[Seattleoperafan]

Sorry about the boo boo posting. When you are juggling hundreds of contests I am bound to make some mistakes. Senza Mama and La Mama Morta both have mama in them. You can figure out the rest.
Someone requested Saoia Hernandez so I put her with Angela. PS. After 20 times looking up the spelling I can finally spell Gheorghiu LOL.

Saioa Hernandez, Maddalena Claudio Sgura, Carlo Gerard Cond. Aldo Sisillo Dir. Nicola Berloffa Teatro Comunale Pavarotti di Modena 2019

Andrea Chénier, Act III: La mamma morta · Angela Gheorghiu/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Marco Armiliato/Louisa Tuck

 

[Seattleoperafan]

I actually agree with what you say about Gheorghiu in this aria, but she got my vote because I found her actual voice more listenable. I thought the sounds Hernandez was making quite ugly (and this from someone who is more tolerant than most of Callas's late career voice).

I don't know what Hernandez sounds like elsewhere but let's just say putting her in was a favor to someone else. I am not at all familiar with her.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Hernandez has the right weight of voice for this music, but somehow manages to screw up by not controlling the vibrato or the emission of her voice - she does the same in a concert performance so I imagine it’s not on purpose. The voice is uneven and inelegant and I can’t vote for her.

Gheorghiu’s voice is well controlled and sounds better than Hernandez’s but she is over-parted; I don’t like her “interpretation,” and she sounds stressed towards the end.

I have several recordings of Andrea Chenier but only because Callas and Corelli sang the wretched opera.

No vote.

Gheorghiu normally performs much better than this but frankly it is hard to find contemporary singers who have good recordings of this. You will like my next candidates.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Hernandez has the right weight of voice for this music, but somehow manages to screw up by not controlling the vibrato or the emission of her voice - she does the same in a concert performance so I imagine it’s not on purpose. The voice is uneven and inelegant and I can’t vote for her.

Gheorghiu’s voice is well controlled and sounds better than Hernandez’s but she is over-parted; I don’t like her “interpretation,” and she sounds stressed towards the end.

I have several recordings of Andrea Chenier but only because Callas and Corelli sang the wretched opera.

No vote.

I am going to cut down on trying to include contemporary singers so often except for Gheorghiu who usually does really well in the right material. Recent singers mostly don't do well with us in these contests. I think as some of you said, this was not material well suited to Gheorghiu who most of you enjoy.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

OK, "the thing" is apparently vibrato.

You are juggling two languages so you get a pass.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

It would be a vibrato in Slovak as well. I just don't know the operatic jargon. Or the vocal mechanics how the unpleasant thingy is created. I hoped to learn this stuff through the contests, so everything works as planned

I have had to learn jargon as well. Some took a while. Watch that What is Bel Canto video with Sutherland and Horne that I sent you. You learn lots of terms. there and also here.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

I don't know how to say it gently. I find the sound Hernandez makes thoroughly repugnant: brassy, pushy, vibrato-ridden, a noisy voice with no sweetness or pathos, employed without nuance, unable to move me even slightly. I'll concede it has volume, bite, and chest tones, so I guess she's in the right repertoire. Has she done Lady Macbeth, or considered Ortrud? They don't have to sound nice, alhough it's always useful to have the option.

Gheorghiu is the opposite of Hernandez; soft and pretty, with nuances slathered on like too much pancake. Those are not entirely virtues in this music, and she didn't really touch me either, but at least I wasn't tempted to shut her down. I'll just forget this and think about her many lovely performanes in suitable repertoire. I had to do the same regarding Patricia Racette's disastrous singing of Maddalena some years ago. We are certainly hard up for singers who can make this opera - and others of its period - worth doing.

Gheorghiu, because she wasn't horrible.

"They don't always have to sound nice, although t's always useful to have that option". I forgot to tell Jesus today how thankful I am for your sarcastic wit😜That is the advantage of having a few awful entries in the contest... to give you guys a chance to bitch with artistry!