Karita Mattila - Manon Lescaut - Sola perduta abbandonata

[DanielZavagna]

I like her interpretation. But I don't understand why the stage directors like to prove they are "creative". Most of times the result is ridiculous! Mattila's interpretation would be much stronger and impressive on the stage Puccini thought to this opera.

[DavidoffGustav]

I love them all too but freni is much older in the youtube videos and voice is still fantastically intact

[ZayraOlgguin]

I want sing this song. she's a great singer!

I love her voice

[ZayraOlgguin]

I want sing this song. she's a great singer!

I love her voice

[emyiae]

sounds like Nina Rautio

[GEF69]

amazing woman!!! what a distinguished sound! Viva la Mattila!

[MAPIAKALLAS]

wow ok the Orchestra was too loud wow but her voice is powerful great brava lovely..

[olympicrange]

WRONG REP-- but a wonderful singing actress with great stage presence

[wotanman]

Damn, she's grown on me. Even though she isn't always my favorite in a role, she is REMARKABLY consistent and has FANTASTIC stage presence! Brrrava!

[toscadonna]

I would say her voice has a definite lyric quality to it, but she's strong enough in her body to support making the big sounds that are required in these dramatic roles. Brava! She's no dummy!

[Operalou]

W, Liù wasn't a role where C, T and P could use the *full potential* of their voices. KM would be stupid to waste her time. On the other hand she should definitely do Minnie in La fanciulla.

She has done act 1 of Walküre in Paris with Domingo and there's a recording of it circulating among collectors. Hopefully somebody has it and uploads excerpts here because what I've heard it's a fine first take on Sieglinde. But the role means lots of low tessitura singing and can wait.

[Operalou]

Kaiserin WILL be a splendid role and we'd want her Marschallin too. But please, Rysanek sang Chrysothemis hundreds of times and Elektra a couple of times. Rysanek was NEVER a born Turandot à la Välkki or Nilsson and with the role she stepped out of her natural realm. Lady Macbeth is within KM's possibilities but why sing such a dark role with a voice that radiates sunlight? Rysanek apparently didn't worry about the sun element of her younger voice.

[Operalou]

Elsa, Salome, Leonore, Sieglinde, Manon Lescaut, Tosca etc. are not roles for lyric voices. Schwarzkopf did one Elsa and that was that and Stratas who did a beautiful Liù never even attempted any of the mentioned roles.

[Operalou]

Correction: Rysanek only sang Elektra for film and never did it in the theatre. As for Salome, she didn't dare attempt the role before she was 46 = Awfully many similarities between Rysanek & Mattila...

[wotansings]

J'oubliais : avec sa technique fabuleuse et sa voix si extraordinairement bien placée, elle peut en effet chanter à peu près n'importe quoi.That doesn't mean she should.

and: Elsa, Sieglinde, Manon ne sont pas du tout des rôles dramatiques, suffit de regarder les grandes interprètes de ce répertoire. Re-cordialement...

[wotansings]

Well, comparons, Rysanek : Sieglinde (yes KM should sing that!!!),, but Turandot, Lady Macbeth, Kaiserin, Elektra???? You are kidding.

Puis, il n'y a pas que le MET au monde. Listen to Price 62 Liu in Vienna, more than convincing...

Le repertoire dramatique sera pour KM toujours de l'ordre de l'expériment, mais pas (d'après moi) son domaine de prédilection. Vaut mieux se garder des réserves. Le premier acte de Tristan est absolument en dehors de ses possibilités, par exemple. Cordialement...

[Operalou]

W, look at Tebaldi's, Price's and Caballé's Met careers: Only Caballé sang Liù twice on stage. Liù was never considered their important role anywhere else either and they seldom, if ever, did it.

Then, Elsa, Sieglinde, Leonore or Salome etc. cannot be sung by a lyric voice on stage. It has been tried but without much success. In the Italian repertoire Manon Lescaut or Tosca cannot be sung by a purely lyric voice either. (Altho that has been done too and there are many examples in Youtube)

[Operalou]

Mattila sounds good both as Manon and Salome and her voice does fill the roles and the house easily. Someone here wrote that "Mattila is a dramatic soprano without sounding like one" and I can understand that even tho officially she's classified as a lyric-dramatic.

Once again: When we say that we do NOT mean that she has a Brünnhilde voice or that she should ever sing the role. But she just wasn't born to sing Mimì, Magda and Liù etc either.

[Operalou]

Also, when I say that Rysanek & Mattila have the same voice type, it does not mean that their voices sound similar but that their vocal possibilities are similar.

