian and not making up the words.
josep
Josep Vilanova
> him conducting and he conducts better without her singing which is
> perfectly possible.
I saw Bonynge later with an Anna Bolenna with Gruverova and it sounded
much better. Maybe that's true then.
>
> Over three decades ago, I played for another "husband and wife team",
> Viktoria Postnikova and Gennadi Rozhdestvensky in Tchaikovsky's second
> Piano Concerto (yes, I know it is NOT a great work but the slow
> movement is rather beautiful) and to see them embracing in rehearsal
> and after the public performance was nice to an Old Chap who generally
> favours the romantics rather than one of the "items" screaming at the
> other "item."
Considering the level of sexual pressure on male singers by Bonynge (a
baritone, good friend of mine told me some surprsing things), the
nature of his relationship with Sutherland is comercial rather than
anything else. The Rozhdestvensky story is heart warming. You can
easily tell when a conductor has something of humane on him.
josep
Josep Vilanova
Oh dear, that reminds me of the time where I used to attend opera
performances (and sometimes rehersals) on weekly basis. There was
nothing that an opera aficionado would like more than having a heated
discussion about the merits of a soprano. I had the feeling that those
discussions had more to do with something unconscioulsy passional than
with any clear objective analysis. I don't have a clear opinion about
Sutherland value. I like her on some things and I don't like her on
some others (like La Traviata). De gustibus non est disputandum, I
guess.
josep
David R L Porter
Also, I've never read anything Sutherland said about her technique, but
John Gielgud the actor deliberately used a style of speaking in which
the sound flowed from one word to the next without ever actually
stopping (any Gielgud recording will show you what I'm referring to).
Might Sutherland have had some such rationale?
I was bowled over by The Art of the Prima Donna LPs, but it was partly
because they were my first exposure to the Bel Canto and Colaratura
tradition. That's something that many of us owe to the Boyninges. But
I'd have loved to have heard a Gardiner or Savalli 'Lucia' with
Sutherland ...
--
Best wishes,
David
david....@zetnet.co.uk
Visit us at www.porterfolio.com
Carina
> As far as I'm concerned this "defence" of hers is hogwash.
> I want music with words. Old Giuseppe didn't write his arias to be
> moaned, mumbled
> and massacred in this way. Neither did Bellini and others. This crap
> is against international law.
>
> Some experts here may dig deep and find moments in Moan Sutherland's
> career when she
> was marginally listenable. I think it's not worth bothering: it's not
> just the diction that sucks,
> her delivery is so bad that I'm guessing she must be a very stupid
> woman. (In any case, for her
> fans: no personal offense is intended; I have no problem with people
> listening to rap either,
> but rap is not opera, and neither is Moan Sutherland).
>
It is much more effective to criticize Dame Joan's diction without
resorting to name calling. Your tone of voice discredits your merits
as a critic of her voice.
Let the singer be named who can sing Amina in La Sonnambula with all
the high D flats, D's and E flats and still be able to have every
consonant gung loud and clear.
Carina
David Gable is the most negative person I've ever encounter in a
posting board. He must have a very sad life to spend all his time
insulting great artists such as Dame Joan.
