Janet Baker - Oh nube che lieve / Nella pace del mesto riposo (English)

[Cramnella]

Thankfully, my universe is quite large enough for Sutherland and Baker. Love both!

[CaptFitzbattleaxe]

@Cramnella Amen to that. As much of a diehard Sutherland fan as I am, I'm almost willing to say this is better. Baker was truly one of the greats.

@primohomme Yeah, it would have been better if Bonynge let JS sing the piece straight the first time and *then* add the cadenza stuff.

[COLOMBANIPM]

SUBLIME . GRANDIOSE

[HM0880]

Dame Janet has an understated power in her singing that is incredibly compelling. She's one of my most favorite singers. :)

[asdfopera]

no, the cabaletta must end with a ringing top D! just kidding. this is okay, but it doesn't excite me the way it does when sutherland sings it. it is interesting to hear what a mezzo does with this music. i'm sure that didonato will make some interesting choices.

[primohomme]

@asdfopera

I think Sutherland's recording is not Donizetti's music but a great deal of Richard Bonynge's own mutilations of the score; a cadenza dodging the low Ab, the Malibran coloratura (though it's not actually the coloratura written in the malibran version of the aria but something else entirely by Bonynge), a weird interpolated transposition in the repeat of the cabaletta, etc.

I love Joan Sutherland, but I think a great deal of what Richard did with the music was rather tacky.

[Ariadne7710]

@primohomme Spot on about Bonynge and his mutilations of many scores. It wasn't just tacky it was criminal. Janet Baker is the sort of musician who respects the composers' music and wouldn't dream of interfering with their scores so as to show off what gymnastics she can perform with her voice.

[LohengrinT]

This is Donizetti's music - gorgeous singing