[Tsaraslondon]

I only heard her once live - at the Barbican Hall in London, already quite late in her career. She was singing a Mozart programme, which is repertoire not usually associated with her. I think it would have been Vitellia's Non piu di fiori (she sang the role at the Met in 1984) and Exsultate Jubilate, as well as maybe some concert arias. I can't quite remember. I do remember that the voice sounded quite large in the hall, but this might have been more down to the fact that it had great penetration and sounded as if it would cut through much heavier orchestration.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

I think you can make a voice big by pushing it, like Netrebko has with consequences. Eaglen, Podles and Blythe all had voices that were default full and easy to hear over an orchestra always. Renee Fleming could make a big sound, but was sparing with that gear and it served her well as she ended her career with a still healthy voice just recently after a long career.

Well that is the problem. Push too hard and you end up ruining your voice. Schwarzkopf talks about how to make an essentially small voice, which is what she had, project over a large orchestra. I can't remember her exact words but it certainly didn't involve pushing the voice. She was very wise in her choices of course. She never sang Ariadne on stage for example, but she did sing the Verdi Requiem as well as the Marschallin and Countess Madeleine.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

I have this one - and 'Don Pasquale'. She is absolutely brilliant in both. Light lyric soprano at the time. In addition to her voice she has an electrifying stage presence. Has she moved into heavier roles they have taken a toll on the voice I think and you really need to see her act as well as hear her. Of course at the moment she is persona non grata. But of course she only did what other light Sopranos like Scotto and Freni have done

I have heard a lot about Netrebko's superior acting skills, but I'm not sure I'd agree. Admittedly I've only seen her on video, but in much of what I've seen, I find her a tad vulgar. She moves well, to be sure, and in opera that goes a long way, but I don't always think what she does is right for the character she is playing. Her Anna in Anna Bolena has no royal bearing, her Violetta no vulnerability. I once read a review about how she tried to make her Violetta more modern and assertive, which just reveals to me a lack of real understanding of the music and the character Verdi created with his music.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

I must confess I was amazed and dismayed at Anna's decision to go for Turandot and Isolde. Her Lady Macbeth came off on stage due to the stage presence but the Isolde is frankly embarrassing. I dunno what drives singers (Ricciarrelli, Caballi, etc) to attempt these killer roles.
Sills of course wrecked her voice by the end. Sad!

Ricciarelli at least had the good sense not to attempt Turandot on stage. If anything, her repetoire choices were all for more lyrical fare as she got older - Donizetti and Rossini, especially. Caballé did sing Turandot on stage and the San Franciso performance with Pavarotti is actually pretty good. She didn't make a habit of it though.

Some singers are tempted into heavier repertoire but then are intelligent enough to know if it's for them or not. Gedda once sang Lohengrin on stage, in Stockholm in 1966. There is an excellent recording and those who heard him were apparently very appreciative. However he wisely decided that Wagner wasn't for him and might permanently damage his voice, so never sang another Wagner role again either on stage or on record.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

Saw Scotto many times at the Met, IMO, she had a full lyric voice that was easily heard throughout the House. However, she took on too many roles for which her voice was not suited which shortened her operatic career. In the sixties she had a nice, if not beautiful sound, She was never one of my favorite sopranos. She was a committed performer though, who gave her all for a complete performance, vocally and dramatically.

Scotto was born in 1934 and made her operatic debut at the age of eighteen. Her final operatic performances were in the mezzo role of Klytemnestra in 2002. That's a 50 year career, which seems pretty long to me.

I only heard her live, singing in a Mozart concert at the Barbican in London. It would have been quite late in her career but her voice, even then, had great cutting power.