What is Yma Sumac? A kick and a half! A glorious specimen of kitsch at its most sublime! If the Amazon could sing, it would sing like Yma. No need to classify her. She's the most fun thing to come out of South America, except maybe for Carmen Miranda. I mean, how can you beat a head full of bananas?

 

It's well known that Wagner originally planned to write "The Banana of the Nibelung," about a banana with miraculous powers. However, at the time bananas were only available in Germany for two or three months a year, which would have reduced potential audience sizes, so Wagner substituted today's well-known ring. Less nutritious, and certainly a poorer source of potassium! And unlike the banana, it does little to promote regularity, something important to the Nibelungen who were (if I may be so indelicate) cursed with constipation.

Yma Sumac, of course, with her extraordinary vocal range, could have sung all the roles in the operas, with an attendant reduction in production costs and likely lower ticket prices. A positive all the way around, it seems to me.

 

I don’t know, but for me, she had one of the most remarkable voices of all time. As far as what she sang, I think you have to look at her husband, who I feel exploited her commercially. But she was huge in the early ‘50s and lived for a very long time. I think her voice was natural—she had an instinctive understanding of vocal techniques—and with exposure to the repertoire, I think she could have sung anything including opera. Check out her performance when she was in the Soviet Union. They were dazzled by her and held her in great esteem as the unique vocalist she was.

 

for once, I don't find the fach system to be all that relevant here. I'd just leave it at "soprano with a versatile range"

 

for once, I don't find the fach system to be all that relevant here.

Praise the Lord. ............

 

Thank you for reminding me, going spin a disc later.

 

Yma Sumac Vocal Range (B2 - C♯7)

 

You guys are marvelous!!!! I will always remember riding iwith my dear friend and travelling companion Jerry, who passed of HIV 24 years ago, through the Eastern Washington desert in a convertable with his doggy listening to Yma Sumac. It was one of life's great moments! Yma is still a hit in 2018. Here is a hilarious clip from America's Got Talent with one of her great hits:

. Also, here is Rupaul Drag Race star Alaska Thunderf*** performing an Yma number:

 

That's Yma all right! Very touching story. Thanks for sharing.

 

I still think she was really Amy Camus.

 

I'm a big sumac fan, particularly in tajines.

 

I haven't heard much of Sumac, but I can't get into the music that she sang. That said, the voice is something else and she always looks like she is having a ball.

There was composer a while back who wanted to write an opera about her life (don't ask me who, I can't remember), but her estate wouldn't hear of it, as they said, where would you find a singer who could do justice to playing Yma?

N.

 

Her stuff would always show up in those swanky Ultra Lounge sets. I have always been very impressed with her voice. The alien from Fifth Element probably had an Yma Sumac poster in her room.

 

 

I adored her "Songs of the Xtabay".
Let's make up a fach category for her.
Coloramezzatura sfogato.

 

How fabulous was she? I hate how people started disrespecting her by the end of her career, she was amazing!

Reviving this thread, cause I absolutely adore Yma Sumac - She had an incredible natural gift, what she could have been with proper operatic coaching - could you imagine?! But she was no less genius without it!

 

Yma Sumac singing opera! She'd be a giant if she was taught by someone like Marchesi or even Elvira De Hidalgo!

(Who the hell can pull off this Queen of the Night mambo?!)