A few London critics wrote 10 years ago: "Here's the Isolde we've been waiting for!" But to my knowledge KM does not have any plans to sing it. Nobody *wants* it to happen, and I personally would like her to preserve the sunshine in the voice as long as possible. But if one day she feels like doing it, then she should.

[opera1dan2]

I think I agree. This is the first time I have heard her and after having listened to some very expressive versions on Youtube (Scotto, Callas, Freni) it was nice to hear one that was beautiful to listen to thoughout the vocal range and the drama came more from the aria itself , letting the music do the talking. cf with the more exclamatory Freni version for eg.

I like all those sopranos before I get bashed. Just nice to listen to the whole range. Thanks for the post Gabba02.

[wotansings]

Price did and Caballé also. By the way, someone who sings Glawari, Elsa, or even Manon is NOT a dramatic soprano, maybe a "jugendlich dramatische". Nilsson, Farrell, Traubel, Lubin, Goltz, Dvorakova, ça c'est des sopranos dramatiques, rien à voir. Et j'ai bien le droit de préférer KM dans un repertoire plus léger que celui auquel vous la destinez. Ne vous en déplaise.

[Operalou]

Wotansings, just give up your mission here... you are again unable to see the point, namely:

The sopranos you mentioned did NOT sing Magda or Liu on stage. On recordings, anything can happen.

Once again, we call KM a dramatic soprano, mainly to seprate the voice type from a purely lyric voice singing Mimi, Magda and Liu etc.

[wotansings]

et toujours aussi poli..., quelqu'un qui chante Hanna Glawari ou Manon peut chanter Liu (tout comme Tebaldi a pu la chanter, ou Caballé, Price...) vraiment, c'est vous qui délirez sur l'aspect dramatique de la voix de KM, imho.

[wotansings]

OMG who do YOU think you are??? Karita a dramatic soprano... mort de rire! Bye

[Operalou]

You are free to use whatever language you choose to make your stupidity even better known:

Do you seriously think I'm interested in where you have "studied"? (Elsewhere in Youtube you write "No, I am not even a singer")

Then why do you try to sell your rubbish to people who actually know about and understand these things? Remember, as far as singing is concerned, you haven't been offered so-called opinions...

[wotansings]

Ich kann es auch auf deutsch, wenn Sie wollen! J'ai étudié à Londres ( und auch ein bisschen in Berlin und Wien) comme je l'ai essayé de vous faire comprendre. But maybe you understand english better? Ce qui ne vous donne nullement le droit d'insulter les autres. Et si je suis lasse de cet échange, je continuerai aussi lontemps que vous vous attaquez à moi personnellement. D'ailleurs je parlais(en fr) à quelqu'un d'autre qui définissait en fr KM comme sop dramatique... C'est simple. Got it?

[Operalou]

You know my only aim at this point is to make you come into your senses. What do you suppose readers think about somebody (= You) who speaks & writes English fluently but keeps on answering and hiding behind a French "facade"? Do you really believe you are taken seriously here...?

[wotansings]

Allez crachez votre venin si ça vous fait du bien. Ce qui me rassure ce que les lecteurs se rendront bien compte qui déraille ici!

[wotansings]

Vous me faites rire. J'en ai assez appris de Vera Rosza, Merci. Je vous signale toutefois que je ne m'abaisse pas à lancer des attaques personnelles, moi. Mais bon, c'est généralement ce que les gens font quand ils sont à cours d'arguments. Bonsoir

[Operalou]

Wotansings, maybe you should try to enter a conservatory to learn the basics of music and singing. Altho I should probably warn you: They do evaluate your personality before you're accepted in. You see, if your scull is too thick to begin with, no education will suffice...

[Operalou]

Wotansings, you are not French but a psycho fake: You spread entirely invented information about KM here in order to present yourself as an expert. In fact you barely understand about singing and fachs no matter how much you'd like to think otherwise.

Just put an end to your game here...

[wotansings]

Je suis terriblement impressioné par la profondeur de votre argumentation!

[wotansings]

Vous avez encore une fois tout faux. 1. Je ne suis pas américain. 2. La Salomé de Malfitano vaut largement celle de KM. Dire que c'est une soubrette vous disqualifie définitivement. 3. Voigt, c'est pour comparer une dramatique et l'une qui ne l'est pas. 4. Sortir beaucoup, voir et entendre beaucoup éduque l'oreille. Faites-en autant et on pourra parler. 5. Vous n'avez pas répondi à ma question. 6. Epargnez-moi votre monomanie (KM et rien d'autre), ça frôle la psychorigidité. 7. Restez poli.

