Sondra Radvanovsky in -I Vespri Siciliane- Bolero

[gerardsatamian]

Huge voice!

[lelecoloco]

IN addition to Usulan Child I have to say:

She is the only Sondra, yes... and I think, with intelligence and the right menagement she can be as great as any of the ones on the past. She is already carrying the same tradition. AMEN to that!!!!

[mozart200657]

a plucked chicken...she squeaks

[Rcoppin91]

@spqrmor She is marking...

[monpitt500]

Horrible!

[JKevinGrayvideos]

Wonderful voice, great work....Brava!

[Pathetikos]

Her voice (as a material unity of colours and diapason) is a gift of heaven, but I guess she still has to work on her technique and the colouring of the voice. It's a pity that in today's circumstances, where there is not much competition in the operatic field, the standards not only of the public but also the demands that singers have towards themselves are very low.

If Sondra had sung like this in the 50-80ies she would surely have had lesser chances to come out as the best Elena of the day.

[LohengrinT]

who was singing Elena from the 50s to 80s? a total of 2-3 singers? how many of those could sing the 2.5 octave chromatic descent in Arrigo? 2? 1? Elena is one of the most difficult roles ever written and most of the times is sung dreadfully.

But I do agree her voice needs more tuning and training if she wants to hit the Assoluta repertoire

[kh3205]

@LohengrinT

50's alone had three famous sopranos singing Elena; Callas, Cerquetti and Stella. 60's had Gencer. 70's had Cabelle, Deutekom, Scotto, Gulin (on her good day.) 80's??

In any case, I like Radvanovsky's voice, but what's the deal with her low notes? I always have a hard time to hear her voice there.

[LohengrinT]

@kh3205 Besides Callas and Caballe the rest were hallucinating they were singing Elena - and it was a bad hallucination :))

[Q2w3e4r5tion]

ma che bella voce ingolfata.......terribile!

[RamirRMA]

Just to add a comment - A friend of mine sent me a record from a mp3 player when she sung at the MET, or something. The quality of the record's like crap, but the voice of this lady's IMMENSE. Into the dramatic standarts...

It's a rehersal. She's keeping calm and not overdosing, she's just too smart to go and give her best when no one's on the crowd!

[DivasraplentyIAMNOT]

I would like to hear more about the baritone who is signing with her at the end. I like his voice, but I need to hear more of it.

[reneeinastoria]

it always amazes me how people who know very little about the voice, opera, singing, technique, etc. comment on these pages. Ms. Sondra Radvonovsky is incredible.  Listen to her live, then talk. It's HUGE, present... and the vibrato is NOT fast, it's natural and beautiful. if you are referring to when she is trilling, then please look up the word trill in a music context and then listen again.

Brava Sondra!!

[ciociosan]

also, i think she has to be heard in the theater. voices like hers, gruberova and callas have to be experienced live, IMO.

[silsio]

mamma mia....io l'ho ascoltata a Genova. La voce è grande ma i vibrato è insopportabile e gli acuti fissi e duri!

[velazquez2009]

she is ugly and overdone even if she has some qualities. too much vibration for my taste.

[semiramide1945]

The fast vibrato in her voice must take some getting used to. I haven't yet. Aprile Millo, Monserrat Caballe, if only both could re-appear in their prime to sing this part, I would be there with pleasure. In Madame Millo's case, however, there is no doubt she could do it tomorrow

[beacoloratura]

Exactly! And the imprecise coloratura is just like not brushing your teeth properly - unacceptable! I am not fond of the balancing of the voice, either - the middle is beefy but the top does not match that, it is ok, but not as brilliant as the middle makes you expect...

[2loperadeparis]

Bad : voice is common and very small.

[viverito]

her voice is not small at all, obviously you have never hear her live.

[UrsulanChild]

She is something special. She's got a wonderful instrument, as well as a great stage presence. And a High-E to boot? C'mon, y'all!!! I won't make comparisons to any other singer. Sondra will be the first Sondra-- only she and time will determine what that means. Thanks for posting!

[Lohengrin]

at 3'34'' is it dress rehersal? because she whispers the E natural...

[JuillHope17]

it's not a whisper, she just does it pianissimo.

[liamandsarah]

It's a dress - she is saving her voice for the 1st performance. She doesn't need to "practice" that note.

[flemming4ever]

She is soo wonderful, not very many good Verdian sopranos out there..I would love to watch her live!

[dynamicstuff73]

my teacher told me that when she competed in the met competition as soon as the first note came out they knew she was the winner. She quite amazing live!

[operaboy81]

Incredible voice. I like the agility that she is capable of, and I wasn't expecting that high note at the end.

[Homoclassicus]

Excellent! I think she's not totally clear in her Italian, but her timbre is so distinctive and rich and the singing so accurate and melodious that I forget any minor fault. She's really wonderful.