[Op.123]

Because people who have heard her live say she's amazing. Her recording of Fidelio is wonderful. Here aria CD is pretty good as is the Grieg CD. By all accounts it's an extraordinary voice.

I've heard her live a couple of times. Firstly, I think the size of the voice is exaggerated since there are so few large voices about nowadays. Yes, it's big, but it's not produced freely enough to rival Flagstad, Tebaldi, Ponselle, Milanov, Sutherland, Callas in their primes in terms of sheer volume. The voice lacks support in quieter music and is only really big at the top of, and above the stave. The middle, mainly the lower middle, and bottom, is fairly opaque and doesn't project half as well. Her vibrato is far from a wobble but it is a little too prominent for my liking. She has an occasional habit of starting notes straight and then adding vibrato which interrupts the musical line and she often shakes her jaw, a sign of unneeded tension. She is musically capable but I also can't imagine her having any remarkable depth of characterisation to make up for any vocal failings. I imagine she has her reputation as many have never, or not for many years, heard a large voice with an attractive, if not exceptionally beautiful timbre. If you're used to Netrebko, Stemme, Voigt etc. I'd urge you to hear her as you'd probably find much to enjoy but if you're someone who prefers Flagstad, Tebaldi, Callas, Muzio etc. I wouldn't say there's much of a chance she'd make the impression you are hoping for.

 

[Woodduck]

The jury's still out for me. I don't like her recording of Strauss's Vier letzte Lieder at all, and I wasn't that impressed with the Beethoven, Wagner, Verdi album either.

Me too, so far. We've come to the point where a large, clear, steady soprano voice used without strain or wobble is celebrated. It's sad that she has to be burdened with the fond hopes of so many greatness-deprived listeners, but in the present drought, I wish her all the best while hoping for little.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

I've heard her live a couple of times. Firstly, I think the size of the voice is exaggerated since there are so few large voices about nowadays. Yes, it's big, but it's not produced freely enough to rival Flagstad, Tebaldi, Ponselle, Milanov, Sutherland, Callas in their primes in terms of sheer volume. The voice lacks support in quieter music and is only really big at the top of, and above the stave. The middle, mainly the lower middle, and bottom, is fairly opaque and doesn't project half as well. Her vibrato is far from a wobble but it is a little too prominent for my liking. She has an occasional habit of starting notes straight and then adding vibrato which interrupts the musical line and she often shakes her jaw, a sign of unneeded tension. She is musically capable but I also can't imagine her having any remarkable depth of characterisation to make up for any vocal failings. I imagine she has her reputation as many have never, or not for many years, heard a large voice with an attractive, if not exceptionally beautiful timbre. If you're used to Netrebko, Stemme, Voigt etc. I'd urge you to hear her as you'd probably find much to enjoy but if you're someone who prefers Flagstad, Tebaldi, Callas, Muzio etc. I wouldn't say there's much of a chance she'd make the impression you are hoping for.

Great, knowledgeable first hand reporting!!!! Bless you.

 

[damianjb1]

I've heard her live a couple of times. Firstly, I think the size of the voice is exaggerated since there are so few large voices about nowadays. Yes, it's big, but it's not produced freely enough to rival Flagstad, Tebaldi, Ponselle, Milanov, Sutherland, Callas in their primes in terms of sheer volume. The voice lacks support in quieter music and is only really big at the top of, and above the stave. The middle, mainly the lower middle, and bottom, is fairly opaque and doesn't project half as well. Her vibrato is far from a wobble but it is a little too prominent for my liking. She has an occasional habit of starting notes straight and then adding vibrato which interrupts the musical line and she often shakes her jaw, a sign of unneeded tension. She is musically capable but I also can't imagine her having any remarkable depth of characterisation to make up for any vocal failings. I imagine she has her reputation as many have never, or not for many years, heard a large voice with an attractive, if not exceptionally beautiful timbre. If you're used to Netrebko, Stemme, Voigt etc. I'd urge you to hear her as you'd probably find much to enjoy but if you're someone who prefers Flagstad, Tebaldi, Callas, Muzio etc. I wouldn't say there's much of a chance she'd make the impression you are hoping for.