[wotansings]

Ecoutez cet air (sola) chanté par Deborah Voigt ou Eva Marton par example et vous entendrez ce qu'est l'aigue et le forte d'une voix dramatique. Rien à voir. Pour moi elle est l'héritière d'une Malfitano si vous voulez, aussi une lyrique avec une belle expansion et dont j'aime pas du tout la Tosca par ex. Mais puisque vous êtes omniscient, dites-moi as-t-elle chanté Liu? Rondine? Bonsoir.

[wotansings]

Désolé, même dans cet extrait on entend bien que le forte n'est pas d'un calibre d'une Rysanek, voix en rien comprables d'ailleurs. Bien sûr qu'elle a plus d'expansion qu'une Freni (la voix surmenée de Scotto, oublions), et alors? Ce n'est pas ça qui définit l'emploi... Mais bon, vous êtes un bien mauvais avocat, puisque vous voulez absolument me faire dire du mal d'une chanteuse que j'aime et que j'admire. je dis la BASE est lyrique, et le rôle plus dramatiques sont un plus. à suivre

[Operalou]

Oui, Mattila a une expansion naturelle et c'est vous qui est résponsable de votre "opinion" d'un amateur.

Comme j'ai déjà écrit, KM ne chante presque jamais avec le capitale: On peut toujours entendre une réserve vocale dans Salomé, Elsa, Manon...

Salomé au Met était très impressionante vocalement. La voix est grande et ce n'est surtout pas une question d'opinion!

[Operalou]

Aida elle n'a pas chanté en public mais la voix a une très belle expansion dans Manon et Tosca. Une expansion plus impressionante que celles d'une Scotto ou d'une Freni.

Aussi, écoutez et comparez Mattila avec Rysanek dans Salomé et ésperons que vous comprendrez mieux.

[wotansings]

Suite. D'autres bizarreries postées ici me semblent donner raison, notamment dans le repertoire italien, Aïda, Tosca? etc, joli, joli, mais,il manque quelques dimensions, notamment en terme de projection. Alors ne me faites pas dire du mal d'une chanteuse que j'adore. Bien sûr qu'elle a l'expension, mais cela ne lui est pas naturel comme à une Rysanek jeune par ex. Voix très différente d'ailleurs. Donc, pour moi, une base lyrique avant tout.Cordialement.

[wotansings]

Je l'ai non seulement écoutée, mais aussi vue. Je déteste les classifications vocales soit dit en passant, toutefois, je maintiens, et sa carrière prudente le montre assez, la qualité première de sa voix, est le caractère"jugendlich", vos clips de la Witwe le démontrent assez, sa Salomé est merveilleuse, mais c'est déjà un rôle limite.. Isolde, , soyons sérieux.Rysanek ne l'a pas chantée non plus. Elle pourrait chanter Liebestod, voire le "Sink hernieder", mais jamais le 1er acte.

[Operalou]

La voix de KM est naturellement "jungendlich dramatisch" (lyrique-dramatique) et pas "hochdramatisch" (= Brünnhilde). En revanche sa voix a une telle puissance que Leonie Rysanek (qui avait le même type de voix) lui a dit q'un jour elle devrait chanter Isolde.

Flagstad surtout avait une voix volumineuse et peu métallique alors que le grave de Nilsson était relativement faible. Nilsson s'engagait à la projection mais je ne sais pas si sa voix était plus volumineuse à côté d'une Rysanek...

[Operalou]

Une vraie soprano lyrique-dramatique (parmi les "stars" Mattila est la seule), ça veut dire une soprano qui peut naturellement chanter légèrement mais qui a aussi une force expansive formidable.

SVP, allez écouter Salomé, Fidelio ou Puccini avec Mattila et vous verrez... ;)

[wotansings]

Soit. Parfois ma mémoire peut flancher. Puis KM est devenue lyrique-dramatique, la base est et reste lyrique.. l'important est que c'est une voix qui s'est développé avec intelligence et patience... en passant du lyrique en doucuer aux choses de plus en plus dramatiques. Pas d'accord du tout sur l'aigüe dramatique (ce serait quoi, d'ailleurs). Toute voix bien placée porte, la sienne n'a quand même pas ni le métal ni la puissance d'une Nilsson ou d'une Flagstadt! Merci en tous cas

[Operalou]

KM n'est absolument pas une soprano lyrique, mais une vraie soprano lyrique-dramatique avec la volume et l'aigu d'une soprano dramatique. Elle chante avec légèreté (presque jamais avec la capitale) mais ne vous trompez pas, c'est une des voix les plus puissantes sur la scène lyrique aujourd'hui.

Elle a gagné à Cardiff en chantant Agathe et Donna Anna et aujourd'hui Salome et Fidelio sont parmi ses grands rôles. Elle à fait la Reine dans une production d'étudiants à l'Academie Sibelius.

