Jewel Song - Faust Contest - Nelly Miricioiu

[Matt75003]

Sorry, I meant immaculately... :)

[Matt75003]

This is really very, very good. She sings the piece elegantly, in classic French style. The runs are imacculately done, and the trills are exceptional. More importantly, she brings the shy and charming Marguerite to life without in any way doing violence to the sophisticated music, which is much more than just a coloratura showpiece (although relatively few singers understand this). Gounod would have cheered.

[eradesso]

Stunning, classy, elegant. Love the trills who are quintessential in this aria as the Fs for the Queen of the Night.

Sloppy trill or fake trill = don't sing it (and this goes to a at least a couple of the other contestants)

PS: Please, pretty please, let's not put on the same level two genius-artists like Miricioiu and Mosuc with that tramp Gheorghiu.

[ramo18tm]

Have you noticed that in Top10 for this "contest" are 3 Romanian primadonas ? This speaks from itself. For me, who had a senior teacher, mostly at the same age with this great soprano called Nelly Miricioiu, this "version" is the nearest to the interpretation that I was teached. It's the closest to my heart. I cannot believe that somebody can complain about her, it's so clear and easy, the trills are well-based, having like a jumping board to the next passage. My respect and admiration to her !

[MastersoftheOpera]

I'm afraid I don't agree with the favorable reviews on here. Nelly seems like an old lady trying out a song that isn't really for her. Her technique is fine, but she doesn't sound as marvelous as some other sopranos I've heard singing this - Mirella Freni, Angela Gheorghiu, Renee Fleming, Valerie Masterson, Maria Callas, etc. She just doesn't do it for me.

[littlebuggermate]

Wonderful trills and finish

[Amanderina]

she really makes this sound free and easy. its a much lighter voice than alot of singers I've heard sing it.- but she's very expressive vocally. I felt there were moments where she forgot the meaning of the words she was singing though...

[Vsevolod14]

I saw her as Marguerite in the 1980's at Covent Garden and she was simply magnificent - singing and acting. That she didn't always fulfil her potential is a frustration - but in fact this was due to little-known health problems. In the right repertoire she is still incredible. Her Lady Macbeth (2008) was a staggering success.

An orchestra can disguise a multitude of problems. Nelly is very good here considering how exposed she is.

[operabuff1]

surprisingly, this isn´t bad, a bit flat maybe.

In recent years, I´ve heard so many bad performances/recordings of her that I expected much worse. 3/3

Thanks for posting these interesting contests.

[taillia]

Beautiful, and perfect french prononciation !

[Starbunny]

she has a good tone, but the pitch goes flat several times;

[felipecunha]

3/3

[Cherubinetto]

Bravissima! Come al solito mi sorprende nel suo modo unico e meraviglioso di recitare il testo dentro la musica. I suoi trilli sono i migliori che ho ascoltato in questo brano, non semplici trilli ma parte dell'emozione di Margherite. 5/5

[EmilyGreene1984]

I love the clarity of tone Nelly uses, she, Janice, and Mirella have that sort of innocent, gentleness that Marguerite needs to have for the character (both musically and acting-wise). 5/5

[SirGeorg]

Excellent. When she's in good shape Nelly can be absolutely outstanding. She sometimes sounds a bit Callas-ish, even though not very much here. 5/5

[Iareto]

4/4. She's very, VERY good here. I like the lighter color she chooses here. However, perhaps it was just my ears or the video quality, but there were times where it sounded a bit flat.

[AnnElliot]

Magnificent trills, Miricioiu is a gem and the singing is very very beautiful here 5/5

[meltzerboy]

Finally, some much needed rubato in singing this aria, the way sopranos used to sing it in the early 20th century. Beautiful tone and excellent technique, plus charm and elegance in the De Los Angeles tradition. 5/5

[russlena]

4/5

[mkart9]

Her voice was better then, I like it more that how it sounds now. 4/5

[spsp2sp3sp3dsp3d2]

4/3

[hotazzoperastud]

This suprised me, I hadn't heard her in this before. This is very good. She keeps her voice very light for this aria and it is wonderful! Brava 5/5

[patjan92]

4/4

[songbirdwatcher]

Almost 20 years ago!?! -- how fresh, light, and pretty she sounds! Very solid technique, elegant phrasing, good trill -- she really seems like a great fit for this role, even in recital format. 5/4