Unfortunately I'm not as lucky as you. I'm too young to have heard any of the singers you mentioned live in a theatre.
A serious question - would you rather hear Christine Georke than Lise Davidsen?

 

[Op.123]

Unfortunately I'm not as lucky as you. I'm too young to have heard any of the singers you mentioned live in a theatre.
A serious question - would you rather hear Christine Georke than Lise Davidsen?

Nor am I sadly, but enough can be gleaned from recordings and a good understanding of vocal technique to make valid comparisons. Davidsen over Georke though.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Unfortunately I'm not as lucky as you. I'm too young to have heard any of the singers you mentioned live in a theatre.
A serious question - would you rather hear Christine Georke than Lise Davidsen?

Goerke hands down. I heard her in Norma 20 years ago. Some pitch problems but otherwise pretty wonderful and a HUGE D6- enormous! Almost Sutherland in size, though I never heard her live.
Actually I never heard any of those singers myself except Price late in her career. I know most of my favorite singers from recordings. I envy Mas his extensive history of hearing singers in SF!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice to have some young people who love opera on board!!!!!!!!!!!
Opera is often about nostalgia for the lost past like baseball.

 

[ALT]

She [Davidsen] has an occasional habit of starting notes straight and then adding vibrato which interrupts the musical line and she often shakes her jaw, a sign of unneeded tension.

And not just Davidsen. Take a look at Goerke.

 

[damianjb1]

Goerke hands down. I heard her in Norma 20 years ago. Some pitch problems but otherwise pretty wonderful and a HUGE D6- enormous! Almost Sutherland in size, though I never heard her live.
Actually I never heard any of those singers myself except Price late in her career. I know most of my favorite singers from recordings. I envy Mas his extensive history of hearing singers in SF!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice to have some young people who love opera on board!!!!!!!!!!!
Opera is often about nostalgia for the lost past like baseball.

Do you think she'll still sound like she did 20 years ago/

 

[Woodduck]

Goerke hands down. I heard her in Norma 20 years ago.

Talk about nostalgia for a lost past...

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Do you think she'll still sound like she did 20 years ago/

Well no because her voice almost tripled in size over those years. The basic tone was the same but it sounded like she had a mic in her throat. She probably can't hit D6 still and imagine her flexibility has suffered singing Wagner..

 

[sworley]

Radvanovsky and Goerke are the only two sopranos today I would get excited to hear. I did hear Goerke as Norma years ago but before her voice really got big. Her high D in the trio was jaw dropping, though. You would have to pay ME to hear Netrebko today, although she was delight 25 years ago.

When I heard Netrebko's first Met broadcast (Puritani) I concluded that I had heard a strong, healthy voice but a rather unimaginative, unmemorable singer. I listened to her recordings and broadcasts over later years and never saw any reason to revise my opinion.

 

[BBSVK]

When I heard Netrebko's first Met broadcast (Puritani) I concluded that I had heard a strong, healthy voice but a rather unimaginative, unmemorable singer. I listened to her recordings and broadcasts over later years and never saw any reason to revise my opinion.

Yes, that is a recording after which I started avoiding her. Elvira in I Puritani is an idiotic role, and it would require a very special acting to make that character convincing. Netrebko didn't have this special superpower.

But I remember a previous life, when I was very happy with her as Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi. It was a taped stage rehearsal of her with Joyce Didonato in Paris. They both had the perfect looks for their parts and the singing was pleasing. I am not an expert enough to notice any mistakes in singing, if there were any.

 

[Seattleoperafan]

Yes, that is a recording after which I started avoiding her. Elvira in I Puritani is an idiotic role, and it would require a very special acting to make that character convincing. Netrebko didn't have this special superpower.

But I remember a previous life, when I was very happy with her as Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi. It was a taped stage rehearsal of her with Joyce Didonato in Paris. They both had the perfect looks for their parts and the singing was pleasing. I am not an expert enough to notice any mistakes in singing, if there were any.

Unlike 70 years ago this is a video age and a gorgeous singer like Netrebko, especially when she was young and sang better, was a recipe for success today. She has banked on that reputation since.