[wotansings]

Ce n'est absolument une soprano dramatique, mais une lyrique qui sait gérer son instrument. Pour ifo, elle avait gagner Cardiff en chantant la Reine de la nuit!

[mariasarda]

Enfin une vraie soprano dramatique ! Ca fait plaisir en ces temps de disette vocale...

[taylorofhoods]

well.. with reference to your quip about Puccini's geographical knowledge, it was actually Abbe Prevost who wrote the novel, hence his design that a dessert appears.

[Operalou]

Puccini wrote the libretto (=an adaptation) and others co-wrote with him. If he wanted the last act to take place in an actual desert, neither he nor his co-writers knew a hoot about (or cared for) geography. In light of this paradox, should a director be condemned for "not presenting the opera the way the composer wanted". Hardly.

[ihmeli]

Karita, carita! kaiken se kestää... You'll bear anything for her lovely performance. And how on earth can a mature Northern singer perform a young girl physically? Amazing!

[Operalou]

Juillhope, since when has there been a desert in the outskirts of New Orleans and Louisiana?? The director used the lack of Puccini's geographical knowledge creatively and it sort of worked (at least it wasn't that bad). And, everybody agrees that northern voices mature later so I'd say it happens sometime around/after the mid forties. Pure lyric voices tend to bloom earlier.

[JuillHope17]

this production itself was SOOOO fucked up with the random costumes and barely ANY set... the only good part was karita! she's even MORE amazing in the production at the met right now (did anyone catch the awesome broadcast this past saturday?), which is hard to believe, but true.

[Operalou]

I saw this production live. The idea was to stage each act in different centuries. In the last scene we saw the lights of a city in the background so Manon & Des Grieux were not really in the middle of a desert and this made the costume choices etc more logical. But I agree: Karita's voice is exquisite / even more telling / passionate and better recorded in the Met broadcast(s). Fantastic job, Karita! :-)) (The telecast hasn't been shown in Finland yet.)

[charlie8943]

i did catch the brodcast on saturday the 16th this final scene brought tears to my eyes. Giordani and Mattila were fantastic

[JuillHope17]

i know, it was a performance i'll never forget. karita mattila is one of the few true dramatic sopranos of today that can ACT. what's so cool about her too is that she doesn't have the classic dramatic soprano sound, but she can still do it. she's soooo awesome, and i'ts hard to believe she's almost 50.

[charlie8943]

the voice doent mature until late fortys early 50s so she hasa lot of singing ahead

[JuillHope17]

correction, the voice doesn't mature until the early/mid forties. then your PEAK is mid forties to early fifties.

[charlie8943]

i was half right just afew yrs off LOL

[charlie8943]

i wish the directors and such would stop staging to their way out ideas and stick to the way composerers presented the opera they have survived doign it the original way

[JuillHope17]

true, although you shouldn't count out new ideas, but you're right: this is too much.

[richiedrr]

I can stand no sets, and "no" costumes, but irrelevant sets and floating torsos are out.

Great singing!

[madmezzo]

Good singing. That floating torso weirds me out. Or did I just drink too much last night.

[Andante735]

Sure, everyone wore a red sequined gown in the desert. What is WRONG with these directors who want to make Opera look like a room in the Museum of Modern Art!!! It doesn't work!

[Valyria]

Who is that playing Des Grieux

[osvaldito55]

Astonishing.  Brava!

[Johnny1206]

She sings beautifully ! Unfortunately the stage direction is frigid!

[MAPIAKALLAS]

That high A was out of this world wonderful over the Orchestra i just saw her sing in the LA opera Jenufa Orgasmic...

[jm960]

No complaints about voice quality here. This is such gorgeous authentic singing. Listen to the beauty of line and even registers. Brava!

[powerinpraise2000]

I can't wait to see her do this at the met this season...

[Gigglingatagas]

I disagree about the voice being too bel canto. I think it's a perfectly valid interpretation. In fact, I think Mattila's performance of this aria is in line with her idea of Manon's character. The first aria shows us a woman who is sensitive, and this aria should reinforce that. Not scare us to death.

[Laeliapurpurata]

It's different... the voice is not very dramatic, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Thank you

[daikyosenshi]

She moved me to tears - which is rare. Brava

[Maizki007]

This performance totally gives me chills. She is astounding! I wish there were more posts of her singing!

[Opera19]

This needs some more edge in the voice toooo bel canto! Puccini needs some rawness especially in a Mad Scene! But Good for what it was!

[vkaminsky]

She is a lovely Manon (I saw her at the Lyric Opera's production a few seasons ago); however, I could certainly do without the Eurotrash/minimalism sets/costumes.

[LaReineDesTulipes]

Stunning! Powerful! Thankyou :)